Introduce New Readers to the Reader
Our reader displays a multi-step onboarding modal the first time a new reader opens a product. Each step introduces a core feature through an illustration, a title, and a short description. The flow adapts automatically to the content type: PDF and EPUB readers see steps focused on reading tools; audiobook listeners see steps focused on playback controls.
Use this reference when a CS or support team member needs to explain what the onboarding flow covers, which steps are conditional, or how a tenant can control whether the flow is shown.
Prerequisites
- Onboarding must be enabled for the tenant. If the modal does not appear, confirm the setting with the tenant's account configuration.
- The modal triggers automatically on the reader's first visit. Subsequent visits do not show it unless the reader accesses it manually.
Trigger and Visibility
| Trigger | Behavior |
|---|---|
| First visit (automatic) | Our system shows the modal automatically when the reader opens a product for the first time and the tenant has onboarding enabled. |
| Manual access | The reader can re-open the modal at any time using the Onboarding button in the reader settings, if the tenant has enabled that button. |
Modal Structure
The onboarding modal appears as an overlay on the reader. It does not interrupt the reading session; the reader can close it at any step.
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Illustration area | A visual that accompanies each step |
| Title and description | Short text explaining the feature introduced in that step |
| Step indicators | Circular numbered buttons at the bottom that show progress and allow direct navigation to any step |
| Navigation buttons | Back and Next to move between steps; Done on the last step to close the modal |
Readers can also swipe left or right (touch devices) or use the Arrow Left and Arrow Right keys to navigate between steps. Pressing Escape closes the modal.
While the onboarding modal is open, arrow key navigation for page turning in the reader is paused. It resumes automatically when the modal is closed.
Reader Flow (PDF and EPUB)
The following steps appear when a reader opens a PDF or EPUB product. The first three steps always appear. Two additional steps are conditional.
| Step | What it introduces |
|---|---|
| 1. Welcome | An introduction to the reader with a brief overview of what the reader can do |
| 2. Highlights | How to select text and create highlights using the selection tool |
| 3. Notebook | The Notebook panel for reviewing and managing highlights and notes |
| 4. Mobile app (conditional) | Promotion of the mobile app for a better reading experience. Shown only on the web reader when the tenant has this promotion enabled and the reader has not seen it before. |
| 5. Smart Zoom (conditional) | The Smart Zoom adaptive reading mode. Shown for PDF products only when Smart Zoom is enabled for the tenant. |
Smart Zoom is an adaptive reading mode available on select PDF products. It reflows the content around a selected article zone for easier reading on small screens. See Offline Mode for availability details.
Audiobook Flow
The audiobook player has a separate onboarding flow tailored to audio content. The app promotion and Smart Zoom steps do not appear in this flow.
| Step | What it introduces |
|---|---|
| 1. Welcome | An introduction to the audiobook player |
| 2. Playback controls | How to play, pause, and skip through the audio |
| 3. Narrator speed | How to adjust the playback speed |
| 4. Chapters | The playlist panel for navigating between chapters |
Navigation Controls
Keyboard shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Arrow Right | Next step |
Arrow Left | Previous step |
Escape | Close the modal |
Button behavior
| Button | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Back | Returns to the previous step. Hidden on the first step. |
| Next | Advances to the next step. |
| Done | Closes the modal. Appears on the last step in place of Next. |
Conditional Steps and Tenant Configuration
Two steps in the PDF and EPUB flow depend on tenant settings.
| Step | Condition for display |
|---|---|
| Mobile app promotion | The tenant has app promotion enabled, the reader is viewing content in a web browser (not the mobile app), and the reader has not seen this promotion before. Once seen, this step does not reappear. |
| Smart Zoom | The tenant has Smart Zoom enabled and the product is a PDF. This step does not appear for EPUB products. |
Analytics
Our system tracks reader interactions within the onboarding modal. This data helps us understand drop-off points, measure completion rates, and prioritize improvements to the onboarding experience. Events are captured for forward navigation, backward navigation, and direct step selection via the step indicators.
Related Documentation
- Manage Highlights and Notes - The Notebook feature introduced in step 3 of the reader flow
- Play and Navigate Audiobooks - Audiobook reader features covered in the audiobook onboarding
- Read Without an Internet Connection - Smart Zoom and feature availability details
- Reader Feature Overview - Full feature catalog with platform availability