Your Questions, Answered
FAQ
Find answers to the questions students and educators ask most about accounts, books, teaching tools, accessibility, and licensing.
Find your book Subjects orange Contact Us Contact Us blue_outline center 0 80% 0 #F7FCFF 2 dark blue divider 3px center 100% 3pxHave questions about OpenStax? You'll find answers to many of them here! If you have questions about using our textbooks or technology, visit our help center.
0 0 80%How do I create, verify, manage, or delete my OpenStax account?
faq-1OpenStax offers two account types: Student and Educator/Researcher. Go to OpenStax.org, click Log in, select Sign up, and choose the account type that fits your role.
After completing the sign-up form, a 6-digit PIN will be sent to your email to confirm your address. If you don't receive it within 15 minutes, check your social/spam folder or contact support@openstax.org. During sign-up, you may also be prompted to complete a reCAPTCHA verification. This is a standard security step to confirm you're not a bot. If the reCAPTCHA isn't loading or responding, try refreshing the page, clearing the cache, or switching to a different browser.
To update your account information, log in, hover over your name, and click “Account Profile” and visit your account settings. To delete your account, please fill out the Data Deletion Form.
For educators: Use your school-issued email to make verification easier. OpenStax partners with SheerID to verify educator credentials. If you are not automatically verified, you can submit documentation such as a pay stub, employment contract or staff ID. Manual reviews take 3-4 business days and are processed in the order they are received. Once verified, lock icons on Instructor Resources pages will change to Download buttons. If you don't see the change, log out and back in to refresh your permissions.
faq-2OpenStax digital textbooks are free to access in the online view or as downloadable PDFs. Visit openstax.org/subjects, select your subject category, click your book's cover or title, then choose your preferred format under Get the book.
Some textbooks may require a student account to unlock Student Resources. Student solutions are typically found at the end of the book under the "Answer Key" section, or on the book's Student Resources tab.
OpenStax publishes peer-reviewed, openly licensed textbooks across a wide range of subjects, but we don't carry every title. If you're looking for a book that isn't in our catalog, your campus library, bookstore, or instructor should be able to point you in the right direction.
faq-3Instructor resources are available to verified educators. Once your account is verified, go to your book's page on openstax.org and click the Instructor Resources tab. The lock icons will change to Download buttons, giving you access to instructor resources for all OpenStax textbooks. Resources vary by title and may include PowerPoint slides, solution manuals, test banks, and course cartridges.
If your book doesn't have the specific resource you're looking for, there are a couple of great places to explore additional openly licensed materials:
- OER Commons (oercommons.org): a public library of open educational resources where instructors share and remix course materials across many subjects.
- OpenStax Technology Partners (openstax.org/partners): a curated network of ed-tech providers that have built additional tools, assessments, and resources specifically for OpenStax titles.
If you have questions about what's available for your title, email support@openstax.org.
How do I use the OpenStax online view, including highlighting, taking notes, and listening to audio?
faq-4The online view is the recommended way to read OpenStax books. To access it, go to openstax.org/subjects, find your book, and select View online under Get the book. No account is needed to read the book online.
Highlighting and notes: To use the highlighting and note-taking features, you must be logged in with an OpenStax account and viewing the book on a desktop or laptop. Click and drag your mouse over the text you want to highlight. A pop-up will appear, allowing you to choose a color. To add a note, type in the "Add a note" field and click Save.
You can view your highlights and notes on a tablet, iPad, or mobile device, but you cannot create, edit, or delete them on those devices. For full instructions, visit our Creating highlights and adding notes on desktop and laptop, and Using the highlighting and note-taking feature on mobile or tablet help articles.
For audio access, most browsers and devices offer built-in text-to-speech. The online view includes alt text for images and is designed for screen reader compatibility. Popular options include Read&Write by Texthelp, NVDA for Windows, VoiceOver for iOS, and TalkBack for Android.
If you prefer an audiobook format, Audileo, an OpenStax Technology Partner, offers audiobooks for purchase for select OpenStax titles. Available titles can be found on the Audileo website.
How does OpenStax Assignable work, and how do I set up assignments?
faq-5OpenStax Assignable allows instructors to build customized assignments directly in their Learning Management System. Instructors can assign OpenStax readings, assessment questions, and supplemental materials for students to complete without leaving their LMS.
Assignable starts at $15 per student per course per semester, with a two-week free trial beginning the day the student first logs into Assignable. Students can pay directly, or institutions can purchase site licenses. Bookstores can also sell access codes. Assignable is free for instructors.
Assignable integrates with Blackboard Learn, Blackboard Ultra, Canvas, D2L/Brightspace, Moodle 3.10 or later, Schoology, and other LTI 1.3-compatible platforms. To get started, visit openstax.org/assignable or contact your institution's LTI administrator.
How do I report an error or submit errata for a textbook?
faq-6If you find an error in an OpenStax textbook, we want to hear about it. Submit your report through the errata form at openstax.org/errata/form. Include the book title, the location of the error, and a description of the issue.
To report an accessibility issue, select "Other" as the Errata Type and include "Accessibility" in the description, along with the book title, format, and specific location.
Our team reviews all submissions, and accepted corrections are incorporated into future versions of the book.
How do I order a print copy of an OpenStax textbook?
faq-7Many OpenStax books are available for purchase in print at an affordable price. You can buy one through your campus bookstore or by selecting Order a print copy on the book's details page, which takes you to our print partner Kendall Hunt's website.
If you have questions about a print order, please contact Kendall Hunt directly at ordernow@kendallhunt.com or by phone at 1-800-228-0810.
Does OpenStax integrate with my LMS (Canvas, Blackboard, D2L, Moodle)?
faq-8Yes. OpenStax offers two ways to bring content into your LMS:
Course Cartridges (free): Course cartridges are available for select OpenStax titles and can be downloaded from the Instructor Resources tab on your book's page. Please note that cartridges include individual links to each section of the textbook for assigning readings, and some include PowerPoint slides. Cartridges do not include any other resources, such as test banks. Cartridges are available for Canvas, Blackboard, and D2L. For step-by-step import instructions, visit the Cartridge section of our help center for your specific LMS.
OpenStax Assignable (paid): Provides full LTI integration with auto-grading and grade passback. See How does OpenStax Assignable work, and how do I set up assignments? FAQ for details.
Are OpenStax materials accessible, and how do I report an accessibility issue?
faq-9OpenStax is committed to WCAG 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 at Level AA, as well as Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. We partner with Level Access, a third-party accessibility solutions provider, for ongoing audits and remediation. You can review helpful documentation in our Accessibility Statement.
The online view is the most accessible format, featuring readable text, alt text for images, MathML for math content, and detailed descriptions for complex graphics. Downloadable formats such as PDF and DOCX may have a different accessibility status, and some are still being remediated.
Some titles are also available through Bookshare in DAISY, audio, and braille-compatible formats for individuals with verified print disabilities.
For the current remediation status, visit the Accessibility Hub. To report an issue, submit it through the errata form and include "Accessibility" in the description.
Can I reuse, adapt, or cite OpenStax content, and what does the Creative Commons license allow?
faq-10All OpenStax content is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA), so instructors and institutions are free to adapt materials to meet course needs.
If you are redistributing, remixing, or adapting OpenStax content, we ask that you include the pre-formatted attribution found at the bottom of every page in the online view. This is the only notation required to use our content.
At the bottom of every page in the online book, there is a Citation/Attribution dropdown menu with pre-formatted attributions and a link to a citation generator that can produce MLA, APA, Chicago, and other citation styles.
For questions about commercial use, visit our Commercial Use under the Creative Commons License help article.
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