Featured Articles - The Best of How-To Geek

How to Change Account Passwords on Linux

Passwords have been a keystone of account security for 60 years, predating Unix by nearly a decade. Learn how to use either the command line or the GNOME desktop environment to manage your passwords in Linux....

Dave McKay Nov 15th, 2019

Why You Shouldn’t Use Your Web Browser’s Password Manager

We recommend using a password manager like 1Password, LastPass, or Bitwarden. But modern web browsers have built-in password managers, so why install a different one? There are many good reasons to avoid your web browser&#821...

How to Create a Screencast on Linux

Want to make a screencast on Linux but feeling overwhelmed by the choice of tools and programs? We describe three ways to create a screencast. The quick and easy way, the hard-core and granular way, and the way we think is th...

Dave McKay Nov 14th, 2019

How to Take Better Photos with Your iPhone

Your iPhone takes great photos, but you can always improve them. For example, you can control the exposure, take more time to compose before you hit the shutter, and make better use of the tools available to you....

It’s About Time: Microsoft Is Finally Killing My People

Microsoft is killing My People, as predicted. The “My People” feature on the taskbar is still here for now, but Microsoft has revealed it’s “no longer being developed” and “may be removed i...

Chris Hoffman Nov 13th, 2019

How to Use YouTube’s Queue Feature

Unlike Netflix, YouTube was never really designed for binge-watching. You could install extensions, but they never worked well. Now, you can officially create a video queue from any page, sit back, and watch videos without le...

Khamosh Pathak Nov 13th, 2019

How to Download Disney+ Movies and TV Shows to Watch Offline

If you don’t want to use up your mobile data cap, you can download movies and TV shows from Disney+ to watch offline. Although you can’t save films and shows to your computer, you can download them to the iPhone, ...

Justin Duino Nov 13th, 2019

Why I Love My Apple Watch

I first put on my Apple Watch in January 2019, and haven’t wanted to take it off since. At first, I saw it as a handy lifestyle accessory. However, over time, I’ve come to appreciate it as much as my iPhone—...

What to Do if Your Windows 10 Keyboard or Mouse Aren’t Working

Keyboard and mouse failures aren’t uncommon, especially with regular usage. If your keyboard or mouse has stopped working on your Windows 10 PC, here are a few steps you can follow to resolve the issue....

Is My iPhone Waterproof?

Modern iPhones are water-resistant, but the strength of that protection varies from model to model. Having your device’s battery or screen replaced might impact this protection, depending on who performed the repairs....

The Best Chrome Flags to Enable for Better Browsing

Before some features release in Google Chrome, they’re often added in as optional tweaks that are hidden behind “flags” you can enable to get a sneak peek. Here are some of the best flags for better browsing...

Are Smart Homes Worth the Investment?

Converting to a smart home might seem expensive and complicated at first, but do the benefits outweigh the cost and hassle? Let’s check out why setting up a smart home is a good investment of your time and money....

What Is RNG in Video Games, and Why Do People Criticize It?

Gamers like to criticize “RNG” in games. For example, picture a game of dice where you and your opponent both roll a dice, and the highest roll wins. That’s “pure RNG.”

How to Downgrade Your Android Phone to a Previous Version

Not everyone appreciates the changes when new Android versions hit devices. If you want to switch back, it’s sometimes possible to downgrade your Android device to a previous version. Here’s how you do it....

Ben Stockton Nov 8th, 2019

How to Share Photos and Videos From Your iPhone

Want to share some vacation photos or videos with your friends and family? There are multiple ways you can share full-resolution media files with people nearby or over the internet.

Forget Screen Time! Track Your App Usage in macOS Catalina with These Alternatives

The Screen Time feature first appeared in iOS 12 to help you monitor your app usage on iPhone and iPad. It’s now on macOS Catalina, with one major flaw: it only shows how long apps are open, not how long you use them....

Tim Brookes Nov 8th, 2019

How to Play Unsupported Video Formats on Windows 10

Windows apps like Movies & TV and Windows Media Player allow the playback of certain types of video only. If you’re struggling to play unsupported video formats, you’ll need to use a third-party video player ...

Ben Stockton Nov 7th, 2019

How to Customize Gmail on the Web

Gmail is an enormously popular email provider with an easy-to-use web interface. However, not all preferences and screen sizes work well with the default settings. Here’s how to customize the Gmail interface....

Rob Woodgate Nov 7th, 2019

USB4: What’s Different and Why It Matters

The next great (and possibly confusing) version of USB is on its way. In early September 2019, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) published the USB4 specification paving the way for blazing-fast USB connections comparable to...

How to Check Your Printed Document History in Windows 10

Checking the history of a printer to see what was printed can be somewhat difficult to monitor. As your toner level doesn’t convey how much the accessory has been used, you’ll need to enable logging within Windows...

Ben Stockton Nov 6th, 2019

How to Use Canonical’s Livepatch Service on Ubuntu

Fancy having critical Linux kernel patches automatically applied to your Ubuntu system—without having to reboot your computer? We describe how to use Canonical’s Livepatch Service to do just that....

Dave McKay Nov 6th, 2019

20 Apple Watch Tips & Tricks You Have to Know

Your Apple Watch can help you find your iPhone, unlock your Mac, warn you if your hearing is in danger, or even detect when you’ve had a bad fall and send for help. Here are the features you should know....

Why You Can’t Block BitTorrent on Your Router

Can you block or slow BitTorrent traffic on your router? It’s a question we’ve gotten many times. Someone else using BitTorrent on your network can slow down your connection and even open you to lawsuits. Unfortun...

How to Create Desktop Shortcuts on Ubuntu

Desktop icons should be simple, but they’re not on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and newer releases like Ubuntu 19.10. Follow these easy steps to get desktop shortcuts for your favorite applications, just like on other operating sys...

Dave McKay Nov 4th, 2019