How-To Geek - For Geeks, By Geeks.

Cord-Cutting Is Losing Its Luster

Remember a few years ago, when online services were going to slay the anti-consumer demons of DirecTV, Time Warner, and Comcast? Here in 2017, the market for cord-cutting, streaming TV looks a lot more bleak. And thanks to confusing and expensive channel lineups, weird sports restrictions, and more and more exclusive content, the situation isn’t going to get better any time soon.

How to Turn Off Comments on Your Instagram Posts

Instagram, for the most part, is a pretty lovely social network. People tend to post the good things that are happening in their lives, rather than rants about everything that’s wrong with the world. It keeps things positive.

How to Update Your iPhone or iPad to iOS 11

Apple released iOS 11 on September 19, 2017. You can upgrade by tapping “Install Now” when an update message appears, but you can also check for the update and install it immediately.

How to Install (and Remove) Application Packages from Your Synology NAS

Packages are the applications that make your Synology NAS more than just a glorified network drive. Let’s look at how to install packages, remove them, and even how to add repositories to gain access to even more functionality.

How to Schedule an Uber Ride for the Future

If you’re planning on being somewhere at a specific time and need to arrange transportation to get there, Uber allows you to schedule rides in advance so that you don’t have to do it when the time actually comes.

What’s New in macOS 10.13 High Sierra, Available Now

The next version of macOS is out now, with improvements to Safari, Mail, Photos, and a lot under the hood. Here are the best features you’ll see in macOS 10.13 “High Sierra”.

How to Enable Two-Factor Authentication on Your Nintendo Account

Nintendo now allows you to enable two-step verification, a form of two-factor authentication, for your Nintendo Account. Whenever you sign into your account—from a Nintendo Switch, on the web, or via a mobile app—you’ll need to enter a code generated by an app on your smartphone as well as your password.

The Best Bluetooth Mechanical Keyboards

It’s odd that, given their booming popularity among all kinds of computer users, mechanical keyboards still have so few wireless options. Between gamers, computing purists, and pragmatists, there doesn’t seem to be much desire for Bluetooth mechanical boards. But if you’d like a mobile-friendly keyboard, or just a more aesthetically pleasing one for your desktop, there are a handful of options out there.

How to Block Calls from a Certain Number on an iPhone

If you keep getting calls from someone (anyone) you don’t want to talk to, the best thing you can do is block them. There are a few different ways to do this on the iPhone, and we’re going to take a closer look at how to manually keep those people out of your life.

How to Use Multiple Apps at Once on an iPad

iOS 11‘s new multitasking features make the iPad even more powerful. The ability to access the dock in any app allows you to more easily launch apps in split-screen mode. iOS 11 also adds a new drag-and-drop feature that allows you to move content between apps.

What’s the Difference Between the “Program Files (x86)” and “Program Files” Folders in Windows?

There’s a good chance you have both the “C:\Program Files” and “C:\Program Files (x86)” folders on your Windows PC. If you poke around, you’ll see that some of your programs are installed in one folder, and some are installed in the other.

Hosted Telephony: What Are the Benefits? [Sponsored]

Hosted Telephony: What Are the Benefits?

Don’t Believe What You Read: Social Media Screenshots Are Easy to Fake

I want to show you a Tweet my coworker Justin Pot sent out.

How to Automatically Block Spam Calls on an iPhone

Nothing is quite as annoying as receiving spam calls, especially when you don’t know it’s a spam call in the first place. However, thanks to a free app, here’s how you can detect spam calls before you answer them and just plain block them altogether.

How to Download Files with Your Synology NAS (and Avoid Leaving Your Computer On at Night)

If you have a Synology NAS, you can easily configure it to download large files for you, allowing you to shut down your PC and let the NAS hum away in the background. Let’s look at how to start and schedule those downloads now.

How to Measure Distances in Google Maps for Running, Biking, and Hiking

Getting directions in Google Maps lets you easily see how far away the destination is. However, if you want to know the distance between point A and point B on a hiking or running trail, here’s how to do that in Google Maps.

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Is It Worth Upgrading to the iPhone 8 or iPhone X?

As summer turns to autumn, the leaves turn brown and the new iPhone is announced. At How-To Geek, we don’t get outside much, so we’re obviously more interested in the new iPhones than whatever trees are doing. Apple introduces the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and the iPhone X. We’re not going to address the profoundly weird start to the keynote, so the big question is: should you upgrade?

Equifax Got Hacked: How to Stop Identity Thieves from Opening Accounts in Your Name

Everybody is getting hacked left and right. Anthem lost 80 million records in 2015. The US government got hacked and lost personal data for millions, all the way down to fingerprint data. Now Equifax, a credit bureau, got hacked. So how can you protect yourself from criminals opening accounts in your name?

Should You Get an “Ultra HD” 4K TV?

Walk through any electronics showroom and most TVs you see will be some form of “Ultra HD” 4K. There are plenty of models available, and they’re cheaper than ever. But should you buy one?

What’s the Best Antivirus for Windows 10? (Is Windows Defender Good Enough?)

Windows 10 won’t hassle you to install an antivirus like Windows 7 did. Since Windows 8, Windows now includes a built-in antivirus called Windows Defender (which used to be available separately as Microsoft Security Essentials). But is it really the best for protecting your PC–or even just good enough?

18 Things You May Not Have Known Google Photos Can Do

Google Photos may seem like a simple image hosting service, but it’s actually quite powerful. Google Photos bridges the gap between cloud storage, image hosting, and image sharing services, giving stiff competition to Flickr, iCloud, Dropbox, and OneDrive.

Wi-Fi Security: Should You Use WPA2-AES, WPA2-TKIP, or Both?

Many routers provide WPA2-PSK (TKIP), WPA2-PSK (AES), and WPA2-PSK (TKIP/AES) as options. Choose the wrong one, though, and you’ll have a slower, less-secure network.

How to Fix Windows Update When It Gets Stuck

Windows Update is supposed to work silently in the background, but it may refuse to continue if it can’t install an individual update.

10 Handy Uses for Your Old iPad or Android Tablet

Tablet sales are slumping at the moment, probably as a result of big smartphones and convertible laptops chip away at a tablet’s usefulness. But if you have one or more tablets at home gathering dust while you happily poke away at your giant smartphone, there are probably some good ways to put them to use rather than selling them or recycling them. Here are a few ideas.

How to Change Microsoft Edge to Search Google Instead of Bing

Microsoft’s new Edge browser uses Bing as its default search engine, but if you prefer something else you can change that. Edge can use any search engine that supports OpenSearch as its default.

How to Turn Your Windows PC Into a Wi-Fi Hotspot

Windows can turn your PC into a wireless hotspot, allowing it to share its wired or wireless Internet connection with other wireless devices. But how you set it up that depends on what version of Windows you’re running. Here’s how it all works.