Digital instructions for machinery: what Regulation 2023/1230 allows

Until 19 January 2027 machinery placed on the market follows Directive 2006/42/EC, which provides for instructions on paper. From 20 January 2027 Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 applies, introducing the possibility of supplying instructions for use in digital form.

It is an option, not an obligation. Whoever prefers to keep the printed manual can do so. Whoever goes digital, however, must organise a few things that paper did not need: access from the machine, online storage for many years and the handling of paper copy requests.

According to the sources we consulted, the main conditions are:

• the machine, the packaging or an accompanying document must indicate how to access the digital instructions, for example with a QR code or a web address;
• the format must allow the instructions to be downloaded, saved and printed;
• the instructions must stay accessible online for the expected lifetime of the machine and in any case for at least 10 years after placing on the market;
• if the buyer asks for them on paper at the time of purchase, they must be supplied free of charge within one month;
• if the machine may be used by non-professional users, the essential safety information must be supplied on paper anyway.

Before changing your process, check the exact conditions in the official text of the Regulation on EUR-Lex and with your CE consultant.

Going digital does not change the rule on languages: instructions must be supplied in the languages required by the country where the machine is made available. Each country sets this in its national rules: see the country pages of our Regulation guide.

Digital does make it easier to offer every language on the same page, and to update a translation without reprinting the manual.

• The link that stops working. A QR code pointing to the company website breaks at the first redesign. You need a stable address, designed to last at least 10 years.
• The wrong version. The page must show the instructions valid for that serial number and that configuration, not the latest version of the generic manual.
• Forgotten paper copies. A request received by email and lost in someone's inbox makes you miss the one-month deadline.
• No record. In case of a dispute you want to be able to prove which version was published for that serial number and on what date.

1. Decide which models go digital and which keep paper, for example where non-professional users are foreseeable.
2. Choose a stable address for the instructions and put it on the nameplate or on a label next to it, with a QR code that an ordinary phone can read.
3. Link each QR code to the individual serial number, so the page shows the manual in the right version and configuration.
4. Set up a channel for paper copy requests, with a tracked deadline.
5. Publish versions that cannot be edited after publication and keep the history.

TARGA does these things per serial number: public page with QR code, downloadable PDFs per language, paper requests with deadline and reminders, immutable versions and an archive for at least 10 years.