🖼️ Rotate images on Google Docs: On a PC, hit Alt + right arrow or left arrow. On a Mac, it’s Option + left arrow or Option + an arrow key. Great for changing pics to horizontal or vertical.
10 privacy-friendly Big Tech alternatives
Nextcloud.com, play.google.com, Notesnook.com
Amazon uses your Alexa voice commands to train its AI, Dropbox had a breach in April that exposed customers’ passwords, and apps like Facebook and Google make billions of dollars gathering and sharing every little detail about you. I could go on (and on).
Luckily for you, there are privacy-friendly alternatives. Here are some proven ones.
1. Instead of Dropbox …
Try Nextcloud. It does everything Dropbox does (including end-to-end file encryption) but gives you total control. You can even host your own server for free at home.
2. Instead of Google Docs or Microsoft 365 …
Try Joplin. It’s a document app that keeps your files encrypted and stored in open formats, so you can take them anywhere without anyone snooping.
3. Instead of Google Keep or Apple Notes …
Try Notesnook. It’s end-to-end encrypted and lets you export to other apps. Unlike some companies, Notesnook won’t use your stuff to train an AI chatbot.
4. Instead of Google Photos or Apple Photos …
Try Ente, a free photo storage app that backs up your data in multiple locations and scrambles it with a password for maximum security. Ente doesn’t use your pics for AI machine learning, either, like Google Photos and Apple Photos both do.
5. Instead of Apple Home or Google Home …
Try Home Assistant. It’s an open-source smart home hub that works with just about every smart home device out there. The best part? You can manage everything from your browser or phone — no need for home apps that collect your data … and voice … and schedule … and shopping habits …
You can back up handwritten notes online with these erasable notebooks
StackCommerce
Although apps like Evernote and Google Docs are great for storing text, they cannot replace a pen and paper. There is something more intuitive about scribbling notes, and you have the option to sketch your ideas.
The Rocketbook Everlast Mini is a notebook that offers the best of both worlds. It works just like a traditional notebook, but you can back up every page to the cloud using your smartphone. Better still, you can easily erase the whole thing and start again.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Google Docs can instantly translate text. Go to Tools > Translate document > Choose a language > Translate. It creates a new copy, so your original stays untouched. C’est incroyable!
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: In Google Docs, press Ctrl + Shift + C (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + C (Mac) to check your word count. It all adds up!
🖨️ Save your printer’s cartridge: Arial might look clean, but it eats through ink faster than you think. A better option: Try Times New Roman. Tests show it can use up to 27% less ink over time. To make the switch, tap the Font drop-down menu at the top in Google Docs or Microsoft Office.
See past edits in Google Docs: View earlier versions of a document by going to File > Version History > See version history. It shows what changed, who made the edits, and lets you restore old work. FYI: To restrict access, click the Share button (top right) and adjust the permissions.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: In Google Docs, you can open web pages with fewer mouse clicks. On Windows, hover your cursor over a link and press Alt + Enter. On Mac, it’s Option + Enter.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: In Google Docs, press Ctrl + Shift + S to turn on voice typing. On Mac, use Cmd + Shift + S instead. FYI: It works in Chrome, Safari and Edge.
Sharing Google Docs? If you’re giving someone Editor access, make a copy first. Go to File > Make a copy and rename it, so you can always go back to the original. Bonus: If you don’t want them changing anything, click Share (top-right) and set General access to Viewer only before sending the link.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Use voice typing in Google Docs: Tools > Voice typing.
🖨️ Low on ink? Before you print, change the color to #010101. It looks black, but it’s really 99% gray. In Google Docs, highlight your words, click the text color tool, and pick Add a custom color (+). Type in the number and hit OK. FYI, thin fonts like Courier New or Garamond save even more ink.
🎨 Use your exact brand color: In Google Docs, highlight your text, go to highlight color in the menu and click Add a custom color (+). Then, type your hex code (like #000080 for navy blue) and apply it. Nice.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: In Word or Google Docs, press Ctrl + Enter (Windows) or Command + Enter (Mac) to start a fresh page. No need to smash Enter 10 times. Saves time, so you can get back to Googling, “How can I get my cat TikTok famous?”
Use Google Docs at work? You may have the Gemini AI bot to help write. Hover over the star icon next to your pic that says Ask Gemini. Click on it to open a sidebar with the writing tools. Choose options like Refine or Rephrase this document, or type in your ideas at the bottom.
Two heads = better than one: In Google Docs, look for the star-shaped icon next to your pic that says Ask Gemini. Click to open a sidebar and check out its writing tools. If you want to mention another file in your prompt, type @.
Google Docs shortcut: Editing a doc? There’s an easy way to open links with no mouse required. With your cursor over the link, on Windows, hit Alt + Enter. On a Mac, it’s Option + Enter.