How-To Geek

Microsoft is addressing more security flaws than ever before thanks to AI, but that might come at the expense of reliability. The company has released an emergency fix for Windows 11 after a record-setting "Patch Tuesday" broke multiple features.

My phone plays many roles. It's a source of entertainment, a useful tool for work, a way to communicate with people, and more. These different uses don't always play nicely together. When I'm working, I don't want to be distracted by unnecessary calls, messages, and notifications, so I built a one-tap system to stop my phone from stealing my attention.

Had a crap day at work? Again? We’ve all been there. But instead of glazing at your computer screen into the wee hours trying to write that reply email you’re never going to send, turn your work brain off, settle down, and let yourself get taken away for a while.

The average person now has several monthly cloud subscriptions, and the situation only gets worse when you look at households. You have cloud storage, a handful of apps, a photo subscription of some sort, not to mention Microsoft Office. Each one individually won't break the budget, but cumulatively, subscription costs can easily run into the hundreds of dollars per month.

Anyone who listens to podcasts on a long drive has probably run into a situation where Google Maps calls out a turn and the audio volume will lower, but never come back up. I've seen this cause multiple issues, especially when you try to fix it on the road. It feels random, but it happens so often that it's hard to blame anything but Android Auto, wireless or not.

While you can deal with Windows bloatware in a variety of ways, one of the fastest, most straightforward methods to uninstall preinstalled apps you don't need is WinGet, a Windows package manager you can use from the command line. All it takes is typing or pasting a few commands, and your PC will be bloat-free in no time.

All the popular power tool brands make a ton of excellent tools and accessories, but if one stands above the rest, it's probably Ryobi. The company has a loyal following of DIYers and offers over 350 products that all work with its 18V ONE+ battery system. When it comes to weird tools, Ryobi is one of the best, and that includes a versatile new tool that might be perfect for renters or those with small yards.

Samsung's One UI 9 is finally available beyond its latest foldable phones and the Galaxy S26 FE. The company has begun the rollout of its latest software to other devices, starting with the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra.

Some iconic phones, like the iPhone 4, light the world on fire and have sales numbers to match. Others may not have sold as many units, but they’re no less beloved. Ask an Android user what the best looking phone of that era was, and most will tell you the same thing—the HTC One M7.

I used to majorly neglect my peripherals, but once I made the swap from a wired to a proper wireless mouse, I never went back. How could I?

“Could I 3D print that?” It’s a question we’ve all asked. I had the thought while listening to an LP vinyl record one night. Nearly two years later, I finally found a way to make it happen. Get your headphones ready.

Boox has revamped its eReader lineup ahead of the Picco. The company has introduced three new Android 16-based models, including a Palma 3 that upgrades its most iconic device as well as the Note Air6 C and the Note Mini C.

I'm not planning to become a streamer any time soon. But I do enjoy recording retro games and tutorials for my classes. There's some fascinating technology used in modern streaming and screen recording that I like to mess with. I've been using OBS Studio (mostly in default mode) for a long time for my recordings, and I wanted more control. But sometimes, the interface can be a bit complicated for simple things. So I changed a few settings to help me make the most of this powerful software and to find/access them.

When I bought my 3D printer, I didn’t have any great expectations of value for money—but it definitely feels like my Bambu Lab P2S has paid for itself. I’m not just talking about my bank account, either—there are some other pleasing upsides to 3D printer ownership.

A database is a core part of many apps, from full-blown enterprise websites to simple tools like shopping lists and finance trackers. Relational databases driven by SQL are popular, but Linux offers a simpler, more transparent alternative.

I used to keep an AI tool open in a separate tab whenever I needed help with something. It was almost automatic: think of a question, open an AI chatbot, type it in, and boom — you got what you were looking for. After doing those steps a million times a day, I got frustrated. So I did what any person would do: I used AI to ask how I could stop using AI while using AI. Makes sense, right?

There are several power tools and accessories that I want but don't necessarily need. I'm constantly thinking about which new Ryobi tool I might buy next, even though I already own plenty. With that in mind, I started tracking which tools I use the most around the house to help me decide. I figured my trusty drill would top the list, but surprisingly, it came in fourth place.

If you're new to Linux, you might wonder whether you really need to use the terminal. While Linux comes with modern desktop environments, you can benefit from knowing the Linux terminal. It's easier than you think. Just a few simple steps, and you'll be a pro in no time.