Block porn on X

The social network X (I still think of it as Twitter) has always had its seedier corners, but now Elon Musk has officially said porn is OK on the platform. And to keep your, uh, activity private, they’re now hiding likes, too. Coincidence? Yeah, I don’t think so.

Running into X-rated images is not going to be OK with millions of X users. If your kid is on X, you should walk them through these steps. If you don’t want to see … well, whatever people start posting, pop into your settings, too. It’s easiest to do on your computer.

To turn off the NSFW stuff on the web:

  • Click More > Settings and privacy.
  • Choose Privacy and safety > Content you see.
  • Uncheck the Display media that may contain sensitive content box.
  • Click Search settings and check Hide sensitive content.

You can get specific, too

On the Privacy and safety menu, there’s also a Mute and block option. Use this to hide certain words, hashtags and accounts you don’t want popping up on your timeline (or your kids’ timelines).

  • Choose Muted words.
  • Click the + (plus) button (top right) > Enter the word to block — like #nsfw.
  • Make sure From anyone and Until you unmute the word are selected.
  • Click Save.

Pro tip: NSFW means “not safe for work.” Yeah, use your imagination and you’ll know what kind of pics that means.

A word of warning

If you’re setting up these filters for your children rather than yourself, they can turn them right back off again. Don’t sneak in and do it — have a frank chat about why these settings should be adjusted. A good conversation can do wonders.

If all else fails, though, there are stricter options.

  • On Apple phones and laptops, use the Screen Time feature to put limits on content and apps. Go to Settings > Screen Time on an iPhone or System Settings > Screen Time on a Mac.
  • On Android, install Google Family Link, and on Windows try Microsoft Family Safety.

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Power bill-saving moves, all under $30

  • Create a schedule for your appliances or an auto-off timer with a pair of these smart plugs, on sale for $14. Bonus: Enable the “Away mode” for that hall lamp to fool bad guys while you’re on vacation.
  • These LED bulbs are super versatile and dimmable with five options for brightness. Get four for under $10.
  • Install a door sweep if you have gaps between areas where you’re air conditioning and not. This one is a steal at $9.93.
  • This rechargeable table fan can move around the house, keeping your cooling bill down. A few colors are available too, at $12.
  • Blackout curtains can save you money by keeping that sunny room cooler. They come in tons of colors and are on sale for $18.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

A trio of Mac quick tips: If you don’t know, now you do! 1.) Click a file and press the spacebar to preview it, 2.) Click an open spot on your desktop to pull all your open windows to the sides, and 3.) Hit the Option key any time you have a menu open to see hidden options.

Free ways to stream movies

Open/download audio

Tired of those expensive streaming subscriptions? You’re not alone. Good news: there are plenty of free streaming options like Freevee, Pluto, Tubi, and more! 

Suite dreams: Next time you check into a hotel, don’t be surprised if there are no keycards. Digital options using Apple Wallet and Google Wallet are soaring. Just tap your phone near the door handle to get in. Earlier this year, hackers cracked over 3 million hotel rooms with Saflok locks, so I’m all for this.

Subscribe and save

Do you use Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program? You can save anywhere from 5% to 15% on items you order regularly, and you can adjust your schedule or cancel before your item ships again automatically (two weeks to every six months).

There are a heck of a lot of useful Subscribe & Save options. Here are some of the most popular, according to Amazon:

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Hands off my Kindle: You can set a passcode. Go to the home screen and tap the three dots in the upper right. Now, tap Settings > Device Options > Device Passcode. Sweet.

👀 Put your LinkedIn into “sneaky mode”: Unless you go into Private mode, anyone whose profile you browse will know. Go to LinkedIn, click your profile icon at the top > Settings & Privacy > Visibility. Next to Profile viewing options, click Change and choose Private mode. Done!

💃 Windows users need this: FancyZones lets you create custom grid layouts or use pre-configured options on a PC. To use it, download and install Microsoft’s free PowerToys utility and find FancyZones. Pick a layout you like, then hold down on Shift and drag a window into one of the zones. Voila!

Talk to the hand: You can use Alexa without vocal controls or needing to touch the screen if you have an Echo Show. Open your Alexa app and tap More > Settings. Select Device Options and tap Gestures. Now, just lift your hand to stop a timer.

Be the James Bond of Windows: There’s a secret version of the Start menu. Hold down the Windows key and click the letter X, and you’ll access an advanced menu with Device Manager, Task Manager and Disk Management options. You can also right-click on the Start button to access this menu.

Morning news, your way: If you ask Alexa for the news, the default is an NPR briefing. You can change that. Open the Alexa app, then go to More > Settings > News. Options include ABC, Associated Press, Fox News and The Wall Street Journal, among others.

🗺️ “Sofa King: Our prices are Sofa King low!” I’ll never forget when I saw that on a sign in Los Angeles. Own a biz? There’s a better way to get someone’s attention! Google Maps just added a bunch of options to make it simpler to get your business noticed and verified. Just upload a utility bill, a picture of your storefront or insurance documents. Follow the step-by-step instructions here.

MacBook battery widget: It’ll regularly remind you how much juice is left in your laptop. On your Mac, click the date and time in the top right corner. In the notification center pop-up, click Edit Widgets at the bottom. Search for “batteries” and pick your favorite options.

Windows user? Use “God Mode” to access all your Control Panel settings in one place. Just create a new folder anywhere, like on your desktop, and rename it to this exact string: GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} Hit “Enter,” and the folder icon will change to a Control Panel icon. Opening this new folder will give you a powerful, centralized view of virtually all settings and configuration options in Windows.

🔄 Restart in Recovery mode: Use this next time your Mac is unresponsive. For older Intel Macs, click the Apple logo > Restart > then immediately hold down Cmd + R until the Apple logo or spinning globe appears. For newer M-series Macs, turn the power off, press and hold the power button, then click Options > Continue to open in Recovery mode. 

🫧 Cleaner search: Google packs AI answers, ads and a bunch of other junk into its main search results pages now. Go back to simpler times with the Web view, found alongside options at the top like “Images” and “Shopping.” (If you don’t see it, it’s under More.) Was that a sigh I heard?

⌨️ Custom keys: Change how the touchpad and keyboard work on your Chromebook. Go to Settings > Device > Touchpad/Keyboard. Sweet options: Changing what a right-click does and treating the top row of keys as function keys.

Windows laptop feeling extra warm? Consider an app to monitor the temperature in real time. CoreTemp and Real Temp for Windows are good options. Anything higher than 176 degrees Fahrenheit is bad news.

Cleanup time: Look around. Do you see USB or other charging cables starting to fray? Toss them. You’re just asking for trouble — specifically, a fire. The Apple Lightning cable and Amazon Basics USB-C cable are both solid options.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.