Spam calls might be the worst thing about carrying a phone in your pocket every day. Thankfully, there are tools to help with this. We’ll show you how to set up “Verified Calls” on your Android phone using one of Google’s own apps. Verified Calls is a feature found in the “Phone by Google” app. Google works with businesses to verify caller’s identities, show the reason for calling, and even display logos....
First: The Basics Before we begin, we’ll assume that you have an optical media drive capable of writing to the disc type you choose. It could be an internal drive or one that plugs in to your PC via USB. We’ll also assume that you have any necessary drivers installed. Luckily, Windows 10 works with most CD-R/W and DVD-R/W drives automatically through Plug and Play, so you might not even need to install a driver....
If you’re wanting to reuse a PowerPoint presentation but would like to clear the slideshow’s formatting, there’s no need to do it slide by slide—you can do it all at once. Here’s how. First, open the PowerPoint presentation with the formatting you want to edit. To illustrate the before and after, here’s what we’ll be working with in this example. Looking even closer, here are the formats our current slideshow is using:...
Depending on what version of Android you’re using (and what type of phone), it’s possible that you may be able to change just the text size, or even make everything on the screen larger. We’re going to talk about all of those options here—as well as a few other things you can do to make your phone easier to see. RELATED: How to Change the Navigation Buttons or Gestures on Android...
Unlike Facebook, Twitter has never insisted people user their real names. In fact, there’s a long tradition of people changing their names to a joke or pun because it’s Christmas or Halloween, or just for no reason at all. Just this week, half the How-To Geek staff changed their name to Justin Pot, just to annoy the real Justin Pot. Even The Geek himself got in on the act....
Clearing the CMOS resets your BIOS or UEFI settings back to their factory default state. In most cases, you can clear the CMOS from within the BIOS menu or by pressing the CMOS button on the back. In some cases, you may have to open your computer’s case. Use the BIOS or UEFI Menu The easiest way to clear the CMOS is from your computer’s BIOS or UEFI setup menu....
Starting with Nintendo Switch System Update Version 11.0.0, you can now transfer all of your game and software screenshots and videos over a USB-C cable to a compatible Windows computer. Here’s how to do it. Requirements First, make sure that your Nintendo Switch is updated to System 11.0.0. To do so, open System Settings, navigate to “System,” and select “System Update.” RELATED: How to Update Your Nintendo Switch You’ll also need a compatible USB-A to USB-C cable that you can plug directly into the connector at the bottom of the Switch....
Have you ever wanted to hide files right under someone’s nose? With this digital parlor trick, you can hide a folder in plain sight on your Windows 10 desktop. While there are certainly better (and more secure) ways to hide files, this quick tip is far more delightful. To perform this feat, you create a folder with an invisible name and no icon. To get started, right-click an empty spot on your desktop, click “New,” and then select “Folder....
Disable Autoplaying Videos and Live Photos on iPhone and iPad On iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 (and higher), Apple automatically plays videos and Live Photos when you’re scrolling through your Photos tab. Thankfully, the media is muted. This becomes especially annoying when you’re browsing through the years or months section in the Photos tab or if you’re looking at old Memories albums. Disabling this feature is as simple as flipping a switch....
Screen Time on Mac is a handy way to keep track of your app usage and restrict content for children, but its notifications can be annoying. To turn them off, you can disable notifications or simply disable Screen Time itself. Here’s how to do both. How to Disable Screen Time Notifications on Mac If you’d like to continue to use Screen Time but not receive any notifications from Screen Time, here’s how to disable them....
If you’re playing an Xbox game on a Windows 10 PC—like the ones in Microsoft’s Game Pass for PC service—you’ll likely see pop-up notifications for your Xbox achievements. Here’s how to turn off those achievement notifications. These are controlled from Windows 10’s built-in Game Bar, which is more of a full-screen game overlay at this point. To open it, press Windows+G. (If you don’t see the Game Bar, head to Settings > Gaming > Xbox Game Bar....
Some of TikTok’s most popular features include the ability to react and respond to other videos. “Duet” is one way to do this—it’s sorta like reacting in real-time to another TikTok video. We’ll show you how it works. What Is Duet on TikTok? “Duet” is similar to another TikTok feature called “Stitch.” When you Stitch, you are adding your own video to the end of another users’ video. Duet is when your video is side-by-side with the other video and they play simultaneously....
Head over to the Google Takeout website and sign in with your Google account. Click the “Deselect All” shortcut if you’re only interested in Fit and don’t want the archive to include copies of your data from the rest of the Google services. Look for “Fit” in the list and check the box next to it. Click the “All Fit Data Included” button to choose whether you want to back up your activities data, the daily summaries of your sessions, or both....
Whether you’re discussing chemical or mathematical formulas or citing content that requires footnotes, you’re going to need to use superscript or subscript text. Here’s how to format that text in Microsoft Word or PowerPoint. Formatting Superscript or Subscript Text To format text in either superscript or subscript, you’ll first need to select the text. Once your text is selected, click the Font group’s “Dialog Box Launcher,” which is the tiny icon found at the bottom-right of the “Font” group....
How-To Geek, one of the largest and most influential tech sites on the web, is looking for a full-time technology writer that shares our passion for explaining tech. Our readers love How-To Geek because of its unique voice. We’re not a website just for geeks—we are the geeks. We’re the people you turn to when your computer isn’t working right, you need to do something technical, or you want to understand the latest technology....
Temporary permissions, available for devices running Android 11 and newer, can be applied for sensitive permissions like the camera and GPS. In case your phone is on an older version of Android, you can take advantage of a paid third-party app called Bouncer to set up one-time permissions. Here’s how to use them. Grant Temporary Permissions on Android When you launch an app for the first time on Android and it requests access, the permission dialogue will have three options....
Turn Off Notifications for Annoying Apps The best time to act on an app that’s sending you annoying notifications is the exact moment you get one. If you’re running iOS 12 and higher, you can now turn off notifications for an app without going to the Settings app. From the Notification Center, swipe left on a notification and tap on the “Manage” button. Here, tap on the “Turn Off…” button. That’s it....
If you’d like to capture ideas on the go, Apple’s Notes app is a wonderful way to do it. When a great idea strikes you, it can feel like too much of a fumble to find and launch the app on your device. Luckily, there’s an easy way to quickly access Notes using a Control Center shortcut. How to Launch the Control Center Control Center is a collection of shortcuts to commonly used tasks, such as adjusting screen brightness, volume, song playback, and more....
Checking Your Roku’s Network Connection Once you turn on your Roku device and are viewing the Home page, select the “Settings” option in the bottom left-hand corner of the side menu. Next, click on the “Network” button. Once on the Network Settings menu, select “Check Connection.” Your smart TV and or streaming stick will run a network test and then display its results after a minute. The network test is essential because it lets you know if your problems are caused by the connection between the device and your Wi-Fi network....
Why Did Apple Recommend Against Disinfectants? Traditionally, device manufacturers like Apple recommended against harsh disinfectants because they can wear away the oleophobic coating on your smartphone’s screen. This is an oil-repelling coating that helps prevent fingerprints and smudges from sticking to your smartphone’s screen. This coating naturally and slowly wears away as you use your phone, but harsh cleaners can cause it to wear away faster. How to Safely Disinfect an iPhone With a Wipe On Mar....
