🍏 Update your Apple gear ASAP: Apple dropped an emergency patch for iPhones, iPads and Macs after hackers were caught exploiting a nasty flaw. The trick? Sending a booby-trapped image via text or email that lets them break in and run malicious code. Go to Settings > General > Software Update now.
Your phone is tracking you even when you think it’s not
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You know that little GPS icon that pops up when an app is using your location? That’s the polite part. The tip of the iceberg. The warm handshake before your phone whispers your every movement to Big Tech behind your back.
Your phone has more than one way to know where you are. Cell towers, Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth beacons and even background pings track you.
I’m not here to scare you or tinfoil-hat this. I’m here to help you take back control. I tested these steps myself, but your phone’s menus might look a little different depending on the make and model. Poke around your settings and you’ll find it.
📱 iPhone: The sneakiest setting
Apple keeps a “Significant Locations” log buried deep in your settings. It’s meant to make your Maps smarter and improve recommendations, but it’s also a detailed history of where you’ve been.
Here’s how to find and clear it:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
- Scroll to System Services. Tap Significant Locations.
- Use Face ID or your passcode to unlock it, then review your history.
- Tap Clear History, and if you don’t want it tracked anymore, toggle it off.
While you’re there, review your Location Services list and set apps to While Using or Never. Most don’t need 24/7 access.
🤖 Android: Timeline and app permissions
Android’s version is called “Timeline,” and it’s tied to your Google account, not just your device. Even if you switch phones, the log follows you unless you turn it off.
To see it:
- Open Google Maps. Tap your profile picture > Your timeline.
- Hit the three dots > Location & privacy settings.
- Under Location Settings, toggle off Timeline. You can also Delete all Timeline data.
🍏 Set default apps on Mac: There’s no single place to change all defaults, so you’ll need to do them one by one. For your browser: Go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock, and scroll down to Default web browser. For email: Open the Mail app, click Mail (top left corner of screen) > Settings > General > Default email reader.
📺 Block the binge: Netflix loves to autoplay the next episode, but you can turn this off. On desktop, click your account picture and select Manage Profiles. Choose Your Profile, go to Playback settings and toggle off Autoplay next episode in a series on all devices. Now hit Save at the bottom.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: On Android, swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen to open all Quick Settings at once. Saved you an extra swipe. You’re welcome.
📚 Connect headphones to your Kindle: You can listen to audiobooks straight from your Kindle with Bluetooth headphones. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and toggle on Bluetooth. Now tap Bluetooth devices, put your headphones in pairing mode and select them from the list. Not showing up? Hit Rescan.
🌐 Faster than bookmarks: You can set your browser to reopen all tabs when it starts. In Chrome, go to Settings > On startup and select Continue where you left off. In Firefox, go to Settings > General > Startup and check Open previous windows and tabs. No more scary crashes.
🕒 Stay focused on Windows 11: Need to work without distractions? Go to Settings > System > Focus. Set your Session duration, and choose options like Do Not Disturb or Hiding taskbar flashes. When you’re ready, click Start focus session, and a timer will begin in the Clock app to keep you on track.
Stop spam calls: On iPhone, go to Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers to send numbers not in your contacts straight to voicemail. On Android, open the Phone app > Settings > Block numbers and toggle Block calls from unknown numbers. Depending on your Android, they might still be able to leave you a voicemail.
Windows 10 drama: Microsoft fixed a bug that stopped people from signing up for extended updates. ICYMI, support ends Oct. 14, 2025, but you can stick around for an extra year. The cost? Trade 1,000 MS Rewards points, back up your PC with OneDrive (free), or pay $30. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. Fun times.
Clear your Facebook search history: We’ve all done a bit of stalking. On your desktop, go to Settings & privacy > Activity log > Logged information > Search > Your search history. Select the three-dot icon next to any term to Delete it, or remove them all at once by clicking Clear Searches in the top right.
📱 Customize your Android home screen: Long-press an empty spot until the menu pops up. From there, you can change the Wallpaper, apply a new Theme, add Widgets, or change Settings like the Home screen layout. You’ll also see a (+) icon you can tap to add another home screen page.
Fix your mouse on MacBook: Go to System Settings > Mouse > Tracking speed to adjust how fast the pointer moves. If you’re coming from a Windows PC, go to Secondary click and set it to Click Right Side for a more familiar feeling. Bonus: You can also try out the free Mos app for smoother scrolling.
Clean up your iPad dock: Go to Settings > Home Screen & App Library > Dock. Toggle off Show App Library in Dock and Show Suggested and Recent Apps in Dock. FYI: You can still open the App Library by swiping all the way right, and recent apps will likely be on your Home Screen already.
Big Windows update: Yup, Microsoft rolled out fixes for over 100 security flaws, including critical ones that let hackers remotely run malicious code on your PC. The Black Screen of Death is now official, and a new Quick Machine Recovery feature will try to fix your PC if there’s a boot problem. Go to Settings > Windows Update to get it.
💥 Rename your Windows 11 PC: I called mine “Sir Crash-a-Lot.” Personalize it by going to Settings > System > About > Rename this PC. Type your new name, click Next, then Restart to apply. Now it’s easier to identify your computer when you’re on a network or connecting via Bluetooth. Nice.
🚑 Add emergency contacts to your lock screen: This lets first responders call important numbers without unlocking your phone. On iPhone, go to Health > Medical ID, add your emergency contacts, and enable Show When Locked. On Android, go to Settings > Safety & Emergency > Emergency Contacts and add them there.
🎮 Check your kid’s gaming console: You can save electricity (and money) by changing the power-saving settings. On PS5, go to Settings > System > Power Saving. On Xbox Series X/S or One, go to Profile & system > Settings > General > Power options and select Shutdown (energy saver).
📺 Calibrate your TV: Most TVs come way too bright out of the box. Go to Settings > Picture (or Display) and switch to Movie or Cinema mode instead. Then adjust the Brightness, Contrast and Sharpness to match your room’s lighting. Warmer color tones are easier on your eyes.
Ctrl + Alt + Goodbye: If you’re using Windows 11 Home or Pro (version 23H2), you get no more security patches or bug fixes on Nov. 11, 2025. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates to upgrade. FYI: Enterprise and Education editions get support until Nov. 10, 2026.