Quick privacy tip: Task Manager on a Windows PC and Activity Monitor on a Mac can give you an overview of everything happening on your machine. On a PC, hit Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Click the Processes tab. On a Mac, hit Cmd + spacebar to open Spotlight Search. Then, type Activity Monitor and press Enter. See anything weird? Google it before you panic.
iPhone battery dying? Here's why and what you can do to fix it
If you’re like many iPhone owners, you probably took the time to install iOS 14 to your device over the weekend. The new update from Apple includes a plethora of new features — including some much-needed security and privacy enhancements.
What kind of enhancements? Well, for starters, you can now see when your device’s camera or microphone is on thanks to an icon in the upper-right corner. And coming soon, you’ll even be able to block ad tracking by default. Tap or click here to see all the new updates in iOS 14.
But not everyone who’s installed iOS 14 is happy with it. Despite new features like app widgets, custom wallpapers and better Maps, iOS 14 seems to use more battery life than the previous version. Did Apple mess up and drain everyone’s iPhone? As it turns out, there’s a reason why it’s happening. Here’s what you can do about it.
Battery woes in iOS 14! Did Apple cause this?
Update: Apple has finally addressed complaints of battery issues and other glitches with a new iOS 14 bulletin. According to Apple, some users may notice the following issues after updating to iOS 14:
- Your workout route maps are missing in the Fitness app on iPhone.
- The Activity, Heart Rate, or other health-related apps don’t launch or load data on your Watch.
- The Fitness app or Health app crash or fail to load data.
- The Health app or Fitness app claims you’re out of data storage.
- The Activity app claims you’re out of data storage on your Apple Watch.
- Your environmental sound levels data or headphone data from Apple Watch is missing in the Health app.
- Increased battery drain on your iPhone or Apple Watch.
If you experience two or more of the above issues, Apple is telling users to completely erase and restore their phones and watches. It’s a whopper of a fix, but we have a guide to get you squared away.
Tap or click here to see how to get your iPhone and Apple Watch in working order.
Multiple iPhone users have taken to Twitter to dish on what they believe is a battery problem built into iOS 14. Since installing the update, many early-adopters have found their phone’s battery life performing far worse than normal — with questions about software bugs and upgrades already making the rounds.
Battery life is worse, I recommend waiting until iOS 14.2 Seems like Apple decided to skip 14.1 as developers already got an update for 14.2. But yeah, wait. I used to last all day without needing to charge my phone on iOS 13. Now, I need to charge my phone at least 2 times.
— Jovani Trejo (@JovaniTrejo_) September 20, 2020
Some have reported their phones dropping from 100% to 40% after only an hour of use. Others are even reporting quick drops to 0% out of the blue. What gives, Apple?
Tap or click here for the best ways to improve your iPhone’s battery health.
Tech trick: Essential keyboard shortcuts for Macs
Keyboard shortcuts are the long-reigning heavyweight champs of digital efficiency. They may seem unintuitive before you get used to them but once you do, you’ll be saving time in everything you do on your Mac. We’ve compiled a list of the essential shortcuts for any Mac user.
How to get the new Windows 10 update before everyone else
If you’re a PC user, you’ve most likely been dealing with plenty of issues lately. That’s because Microsoft continues sending flawed Windows 10 updates, some of which pose a real danger to your machine.
For example, one recent update actually crashed PCs, leaving users without a functioning machine at a time when we’re stuck at home and relying on them more than ever. Tap or click here to find out how to fix it.