How-To Geek

For years, Windows 11 has handled camera and microphone access for desktop apps like a master key—flip the switch and every program gets in, or none do. Microsoft is finally working on a solution for the latest Windows 11 Insider build. The new privacy controls allow you to decide which desktop apps get to use your camera and microphone, one at a time. If you use an Android phone, you'll find the per-app permission settings feel familiar. This matters because camera and microphone access can reveal more than you might expect across varied software.

I'm the last person to defend Windows. There's no doubt in my mind that it's a bloated, slow, and unreliable mess of an operating system. The only thing I use Windows for anymore is as a dedicated gaming PC that never has a single mission-critical job.

Accessories are a big part of owning tools and using them regularly. I've been a big fan of Ryobi tools for a very long time. They're not only decent, budget-friendly tools, but they often do the job just as well as some higher-end ones. I'm mostly a hobbyist and maintainer of things, though, so I'm not necessarily using them for professional reasons. Either way, I found several accessories that make my Ryobi tools better. Here are a few cheap accessories that completely transformed my Ryobi tools and the way I use them.

Every time a new Wi-Fi standard comes out, there’s pressure from every side to upgrade. Wi-Fi 8 is on the horizon, and I feel that Wi-Fi 7 has barely had time to settle. But, do you really need to upgrade to Wi-Fi 7 or Wi-Fi 8? There’s a good chance your old Wi-Fi router is still perfectly fine.

Power tools are a modern marvel that anyone who has tried working with human-powered drilling or sanding will tell you we too easily take for granted. But while these tools are compact and powerful, they aren't that smart for the most part.

Following the release of the OLED iPad Mini yesterday, Apple has now announced updated MacBook Pro and iMac models. The brand’s all-in-one desktop is arriving almost two years after the M4 model that debuted back in 2024. In between, the M5 generation never made it to the iMac, so the latest jump is bigger than the version number suggests.

Almost everything I do on my PC happens inside the browser, to the point that I feel like my operating system is basically a bootloader for my browser. Now, when you have an app that’s so central to your workflow, it’s natural to get a bit picky about it. Thankfully, Firefox has been more than enough as my daily driver for over a decade. Sure, I occasionally experiment with other browsers to see what’s out there, but I’ve always returned to Firefox — that is, until now.

Being prepared is a common survival tactic, but I can’t count how many times I needed something for a car breakdown or road emergency and didn’t have it. Beyond the basics, like an air inflator, a screwdriver set, a road emergency kit, jack stands, and paper towels, there are essential tools you should always keep on hand in case you need to repair your vehicle or someone else's. Here are six Harbor Freight mechanic tools I always keep in my car’s trunk so that I am ready when something goes wrong.

When you need a power tool and head to the hardware store, you'll see options from Ryobi, DeWALT, RIGID, Makita, Milwaukee, and more displayed in a rainbow of colors. Once you choose a brand, you'll start stocking up on battery packs, chargers, and endless tools. Here's what you need to know about one of the most recognizable names, Milwaukee, and whether they're worth buying.

Apple fans are infamous for defending the company's every decision. The notch, sticking with the Lightning cable for too long, the price of extra storage, etc. But bring up the iPhone keyboard in a room full of iPhone owners, and the mood quickly turns.

Whether you're a DIY homeowner or a professional, you know that buying a cordless power tool means getting trapped in a single brand's battery ecosystem. If you buy any other brand, you'll need a new set of batteries and chargers. However, the complete opposite is true with the Bosch Power for All system, which lets you use a single battery with 10 brands across more than 150 tools.

The release of any brand-new operating system means the inevitable discovery of bugs and even device-breaking issues, and Googlebooks are no exception. It's simple to factory reset a Googlebook if you simply need a fresh start or are encountering minor problems, but in the event your Googlebook is effectively unusable, a more complete and in-depth recovery may be necessary. If you're in that boat, follow this guide to completely reinstall Googlebook OS and hopefully save your laptop.

One of the most commonly repeated SSD tips is not to fill your drive all the way up to full. It makes perfect sense, and even manufacturers will tell you to leave 10-20% empty, so you should probably listen to them.

ArtCraft, a free alternative to Adobe's creative suite built with AI-assisted coding, is making people question whether they should pay for creative apps anymore.

My smart home has a lot of complicated automations, many of which have their own quirks. When guests visit, they just want to be able to do simple things like turning on the lights, watching TV, or turning up the heating. I decided to turn an old Android phone into a dedicated guest remote that's simple enough for anyone to use.

Smart bulbs are a great addition to your smart home, especially if you’re just starting out. They are easy to install, set up, and control.

While PowerToys is a fantastic open-source tool made by Microsoft, its Windows modding capabilities are fairly limited. When it comes to built-in Windows modding options, you can do stuff like bring back the Windows 10-style right-click menu (via Registry Editor), toggle transparency effects, use a limited selection of custom themes, finally move the taskbar again, and a few other things, which isn’t that bad considering they’re all available right from the get-go.

Many newer Kindle models allow you to link your Kindle and Goodreads accounts so that the reading progress on your Kindle shows up in Goodreads. This was never the case for my old Kindle 4, and if you jailbreak a newer Kindle and read using KOReader, you lose the benefits of this native integration. Thankfully, I was able to use a KOReader plugin to get my reading stats to sync with Goodreads.

Netflix’s release slate ensures you never run out of something new to explore each week, and October's schedule is no exception. From foreign titles and originals to classic throwbacks, the streaming platform offers plenty, with some exciting movies landing this week.

When dealing with data corruption, you're much more likely to blame your SSD than anything else. And even if it's not your SSD, it'll be your OS or maybe even the CPU.