Leave the batteries and card in. Plug in the headphones, and think of that end as the top of the machine. The buttons are like a phone, with 1 2 3 from left to right across the top. The 2 key starts and stops play of a file, and the 0 switches between settings and reading. The bottom two rows of keys are called a b c and the bottom row is d e f. a and c change speed, d and f change volume. On the card already to read is the manual. That will get you started. You use the bookport transfer software to send other files from your computer to the bookport.