We’ve launched two major updates: first, the ability to turn messy PDFs into clean, mobile-friendly digital instructions in one shot via AI; and second, we improved the accessibility features of the PDF documents that StepAlong generates. On top of that, we added a simple but powerful feature to speed up product logistics, giving teams more flexibility to manage and release instructions without holding up distribution.
Turn PDFs into Digital Product Instructions Instantly
Companies chose PDFs for their dual use in print and digital, but their print-based design makes them clumsy in today’s mobile first world. They’re hard to use on phones, costly to update due to varied formats, and difficult to adapt for multiple languages. Errors in PDFs in the product boxes can’t be fixed remotely, and even with QR codes, the usability issues persist.
The investments companies made in PDF have become a legacy challenge, especially when migrating product instructions to newer digital formats like StepAlong. At StepAlong, we have made it a priority to develop tools that accelerate the onboarding of instructions onto our platform. So last week, we launched in beta the first version of our PDF-to-StepAlong functionality, to automatically convert old PDF instructions onto the StepAlong Platform.
All users have to do is upload a PDF and the StepAlong AI will take care of the rest:
- Create structured, step-by-step online instructions that consumers can follow on their mobile
- Organize content into the right sections without changing the original text
- Automacially generate supporting text for assembly diagrams that previously didn’t have them
- Create a new type of PDF that is now usable and accessible for all
Creating product instructions used to take hours and the StepAlong platform was a response to that, defining a standarized way of creating multi-format product instructions that allows instruction creations to focus on content, not format. Now with the PDF-to-StepAlong functionality we have significantly brought down the time of converting an old PDF into modern instructions, meaning teams can work up to 6x faster.
The PDF-to-StepAlong feature builds on our existing tools like the YouTube-to-product tutorial converter and the text-to-instructions converter, giving StepAlong users even more flexibility to turn legacy content into clear, structured product instructions.
What sets StepAlong apart from generic AI tools like ChatGPT is our purpose-built model. It’s trained specifically to understand the structure and context of product instructions and user manuals. That means it keeps the technical meaning intact, avoids errors, and ensures your content is accurate and easy to follow, which is critical when you’re dealing with complex products.
One of the key issues that our clients face is they don’t have access to the original visual assets in the PDF, so soon you will be able to extract and improve images from PDF.
Improved PDF Accessibility
When companies are developing instructions, accessibility needs often come last, or not at all, because of design and deadline pressures. And while design tools for creating PDFs are abundant, most focus on visual elements without considering the needs of end-users with accessibility issues.
The advantages of creating instructions with the StepAlong Product Instruction Platform is that we are able to address accessibility needs at the platform level, meaning that for companies it is just taken care of.
Ensuring PDF documents are accessible is crucial for inclusivity and is now legislated by the EU: the European Accessibility Act (EAA), adopted in 2019, requires businesses to comply by June 28th, 2025, making accessibility a growing priority for all companies selling into the European Market.
In addition to mobile-friendly digital instructions, StepAlong’s player allows users to generate PDFs on demand. The latest version includes accessibility improvements like:
- Semantic Structure and Navigation Proper tagging, logical reading order, and a hierarchical structure to support screen readers. Bookmarks for larger documents and consistent tab order.
- Visual and Functional Accessibility Eliminated issues like screen flickers.
- Alternative Text and Content Markup All images have alternative text. Lists and tables follow proper structure, including headers and summaries where needed.
So PDFs generated with StepAlong are now more accessible, navigable, and user-friendly for everyone, including people with disabilities.
Work on Instructions While Products Ship
Since adopting StepAlong, many of our clients have transformed how they manage product instructions. There’s no longer a need to wait for instruction manuals to be finalized before packaging and shipping products. In most cases, all that’s needed is a printed safety sheet and a QR code linking to the digital instructions.
One client requested the ability to hide instructions from end-users temporarily, so they could the QR code and status of the instructions with partners in the supply chain while still finalizing the content. This led us to introduce a “hidden” status for instructions, allowing companies to verify links and prepare distribution in parallel with content creation.
With this feature, managing product instructions becomes an asynchronous process, enabling faster product distribution without compromising on quality or user experience.
