IT General

After years of Windows 11 being the most inflexible thing since DOS as far as customization goes, this seems to be a priority in Microsoft agenda with the upcoming Windows 11 25H2 update. Complaining works. Now, it's getting even more customizable.

If you use Microsoft, you will soon be required to ditch your passwords and create a passkey. This is part of a strategy shift at Microsoft to get rid of passwords altogether — and the deadline is quickly approaching.

Microsoft has laid out its plans on its website. As of June — aka right now — users are no longer able to add passwords to Microsoft Authenticator. In July, you will no longer be able to use autofill, which is the primary utility of a password manager. Come Aug. 1, you'll no longer be able to access your stored passwords at all. Instead, you'll need to set up a passkey.

So...what is a passkey? It's effectively a safer, more secure way of logging in that effectively rolls a password and two-factor authentication into one step. You effectively create a credential that is not stored on a server — this could include biometric data like facial recognition/thumbprint or a PIN — unlike a password. Microsoft believes passkeys will be much more difficult for hackers to access and more resistant to phishing.

"It's the difference between using a codeword to open a door and using a physical key that only you have," Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Werth explained. "Passkeys are only stored on your devices, not a Microsoft server, and they also eliminate the kind of user errors that result in weak passwords. Plus, password managers are becoming a really popular target for hackers, so Microsoft is definitely onto something."

As we noted in our guide to the top cybersecurity breaches of 2025, popular password managers are increasingly under threat.

SEE ALSO: A review of 19 billion passwords reveals people are still bad at them

If you want to keep using passwords stored with Microsoft, you'll have to use Microsoft Edge and enable password autofill or export your passwords. However, Microsoft wants to get rid of passwords for all its various users and products, including Copilot and Xbox. As part of this, new Microsoft accounts are password-less by default.

How to set up a passkey with Microsoft

Microsoft has said it will automatically prompt users to set up a passkey in Authenticator. So, if you use Microsoft Authenticator to store passwords, you should have been — or will soon be — urged to set up a Microsoft passkey. Microsoft will also automatically detect the best method for your passkey.

You can also add new passkeys in the Authenticator app by clicking "set up a passkey." After that, you simply log in and then set up the passkey.

And if you want to set up a passkey for your Microsoft account, sign in and look for the "Advanced Security Options" tab. From there, you'll be able to select between "Face, Fingerprint, PIN, or Security Key." From there, simply follow the simple instructions.

Zay Dante listens to a lot of music. Like, a lot of music.

And you can tell when you watch his content. It's why his TikTok videos about the Drake and Kendrick beef went over so well, and why his skits about popular songs hit so hard: He has the context to make the content sing (pun intended). It's that kind of dedication to the craft that has led to him amassing an audience of over 2.5 million followers across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.

And Dante doesn't just talk about music — he's creating it, too. He released his debut EP, TBTV, on March 27 to mostly positive reviews. At VidCon 2025, we sat down with Dante, who was a featured creator, to talk about making his own music, where he gets the inspiration for his videos, and how he amassed nearly two million followers on TikTok.

Credit: Mashable Composite: Zooey Liao/ Image Credit: Getty Images/ TikTok/ Spotify/ Zay Dante's Instagram How has social media affected your transition into the music industry?

It is a direct one-to-one. One day, I decided I wanted to do a parody song. I had been doing parody songs since about 2020, but never seriously. [After recording my first parody song], it did really well. And I was like, "Oh, there's no reason why I shouldn't keep doing this."

After I dropped the EP, I was really interested in people's thoughts, and I was so pleasantly surprised by how much people enjoyed it. I was really happy because I definitely know that parody music has a stigma to it, that it's not supposed to be taken seriously. And there were songs on my EP where I was like, "Nah, there's not really a joke to this. I just wanted to rap. I just wanted to make a song." But I understood that people who were coming from the videos would come into it with the same mindset that they were watching the videos, which was, "This is a joke." But I was pretty happy that people got something from it at all. It really made me very excited about releasing something else, too. I was honestly just hype that anyone cared at all. 

How much time do you spend listening to music? Are you listening on Spotify?

Last year, I had 50,000 or 60,000 minutes listened to on Spotify, but I split my time between Spotify and Apple Music. I really did like it. I did go back to Spotify, but I did really like [Apple Music]. I missed having the Wrapped. Everybody was posting their Wrapped, and I wanted to see how left out I felt. Can I stand it? Am I going to be able to stick with Apple Music? And I could not stand [feeling left out].

When you made those videos about Kendrick and Drake, were you afraid?

Definitely. I was so scared. I tried to be so fair. I was making videos about what was happening. I never wanted Kendrick to do what he ended up doing. And I never wanted Drake to lose that badly. But he did. So, what else am I supposed to do?

Have you covered anything that's surprised you this year?

Pusha T's new album rollout has been amazing. I always expected to listen to it, but I never expected it to get to a point where I would be able to make content about it. It's been pretty cool. I'm really excited for that album.

Zay Dante at VidCon 2025. Credit: Mashable / Christianna Silva Who do you want to collaborate with more than anyone?

Obviously, Kendrick. If Drake was a better sport about stuff, then him. Tyler, The Creator. SZA. The Weeknd. All of them.

How do you come up with ideas?

I'm doing what everybody else is doing—scrolling through and seeing what people are talking about. But a lot of the things that I'm doing are retroactive, looking back to the 2010s. 

Can you walk me through your creation process?

I use the Notes app for writing all the songs, and I use CapCut for editing all the songs. And I also use CapCut for all my original music as well — not building the beats because I have producers making the beats — but in the reference tracks that I'm making, I make all of that in CapCut.

I was expecting you to say Logic. 

My producer, Demko, produces in Ableton, but I don't know how to use Ableton.

I do a crazy setup in my garage where I write the notes in my Notes app, and then I get my MacBook, and I get my headphones, and I get my phone. I bring that downstairs and get the file of the beat, send that to myself on the computer, send that file back to myself, play that in my headphones, and then I do the song over that. Send that back to myself, play that version on my laptop, and then I will respond to the thing that I just recorded.

What kind of headphones are you using when you do that over there?

I use over-the-ear Sony headphones.

I love how high-quality your headphones are, but you're editing in CapCut.

I'm running CapCut to the bone. CapCut will literally shut off numerous times while I'm working, and I'll get frustrated and then remind myself, "Wait, I am not doing things that are normal."

Do you save your work on a drive?

No.

I'm so scared for you.

I save my YouTube videos and long-form stuff on my drive. But for all the short-form videos, what I really love about TikTok, and just in general, is the fact that you can pop out a video at any point in time. 

When did you realize that you could turn content creation into a full-time job? 

I started doing content in 2020 and realized I could turn it into a job probably a year in, when I had around a million followers. Back then, if you had a million followers, you had to move to LA, so that's what I did. 

Yeah, I've heard that's the law.

Yeah, it's in the privacy policy on TikTok. One million followers? You gotta move to LA.

Were you making money only through the Creator Fund?

Yeah, I was making money through the Creator Fund and brand deals. 

What was your first brand deal?

What Do You Meme? They were my first major deal. I had done some smaller stuff where I got sent some free things, which was nice. But that was my first brand deal. They paid based on viewership, which made me enough money to move to LA.

Do you use AI at all in your content creation process?

None. I do not get involved.

Why not?

I don't like it. I'm just not an AI guy. It makes me uncomfortable. As AI continues to grow and becomes more part of society, I'm realizing I'm going to be like one of the old men who's just like, "I can't turn this into a PDF."

Be yourself and do the things that you find funny, not the stuff you find funny because you think it's gonna make you go viral. Do you have any tips for creators who want to create viral content?

Be yourself. I know that is the cliche. There's never been a better example of being yourself than being online, because everybody that I know, and everybody that you know as well, is trying to feed into an algorithm to a point where it is not natural anymore. Be yourself and do the things that you find funny, not the stuff you find funny because you think it's gonna make you go viral.

Do you have any advice for people who are trying to combat the reality that it can be embarrassing?

Just keep going because sometimes videos aren't going to do well. The way that you scroll when you're online is that you're not checking like, "Oh, this video has only five likes. It must be bad." You don't care, you just scroll anyway. It doesn't matter. The most important thing to remember on the internet is that you're not the main character. If it doesn't do well, then who cares? Nobody saw it anyway. And if it does well, then great. Do more of that.

Nothing feels as good as a deep, genuine laugh. It's an expression of joy! It's a workout. It's a sign that you're having a good time.

Netflix has a dazzling selection of comedy movies that put that good-time feeling on demand. Whether you're craving action-spiked shenanigans, quirky coming-of-age adventures, awkward humor, stranger-than-fiction silliness, madcap musical numbers, or crime with a spree of laughs, there's a perfect pick for you. And we've made singling it out all the easier by highlighting the most hilarious below.

Here are the funniest movies now streaming on Netflix.

29. Paddington in Peru

We could all use some Paddington in our lives, so why not kick back and enjoy Paddington in Peru? Sure, it's not the masterpiece that is Paddington 2, but director Dougal Wilson still crafts a charming adventure in its own right in his directorial debut.

SEE ALSO: 'Paddington in Peru' review: The movie we need right now

This time around, Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw) is headed back to his homeland of deepest, darkest Peru, with the Brown family in tow. In his quest to find his missing Aunt Lucy, he'll cross paths with a high-energy, guitar-playing nun (Olivia Colman) and a cartoonish, disguise-loving boat captain (Antonio Banderas). Colman and Banderas elevate Paddington's journey from funny to downright outrageous, proving that there are few things more fun than watching seasoned performers let their freak flags fly. Check out their work and the rest of Paddington in Peru, and see why Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko called it "the movie we need right now." — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Paddington in Peru is now streaming on Netflix.

28. Saturday Night Credit: Hopper Stone / Sony Pictures Entertainment

Unjustly overlooked at release in the fall of 2024, this frantically funny romp from Juno and Young Adult director Jason Reitman details the 90-minute lead-up to the very first episode of Saturday Night Live in October of 1975. The ensemble cast is packed, with Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Dylan O'Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman, Matt Wood as John Belushi, Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris, and Kim Matula as Jane Curtin. 

Add Gabriel Labelle as Lorne Michaels, the man with the wild and crazy plan himself, and the fact that this movie managed to only be 90 minutes long with all of these characters (plus a dozen more I don't even have room to list) is a real miracle in itself. Plenty of people do get shafted time-wise — notably, most of the women, which is pretty crappy the show's own track record shafting women back in the day — but Saturday Night definitely captures the chaos and hilarious mayhem that Michaels managed to funnel into a comedy revolution. — Jason Adams, Contributing Writer

How to watch: Saturday Night is now streaming on Netflix.

27. The Lego Movie

Everything is awesome when you watch The Lego Movie, a film that could just have been a toy commercial, but instead proved to be a thoughtful, rousing ode to the power of creativity. (I'll say it: It was Barbie before Barbie!)

Before Chris Pratt started voicing everyone from Mario to Garfield, he voiced Emmet Brickowski, a normal construction worker content to live a normal life. But when Emmet touches a mysterious artifact, he suddenly becomes "the Special," a key figure in the resistance against the tyrannical Lord Business (voiced by Will Ferrell). Cue an adventure through endlessly inventive worlds, from the Old West to Cloud Cuckoo Land and beyond. Bursting with imagination and irreverence, The Lego Movie is a downright delight — I'm still fuming over the Oscar snub in the Best Animated Feature category! — B.E.

How to watch: The Lego Movie is now streaming on Netflix.

26. Heart Eyes Credit: Christopher Moss

Valentine's Day gets a horror-comedy makeover in Heart Eyes, from director Josh Ruben (Werewolves Within). The titular slasher only kills on Feb. 14, when they target happy couples in love. This year, the Heart Eyes killer has marketers Ally (Olivia Holt) and Jay (Mason Gooding) in their sights. There's just one problem: Ally and Jay aren't a couple, even though a coffee shop meet-cute and undeniable chemistry seem to suggest otherwise. Can these star-crossed acquaintances and definitely not lovers survive the night and convince the Heart Eyes Killer they're totally platonic?

What follows is a cross between gory slasher and romantic comedy, and if you're a fan of both genres, chances are you'll be charmed by Heart Eyes. As Mashable contributor Kimber Myers wrote in her review, "Heart Eyes is a gory good time for those who are likely to swipe right on an off-kilter love story and a horror comedy." — B.E.

How to watch: Heart Eyes is now streaming on Netflix.

25. Logan Lucky Adam Driver, Channing Tatum, and Daniel Craig are mid-heist in "Logan Lucky." Credit: Trans-Radial Pictures / Kobal / Shutterstock.com

Returning to his love of a wacky heist, Ocean's Eleven helmer Steven Soderbergh delivers fresh thrills and laughs with this 2017 gem, which is absolutely stacked with a dazzling cast.

Channing Tatum and Adam Driver star as the Logan brothers, who come from a family supposedly cursed to baffling misfortune. But could their fate be turning when older brother Jimmy (Tatum) concocts a convoluted scheme to steal millions from a bustling race speedway during their biggest event of the year? Younger, one-armed brother Clyde (Driver) will be his right-hand man. Their spunky hair-stylist sister Mellie (Riley Keough) will be their getaway driver. Now all they need is to break out the infamous safecracker Joe Bang (Daniel Craig with a daffily entertaining Southern accent), and bring on his Bible-thumping brothers (Brian Gleeson and Jack Quaid) as backup. Also starring are Katie Holmes, Dwight Yoakam, Sebastian Stan, Seth MacFarlane, and Hilary Swank. Divulging anything more about this Southern-fried romp would be to spoil the fun. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

How to watch: Logan Lucky is now streaming on Netflix.

24. Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F Eddie Murphy is back as Axel Foley. Credit: Netflix

Eddie Murphy returns as wise-cracking Detroit police officer Axel Foley. 30 years after Beverly Hills Cop III, this sensational sequel sees Foley returning to Los Angeles to fight a new foe, reunite with old friends, and reconnect with his estranged daughter.

SEE ALSO: 'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F' review: Netflix's sequel shouldn't work and yet...

Reprising their supporting roles are Beverly Hills Cop co-stars John Ashton, Judge Reinhold, Paul Reiser, and Bronson Pinchot. New to the crew is Taylour Paige as Axel's hard-headed daughter, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a local ally, Nasim Pedrad as a flustered real estate agent, and Kevin Bacon as a smirking antagonist. The sparks will fly. The punchlines hit powerfully. The soundtrack is fire. And just like that, the heat is back on! — K.P.

How to Watch: Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is now streaming on Netflix.

23. Between Two Ferns: The Movie Credit: Adam Rose / Netflix

Zach Galifianakis' awkward celebrity interview web series Between Two Ferns might not seem like fodder for a full-length movie, but Between Two Ferns: The Movie goes double meta by presenting his success on Funny or Die as an insult to the actor's intention to host a "serious" interview show. Galifianakis the character sets off to correct the assumption that his original show is a joke by interviewing even more celebrities, like John Cho, Keanu Reeves, Tiffany Haddish, and more. — Alexis Nedd, Senior Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Between Two Ferns: The Movie is now streaming on Netflix.

22. Do Revenge Credit: Netflix

Looking for a revenge flick that pays tribute to teen classics like Mean Girls, Heathers, Cruel Intentions, and more? Then check out Do Revenge, a dark comedy sure to join the canon of iconic high school movies. Students Drea (Camila Mendes) and Eleanor (Maya Hawke) couldn't be more different... apart from the fact that both have major bones to pick with people who ruined their reputations. They decide to team up and execute one another's revenge plans, which leads down a winding road of morally dubious choices, snappy one-liners, and excellent outfits.

Mendes and Hawke have great chemistry, but it's Sophie Turner who damn near steals the show in a bit part that simply must be seen to be believed.* — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Do Revenge is now streaming on Netflix.

SEE ALSO: Sophie Turner steals Netflix's 'Do Revenge' in 5 outrageous minutes 21. Always Be My Maybe Credit: Netflix

What if the one who got away got a second chance? Back in the day, Sasha and Marcus were tight as a slap bracelet. But one fumbled night in a sweaty backseat seemed to shatter their future together.

Fifteen years later, she's a world-renowned chef and he's — well — he's working for his dad's HVAC business and playing with his band on the side. Still, fate arranges for them to reconnect, which could mean Marcus (Randall Park) has a shot to show Sasha (Ali Wong) how he feels. Comedy ensues as the stakes get high when Keanu Reeves crashes the party, being all weird and hot and having the audacity to be Keanu Reeves! This Nahnatchka Khan-helmed laffer also boasts appearances by James Saito, Charlyne Yi, Karan Soni, Daniel Dae Kim, and Michelle Buteau.* — K.P.

How to watch: Always Be My Maybe is now streaming on Netflix.

SEE ALSO: 20 best romantic comedies to fall in love with on Netflix 20. Dolemite Is My Name Credit: François Duhamel / Netflix

Chronicling the true story of late comedian Rudy Ray Moore — also known as Dolemite — this Eddie Murphy vehicle is worth every minute of viewing.

An outrageous showbiz comedy, Dolemite Is My Name is at once a poignant look at the life of an underdog and an unbelievably good time. With supporting performances by Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Wesley Snipes, Craig Robinson, and more, this biopic offers more beat-for-beat joy than many of its fictional counterparts. Sensational, aspirational, and electric: You'll love it. — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Dolemite Is My Name is now streaming on Netflix.

19. The Polka King Credit: Netflix

Sometimes true crime can lead to some pitch-perfect dark comedy. This is the case for this outrageous offering, which stars Jack Black as infamous scammer/local celebrity Jan Lewan. Black brings all the rock star panache you need to understand how Lewan could be so beguiling to the Pennsylvanian retirees who surrendered their savings to the self-proclaimed Polka King.

Screenwriters Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky gave this story of fraud and showmanship shape. But they wisely trusted in the local flair of the terrific 2009 documentary The Man Who Would Be Polka King to provide some of the wildest lines of dialogue. Plucking directly from interviews with the friends, family, and victims of Jan Lewan, this comedy feels stranger than fiction but is jaw-droppingly real. Salty supporting turns from Jenny Slate, Jacki Weaver, and Jason Schwartzman bring added fun.* — K.P.

How to watch: The Polka King is now streaming on Netflix.

SEE ALSO: Love me like a Polka King 18. The Mitchells vs. The Machines Credit: Netflix

Sony Pictures Animation has given audiences such daring and dynamic animated movies as Surf's Up, Hotel Transylvania, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. This zany 2021 release centers on a family who's battling back the robo-apocalypse with togetherness, internet savviness, and a wall-eyed pug named Monchi (voiced by social media icon Doug the Pug).

The Mitchells' adventure into chaos begins when daughter Katie (Abbi Jacobson) is poised to go off to college. Desperate for one last family-unifying road trip, her dad (Danny McBride) piles the whole family into his beater of a vehicle, unknowingly charting a fateful route into heroics. Co-directors Mike Rianda and Jeff Rowe infuse Katie's excitable perspective throughout the film by working in internet memes, social media-style reactions, and blitz of bonkers visuals. It’s a bold move that might alienate some viewers but has largely won the acclaim of critics and kiddos.* — K.P.

How to watch: The Mitchells vs. The Machines is now streaming on Netflix.

17. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Credit: Netflix

Writer/director Rian Johnson follows up his critically heralded whodunnit with a sequel that's even more explosive than Knives Out. Southern gentleman/detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is back, drawling deductions and whipping out witticisms, much to the chagrin of a group of wealthy and conniving friends.

It was supposed to be a murder mystery weekend where homicide was just a game. But when tech scion Miles Bron (Edward Norton) brings together his closest friends and worst enemy, real blood will be spilled, and the game is afoot! Joining in on the comically chaotic fun are Kate Hudson, Janelle Monáe, Dave Bautista, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., and Jessica Henwick. — K.P.

How to watch: Glass Onion is now streaming on Netflix.

SEE ALSO: All those 'Glass Onion' cameos, ranked 16. The Forty-Year-Old Version Credit: Jeong Park / Netflix © 2020

The Forty-Year-Old Version isn’t just any film about a struggling New York artist, but one about a Black female playwright who’s continually held back from creating something authentic to her perspective. Radha Blank's autobiographical directorial debut, which she also wrote, produced, and stars in, is a searing, funny, and unabashedly honest look at the compromises Black creatives are pushed to make in a world dominated by whiteness.

A teacher approaching her 40th birthday, Radha (Blank) gets the chance to produce one of her plays — only after she refuses to write a slave musical. But forced to change her vision to appease white audiences, Radha considers a totally different medium to express herself: becoming a rapper. The Forty-Year-Old Version may be one of the most slept-on Netflix originals, and it’s a shame we've yet to see another film from Blank since, itself an indictment of an industry that fails to continually platform raw and honest Black storytelling.* — Oliver Whitney, Contributing Writer

How to watch: The Forty-Year-Old Version is now streaming on Netflix.

15. Vampires vs. the Bronx Credit: Netflix

Want a movie that's got excitement, comedy, a scorching message about the evils of gentrification, and is a kid-friendly romp? Then take a bite out of Vampires vs. the Bronx.

Oz Rodriguez's PG-13 horror-comedy centers on Afro-Latino teens who recognize that a flurry of missing person posters and an influx of rich white folks with tote bags means bad news for the neighborhood. Together, they team up Monster Squad-style to take down the bloodsuckers and save their community. With a sharp wit, a warm heart, a rich sense of atmosphere, and an equal appreciation for the Blade movies and '80s Amblin, Vampires vs. the Bronx is an easy watch full of rewards.* — K.P.

How to watch: Vampires vs. the Bronx is now streaming on Netflix.

14. The Breaker Upperers

This hidden gem comes from New Zealand, the fertile comedy ground that gave us Taika Waititi, Flight of the Conchords, and What We Do in the Shadows. Waititi collaborators Jackie van Beek, James Rolleston, and Jemaine Clement team up for a deeply quirky buddy comedy about two long-time besties with a bonkers — but brilliant — business model.

Need someone to dump your partner so you can avoid a messy confrontation? Call on Jen and Mel (co-writers/co-directors/co-leads van Beek and Madeleine Sami). For a reasonable fee, these fearless Breaker Upperers will impersonate police officers, play pregnant, or even fake your death to help you ghost an ex. Whatever the shenanigans, van Beek and Sami sparkle. Booming with wild humor and big heart, this comedy is guaranteed to leave you cackling.* — K.P.

Where to watch: The Breaker Upperers is now streaming on Netflix.

13. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga Credit: John Wilson / Netflix

With its reputation for wacky musical numbers, the Eurovision Song Contest is ripe for parody. Luckily for Eurovision lovers, the contest gets the send-up it deserves in this gloriously goofy flick starring Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams. They play the Icelandic musical duo Fire Saga, who find themselves in the Eurovision spotlight. There, they discover that the famed competition is a world of cutthroat competitors, glitzy costumes, and many, many bops.

Eurovision Song Contest is full of larger-than-life characters and ridiculous humor, but it's also teeming with Eurovision references that will have fans laughing and cheering. For every "Jaja Ding Dong," there's a joyful Song-A-Long — and both are great! Pair all that with pitch-perfect comedic performances from Ferrell and McAdams, and you have a comedy that will both have you in stitches and win your heart. (Best of all, if you weren't a Eurovision fanatic before seeing this movie, you'll definitely be one by the time it ends.)* — B.E.

How to watch: Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is now streaming on Netflix.

12. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

Comedy trio the Lonely Island's Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping may have bombed at the box office, but don't let that fool you for a second. This mockumentary from Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer is pure comedy gold.

Focused on pop superstar Conner4Real's (Samberg) efforts to regain relevance after a flop album, Popstar is filled to the brim with the Lonely Island's signature absurd humor, as well as several hysterical bops. Take your pick between the braggadocious "Humble," the Osama Bin Laden-themed sex ballad "Finest Girl," or the ridiculous LGBTQ anthem "Equal Rights." Also on display is an avalanche of cameos, from Saturday Night Live legends like Maya Rudolph, Bill Hader, and Tim Meadows to musical icons like Mariah Carey, Rihanna, and Questlove. That's just scratching the surface of all the cameos — and comedy — Popstar has in store. — B.E.

How to watch: Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is now streaming on Netflix.

11. Hit Man

Richard Linklater and Glen Powell reunite for Hit Man, a rom-com that is killer in all sense of the word.

Powell plays Gary Johnson, a college professor whose side gig as an undercover hit man leads to an unexpected meet-cute with would-be client Madison (Andor's Adria Arjona). The pair's connection (and electrifying chemistry) sparks a delightful game of false identities, reinvention, and twisted love that toggles between hilarious, thrilling, and sexy at a moment's notice. Oh, who am I kidding; sometimes it's all three at once!* — B.E.

How to watch: Hit Man is now streaming on Netflix.

10. One of Them Days Credit: Anne Marie Fox / Sony Pictures

Produced by Issa Rae, One of Them Days stars Keke Palmer and SZA as best friends scraping by in Los Angeles — and rent is due! Unfortunately, a shady boyfriend seems to have made off with their payment. If they don't scramble together enough cash to appease their crooked landlord, aspiring painter Alyssa (SZA) and waitress Dreux (Palmer) will be out on the curb. These inventive girlfriends go through a wild array of hijinks along the way, crossing paths with a vicious romantic rival, a big-mouthed busybody, a ruthless gangster, and Dreux's muscle-bound crush whose nickname is "Maniac." As the ticking clock comes closer and closer to climax, you'll be worn out from cackling.

The script by Syreeta Singleton is crackling with jokes, and director Lawrence Lamont pitches his cast into some grade-A slapstick. While this comedy's dynamic leading ladies are reason enough to give One of Them Days a watch, they're bolstered by a supporting cast that includes Katt Williams, Maude Apatow, Janelle James, Gabrielle Dennis, and Dewayne Perkins. — K.P.

How to watch: One of Them Days is now streaming on Netflix.

9. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl Credit: Netflix

Our pals Wallace the inventor and his loyal pup Gromit have been running around for nearly four cracking decades now, but this their latest adventure (and only their second feature-length film, after 2005's The Curse of the Were-Rabbit) proves they've lost not a whit of their vim and verve. Nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl happily proves to be yet another gut-busting bit of British whimsy from Aardman Animation head Nick Park and his team of clay-playing creatives.

Vengeance Most Fowl sees our cheese-loving duo facing down a familiar foe – the diabolical penguin mastermind Feathers McGraw, who was last seen being sent off to imprisonment in the City Zoo in the classic 1993 short The Wrong Trousers. Hacking into Wallace's latest invention, a garden gnome robot named Norbot that he's created to do all of the yardwork, Feathers builds himself an army of killer gnomes all programmed to do his bidding. And he wants nothing more than to bid adieu to his nemesis Wallace! — J.A.

How to watch: Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is now streaming on Netflix.

8. Wicked Little Letters

Want something cheeky? Then, you'll relish the bawdy, four-letter fun of this British comedy.Set quaint, seaside town of Littlehampton in 1920, Wicked Little Letters centers on a scandalous batch of missives. Someone in this charming place is writing truly nasty letters and mailing them anonymously. Meek Christian and old maid Edith Swan (Oscar winner Olivia Colman) is convinced the author of these horrid letters is none other than her next-door neighbor Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley), who is not only found of cursing but also Irish and a single mum to boot. But Rose won't take such accusations lying down. A battle of wills kicks off that pulls in much of Littlehampton, including a wide-eyed constable (We Are Lady Parts' Anjana Vasan) determined to crack the case once and for all. While this movie involves swearing, terms like "foxy-ass" mean its the kind of cursing you could comfortably watch with your mum, chuckling all the while. — K.P.

How to watch: Wicked Little Letters is now streaming on Netflix.

7. Shiva Baby

Some people find this 2020 cringe comedy from writer-director Emma Seligman to be so stressful that it stops being a comedy altogether, to which we give a hearty boo. Sure, it's one of the most claustrophobic experiences you can have outside of an escape room that's caught on fire, but Rachel Sennott is a comic genius who spins every moment of horror into gold!

Before the two teamed up again in 2023 for the LOL-worthy Bottoms, Seligman and Sennott gave us this small-scale story of college student Danielle who is attending a Jewish funeral reception where absolutely everything goes wrong. Sitting shiva is never a party, but Danielle's parents (a brilliantly funny Fred Melamed and Polly Draper) are hard on her case. Then her ex-girlfriend Maya (an equally funny Molly Gordon) shows up, and that's awkward. What else could go wrong? Glad you asked! Danielle's secret side gig as a sugar baby is jeopardized when her main client (Danny Deferrari) shows up with his shiksa wife and their newborn baby. Now throw all of this drama into the smallest three rooms you can imagine, all stuffed with the loudest people eating the driest crackers you have ever seen, and enjoy! — J.A.

How to watch: Shiva Baby is now streaming on Netflix.

6. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Straddling the line between a faithfulness to the decades-old RPG and introducing mainstream audiences to its world with a deft touch was always a big ask, but co-directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein (who also share writing credits with Michael Gilio) did better than anybody expected to be possible with this 2023 adaptation. Starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Sophia Lillis, and Justice Smith as a band of merry wizards and what-nots hunting down an ancient relic, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is très goofy, but lovingly so. It's honestly a very good time at the movies!

Unfortunately, shifting release dates and other factors led D&D to kinda bomb at the box office. But now that the movie has landed on Netflix, our communal chance to right this infernal wrong has arrived. Let's all slip into our wizarding robes and watch this movie dozens of times, spread the word to all of our friends, and roll the eight-sided die on an improbable sequel! — J.A.

How to watch: Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is now streaming on Netflix.

5. The Blues Brothers

Not every movie based on Saturday Night Live characters works, but The Blues Brothers certainly does, cementing itself as a stone-cold comedy classic.

Starring the dynamic duo of John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, The Blues Brothers tells the madcap story of Jake and Elwood Blues, who are on a quest to reunite their R&B band and save the orphanage where they grew up. They'll just have to fight through the police, vengeful exes, and the Illinois neo-Nazis in order to accomplish their goal. Car chases in the Bluesmobile ensue, along with a fair share of R&B and blues performance from the Blues Brothers themselves, as well as from icons like Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and Chaka Khan. So what are you waiting for? Watch for great comedy and great music! — B.E.

How to watch: The Blues Brothers is now streaming on Netflix.

4. Between the Temples

Filmmaker Nathan Silver has been churning out extremely oddball indie films for the past 15 years without a whole lot of fanfare, but he finally found a sliver of mainstream attention in 2024 with Between the Temples, a tender and relatively straightforward (for him) comedy starring the one-of-a-kind twosome of Jason Schwartzman and Carol Kane. Schwartzman plays Ben, a recently widowed cantor at the local synagogue, while Kane plays his former elementary school music teacher Carla, who comes to him after deciding she wants to have the bat mitzvah she didn't get to have as a child. The two spark, their families clash, and big life lessons are learned. And if you could bottle the off-kilter chemistry between these supreme character actors, you'd have magic, which is just what this movie, singular and sweet, is. — J.A. 

How to watch: Between the Temples is now streaming on Netflix.

3. Kicking and Screaming

Before Frances went Ha or there were any Marriage Stories to tell, writer/director Noah Baumbach made his name with this 1995 post-collegiate comedy starring a who's who of '90s indie icons, including Josh Hamilton, Eric Stoltz, Catherine Keener, Parker Posey, and Chris Eigeman. And it's a very '90s story of life-after-graduation ennui that Baumbach tells too, with everybody paralyzed by decision and the nostalgia for every moment already suffocating them. 

There were so many little movies like this that came tumbling out of nowhere at this time, and we didn't know how good we had it — small character studies full of acidic humor as far as the eye could see! This one lands somewhere between the dry archness of Whit Stillman and the sloppy chaos of early David O. Russell; it's a perfectly lovely little time capsule.  — J.A.   

How to watch: Kicking and Screaming is now streaming on Netflix.

2. Kneecap Credit: Helen Sloan / Sony Pictures Classics

Like 8 Mile with way more vowels, Kneecap tells the true life story of the titular band while starring the band members as themselves. The hip-hop trio of Liam Óg "Mo Chara" Ó Hannaidh, Naoise "Móglaí Bap" Ó Cairealláin, and JJ "DJ Próvaí" Ó Dochartaigh portray their own rise from rough-and-tumble beginnings in West Belfast to their place atop the Irish charts, which stands out since they rapped in the Irish language, which was well out of favor at the time having been usurped by the English colonizers. Their music rises on the tide of the language's popular reclamation, but Kneecap is hardly a linguistics lesson – it's a hilarious and wildly entertaining drug-fueled riot of anarchic artistic expression. Oh, and Michael Fassbender plays Naoise's da, which I guess makes him the Kim Basinger of this situation?  — J.A.

How to watch: Kneecap is now streaming on Netflix.

1. Cunk on Life

Comedian Diane Morgan has been gifting the world with her character of Philomena Cunk for a glorious decade and a half now. A dimwitted investigative journalist who butt heads with the real-world leading minds on each subject, Cunk proved to be a one-woman feast of absolute nonsense. The character Cunk started getting her own specials in 2016 with Cunk on Christmas, followed by Cunk on Britain and the epic globe-trotting mockumentary series Cunk on Earth (also streaming on Netflix).

Morgan's expanded her reach all the way to Cunk on Life, her latest side-splitter that tries to uncover the very meaning of existence itself across its humble 71-minute runtime. Does Cunk succeed? Well, Cunk definitely thinks she does, every damn time. But if not, at least we'll get to hear some Technotronic in the process, dammit! — J.A.   

How to watch: Cunk On Life is now streaming on Netflix.

Opens in a new window Credit: Netflix Netflix Get Deal

* denotes that this blurb appeared in a previous Mashable list. 

UPDATE: Jun. 17, 2025, 2:21 p.m. EDT This list was originally published on March 26, 2020. It has been updated to reflect the current selection on Netflix.

TL;DR: The Newmowa 60-LED High-Power Selfie Light, aka the Alix Earle light, is on sale at Amazon thanks to a coupon deal. Save 15% and pay just $25.49 for a limited time.

If you've tried to create content for Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok, then you may have learned one lesson the hard way: It's all about the lighting.

Bright, professional lighting can make all the difference in social media content, and your iPhone flash isn't going to cut it. That's why the so-called Alix Earle clip-on selfie light has become so popular among creators, both professional and aspiring. Of course, it's not really called the Alix Earle light. The product in question is made by a brand called Newmowa, and it's available at — where else? — Amazon.

Mashable reporters are currently attending VidCon 2025, the annual gathering of YouTube influencers and creators, and we've already heard from one creator with 4.3 million followers who uses the popular selfie light.

Opens in a new window Credit: Newmowa Newmowa 60-LED High-Power Selfie Light $25.49 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $4.50 Get Deal

Normally priced at $29.99, you can order this selfie light for $25.49 thanks to an on-page coupon deal that lets you save 15%. Just "clip" the coupon on the Amazon product page and the discount will be applied in your shopping cart automatically.

Why YouTubers and TikTokers love this light

So, what makes the Newmowa 60-LED High-Power Selfie Light so popular, and why is it called the Alix Earle light?

The selfie light originally went viral in 2022 thanks to influencer Alix Earle, who named it one of the top Amazon purchases of 2022. The video star praised the camera for providing an instant glow-up in her photo and video content, and it's been popular ever since. Amazon says it sells more than 5,000 of the selfie cameras every single month.

It's a compact, clip-on camera that can be easily attached to a laptop or smartphone. It contains 60 high-intensity LED lights, providing studio-like lighting at the push of a button. So, even if you're sitting at your desk or bathroom counter, you can cast yourself in a spotlight.

Some reasons people are obsessed with this selfie light:

• Includes two built-in clips, on the bottom and back

• Features three light modes

• Choose from 10 brightness settings

• Light can be adjusted 90 degrees

• 2-hour+ battery life (135 minutes)

Again, you can pick up this clip-on selfie light at Amazon, where it's on sale for just $25.49.

I consider having a clean controller necessary to play games well. Over time, controllers get dirty, whether it be from dust, sweat, or tears from playing rough matches or environmental factors that we cannot control.

News spread early Friday that a record-breaking data breach exposed 16 billion passwords to the world, including user credentials for the likes of Facebook, Google, Apple, and tons of other places. Some commentators were quick to call it the largest password leak in history, and in terms of raw records exposed, that’s mostly, technically true. However, these records did not come from a single breach — or even a new breach. Instead, they came from many smaller ones. 

Data breaches are an unfortunate reality in the digital age, and some of the breaches can be quite large. However, not every release of stolen data is the direct result of a recent cybersecurity breach. As Mashable recently reported in our countdown of the top cybersecurity breaches of 2025, hackers will often compile information from multiple prior hacks and combine them into one massive file. This is becoming a trend in the darker corners of the internet. The end result is more of a “greatest hits” rather than a new, noteworthy hack. 

Such is the case here. Per Bleeping Computer, the information contained in the 16 billion records was most likely compiled from a host of prior hacks, compiled, and then released as a single set of data. It was likely circulating for some time before being compiled, and likely came from a combination of breaches, hacks, phishing scams, and malware. 

This is backed up by a tweet from vx-underground, an educational website that specializes in malware and cybersecurity. “Someone took a bunch of existing leaks, threw it all together, and slapped a NEW stick [sic] on it.”

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

However, the existence of all this data in one spot is still rather damaging, as cybercriminals now have access to all of this data in a single spot, potentially making it much easier to concoct more effective phishing scams or engage in identity theft. 

The largest single-point data breach in history is still Yahoo’s 2016 breach, when hackers stole data about all three billion of the website’s users. 

Mashable is live at VidCon 2025: Check out our VidCon coverage with your favorite content creators now.

Protecting yourself from password leaks

With so many records in one spot — even if some of them are legacy data that is no longer relevant — it’s still probably a good idea to take an audit of your online services to make sure you’re protected. A good place to start is Have I Been Pwned, a website dedicated to showing data breaches. Simply go there, enter your email address(es), and the site will show you which credentials have been exposed to the public. 

We recommend changing those credentials immediately if you haven’t already, and using a strong password when you do so, as they are more difficult to crack. After that, you’ll want to enable multi-factor authentication on every account you possibly can, as the added layer helps keep criminals from stealing your life if they obtain your password. That should be the bare minimum, but there are plenty of other steps you can take to keep yourself safe online as well.

Have a story to share about a scam or security breach that impacted you? Tell us about it. Email submissions@mashable.com with the subject line "Safety Net" or use this form. Someone from Mashable will get in touch.

Content creation wasn't in the plan for Kali, better known by their online handle FunkyFrogBait.

Growing up a child of YouTube, Kali looked up to creators like Jacksepticeye, dreaming of making videos themselves. But as college and the job market took priority, that dream started to feel more distant, replaced by the pressures of real-world responsibilities.

SEE ALSO: The secret behind Macy Blackwell’s 2.2M TikTok followers

Then 2020 hit. With more time spent indoors and the rise of TikTok, Kali — affectionately known as "Funky" by their fans — decided to give content creation a shot. The gamble paid off. Today, Kali boasts millions of followers across platforms: 2.8 million on TikTok, 340K on Instagram, and 2.72 million on YouTube.

At VidCon 2025, we sat down with Kali to talk about their growth as a creator and how they pivoted to full-time once they hit it big.

Once a software engineer, FunkyFrogBait has amassed millions of subscribers on YouTube with their commentary. Credit: Cole Kan/Mashable Composite; Funky Frogbait; Getty Images When did you start creating content?

I started in 2020 'cause I was bored, and TikTok was popping off. I was in this theater group in college, and we were doing a performance of The Oregon Trail, which was super funny. In that group, there was somebody who was scrolling TikTok, and I have a distinct memory of them turning to look at me and being like, "Oh, I think you'd do great on TikTok. You should just make some videos."

And did you start on TikTok?

I started on TikTok. A lot of the stuff that was on my feed was sketch comedy, which I was like, "OK, I've done musical theater. I've done improv in college. This is kind of a convergence of a lot of my interests. This could be fun to do, and it's what I'm already watching." I feel like a lot of people, that's how they decide to make something, there's something they're already naturally gravitating toward.

I moved from random shitposting on TikTok, getting a few thousand views here and there, just using random audios, to writing some skits.

Most of them didn't do well for a while, but then one would pop off, and it was like, OK, what made this one work and not these? I kept following that formula of putting a sketch out and seeing if people liked the characters.

I did this series called "Nursing Homes in 2077." That's actually what I got the most well-known for. It was just a very simple concept: What are we gonna be like when we're in nursing homes one day? What little pieces of brain rot are gonna stay in our brains even after we've forgotten our grandchildren's names? That was the first sketch-comedy thing that I did that really popped off.

When did you migrate to YouTube?

I did that for a while, and it was really fun. Unfortunately, because of the nature of short-form content, and specifically the way that the TikTok algorithm works, it would be so unpredictable.

I would work really hard on a sketch, and it would get a few million views, and I would feel amazing about it. I would feel like this is the direction I need to go. I would do the same thing the next day and get less than 20,000 views. So it was just so up and down in a way that was so unpredictable that it started to get really discouraging. And I found myself posting less and less on there because it was just so much time spent on such a short video that would have very little payoff sometimes.

Then I was like, OK, I did this gaming channel as a little kid, I still like that type of content — let me try that. So I tried migrating my TikTok audience over to the FunkyFrogBeat YouTube channel, which was originally a gaming channel. I was posting myself; I would record myself playing a video game. It was impossible to move a TikTok audience over. TikTok has a very insulated platform.

Anytime you try to push out anything that even hints at presence on other social media, it immediately will lock it down and make sure nobody sees it. And once again, I hit a roadblock of just feeling really discouraged. I had like just this taste of like, "There is interest here, but I can't find it." I can't get this consistent community even though I'm having these little bumps of interest. I can't gather this audience into a single place and get that consistent viewership. And then over time, my personal consumption of the internet changed.

How so?

I spent most of my time watching gaming content. Then, probably around 2022, I started watching a lot of commentary creators—people who get in front of the camera and talk about weird things happening on social media.

I shifted my personal consumption of content, and I was starting to watch a lot more of that. And then one day, I'm scrolling TikTok, and this guy comes across my For You page. It's somebody who has convinced themselves and openly declared that they believe they are the reincarnation of Hitler. It's such an absurd thing that just came across my For You Page.

I'd had this idea of making commentary content for a while, but I didn't think that there was anything I specifically had to add. But then this was just one of those circumstances where it's like, "How is no one talking about this?"

People were reacting to it on TikTok, and they were getting like hundreds of thousands of views, but it hadn't migrated over to YouTube yet. I sit down at my desk, I prop my iPhone — I don't even have a tripod — and just sit and talk at my phone for a little over an hour.

I followed a similar formula to other commentary creators I'd seen, but I also was just like, I'm just talking and being weird and being myself. I'm writing dumb jokes. I'm doing little punchlines, you know? That video immediately got hundreds of thousands of views, which is like jumping from even millions on TikTok to hundreds of thousands on YouTube for a long-form video.

A lot of people who don't make content don't realize that views from different sites mean very different things. It was an immediate thing, and it was so unexpected. I actually almost didn't post the video 'cause I was almost done editing it, and I was talking to my partner at the time, and I was like, "Oh, I don't know, this is kind of stupid." And he convinced me to post it. It was such a cool moment of like, Wow, I'm so glad I did because it was an immediate yes from the universe that I'd been looking for — this is something that really works.

So I'm curious: What is your strategy now?

When I started out in commentary, it was more of a drama-focused angle because that was like a lot of commentary at that time. You're the underdog coming in, you're punching in all directions. You're making fun of people who are way more well-known in the space than you. And you're punching up at them.

But then my platform exploded so quickly that I realized that the dynamic had shifted. I was now, "Oh, here's this asshole with a million subscribers being mean to this person." That was a weird thing for me because in my head, I was still doing the same thing I was before. I had to recognize my position in this space had changed, where I have to be so much more cognizant of the fact that I am a lot more zoomed out now, not putting a magnifying glass on one specific person. Maybe there's a trend that I think is annoying or harmful, and I show you 20 different examples of people doing it rather than one person.

I had a hard time processing that for a while. I was like, "This is unfair. I'm the same person, and I want to be able to approach things the same way that I always have." But it's a two-way street, where it's not just who you are; it's what the platform feeds back into you.

And if the platform says, no, this is where you're at now. You have this level of responsibility, you have this level of influence, and you don't get to say I don't care. You have to recognize the reality of your situation. And personally, I've just felt mentally a lot better with that change. It's been good to be able to have a broader outlook and to feel a lot more proud of the things that I put out, because I do have to now put up things that I've spent a lot more time thinking through and researching, because of that extra responsibility.

Do I miss the days where I could just like punch in all directions and be an asshole? Of course. Because that's fun. That's really fun to do. But, also, I feel like the impact that I get to have now is so much greater, and the amount of good I'm able to do is so much greater. It's ultimately a good trade-off.

You have this great perspective that really gives you empathy when you approach the topic.

It's great to hear. That's what I try to do. I try to have a perspective of tough love. Even if I do have to show a specific example of somebody doing something that they should not be doing, I still try to come from the angle that I have nothing personally against this person.

I try to dig into the reasoning of why they're doing it and add extra context of like, here are the reasons why I think that this has a negative impact. Or maybe this individual person doesn't have that much of an impact, but they're a part of a larger trend that is kind of a problem. I don't wanna talk about somebody just doing something stupid. I wanna talk about a whole movement that I see online that is really concerning. It's a lot harder, but it's more rewarding.

Are you all self-taught on editing?

I've never taken any kind of cinematography or editing class. Everything that I do in that realm is self-taught or involves me begging a friend to say, "Hey, can you explain this to me?" Previously, I edited everything on my own, but this past year and a half, I have had an editor to help.

But my vision for my videos is very specific. Basically, how it works is I will write out my full video and write in the edits exactly how I need them to be. So even if I'm not physically editing, if you see a thing pop up on screen, a gag, or a cutaway, it's probably because I told the editor to do so.

So, I still have a lot of creative control over the editing. And sometimes, I still go back and edit because sometimes my vision is so specific, and for a particular topic, it's impossible to communicate it effectively to another person. I really felt for a long time that incorporating an editor would take away my agency and ownership of the content. But it was just a matter of finding somebody who understood my vision.

Has there been a moment when you realized this was your full-time career now?

That happened shockingly fast after the first commentary video. I had no sense of ad revenue or anything like that. There are a lot of assumptions when you're watching YouTube that every YouTuber is rich. I didn't know what views translated to when it came to income. The analytics take a couple of days to catch up to what you're actually gonna get paid out.

I was starting to do calculations, and I was like, "This is matching my current income at a job that, let's be honest, is significantly harder." If I keep getting this amount of viewership on each of these days, I'm going to start making more than what I'm doing at this job that I went to school for four years to do. I remember looking at the analytics tab and showing my partner, dumbfounded. I had to show another person, because I was like, "Am I crazy?" I've done the math, and this is actually doable.

I was a YouTube kid. I grew up watching all of these YouTubers come into their own, and I idolized that lifestyle so much, but I'd put it aside for college. I'd put it aside for more realistic avenues.

I was a YouTube kid. I grew up watching all of these YouTubers come into their own, and I idolized that lifestyle so much, but I'd put it aside for college. I'd put it aside for more realistic avenues. In fact, I'd honestly shut off a lot of my creative passions completely to pursue this particular career path. I'd completely deadened myself in many ways to the things that really made me feel like myself, and to be able to look at the raw numbers and realize I could do content creation was amazing.

I worked as a software engineer for a telecommunications company. I got my boss in a meeting, and I was like, "They're gonna hate me. They're gonna be so mad at me." And they were actually so chill with it. They were so encouraging. They were like, "That's amazing, and if it doesn't work out for you, you can always come back and work here again. We love you. We really want this to work out for you." It was another yes from the universe — this is the direction, this is the path.

I feel so creatively fulfilled, and I've had so many amazing opportunities. It's been so good to know that this was the right path to take, even if it didn't feel like it at the time. It's a wonderful thing that I'm privileged to be able to do.

Mashable will be live at the Anaheim Convention Center this week, covering VidCon 2025. Check back in the days ahead at Mashable.com, where we’ll be talking to your favorite creators, covering the latest trends, and sharing how creators are growing their followings, their influence, and making a living online.

Affiliate links are a well-known part of the creator economy, especially for creators whose content revolves around unboxing videos, beauty tips, or product reviews. And thanks to YouTube Shopping, this can also be a really lucrative practice for creators.

At VidCon 2025, creators Carter Kench, Christie Xie, and Ben Schlichter spoke about how they use YouTube Shopping to streamline the affiliate process, and how it's seriously paid off. After the first month of using the tool, Xie couldn't believe how much money she made: "It was like  four times the amount that I was usually making, and I was like, did I commit tax fraud?"

SEE ALSO: Here are the highlights from VidCon 2025 this week so far

To become a part of the program, creators need at least 10,000 subscribers and to be a member of the YouTube Partner Program. From there, it's up to the user on how they navigate it. For a helpful place to start, here's what Kench, Xie, and Schlichter had to say.

Timestamps and auto-tagging make a big difference

Kench finds adding timestamps to products, which allows the link to pop up in-video as it's being mentioned, adds a level of ease that can't be matched. The moderator of the panel and head of creator partnerships for YouTube Shopping, Julia Hamilton Trost, chimed in with a stat that supported Kench's feeling, saying that in an experiment, YouTube found that creators using timestamps along with description links saw a 43% increase in clicks over creators who just used description links.

SEE ALSO: VidCon 2025: The latest updates from your favorite creators

Admittedly, tagging products can take some time, which is why Xie relies on YouTube's auto-tagging feature, which automatically detects and links products. She finds it takes care of the bulk of the work for her, and it allows her to go back in and revise the product list as needed.

Authenticity is key

Authenticity is a word that's thrown around a lot with content creation, but when sharing products with your audience, it becomes even more important to practice — it's a fine line between sharing and shilling.

All three creators spoke about the importance of being selective with the products you talk about.

 " I only tag products I actually want to talk about. I really try to keep it very real with my content," Kench said.

The moderator and panelists pose for a photo after dispensing their YouTube Shopping knowledge. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Xie, a beauty creator, explained her approach, saying, “It’s content first, shopping experience next."

Schlichter, who reviews home appliances, echoed this sentiment, while calling back to a point Xie made about full-basket commissions, which allow creators to receive commission for a viewer's entire basket, even if they only linked out to one product with an affiliate link.

" Even if I give something a negative review, I tear into it and say this stinks. I don't like it, but here's the link for it, just for you to look at it. Because what Christie said earlier, with the full basket commission, they don't have to like that product for me to make money on it," Schlichter said.

It's a strategy that works: " I make more money off of affiliates on YouTube Shopping than I do even AdSense," Schlicher added.

YouTube Shopping data can help you negotiate brand deals

Despite being a popular home appliance reviewer, Schlichter didn't have a brand relationship with Lowe's. However, after seeing how well he did with Lowe's products through YouTube Shopping, he approached a brand rep, saying, " Hey, I'm doing really well for you guys on YouTube shopping. Can we work together in some sort of more creator-based capacity?"

He was able to strike a deal, and he soon became one of the brand's top-earning creators, he said.

"That knowledge is power as a creator," Schilichter told the audience.

Follow the audience data

The creators also stressed the importance of closely examining what resonates with their audience. This data helps guide their brainstorming process when creating content.

"Really watch your YouTube Studio on any insight," Xie said. " For example, for me, a lot of people love lip glosses and lip balms. So, I try to do more lip combo videos. Catering to your audience is very important."

Schilichter chimed in, " Of my top 10 videos, I'm gonna say half of them are from commenters saying, 'Hey, why don't you look into this?'" He added, "When it comes to my shopping videos, 75 percent of the ideas aren’t coming from me anymore.”

Sa Nguyen grew to fame on her TikTok for her mukbang videos, but the Orange County, CA college student has grown her channels far beyond the eating trend. She shoots lifestyle vlogs and content about running, music festivals, her dogs and more.

At VidCon 2025's Meta Night Out, we chatted with Nguyen about all the tech she needs to grow her audience to a whopping 4.3 million followers on TikTok, 263,000 followers on Instagram, and 38,000 subscribers on YouTube.

She told Mashable that she uses her phone when she shoots on TikTok because it gives off a "FaceTime vibe" that her audience loves. She edits directly on the TikTok app or on the Instagram Edits app.

"If I'm filming an Instagram reel, I'll use edits and post it directly from edits," she said, adding that she occasionally uses CapCut, too.

But she doesn't use her phone to shoot all of her content. She also uses her Alix Earle light and the wired headphones from Apple — but when it comes to cameras, she has three go-tos.

Alix Earle light

The TikTok-famous Alix Earle light comes from a brand called Newmowa. It's a clip-on LED light that's popular among creators like Nguyen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Newmowa Newmowa 60 LED High Power Clip-on Light $25.49 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $4.50 Get Deal Canon PowerShot V10

Nguyen uses her Canon PowerShot V10 when she vlogs on the go. She likes that it can stand up by itself at any angle. When she shoots on her Canon, she edits using Final Cut Pro.

Opens in a new window Credit: Canon Canon PowerShot V10 camera $399 at Amazon
$429 Save $30 Get Deal Canon XS740

She says she uses the Canon XS740, for instance, when she goes on a vacation and wants to take both pictures and videos. When she shoots on her Canon, she edits using Final Cut Pro.

Opens in a new window Credit: Canon Canon PowerShot SX740 HS Camera $835 at Amazon
Shop Now Leica D-LUX 8

When Nguyen just wants to take photos, though, she prefers her Leica D-LUX 8. "It's so, so good for photos," she said. While Nguyen uses the D-LUX for photography, it can also shoot 4K video.

Opens in a new window Credit: Leica Leica D-Lux 8 Digital Camera $2,189.95 at Amazon
$2,634.95 Save $445 Get Deal Final Cut Pro

The popular Mac video editing software is available via the Mac App Store. You can also sign up for a limited free trial.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Final Cut Pro $299.99 at Apple
Free trial available Shop Now

The Switch 2 has a number of tricks up its sleeve compared to the original, and one of the most surprising is the ability to convert those new Joy Cons into mice by simply flipping the controller on its side.

I haven't used a PC in a year. Well, almost. There's just one reason I need to have a conventional computer in the house, and that's making sure the other gadgets in my life get their latest software updates.

Whenever I need to kill some time (or distract myself from work), I like a good puzzle game. I've got a couple I'd love to share, but the best part is all these puzzle games can be played from your browser, and on almost any PC or phone.

One of the scariest films of the year, 28 Years Later, used iPhones to film key scenes.

Director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland reunite almost 28 years after their groundbreaking 2002 film 28 Days Later, delivering a gloriously horrifying cinematic experience in their latest film.

SEE ALSO: Review: '28 Years Later' is a triumphant return, one of the scariest films of the year

Also returning is cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, whose use of digital camcorders defined 28 Days Later. Here, Boyle and Mantle use a host of cameras, including 20 adapted iPhone 15s, all deployed to capture Boyle's go-to 2.76:1 widescreen aspect. But what effect does this produce in 28 Years Later, and what does it mean for the actors in front of the many lenses?

Mashable entertainment editor Kristy Puchko sat down with Boyle for Mashable's Say More podcast, and UK editor Shannon Connellan spoke to 28 Years Later stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, and Alfie Williams to understand more about making a major horror film using iPhones.

"When someone puts an iPhone very close, it's a bit intrusive. You feel kind of vulnerable, and you can't hide. There's a quality about it that just shows everything, and it meant we had to feel very present in the moment," says Taylor-Johnson. "You got used to it very quickly, and it became such a great environment to work around."

Credit: Sony Pictures

"Technology’s moved on, and we thought, we’ve got to move on and yet we want to respect that instinct which is to use the ordinary in some way. So it feels like it’s something that’s come from the place that the story is about. And of course, we’ve all got the phones now so we decided to use them," Boyle says.

"They’re lightweight, they now record at 4K, but they allowed us to visit places, remote places, in the UK, with a very light footprint," he adds. "But we used a lot of cameras. We didn’t just use the iPhones… there’s a red sequence in it that’s used this special Panasonic camera, the EU123. We used drones, which use 6K cameras. And we unified everything with a format, with a 2.76:1, which is a widescreen format, which you can do now with all these cameras."

As for teen newcomer Williams, who plays 12-year-old Spike, the experience of making films on iPhone is pretty standard for his generation. "This was normal for me," he says.

28 Years Later is now playing in theaters. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is slated for theatrical release on Jan. 16, 2026.

Microsoft Excel has so many keyboard shortcuts that it can sometimes be difficult to remember the most useful. One of the most overlooked is F9, which gives you more control over formula calculation in your worksheets.

One of the reasons why I haven’t been super excited about Gemini is how many things it lacks compared to the ancient Google Assistant. For a very long time, Assistant has been able to identify songs when you ask it to, which can be a real lifesaver. But with Gemini stepping into the spotlight, that seamless experience vanished, leaving a frustrating void.

TL;DR: Game like you used to on a Kinhank Retro Console on sale for $89.97.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kinhank Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro Retro Gaming Emulator & Streaming Console $89.97
$159.99 Save $70.02 Get Deal

More and more games are raising their prices. For gamers who just want to sit back and enjoy a quick game whenever they can, dropping $80 on a single title isn’t really practical. If you want to go back to the days when gaming was an affordable hobby, check out this new retro console.

The Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro has thousands of games preloaded, and you might recognize a few. These are retro titles like Street Fighter and Final Fantasy, and it’s only $89.97 (reg. $159.99) to get access to all of them.

70,000+ games plus a surprise

Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro gives you a single, smooth interface to play thousands of modern and old-school titles. You get dual operating systems, with Android 9.0 for streaming apps and EmuELEC 4.5 for emulation, giving you flexibility beyond gaming. You can go straight from trouncing your friend in a 1-on-1 deathmatch to marathoning your favorite show.

The included 256GB game card comes loaded with thousands of games, spanning classic systems like NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, PlayStation, and more. Plus, you can easily expand your library using a microSD card or download additional 3D games at no extra cost.

You also get two wireless controllers right out of the box, making multiplayer gaming easy. Thanks to the plug-and-play design, setup is simple. Just connect it to your TV or monitor with the included HDMI cable, power it up, and start playing. It even supports 4K HD output, so your retro games will look surprisingly crisp on modern screens.

With built-in dual-band WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0, the Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro offers stable connections for both online features and wireless accessories. And while it’s pretty stacked with games, this console is still small enough to toss in a backpack and take to a friend’s house. You know, like people used to.

If you want gaming to feel like it used to, get a Kinhank Super Console while it’s on sale for $89.97. Shipping is also free.

StackSocial prices subject to change

Not all cars depreciate at the same rate, and some brands are far better than others at holding their value over time. Whether you're buying new or planning to trade in down the line, resale value is a key factor that can save (or cost) you thousands.

TL;DR: Scan anything, anywhere, with this lifetime subscription to iScanner, now A$38 (reg. A$306) with code SCAN through 20 July.

Opens in a new window Credit: iScanner iScanner App: Lifetime Subscription AU$38
AU$306 Save AU$268 Get Deal

Raise your hand if you've ever had to rush to the library to print something. If most of us don't have the space for clunky printers, chances are we also don't keep a scanner at home. That's what iScanner is for.

This iOS app transforms your iPhone or iPad into a handy little scanner that works for basically any document type. It's also only A$38 (reg. A$306) for a lifetime subscription. 

No more wasted desk space

Even if you're one of the few with a physical scanner still in your presence, you can now clear some counter space thanks to iScanner. And while you're at it, you can throw away that dusty old filing cabinet, too. 

iScanner is the number one US-based scanning and document management tool, letting you knock items off your to-do list from anywhere. Need to save a receipt for taxes? Do you have a contract you need to digitize? You can scan any document using just the phone on your iOS device. 

Students, entrepreneurs, educators, and stay-at-home moms alike will all find endless uses for a scanner in your pocket. The AI-powered tools ensure your documents' borders are detected and automatically adjusted while also straightening scan pages and ditching curves and skews. 

Thanks to AI, you can also use iScanner to help you solve complicated math problems.  Or put its OCR technology to the test and let it help you decipher text in up to 20 languages.

Once things are scanned, the app becomes a full PDF editor and file manager. Edit your scans, including signing them, adding text, or autofilling them with custom templates. Then, use the file manager's folder via drag and drop to keep them safe and organized. 

Scanning something confidential? You can also protect files and folders by locking them with a PIN. 

Use code SCAN by 20 July at 11:59 p.m. PT to get an iScanner lifetime subscription on sale for A$38. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The RTX 5000 series of GPUs was just released this year, and deals on hardware packing the new cards are hard to come by. Not impossible, though. One of HP's best Omen gaming laptops is currently heavily discounted, in case you want to hop on it now.