Want to look fully awake for that impromptu early morning Zoom meeting? Try these quick settings.
Windows 11 backup warning: Microsoft confirmed it automatically deletes System Restore points after 60 days. ICYDK: They’re like save buttons for your settings, letting you roll your PC back to a previous state when something goes wrong. The fix? Create one yourself every few weeks. Just search Create a restore point and follow the steps.
Stop trolls on Instagram: You can filter out nasty comments. Go to Profile > Settings and activity > Hidden Words (under How others can interact with you). Tap Manage custom words and phrases to build a block list, then toggle on Hide comments. Anything with those words stays hidden from your followers.
📊 Set a data limit on Windows: On a capped data plan? You can add a warning so you don’t go over. Go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Data usage, select your Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection, then hit Enter limit. Choose a Limit type (like Monthly), enter your cap and click Save.
Swipe to type on Samsung: If you have a Galaxy smartphone, you don’t need to tap each key. Open a message, select the keyboard settings icon, and go to Swipe, touch, and feedback. Choose Keyboard swipe controls, then hit Swipe to type. Now just glide your finger across letters to spell out words. Easy.
Control app access on Windows: On your PC, choose which apps can use your camera or mic. Go to Settings > Privacy & security, then scroll to App permissions. Tap Microphone, then toggle off any apps you don’t need using it.
Reset your social feeds
Tired of seeing the same ol’ stuff? A few quick settings on Facebook and Instagram can clean up your timeline fast.
Biometric bandwagon: Unlock your Amazon app on your phone with your fingerprint or face. On the web, open Amazon account settings, click Login & security, then click Set up next to Passkey.
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⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Let’s turn off ad tracking on your phone. On iPhone, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking. For Android, go to Settings > Google > All services > Ads > Ads privacy.
Adjust text size on Windows: When you set up Windows 11, it picks the text and icon size for your screen. To change it, go to Settings > System > Display. Under Scale & layout, check your Display resolution, then try different Scale percentages (like 100% to 200%) until it feels right.
💻 Clean up your new PC: A new Windows 11 computer usually comes loaded with bloatware that eats up system resources. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps. Scroll through the list, tap the three-dot menu next to anything you don’t want, and click Uninstall.
Improve Netflix quality: If your stream looks pixelated, your video settings might be set too low. Log in to Netflix on desktop, click your profile > Account > Edit settings > Playback settings. Change Data usage per screen to High and hit Save. If it starts buffering, run a speed test and switch back to Auto.
🎙️ Voice typing on Windows: Press Windows key + H to activate voice typing anywhere you’d usually type, like in MS Word. You can speak punctuation (“period” or “question mark”), or click the Settings icon and toggle on Automatic punctuation to have it added as you talk.
📱 Find anything on Android: Stop looking through all those menus. Swipe up on your home screen and use the search bar at the top. You can instantly find apps, files, settings or contacts with just a few letters. Bonus: Long-press an app result to turn it into a home screen shortcut for even faster access.
Tracked and fambushed: New word to know. Teens are stalking their moms, using things like Life360 and Snap Maps to “fambush” their parents. Basically, they show up unannounced at Starbucks, restaurants or … dates. It’s part bonding moment, part digital stakeout, and mostly just unhinged with a dash of funny. Parents are starting to realize: Maybe they’re the ones who need privacy settings.
🖼️ Add borders to screenshots: Using the Snipping Tool in Windows 11? You can automatically add borders. Open the tool, click the three-dot menu > Settings, then scroll down and toggle on Add border to each screenshot. Click the arrow next to it to choose the border Color and Thickness.
What’s the passkey? You can view and manage them right from your PC. Head to Settings > Accounts > Passkeys to see a list. Use the search bar to filter by app or website name. Don’t need one anymore? Click the three dots next to it, and select Delete passkey.
Speed up your Kindle: Feeling slow? It might need a cleanup. Go to Settings > Device options > Storage management, then tap Manual removal. Choose the Books, Audible or Docs folder and scroll through the list. Tick anything you don’t need, then tap Remove to free up space.
Set default apps on iPad: Want Gmail instead of Mail? Or Chrome instead of Safari? Go to Settings > Apps > Default Apps. You’ll see categories like Email, Messaging and Browser. Tap one to switch. Bonus: You can also enable any custom Keyboards you’ve installed from this menu.
📝 Better writing with Windows 11: Want fewer spelling mistakes? Windows 11 has a built-in autocorrect feature. Go to Settings > Time & language > Typing, then toggle on Autocorrect misspelled words. You can also turn on Highlight misspelled words to underline anything it couldn’t fix.