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Tutorials, articles and recommendations about apps and programs that people use on their computers, smartphones, smartwatches, and other gadgets.

How to reset your Windows Firewall settings (4 methods)

After using the Windows Firewall for a long time, it might stop working as it should. Especially if you have modified its more advanced settings, or you have introduced many changes. It becomes difficult to pinpoint the root problem for your network connectivity issues. One thing that works is to restore the Windows Firewall to its default settings so that it deletes all the rules that were created, and you

Test your HDD or SSD and check its health status

We recently had the misfortune to find out that a computer owner's worst nightmare is a failing hard disk drive. It is not because you need to buy a new one, but because you face the risk of losing some or even all of the data you stored on that hard drive. Moving on from the initial apocalyptic perspective, as the life expectancy of a hard-disk is somewhere between 3
tutorial How to configure the microphone and the speakers in Skype for Windows 10

How to configure the microphone and the speakers in Skype for Windows 10

With more than two billion registered users using both computers and mobile devices, Skype makes it easy to connect with people from different organizations or geographies. The sound quality of your Skype calls on Windows 10 relies on making correct audio settings, as well as the quality of your internet connection. But, how many times have you been in a Skype call, only to

How to Hard Refresh in your browser, on a Mac (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Opera)

A hard refresh completely reloads a web page, clearing your browser's cache for that specific page. The most recent version of that web page is loaded and displayed instead, and all the elements previously stored in your browser's cache (to make that page load faster) get downloaded again. A hard refresh helps if you want to see the latest changes made to a page, ensuring that your web browser does
tutorial How do I enable dark mode on YouTube?

How do I enable dark mode on YouTube?

If you use YouTube on your Android device, iPhone, iPad, Windows PC or Mac, there is a way to reduce the battery consumption and protect your eyes from the intense white light of your screen. YouTube has introduced a dark mode for its app on all these platforms in the form of a Dark Theme, which looks good, and we like using. Here is
tutorial 8 ways to start the Skype app in Windows 10

8 ways to start the Skype app in Windows 10

Skype is one of the pioneers of making video and voice calls over the internet, and it has become popular over the years while enjoying its share of controversies too. When you use a Windows 10 PC or device, Skype is built-in, installed, and ready to make your calls and chats. Also, there are many ways to open this app, including methods you might
tutorial How to record the screen of your Mac with the Screenshot app

How to record the screen of your Mac with the Screenshot app

MacOS Mojave includes a new app called Screenshot, designed to unify the screenshot and screen recording features. The Screenshot app has an intuitive overlay interface and makes it easier than ever to make video recordings of your screen, whether you are creating tutorials or sharing your experiences with tech support. In this guide, we show you how to use the Screenshot app to record

How to personalize the Google Discover feed on your Android smartphone

Google Discover is the way Google helps you find news and other content on the internet, directly from your smartphone or tablet. By default, it displays data based on your search history, but it can also be personalized to better match your interests. If you want Google Discover to do a great job at keeping you informed about what matters to you, here is how to personalize it on your

Block apps and games from accessing the internet, with Windows Defender Firewall

Most apps and games you install in Windows have, by default, unrestricted access to the internet. However, you can control their internet access through the Windows Firewall. With it, you can block access to the internet for specific apps and games, on all types of network connections, or on specific types of network connections. Here is how to use the firewall built into Windows, to block apps and games from
tutorial How to set your Windows 10 location for apps, and why is it useful?

How to set your Windows 10 location for apps, and why is it useful?

When you run an app in Windows 10, you may need a location for the app to run properly, or to produce relevant information for you. Windows 10 tries to find your device's location, but it may fail to get one. To cope with these situations, Windows 10 has introduced a Default location that directs the Windows apps and services when Windows can't detect
tutorial Google Chrome for Mac: How to get it!

Google Chrome for Mac: How to get it!

Installing new software on your Mac can be a confusing process when it comes to programs unavailable in the App Store, like Google Chrome. While the pre-installed Safari is perfectly adequate, some users prefer using Chrome as their web browser. Not only does Chrome have the advantage of being available on multiple platforms, which means that you can use it on every device you

How to install apps and update them, with Ninite, adware-free

For how long did you wish for a way to automatically download, install and update apps on your Windows PC? How happy would you be if we told you that there is a method for doing that, that also ensures that no adware and other forms of junk get installed? The solution is called Ninite. It is an online service that lets you install or update apps automatically on your

How to use Windows 10's Timeline with Google Chrome

The Timeline is one of the most useful features added in recent versions of Windows 10. It offers an excellent way to continue your work from one device and onto another. However, one of the main flaws of the Timeline was that, up until now, it was not able to work with Google Chrome. Which meant that you could pick up your web activities from where you left off, only

How to reset the views in File Explorer or Windows Explorer

Some Windows users personalize the views in File Explorer or Windows Explorer to make the app more useful for the way they navigate files. We can get carried away and make so many changes that we want to get rid of them and return the File Explorer to its original state. Windows offers a fast and efficient way of reversing all changes by resetting the folders that belong to the
tutorial 2 ways to create a password-protected ZIP file in Windows

2 ways to create a password-protected ZIP file in Windows

If you are used to working with files and documents, you are also probably used to working with ZIP files. You meet them everywhere: on the websites where you download files, to the documents your colleagues send through email. ZIP files are common because they reduce the size of files or folders and thus make it easier to send them over the internet or
tutorial 2 ways to convert PNG, SVG, JPG files to ICO files in Windows

2 ways to convert PNG, SVG, JPG files to ICO files in Windows

If you are a fan of desktop customization, you might want to make your folders and files look unique, by setting different icons instead of the defaults found in Windows. Although you can find a massive amount of free icons on the internet, you might prefer to create your icons by converting images to ICO files. If you want to find out just how

How to configure the default viewing templates in File Explorer

One of the changes often performed in Windows is to customize the way File Explorer displays files. We show you how to make these changes once, and make sure they re-apply automatically for all the other folders that contain the same type of files. This magic is done using the default viewing templates, and using them is easier than you might think. Let's go together through the setup so that

7 ways in which browsers should improve private browsing (Incognito, InPrivate, etc)

Privacy is a hot topic, and our web browsers are at the center of most of our privacy battles. The first web browser that launched the private mode was Safari for Mac OS, in 2005. Since then, all the major web browsers have developed a "private browsing" mode. The privacy delivered by each browser has significant differences, and all of them fall short of our expectations about what it means

Clear recent files in Windows 10, and stop showing frequent folders

Windows 10 shows you the frequently accessed folders and recent files in the Quick access view when you open File Explorer. While this feature can be useful if you need quick access to your frequent resources, it might also be an annoyance if you are using a shared computer, and you do not want other people to see what you are doing on the same computer. These lists can be

What is a folder? Why do I need folders?

The folder term that is present in all modern operating systems was used for the first time more than 60 years ago in a computing device. Initially, folders were called directories. But, once graphical user interfaces became the norm, the term was replaced with folders. In the modern versions of Windows, folders are easy to use, and, at the same time, allow sophisticated operations for the power users. Let's find