That’s refreshing: Refresh rates (found in your computer’s display settings) control how things look on your screen. For regular work and browsing, go with 60Hz. For gaming or video editing, try 120Hz or 144Hz. Competitive gamers use 240Hz or higher. Now you know!
How to run a 5-minute privacy check on your phone
Koldunova Anna | Dreamstime.com, Vadym Medvediev | Dreamstime.com
We’ve all got a lot of sensitive info on our phones — texts with loved ones, banking details, passwords and family photos. You don’t want anyone snooping around, whether it’s an app maker on the other side of the world or the guy sitting behind you at the coffee shop.
Take five minutes to run this privacy audit, then pat yourself on the back for a job well done.
Check your permissions
Apps request permissions, and the most important are your phone’s location, camera and microphone. Any apps you allow to access these had better be ones you trust. To check:
- Apple iPhone: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security, and scroll down to Microphone. Then, tap Location Services for Camera.
- Google Pixel: Open Settings > Security and privacy > Privacy > Permission manager.
- Samsung Galaxy: Head to Settings > Security and privacy > Permission manager.
Lock down everything
Your lock screen is an effective barrier to keep out others, and everyone should use one. Whether it’s your PIN, fingerprint or face, anything is better than nothing.
- Apple iPhone: Set this up via Face ID & Passcode.
- Google Pixel: Head to Settings > Security and privacy > Device unlock.
- Samsung Galaxy: Under Settings, look for Lock screen and AOD.
You’ll also want your phone to lock as soon as possible when you’re not using it.
- Apple iPhone: Under Settings, choose Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock.
- Google Pixel: Head to Settings > Display > Screen timeout.
- Samsung Galaxy: From your settings, tap Display > Screen timeout.
Keep out strangers
The short-range transfer tech built into iOS and Android is super handy when you need to share something with a friend or relative. But what if you don’t want strangers pinging you with unwanted photos, videos and other files?
📊 Time travel … sorta: If you use Google Docs or Microsoft OneDrive, you can go back to earlier versions of your work (or someone else’s). In Google Docs, head to File > Version History > See Version History. In OneDrive, it’s under File > Info > Version History.
What do you mean, “only 7,203 steps”? If your smartwatch data seems way off, it might be a sizing issue. Most accuracy problems are caused by loose-fitting watches that slip around on your arm. Buy one with straps you can adjust. I like these for Apple Watches.
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🔐 5 tools to lock down your cybersecurity: I work with brands I trust to keep you secure. Hit this page to see the tools I recommend.
Look extra tech-savvy: You’re showing a pal something on your computer and need to switch to a different open program. Instead of using your mouse, use your keyboard. Alt + Tab (Windows) or Cmd + Tab (Mac) will quickly cycle through everything you have open. Smart.
🎨 AI tip of the day: Use quotation marks to separate complex ideas in your prompts. For a piece of art, you could say “clouds in soft hues of purples and oranges” over a “lush forest with tall trees.” Without the quotes, your prompt might generate a jumbled mess; this way, you’re telling the bot the clouds are one thing and the forest is another. You can use this for anything, btw, not just art.
Don’t settle for less: The Horizon IX hearing aids pack two state-of-the-art computer chips for the clearest possible sound, even in busy, loud places. See if you qualify for a 45-day no-risk trial.
Buzz off: Your Amazon Echo will store your voice recordings for analysis — unless you tell it not to. From the app on your phone, choose More > Settings > Alexa Privacy > Review Voice History.
✋ One handy tip: Your phone has a one-handed setting built in … good if you have small hands or you’re always multitasking. On Android, go to Settings > System > Gestures > One-handed Mode. To shrink only the keyboard, hit the four-box icon above it and choose One-handed. On iPhone, go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch, and turn on Reachability. Now, hold the globe button below the keyboard, then tap the keyboard icon with an arrow.
“I’ve never seen anything like this”: That’s what I said to the CEO of EndpointLock when he came to my studios to tell me about his software. It stops hackers from capturing your keystrokes. If you bank on your phone or do anything else confidential, you need this. Hit this link for 10% off.
Someone always thanks me for this: You want to print the content on a site but not the ads and junk. Drop the URL into PrintFriendly.com. You’ll get a clean, print-ready PDF. Sweet.
Wait, what? Ever see a meme and you just can’t figure out why it’s funny? Post it on Reddit to the PeterExplainsTheJoke subreddit, and someone will come to your rescue. I scrolled through and had a lot of “Oh-h-h, I get it now” moments.
🥳 Plan less, party more: Here’s an AI prompt for the next time you’re planning a party: “Create a party checklist that includes invitations, decorations, food and entertainment for a [type of party] with [number of guests], along with [special requests].” Have fun.
🚀 Growing your team in 2025? Post your next job for free on LinkedIn and use their tools that make sorting through the pile of resumes that come in so easy.
Own a Kindle? Amazon’s Send to Kindle page rocks. Use it to upload a file from your computer to your e-reader, or use the tabs on the right for instructions to email or send just about any other way you can think of.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
If you always have to help your robo-vac find its home: Your base station is probably in the wrong spot. For the best results, put it against a wall on flat ground with two to three feet of clearance to either side and about five feet of clearance in front. Those little vacs need space!
💬 Netflix search is smart: You don’t have to know the name of the show or movie to find it. You can type in an actor, genre or term, too — or go total spy mode and check out the secret Netflix category codes.
⚠️ “Evil twin” attacks: That’s when scammers set up a public Wi‑Fi network where folks are already logging on, like an airport or coffee shop. The goal is to get you to connect so they can intercept everything you type — social media logins, credit card numbers and personal data. Always ask staff for the exact Wi‑Fi network, and use a VPN to encrypt your internet traffic. My pick is ExpressVPN.
Free templates: The ones built into Google aren’t lame anymore. Really! Start a new Google Doc. (Shortcut: In your browser’s address bar, type doc.new and hit Enter.) Then, click Templates, Meeting Notes or Email Draft to browse the options. Once you choose one, hit the menu in the upper left to see all the pages and options.