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: 1 hour 46 min ago

Throw Your Stinky Watch Band in the Washing Machine

Fri, 10/17/2025 - 13:00

Your smartwatch is a part of you in a way that not even your phone can match. It’s always out there in the open air, and the band soaks up sweat, dead skin, and all the general nastiness of daily life. The answer to keeping your watch bands pristine is a lot simpler than you might think.

Categories: IT General, Technology

These Are My 12 Favorite Uses for the iPhone Action Button

Fri, 10/17/2025 - 12:00

The iPhone’s Action Button is now a staple feature of Apple’s smartphone lineup. In its default state, it does exactly what the ringer switch it replaced does: toggle silent mode on and off.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Everyone’s Bingeing These 3 Prime Video Shows This Weekend (October 17–19)

Fri, 10/17/2025 - 09:00

Well, viewing enthusiasts, another weekend is here, and with it arrives some well-deserved time off from your hard week at work. As you settle into and relax on that comfortable couch of yours, don’t forget your popcorn and snacks. This week on Amazon Prime Video, we’re going hunting with Maggie Q, exploring the night sky and its mysteries with JK Simmons, and learning how to hide in plain sight with the lovably mouthy Kristen Bell.

Categories: IT General, Technology

3 Hulu Shows You Should Binge This Weekend (October 17 - 19)

Fri, 10/17/2025 - 07:00

Hulu is one of the biggest streaming services in the U.S., and now that it's gone global, replacing the Star tile on Disney+ in international markets, more people are going to get the Hulu experience ... and that means more folks than ever trying to decide what to watch.

Categories: IT General, Technology

3 Netflix Shows You Need to Binge This Weekend (October 17 - 19)

Fri, 10/17/2025 - 05:00

I subscribe to every streaming service under the sun, but I've been a member of Netflix the longest. That means I've watched many of its shows. Unsurprisingly, not all of them are good, but I'm happy to dish out three recommendations that are actually worth your time.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Windows Finally Has Automatic Light and Dark Mode, with PowerToys

Fri, 10/17/2025 - 04:07

Microsoft just dropped the PowerToys 0.95 update, code-named "Eclipse." and it's absolutely packed with quality-of-life improvements and performance boosts. This release addresses a ton of long-standing community requests.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Android Auto Now Supports Less Phones

Thu, 10/16/2025 - 23:34

The thing about sticking with an old phone or old hardware for years on end is that, eventually, it's gonna get phased out. And when it happens, everything will slowly start breaking. If you have an Android 8.0 device, you'll have to move to a newer phone if you use Android Auto on your car.

Categories: IT General, Technology

These Are the 5 Best Features Windows 10 Gave Us

Thu, 10/16/2025 - 23:15

Windows 10 has reached end of life, which means it won't receive any more major feature updates, and even security updates will only be available to users that make a special effort to opt in. However, just because we're leaving Windows 10 behind doesn't mean the things it gave us are getting left behind. Here are the five best things Windows 10 introduced to the Windows PC world.

Categories: IT General, Technology

What Happens Now That Windows 10 Has Reached End of Life?

Thu, 10/16/2025 - 23:15

Don't worry—your computer won't spontaneously combust, but you do have to act in order to make sure your computer remains secure going into the future. Here are the most important things to know about your security now, what you can do to stay secure in the future, and your other options.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why Did AOL Wait Until Now to End Dial-up?

Thu, 10/16/2025 - 22:00

On September 30, AOL switched off its internet dial-up service for good, and anyone still using its dialer software or the special Shield browser would find their internet no longer works.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why “It Just Works” Isn’t True Anymore on the Mac

Thu, 10/16/2025 - 21:00

Using a Mac is generally much less of a headache than using a Windows PC or a Linux system. No driver hunts, being sabotaged by updates, or any of the myriad little problems the more open operating systems have.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Firefox Will Continue to Get New Feature Updates on Windows 10

Thu, 10/16/2025 - 20:28

Earlier this week, Windows 10 officially reached the end of its free support life. But just because Microsoft is pulling back doesn't mean your favorite browser is. There’s good news for Firefox users still clinging to Windows 10.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Bundle Up: Apple TV and Peacock Join Forces With a New Streaming Package

Thu, 10/16/2025 - 20:24

NBCUniversal and Apple have announced that starting next week, the powerhouse media companies will offer the "Apple TV and Peacock Bundle." It combines both streaming services into one package, giving people who already want both services a single lower monthly bill.

Categories: IT General, Technology

OnePlus' Android 16 Update Is Here, But It Looks Suspicious

Thu, 10/16/2025 - 20:20

Android OEMs copying the iPhone is nothing new. But typically, that's something we see in Asian countries, not really in phones we see stateside. The latest version of OxygenOS might have you thinking differently, though.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Hurry and Get This 144 Hz Hisense 85-Inch TV for 36% Off

Thu, 10/16/2025 - 20:00

You can currently score the massive 85-inch Hisense QD7 Series QLED 4K UHD Google Smart TV for a major 35% discount. This huge price cut slashes the TV's original price of $998.00 down to just $648.00 at Walmart. That's a great deal for an enormous smart TV with a native 144Hz refresh rate.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Want to Save Money on Streaming? Try This

Thu, 10/16/2025 - 20:00

When streaming apps were first introduced, they provided an escape from the rising prices of traditional cable TV. Now that streaming has largely replaced cable, we're once again faced with increasing prices, along with the added challenge of navigating which apps we need to view our favorite shows and movies.

Categories: IT General, Technology

OneNote Just Got a Big Improvement for Touchscreens

Thu, 10/16/2025 - 19:43

OneNote on Windows will automatically bring up the touch keyboard when you tap the page canvas on touch-enabled devices. This is a huge win for anyone using a tablet or 2-in-1 device like the Microsoft Surface, as it makes typing instantly faster and more seamless.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Your Smart TV Is Spying on You With Three Letters You’ve Never Even Heard Of

Thu, 10/16/2025 - 19:00

At this point, you're probably pretty used to the idea that your smartphone tracks what you do and shares that information with various companies. It's a little depressing, but it's become a fact of life. However, what about your TV?

Categories: IT General, Technology

I Tried Running My VPN 24/7—Here’s What Happened

Thu, 10/16/2025 - 18:30

I decided to find out what it’s like to keep a VPN on all the time—whether streaming, gaming, or doing online tasks. What I learned went beyond just better privacy: there were definite perks, some frustrations, and a few surprises. Curious about living with a VPN always on? Here’s my experience.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Tired of LibreOffice? The Open Source ONLYOFFICE Just Got a Big Update

Thu, 10/16/2025 - 17:49

The open source office application ONLYOFFICE had its first point release since June on Wednesday, and it comes with a bevy of new features for its "Desktop Editors" suite of apps. They include a document recovery function, faster spreadsheet functions, and PDF annotation tools.

Categories: IT General, Technology

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