🪑 Pick the right chair: Look for adjustable seat height, tilt and lumbar support to keep your posture in check. That helps maintain the natural curve of your spine. And those pricey “gaming” chairs? Totally overrated. A good ergonomic model will last longer. Here’s one I like that’s 15% off.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Keep your iPad battery healthy: Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health and toggle on 80% Limit. This caps charging at 80%, which helps reduce wear and extend battery life. Pro tip: If Maximum Capacity is under 100%, it’s already aging.
Miss the old Start menu? With Windows 10 support ending in October, you might not love that Windows 11 centers the taskbar icons by default. Good news: You can switch back to the classic look. Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors and set Taskbar alignment to Left.
❗ Is it just you? Use Downdetector to check if a service is down, like your internet provider, Netflix or social media apps. Just type the name in the search box.
Custom Chromebook keys: Change how your touchpad and keyboard behave. Go to Settings > Device > Touchpad or Keyboard. Some cool options: Turn on tap-to-click, change what a right-click does or set the top row to function keys.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Set a custom wallpaper on your Echo Show: Use the Alexa app > Devices > Echo Show > Photo Display > Family pics > Stock art.
🎙️ Come hang with me this weekend! My national radio show is hitting the airwaves on over 420 stations across the country. I’m sharing smart tech tips, digital life hacks, unbelievable stories that didn’t make the newsletter and taking your calls on the air. Don’t miss it! Find your local station or get the podcast.
🎧 Tired of earbuds that fall out or fizzle fast? I use Raycon’s Everyday Earbuds! They have clear sound, comfy fit and up to 32 hours of battery life. They’re half the price of big brands. Get 15% off today at Raycon!
💬 Mark texts as unread: It’s not just for emails. On iPhone, swipe right on a conversation and tap Mark as Unread (it looks like a speech bubble). On Android, press and hold the convo, tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, then choose Mark as unread, so you won’t forget to reply later.
👪 Decode your kids: Urban Dictionary has your back. Type in any slang word or phrase, and you’ll get the top-voted definition, usually accurate, occasionally unhinged. Great for translating “rizz,” “mid” or whatever they’re mumbling these days.
📚 Take Kindle screenshots: Want to save something on your screen? Tap the upper-right and lower-left corners at the same time. To view it, plug your Kindle into a computer and check the Screenshots folder (Root folder for older models).
💻 Emergency Windows restart: If your PC is totally frozen, don’t just hold the power button. Press Ctrl + Alt + Del to open the security screen. Then hold Ctrl and click the Power icon in the bottom-right. You’ll get a warning about losing unsaved data. Click OK to restart right away.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Print black-and-white even when your color ink is empty. In print settings, choose “Print in grayscale using black ink only.” Works on most printers and saves you mid-print rage.
📄 Google trick for docs: You can look for specific file types by adding filetype: to your search. For example, type filetype:pdf user manual (PDF), filetype:xlsx monthly budget (Excel), filetype:doc job application (Word) or filetype:ppt marketing presentation (PowerPoint).
📱 Android app fix: If an app is constantly crashing or bugging out, try clearing its cache. Go to Settings > Apps > App Name > Storage & cache (or just Storage) and select Clear cache. FYI: Don’t tap Clear data, because that erases your settings, login details and resets the app to default.
🚗 Use your iPhone as a car key: Yep, that’s a thing, and it works with your Apple Watch, too. If you have a compatible vehicle (full list here), you can lock, unlock and even start it. FYI: You’ll need an iPhone XS or Apple Watch Series 5 or newer.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Lost a file? On Windows, press the Windows key and start typing the name. On Mac, hit Command + Space bar and do the same. It’s the fastest way to find documents, apps or settings.
💪 Get in shape: MuscleWiki is a free workout tool that shows you exercises for every muscle group. Select Male or Female, then click on a muscle in the body map. You’ll get a list of exercises to choose from, each with a demo video and step-by-step instructions so you know exactly what to do.
👁️ Look ’em in the eye: On iPhone video calls, eye contact’s tricky since you’re looking at the screen, not the camera. Apple’s Eye Contact feature uses AI to adjust your gaze automatically. Turn it on in Settings > FaceTime > Eye Contact. Cue the staring contest.
