How-To Geek

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We explain technology. Learn more with our articles, reviews, tips, and the best answers to your most pressing tech questions.
Updated: 47 min 39 sec ago

Stop believing these SSD myths—they're costing you money in 2026

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 22:31

SSDs are hardly a new product in this day and age, and yet, they're still the subject of many myths that should have died off around a decade ago. And honestly, that's me being generous.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Your phone's Bluetooth audio quality depends on one hidden setting nobody knows about

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 21:30

Bluetooth is a fantastic feature on mobile phones, but if you use it to listen to your favorite tunes regularly, you might notice it sometimes sounds dead, tinny, or just plain bad. The culprit might actually be the default codec your phone is using for Bluetooth.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I bought a NAS for mass storage, but it accidentally fixed my biggest PC performance bottlenecks

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 21:00

For those who can actually afford the luxury, a NAS can be a great addition to their setup. But in addition to serving storage and network functions, a NAS can also be a great option to breathe some new life into your PC. Here's how.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why every soundbar I owned sounded flat, and how a cheap stereo system fixed it

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 20:30

I've owned a few soundbars over the years, most with a subwoofer, and they always felt like the right choice. They look clean, save space, and sound decent enough at first. But after going through three different setups, I realized I didn't actually like how they sounded. No matter the brand, they all felt a little thin and, at times, lifeless. I tried swapping in better subs to fix it, but it never really got me where I wanted.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Reliable, efficient, and practical: The hybrid three-row Toyota built for families

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 20:00

Three-row family SUVs are expected to do everything; carry passengers comfortably, handle long road trips, keep running costs manageable, and remain dependable for years. Finding one that checks every box without becoming too expensive can be difficult, especially when fuel economy starts to matter as much as space. One hybrid Toyota stands out by delivering all of those priorities in a single package.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I tripled my power bill building a massive home server before realizing two cheap NAS units are better

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 19:45

If you think your homelab is complete with just one NAS—think again. I run multiple NAS servers in my homelab, and it’s actually improved my workflow and homelabbing experience way more than I expected. Here’s why you should run more than one NAS in your homelab.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I finally stopped ignoring my YouTube Music subscription—these 5 features changed everything

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 19:30

For a long time, my YouTube Music Premium subscription felt like something I rarely used since it was tied to the subscription I have for NotebookLM. However, I never made it part of my daily routine. The whole experience felt separate from the kind of smooth, personalized audio I really wanted for my commutes, workouts, and workdays. My initial disinterest has completely changed thanks to the features that convinced me to use the full potential of my subscription. Look through these, and you might find a reason to cancel Spotify.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Stop using Cloudflare's default 1.1.1.1 DNS (changing one digit blocks malware at the router level)

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 19:15

Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 DNS server is popular for its speed, reliability, and support DNS over HTTPs (DOH), which gives you some added privacy. However, 1.1.1.1 doesn't do much besides lookup IP addresses for you. If you want something that offers additional security, you should try 1.1.1.2 instead.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I had no idea Home Assistant and Sonos could work this well together

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 19:00

I've owned Sonos speakers for several years and lived through the horror of the Sonos app overhaul. I've used Home Assistant for a similar length of time, and I only just realized how well the two work together.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Gemini on Android Auto is too chatty—here's how to make it shut up

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 18:45

Google made a lot of lofty claims about how Gemini for Android Auto was going to make driving better. It’s been a few months now since it rolled out, and one complaint keeps popping up: Gemini talks too much. Let’s fix it.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Vim’s statusline can do almost anything, but most people don’t know it

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 18:30

Vim normally shows basic information at the bottom of the screen, including the file name and the current line number. But the statusline takes this concept much further, with more information available using several built-in variables.

Categories: IT General, Technology

10 VS Code extensions I can't live without

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 18:28

The sheer number of extensions for VS Code can be so overwhelming that even veteran users get lost searching for what they need. Let me show you how to take your coding experience to an entirely new level with ten VS Code extensions I just can’t live without!

Categories: IT General, Technology

You don't need a Raspberry Pi for most "Pi projects"—here's what you can use instead

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 17:45

Are you looking at Raspberry Pi projects, thinking that you need a Raspberry Pi to do them? Chances are, you don’t. Here are three Raspberry Pi alternatives that are better than a Raspberry Pi in most cases and cost the same (or less).

Categories: IT General, Technology

I tested the 3 most popular Linux distros of April 2026, here's how I rank them

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 17:15

The top three Linux distros on DistroWatch right now are CachyOS, Linux Mint, and MX Linux. I tested all three to understand what makes each one tick and who each one is really built for. One of them is for performance-obsessed users, one is for people tired of Windows, and one is quietly doing something most distros can't. Here’s the full breakdown, and how I’d personally rank these three.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 reasons you should skip the Bambu Lab A1 and buy an enclosed 3D printer

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 17:00

The Bambu Lab A1 and its smaller sibling, the A1 mini, are solid entry-level printers. But since their introduction, enclosed 3D printers have become more common, affordable, and desirable.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to see what changed in your Excel spreadsheet (and who changed it)

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 16:45

Has something in your Excel spreadsheet changed—but you're not sure what, when, or who did it? The old "Track Changes" button used to handle this, but modern Excel takes a different approach. Instead of a single feature, Microsoft now uses a set of cloud-based tools that let you trace edits, view past versions, and understand exactly what happened—provided you know where to look.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This app makes remote homelab access stupidly simple—no port forwarding required

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 16:30

When you set up a service on your home server, you can access it right away by just typing the server's IP address, followed by the port that service is mapped to. So long as you're connected to the same network as the server, you can access that service.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Forget the Mercedes-Benz GLE—This Korean SUV is plusher, faster, and cheaper

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 16:15

The Mercedes-Benz GLE has long been one of the default choices for buyers shopping in the premium midsize SUV segment, offering strong comfort, prestige, and a polished driving experience. But in 2026, paying extra for a German badge no longer guarantees the best overall package. One Korean luxury SUV is making that reality impossible to ignore.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The internet from your terminal: 8 ways to use cURL

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 16:00

The curl command-line tool is one of the most useful and versatile programs you can learn. Its versatility and comprehensive HTTP implementation mean that, if there’s a URL for it, curl can do it.

Categories: IT General, Technology

3 Plex settings I immediately change on every TV and phone

Sat, 04/25/2026 - 16:00

Plex can be a really powerful tool if you use it properly. But it can take a bit of elbow grease to set up initially, and some of the default settings might actually harm your experience. Here's what you need to turn off and why.

Categories: IT General, Technology

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