🖥️ Windows 11 update: Microsoft dropped an optional update packed with 38 changes. What’s new? Live captions and real-time translation for over 44 languages on Copilot+ PCs with AMD and Intel CPUs, plus a fix for random blue screen crashes. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Check for Updates > Download and install.
Free up space on Windows: Storage Sense automatically clears out stuff you don’t need, like temporary files and whatever’s been sitting in your Recycle Bin. To turn it on, go to Start > Settings > System > Storage and toggle on Storage Sense.
🔕 Notification overload? Android’s Notification Cooldown lowers the volume and mutes alerts for two minutes when too many come in at once. Go to Settings > Notifications. Under General, tap Notification Cooldown. It’s live on Google Pixels and coming to Android 16 soon, so save this.
For your favorite person: On Android, you can make a contact Priority status. They’ll stay at the top of your messaging list, and you’ll get home screen notifications when they respond. Go to Settings > Notifications > Conversations to set it up.
🛑 Stop ad trackers: It makes it harder for advertisers and data brokers to snoop on you. On iPhones, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking and toggle off Allow Apps to Request to Track. For Androids, open Settings > Google > Ads, then enable Opt out of Ads Personalization.
🧬 23andMe filed for bankruptcy: I’ve been warning you about this for years. They’re selling off what they can to pay the bills, and that includes your personal info and genetic data. Delete your account ASAP before someone gets your DNA. Go to Profile > Settings > 23andMe Data > View > Delete Data, then confirm the deletion via email.
✍️ Why type when you can write? With Scribble and an Apple Pencil ($99.99, 23% off), your iPad running iPadOS 14 or higher converts your handwriting into typed text. It recognizes cursive and messy handwriting. It’s fast, natural and feels like magic. Go to Settings > Tap Apple Pencil >
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Stay safe: Fitness app Strava’s Heatmap feature shows popular workout routes … but it also broadcasts your location. Keep your routes private: Go to Settings > Privacy Controls > Map Visibility and uncheck Contribute your activity data to de-identified, aggregate data sets.
Scam alert: Google’s new call-scanning feature tells you in real time if you’re getting swindled on the phone. AI analyzes conversations, and if something sketchy happens, you get an audio, vibration and visual warning. It’s for Pixel 9 or later only. Go to the Phone app > Settings > Scan Detection. PSA: Google says they’re not saving your calls. Yea, right.
🤖 Sharing your Android? It’s easy to lock it to one app so your stuff stays safe. Open Settings > Security > Advanced Settings, toggle on App Pinning and Ask for PIN Before Unpinning. Swipe up to see your recent apps, tap the app icon and press Pin. Swipe up and enter your PIN to get it back to normal. These steps might vary by the brand you own.
📱“Can I use your iPhone?” Sure, but let’s keep it to a single app, no snooping around. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access to toggle it on. Open the app, triple-tap your right-side button and press Start. When they’re done, triple-click the side button again to enter your passcode or Face ID to unlock it.
📖 Give your eyes a break on Kindle: You can schedule a warm light to turn on at night. Go to All Settings > Screen and brightness > Brightness and warmth and toggle Warmth schedule. Scroll down to Manual and set your preferred times and Warmth intensity. FYI: This only works on Paperwhite, Oasis and Scribe models.
Tag, you’re it: Keep your files organized in Finder on your Mac by using tags. You can make tags for work, family, projects or anything you like. Just select a file and press Control + number (1-7) to add a tag. You can see the order in your Finder settings. To remove it, select it and hit Control + 0.
Sick of hearing the same songs? On Spotify, tracks repeat in shuffle mode because it uses cached data. If you want more variety in your playlist, clear your cache. Here’s how: Go to Settings > Storage > Delete Cache. Do it every now and then.
Facebook’s newest snoop: Meet Link History, which Facebook says is a handy tool for saving your browsing. Privacy concern? Absolutely. FB tracks and sells all your clicks. Here’s how to turn it off: Open the Facebook app, tap Menu > Settings & privacy > Settings > Browser, and toggle off Allow link history.
📱 Your iCloud’s will: Setting up a Legacy Contact lets a loved one access your Apple ID after you pass. If you don’t name a contact, everything will be locked forever. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign-in & Security > Legacy Contact > Add Legacy Contact. Choose a contact and press Continue. Send an Access Key via text or print it out. Keep it safe.
🍪 Crumble the cookie’s Edge: To keep the trackers away in Edge, click the three dots (top-right corner) for Settings. Click on Privacy, Search, and Services and find Tracking Prevention. Set it to either Basic, Balanced (Edge’s recommendation) or Strict for more protection.
Avoid a Wi-Fi traffic jam: Most routers let you switch channels for a clearer signal. Log into your router’s online interface. (Check the manual or online guide if you’re not sure how.) Look for Wireless Settings and find the Channel option. Channels 1, 6 or 11 are typically less congested. Reboot your router and you’re good to go.
Alexa alerts you when your Whole Foods order is ready: Just open your Alexa app > More (three lines at the bottom) > Settings > Notifications > Amazon Shopping and toggle it on. When you get notified, just say, “Alexa, check into Whole Foods,” so they know you’re on your way.
Size matters: Find and delete large files to free up space. On a PC, open File Explorer and type “size:>100MB” in the search bar. Any files bigger than that will pop up. For a Mac, click the Apple menu icon in the top left. Then, go to System Settings > General > Storage > Documents > Large Files tab.