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: 7 hours 38 min ago

These New SmartThings Features Will Make Your Smart Home Feel Smarter

Mon, 07/07/2025 - 21:21

It’s very easy for a smart home setup to feel more complicated than it’s worth. All those individual settings, the convoluted routines, and just the sheer amount of time it takes to get things right. Samsung SmartThings is looking to change that.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 Open-Source Alternatives to Adobe Acrobat for Editing Your PDFs

Mon, 07/07/2025 - 21:00

Why pay for Adobe Acrobat or risk your data with online editors when excellent open-source PDF tools offer powerful, private alternatives? These PDF editors give you complete control over your documents and are free of cost.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Fairphone 6 Got a Perfect iFixit Score

Mon, 07/07/2025 - 20:58

Personally, I love the Fairphone range. It goes against everything that's "normal" in the smartphone ecosystem to put together a repairable, long-lasting phone. Now, an iFixit teardown reveals that the new Fairphone 6 is, indeed, every bit as repairable as you'd expect it to be.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Microsoft Edge Is Still Speeding Up

Mon, 07/07/2025 - 20:07

Microsoft has been slowly rewriting its desktop Edge web browser with faster responsiveness. According to the company, most interface elements in the browser now load in under 300ms, making the entire browser feel much snappier overall.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Android's Photo Picker Is Getting a Helpful Upgrade

Mon, 07/07/2025 - 19:22

Android users are getting a big update to how they pick and share photos and videos. Google is going to add a much-requested search bar to its Photo Picker, and eventually, a date-based browsing tool will also be released. These changes will make it easier to find specific files to share.

Categories: IT General, Technology

6 Alternative CLI Tools I Immediately Install on Linux

Mon, 07/07/2025 - 19:00

The standard utilities on Linux are boring; have you ever noticed that? Their function is essential, but they're boring. Wouldn't you like to jazz up their outputs with some pretty colors? Or even speed them up? These terminal utilities do that and more.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Google Pixel Phone Alarms Keep Breaking

Mon, 07/07/2025 - 18:46

Do you have one of Google's Pixel phones that somehow keeps missing the alarms you set? If so, you're not alone. It looks like the famous Pixel alarm bug is back and causing all sorts of problems for owners.

Categories: IT General, Technology

9 Years Ago Today, Nintendo Forced Gamers to Touch Grass

Mon, 07/07/2025 - 00:00

Pokémon GO took the world by storm, and seemed to come out of left field, and it's hard to believe that the game has been out for nearly a decade! There are still a huge number of people playing the game today, though, of course, nothing like the game at its peak.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This Is the Thing I Envy Most About Windows

Sun, 07/06/2025 - 23:00

For most of my life, I've used an operating system other than Windows. I'm no fan of Microsoft's platform, but there is one thing it does better than anyone else.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How I Get Google Drive to Automatically Sync New Windows 11 Files

Sun, 07/06/2025 - 22:00

If you want to keep your local files in sync with your Google Drive account, you can use a graphical or command-line method on your Windows 11 PC. I’ll show you how.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to Close All of Your Open Apps on Windows 11 Instantly

Sun, 07/06/2025 - 21:00

If you want a button that quickly closes all your chosen running apps, you’re in luck. Windows 11 lets you make such a button, and I’ll show you how.

Categories: IT General, Technology

LibreELEC Might Be the Best Linux Distro for Your Mini PC

Sun, 07/06/2025 - 20:30

When everyone talks about minimalist Linux distros, they start with things like Raspberry Pi OS or a headless Ubuntu server. However, if you're just trying to set up a home theater PC (or other streaming box), you have a much better option.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I Forgot About Live Wallpapers—But This One Is Now My Favorite

Sun, 07/06/2025 - 20:00

In my earliest years of using Android, I often had an animated forest as my background, or fish wading through water. I forgot about live wallpapers for most of the last ten years, but now I’ve landed on a new favorite.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to Check If Your PC Uses an i486 or i586 Processor

Sun, 07/06/2025 - 19:30

If you're running Linux on 30-plus year old hardware, lend me your ears: in recent weeks the Linux kernel has been updated to no longer support Intel 486 and 586 processors. Here's why it's happening, and how you can check the CPU in your device.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Busy Family? This Hyundai Hybrid SUV Has You Covered

Sun, 07/06/2025 - 19:00

The family car has come a long way—morphing from sedans to station wagons, minivans to SUVs—shaped by shifting needs and changing times. And now, we’ve arrived at the era of the all-in-one crossover.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Smartphones are Overstimulating—These Apps Actually Calm Me Down

Sun, 07/06/2025 - 18:30

There are things that make a home feel calming, and the same is true of our phones. Here are four apps I’ve personally installed that have done a lot to reduce the anxieties I feel when using my phone.

Categories: IT General, Technology

11 Best Fan-Made Browser Ports of Classic Games

Sun, 07/06/2025 - 18:15

If you're ever in the mood for something that's easy to pick up and play, look no further than browser games. While there's a seemingly endless supply of relaxing time-wasters and addictive score-chasers made specifically for browsers, you can also find browser ports of retro gaming classics from all genres.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why My Switch 2 Has Me Playing Old Switch Games Docked Again

Sun, 07/06/2025 - 00:00

Thanks to a shipping snafu, I only received my Nintendo Switch 2 a week after launch, but since then I've been making up for lost time. However, like most people, what I've mainly ended up playing are original Switch games, but taking advantage of the additional horsepower of the new console.

Categories: IT General, Technology

These 10 Things Are Terrible for My PC, but I Still Do Them Anyway

Sat, 07/05/2025 - 23:30

As much as I want my PC to run as smoothly as possible and avoid running into issues, I don't take exceptionally good care of it. Sometimes, old habits get the best of me, and I find myself slipping into a lack of maintenance that doesn't do my computer any favors.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Don’t Make This Rookie PC Building Mistake With RAM

Sat, 07/05/2025 - 23:00

Building a PC is equal parts exciting and frustrating. There's nothing quite like gaming on a new PC for the first time, but with so many components to think about, getting there is a challenge. While most hardware choice comes down to personal preference, one small detail you shouldn't overlook is RAM clearance.

Categories: IT General, Technology

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