Featured Articles - The Best of How-To Geek

5 Reasons to Install a Custom Android ROM (and Why You Might Not Want To)

Android is open source, so developers can take its code, add features, and build their own operating system images for Android phones and tablets. Many Android geeks install such custom ROMs — but why?...

HTG Reviews the Sculpt: a Quirky Ergonomic Keyboard

Anyone who logs serious time at their computer desk knows the toll the keyboard and mouse can take on your wrists, shoulders, and even back. Today we take a look at the Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Desktop, a highly ergonomic k...

3 Ways to Make Your Old Netbook Suck Less

Netbooks are terrible, as most people now agree. They seemed like a good idea at the time, offering a cheap laptop experience in a small package. But they were ultimately too slow, too small, and too poorly built....

Revive Your Old PC: The 3 Best Linux Systems For Old Computers

Windows 8 may be lighter than Windows Vista, but it’s nowhere near as lightweight as these free Linux distributions. If you have an old Windows XP PC or a netbook, you can revive it with a lightweight Linux system....

Keep It Simple: Here Are The Only 4 System and Security Tools You Need on Windows

Windows is complicated and needs many different system utilities and security tools to run well — or does it? We recently covered the many types of system tools you don’t need. Here are the few utilities you actua...

10 Types of System Tools and Optimization Programs You Don’t Need on Windows

Windows users see advertisements for all sorts of system tools and optimization utilities. It’s easy for companies to tell you that you absolutely have to run these tools, but you don’t need most of the junk on of...

Take a Secure Desktop Everywhere: Everything You Need to Know About Linux Live CDs and USB Drives

Computers normally run an operating system installed on their hard drives, whether it’s Windows, OS X, or Linux. But they can also boot from removable media devices, allowing you to boot a Linux desktop from a USB drive...

Why Old Programs Don’t Run on Modern Versions of Windows (and How You Can Run Them Anyway)

Windows is all about backwards compatibility, allowing people — especially businesses — to keep using their important applications on new versions of Windows. But there are limits. The older a program is, the more...

HTG Reviews the Doxie Go: Simple Computerless Scanning

Portable scanners aren’t exactly brand-new technology, so what makes the Doxie Go portable scanner special? Read on as we take one for a test drive, show you how to set it up in the process, and highlight exactly why th...

How to Play Old LAN Games Over the Internet

On a PC, you can still play old games — which isn’t true for consoles. You may even find yourself actively buying these old games as they show up on great sales on Steam and elsewhere.

Why You Can’t Just Copy a Program’s Folder to a New Windows System (and When You Can)

When moving to a new Windows system, either after getting a new computer or reinstalling Windows, you may be tempted to copy a program’s folder to your new system just like you’d copy your files. But this normally...

Danger: Why You Shouldn’t Buy Cheap Third-Party Batteries For Laptops or Smartphones

Official replacement batteries can be expensive. Whether you’re looking at a laptop or smartphone battery, you may be tempted to take the cheap route and buy an aftermarket battery. But this decision could blow up in yo...

How to Create a Separate Data Partition for Windows

Windows normally installs itself to a single partition on your hard drive. However, you can split your hard drive into several different partitions and store your data files separately from your system files....

7 Tips For Using Multiple Hard Drives With Windows

Install a new hard drive and all Windows will do is give you an empty drive letter. If you have a small solid-state drive and a larger mechanical hard drive — or just two large drives — these tips will help you pu...

10 Ways You Can Customize Your Windows Taskbar

Most people don’t spend much time customizing their taskbar, even though it’s something every Windows user uses every day. It seems almost set in stone — but it isn’t. The Windows taskbar is actually v...

How Much Does Anti-Virus Slow Down Your PC’s Boot Time?

Have you ever wondered how much time is added to the boot process by your anti-virus solution? This handy chart shows you the answer, with some surprising results.

Lowell Heddings Sep 18th, 2013

How to Know When It’s Time to Replace Your Laptop’s Battery

No matter how well you treat your laptop’s battery, it will eventually die. If you’re lucky, it will be time to replace your laptop by the time its battery dies. If you’re not, you’ll need to replace t...

Why You Don’t Need an Outbound Firewall On Your Laptop or Desktop PC

Windows has a built-in firewall that blocks inbound connections. If a program wants to act as a server, Windows will prompt you. Some geeks don’t like the built-in firewall because it doesn’t offer the same prompt...

HTG Reviews the Ouya Game Console: Great for Emulators, at Least

Like any newcomer in the gaming world, the Ouya microconsole has a slew of lovestruck fans and an equal (if not greater) number of detractors. What’s the story behind the tiny game platform and is it worth your time and...

Jason Fitzpatrick Sep 16th, 2013

Windows XP Users: Here Are Your Upgrade Options

Windows XP won’t be officially supported for much longer. Sure, you could keep using it — it won’t just stop working one day. It will just become more insecure over time as Microsoft and everyone else stops ...

How to Fix Browser Settings Changed By Malware or Other Programs

Malware, adware, and pushy software installers all love changing your browser settings, giving you new home pages, default search engines, and obnoxious toolbars. It’s easy to forget to uncheck these options while insta...

Why Secure File Deletion Tools Aren’t Foolproof

To actually erase files from a magnetic hard drive, you would have to overwrite the file with useless data. Some tools attempt to make this easier, offering to “securely delete” a file by deleting it and overwriti...

How to Organize the All Apps List on Windows 8

Windows 8 awkwardly forces the Start menu programs list into a flat “All Apps” list. Many programs haven’t been properly updated for this new reality and fill your All Apps list with useless shortcuts to hel...

Macros Explained: Why Microsoft Office Files Can Be Dangerous

Microsoft Office documents containing built-in macros can be dangerous. Macros are essentially bits of computer code, and historically they’ve been vehicles for malware. Luckily, modern versions of Office contain securi...

10 Android Tweaks That Still Require Root

Many features that once required root have been added to Android over the years. However, many advanced tricks still require rooting your Android smartphone or tablet.

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