Your Windows PC has a hidden emergency restart: Use it when nothing will respond. Hold down Ctrl and click the power icon in the Start menu. You’ll get a dramatic-looking message warning you’ll lose any unsaved data. Click OK to restart immediately.
5 genius tech tips you’ll use all the time
I read every comment you leave at the end of this newsletter, and one theme always stands out: You want to know all the hidden things your tech can do! Lucky for you, uncovering those “I had no idea!” moments is my superpower. I’m here to teach you the things you didn’t even know you were missing!
🪟 Secret Windows restart trick
Frequent shutdowns can fix most computer issues, but you can try a Shift shutdown to close all processes and apps and clear the RAM completely.
- Hold down Shift before you restart.
- Keep holding it until your PC powers down, then choose Continue when it turns back on.
♻️ Did you know … Windows is more environmentally friendly than macOS? Windows puts your deleted files in the Recycle Bin; macOS just throws them in the Trash. (Bet you never thought of that before!)
🧭 Wipe your location from photos
Your phone stores metadata every time you take a picture, including the date you snapped the photo, your camera settings and even where you were located when the picture was taken. Yikes. Before you share a photo, send that data to the intergalactic bit bucket.
- On iPhone, open the image you want to share and tap the share button (square with an arrow pointing up). Next, select Options and toggle off All Photos Data.
- On Android, open your gallery, select the photo, then go to Details and click Remove location data.
☎️ Fix your phone’s call audio
Let’s say you’re on the phone with a pal, and your background is so noisy that your friend can’t hear you. Good news if you have an iPhone: There’s Voice Isolation mode.
- Place your call, and when your recipient picks up, swipe down from the top right of your screen to access the Control Center.
- At the top of your screen, you should see an orange microphone icon next to the word Phone. Tap that, and you’ll see a separate screen with an Audio & Video option. Scroll to and tap Voice Isolation.
On a Samsung phone, open Settings > Sounds and vibration > Sound quality and effects. Here, you’ll see Adapt sound. You can customize this or choose a preset option. Super easy.
The buggiest apps of 2024
When I saw this, I knew I had to share it with you. Researchers over at Electronics Hub did the thankless work of going through 400 of the most-used apps on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and thousands of user reviews — all to find the buggiest, most frustrating-to-use apps.
🚨 $1,300 paperweight: If you have a brand-spankin’-new iPad Pro with an M4 chip, do not download the iOS 18 update! It’s bricking Apple tablets, causing them to shut down and fail to restart. There’s no fix yet. If you’ve already been hit, take your iPad to the Apple Store for a replacement.
1x a week
How often the National Security Agency says you should reboot your phone. Sounds like a no-brainer, but it works to combat zero-click exploits. Zero-click flaws mean a hacker can get in simply by sending you the right code. Avoiding that is def worth a weekly restart.
“Hey, how come no one told me that sooner?” Try this if you have a Windows PC. Before you restart, hold down the Shift key. Keep holding until the machine powers up, then click Continue. This will shut down all the processes running for a true reboot.
Better than holding the power button: Your Windows PC has a hidden emergency restart when nothing will respond. Hold down Ctrl and click the power icon in the Start menu. You’ll get a dramatic-looking message warning you’ll lose any unsaved data. Click OK to restart immediately.
A full wash: Just because Chromebooks use web apps doesn’t mean they don’t need resetting every once in a while. A reset is called a “Powerwash.” Sign out of ChromeOS, hold Ctrl + Alt + Shift + R, then choose Restart and Powerwash.
🔄 Restart in Recovery mode: Use this next time your Mac is unresponsive. For older Intel Macs, click the Apple logo > Restart > then immediately hold down Cmd + R until the Apple logo or spinning globe appears. For newer M-series Macs, turn the power off, press and hold the power button, then click Options > Continue to open in Recovery mode.
Pixel zero-day: Google rolled out a big security update for Pixel users … and hackers have already exploited one of the patched vulnerabilities. This is a “high-severity” bug, so don’t sleep on it. Go to Settings > Security & privacy > System & updates > Security update, tap Install and Restart your device.
🚨 Do it right now: The National Security Agency (NSA) has a hot security tip: Power off and restart your phone weekly. Sounds like a “duh,” but it works to combat zero-click exploits and spear phishing. More tips (that I’ve been giving you for years): Keep your OS updated, and disable Bluetooth and location services when you don’t need ‘em.
Restart Chrome: That’s the easiest way to update. The latest patch fixes a zero-day flaw. Translation: Hackers know about it, so update your Chrome browser now.
Echo sound muffled? You’ll know — it’s like your smart speaker is underwater. To fix this, unplug the Echo, wait 30 seconds, then plug it back in. The magic restart trick! Yep, it works.
Don’t just hold down the power button: There’s a better way to reboot your grumpy PC that shuts down all the background processes. Before you click to restart, hold down the Shift key. Keep holding until the machine powers up, then click Continue.
Today’s the day: To restart your devices. A restart clears your cache, deletes files you don’t need and closes down all your programs. While you have a minute, switch off your phone, computer, tablet and anything else. Btw, it’s best to restart your computer at least once a week.
300 times per day per patient
That’s how often alarms can sound in hospitals. “Alarm fatigue,” aka ignoring and forgetting to turn off or restart alarms, led to 566 deaths in the U.S. over a five-and-a-half-year period. The fix isn’t louder alarms but to make them more musical. Fascinating read!
A reboot will shut down most processes and speed ya back up. The burning question: How often do you need to restart? The answer: At least once a week. (Wait till you’re done reading this email.)
Very spooky: Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 users are reporting taps, swipes and even calls registered without physical contact. Apple’s advising the good ol’ force restart for now. Gee, thanks.
🛑 Don’t click on Chrome update links: McAfee says that’s what’s spreading the new MoqHao malware. Unlike other viruses, MoqHao infects your computer immediately. Oh, brother. For the real update, just restart your browser.
🎧 If your wireless earbuds won’t connect to your phone or your PC can’t recognize your wireless mouse, shut ’em down. Yep, a restart often fixes Bluetooth glitches. I just saved you 10 minutes of tinkering in the settings. You’re welcome!