Technology can sometimes feel overwhelming, but mastering a few simple tricks can make life much easier. Whether you’re adjusting your phone’s sound and vibration settings, sharing a precise moment in a YouTube video or quickly fixing browser issues, these quick tips will save you time and frustration. Let’s dive into these five tech hacks to streamline your devices and make them work smarter for you.
Need to customize your device’s sound and vibration settings? Here’s how to do it on both iPhone and Android.
(With iOS 18, Vibrations are referred to as “Haptics.” Tap on Haptics to control when your phone vibrates. In addition, users can choose from even more options, like “Always Play,” “Play in Silent Mode,” “Don’t Play in Silent Mode” or “Never Play.”) Customize your ringtone, text tones and alert sounds from this menu.
* Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.
BEST ANTIVIRUS FOR MAC, PC, IPHONES AND ANDROIDS – CYBERGUY PICKS
Want to share a specific moment in a YouTube video without making someone scrub through the timeline? It’s easy! Just pause the video at the exact point you want to share, click Share and check the box that says Start at [time]. Copy the link and voilà: Your recipient will jump straight to the action, whether it’s the punchline of a joke or the key moment of a tutorial. Try it out and save everyone some scrolling.
Want to easily share your photos and videos with loved ones? These sites are a great place to start.
Have you ever clicked on a tab that just won’t load or respond? Here’s a handy trick to refresh it without losing your place. On most browsers, just right-click the tab and choose Reload (or press Ctrl+R on Windows or Cmd+R on Mac). Still stuck? Open a new tab, copy the web address from the unresponsive one and paste it into the fresh tab. It’s a simple way to get back on track without breaking a sweat.
Want to go the extra mile? For a more thorough refresh that clears the cache, you can use Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac). When might this be helpful? A hard refresh clears the browser’s cache for the page, ensuring you see the most up-to-date version of the website without old data interfering.
Bonus tip: Learn how to stop tab overload by following these steps.
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When your screen is too dim or too bright, adjusting the brightness can make all the difference for comfort and visibility.
Apple (Mac): Look at the top row of your keyboard. Find the sun icons on the F1 and F2 keys. Press F2 to increase brightness. (On some MacBooks, you may need to hold the fn key while pressing these.)
iPhone/iPad: Open the Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of your screen (or up from the bottom on older models). Use the brightness slider (marked with a sun icon) to adjust the brightness.
Windows (PC): Locate the brightness keys, usually marked with a sun icon, on the top row of your keyboard. On most laptops, press the Function (Fn) key and then the key with a sun icon. No sun icon? Hit Windows + A to open the Action Center and use the brightness slider.
Android devices: Adjust brightness directly from the quick settings panel. Swipe down from the top of the screen, find the brightness slider (usually marked with a sun icon) and drag it to your desired level. If your Android device has a physical keyboard, the brightness keys may be similar to those on a PC.
Pro tip: Brighter screens use more battery! Keep your brightness at a comfortable level to save juice when you’re on the go.
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Have too many tabs open? Quickly cycle through them using keyboard shortcuts:
It’s a fast way to navigate without lifting your fingers from the keyboard.
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Technology should make our lives easier, not more complicated. With these tips in your arsenal, you’ll spend less time fighting with your devices and more time enjoying what they can do for you. Remember, the best tech solutions are often the simplest ones; it’s just a matter of knowing where to look. Keep this guide handy and don’t be afraid to experiment with these features to find what works best for you.
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