Think twice before making that call!

Cellphones have infiltrated every facet of our lives, butcellphone etiquette is still somewhat elusive. After all, isnt talking on your phone just like talking to someone whos right next to you? The short answer is no. Just think about hearing someone in a store negotiating with their kid in a one-sided conversation or folks on the subway navigating a breakupon speakerphone! Things can get weird fast, not to mention potentially dangerous.

“Cellphones can be unsafe distractionsmostly because theres a loss of situational awareness when you interact with your phone,” says Bob Otter, a retired fire department captain with 26 years of experience and the founder of CitizenAID. “The cellphone has single-handedly made our general public more vulnerable than at any time in history.

Talking on speakerphone in public is even worse, in terms of both etiquette and safety. Using your speakerphone can lead to those around you learning more about you than they ever wanted to,” notes Chris Hauk, a consumer-privacy expert at Pixel Privacy, “and if any bad actors are in the crowd around you, they may seize the opportunity to overhear your personal information.”

So where shouldnt you talk on your cellphone? We talked to safety, tech and etiquette experts to settle the debate once and for all.

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When it comes to vacation, I’m a “listen to your heart” kind of gal who eschews travel listicles and rarely even uses a guidebook, relying on word of mouth and intuition. So when I saw an AI travel planner and other tools making headlines this year for helping people save money and plan trips, my first instinct was to write them off as hype. I’ve found the whole idea of artificial intelligence more than a little scary, and the last thing I wanted to do was hand over control of one of my favorite activities to what I thought was just a fancy calculator that reads the internet.

The way I saw it, I didn’t need an AI assistant to tell me how to travel. And the prospect of ChatGPT advice was about as appealing as letting ChatGPT create my grocery list. In other words: unappealing.

But when I heard that an AI travel planner or other travel tool could save me money? I’ll admit that my ears pricked up. You could say that travel has been a lifelong obsession of mine, and since my pocketbook has never matched my ambitions, traveling on a budget has become an equally big obsession. When I was studying abroad in Europe in my early 20s, budget airlines such as EasyJet and Ryanair were emerging, so I was one of those people who would sleep in a random European airport to take dirt-cheap flights if it meant saving a bit of cash.

It just so happens that I have a very expensive trip looming in my near future: a transatlantic voyage to New York City for a 10-day stay. So I decided to see whether the latest online travel tools could scratch my cheapskate’s itch for deals, anda big step for meI even put my fears aside and took an AI travel planner (or seven) for a test drive.

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How to save on flights

I decided to take the plunge right away and try out Microsoft’s Bing, an AI chatbot that runs on ChatGPT-4 technology. It’s free as part of the Microsoft Edge browser, whereas ChatGPT-4 requires payment. (Google Bard is another free option, though it runs on different technology.) And unlike the free version of ChatGPT, Bing has access to the internet.

I asked it to find me the cheapest flights between my country (all major airports are within a few hours of me) and New York City for a range of departure and arrival dates. And I was stunned: Bing claimed it had found a round-trip flight for just $380.

Maybe I had been wrong about AI all along?

Unfortunately, while Bing gave me a link to the aforementioned flight, when I clicked, it showed up as $947. I even asked Bing for the flight numbers and airlines so I could try the airline websites directly, but to no availthe actual price was still $947.

While the smart bot had let me down, I knew that the dumb ones had my back. I’m talking about flight search engines: Instead of opening 70 browser windows and manually searching for my flights on different airlines, I relied on tech to do that for mefast. These sites’ bots query zillions of airlines and display the results in a way that’s easy to navigate.

After testing out Kiwi, Expedia, Skyscanner, Momondo, Google Flights and much-hyped Hopper, I went back to my old standby: ITA Matrix, which you may not have heard of. Developed by an MIT AI researcher in the early 2000s, it was the original flight search engine.

It’s not as user-friendly as the newer engines, but in my experience, it finds hidden deals. This time, while the other flight search engines threw me flights of $700 or more and encouraged me to buy now, as flights weren’t likely to go down, ITA Matrix found a real cheapskate’s flight: $570 round trip, departing from a nearby city (a $5 train ride from me). Searching on my own through major carrier websites turned up flights of $1,100 or $1,300.

Total saved

I saved a whopping $530, paying $570 instead of $1,100 for my flight.

How to save on hotels

Even breathing can feel expensive in New York City, so I was extremely skeptical about AI’s ability to find me cheap places to stay for a week in the Big Apple. A quick check on Booking.com turned up $672 for a room with a shared bathroom in a hotel with a 3.8 rating, or $851 for 10 nights in a hostel rated 8.3that’s $85 a night for a bed in a room with 10 other people, folks.

I asked Bing to find 10 hotels that cost less than $100 a night. It helpfully provided a list, but it also turned up several articles from niche blogs that answered the same question. I went down the rabbit hole, but much like my experience with the flights, the information turned out to be wrong, perhaps because it’s outdatedsome decent-looking hotels that were promised to cost less than $100 a night ended up costing $250 or even $400 when I checked their websites. Google’s Bard gave me different options, but they were just as inaccurate ($300 a night instead of the promised $100).

Back to my old friends the bots and some hotel search engines. WayAway (more on that below) somehow found me the same hostel bed for $65 a nighta total of $250 in savings. I’ll take it.

Total saved

I saved $250 using WayAway, paying $65 a night instead of $85 a night for 10 nights.

How to save on sightseeing

To plan a cheapskate’s getaway in New York City, I turned to Expedia’s ChatGPT-powered AI assistant to come up with some free activities to do during my trip. AI trip planners ride on ChatGPT’s technology; trained on large pools of text, ChatGPT has learned how to parse natural-sounding sentences for what the user wants to know. Then it gathers and summarizes information accordingly.

I was impressed by Expedia’s ability to plan a seven-day itinerary, and as someone who has lived in New York City, I can vouch for the quality of its suggestions. It suggested some NYC hidden gems and even came up with free museums I wouldn’t have thought of.

It wasn’t 100% accurate, however; while it correctly stated that the Brooklyn Museum allows you to pay what you wish (including nothing, if you want), it erroneously claimed the Whitney Museum and Metropolitan Museum of the Art offered the same option. (The Met changed its policy in 2018.) I liked the fact that when it suggested the Tenement Museum, an attraction I haven’t visited, it was easy to ask how much the tours cost and then ask for a different suggestion. When prodded for more free museums, it gave me information on specific days and times when the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum are free.

Bing’s AI chatbot didn’t create as detailed an itinerary (it presented a bullet-point list rather than a narrative) and erroneously said the Bronx Zoo is a pay-what-you-wish facility (it’s free on Wednesdays, according to the website). But I liked that it also pulled up a few real, researched itineraries from niche blogs across the web that I probably wouldn’t have found on my own.

Switching back over to Expedia’s AI assistant, I was impressed by how easily it generated a list of 14 budget restaurants in New York City that covered a variety of ethnic foodsit also gave me five cheap Japanese restaurants when I prodded it for more. And it gave me several options for finding Broadway tickets and flagged some free street festivals during my trip.

Total saved

While it’s hard to calculate exactly how much I would have spent without AI’s help, let’s assume the intel might have saved me 50% on a Broadway ticket ($60), along with the $16 I would’ve spent on a Brooklyn Museum ticket, $30 on a Whitney Museum ticket and $25 on a Museum of Modern Art ticket. Overall, I’m spending $60 instead of $191so my AI travel planner trio of sites saved me $131.

In this case, the savings are really in time: I could have probably gotten all this information myself if I’d set aside a few hours, but it took me only a few minutes to compile all the information, thanks to AI.

My grand-total savings

Using AI and other platforms to plan my New York City vacation, I saved a grand total of $911. But I’m less impressed by AI than I wanted to betrue AI contributed only $131 in savings. The remaining $780 in savings came from booking sites.

The future of AI may be bright, but for now, AI chatbots are less helpful when it comes to landing deals than their less-intelligent counterparts.

Travel-planning tools

Eager to try out AI and other online travel tools for yourself? Use the tips below as you approach each part of the trip.

Tools for finding flights

AI chatbots are good for general research about flights, while flight search engines should be your go-to when it’s time to buy. Read on for more.

Bing Chat and Bard

Find them: Bing Chat is free with Microsoft Edge, and Bard is free with a Google sign-in.

Pros:

• You can ask them to research cheap days of the week to fly.
• You can ask them to research cheap times of the year to fly.

Con:

• They don’t seem to give accurate real-time information.

Flight search engines

The sites below are some of my go-to’s, but Skyscanner, Kayak, Orbitz, Expedia, Momondo and Hopperwhich additionally uses past data to predict future faresare all similar tools. (Bonus: Many of them offer a useful flight price tracker feature as well.) My advice is to take your time and try all of them to find the best deal.

ITA Matrix

Find it: ITA Matrix is free online.

Pros:

• It allows for extreme flexibility with departure and arrival cities, and some flexibility with travel dates.
• It seems to find hidden deals.

Cons:

• You can’t book the flight directly from the website. When you find the itinerary you want, plug those dates and cities into Google Flights or visit the airline’s website.
• It’s more labor-intensive to change the window of travel dates.

Google Flights

Find it: Google Flights is free online.

Pros:

• You can pick your departure city and a time range, then look at how much it will cost to fly to different destinations on a map.
• If you’re looking to fly to a specific destination, after your search you can easily scan through more dates around your desired departure date.

Con:

• It may not find a lower fare that would show up on ITA Matrix.

Kiwi

Find it: Kiwi is free online.

Pros:

• It offers extreme flexibility on dates.
• The tool can shuffle two destinations to find which order gives you the cheapest itinerary.
• It can show you deals from your city in a given month.

Con:

• It may not find deals that turn up on ITA Matrix.

Tools for booking hotels

In general, use AI chatbots to research the cheapest season for your chosen destination, then use the following hotel search engines to find the best hotel deals for specific dates.

Expedia

Find it: Expedia is free online.

Pros:

• It looks across platforms, including Vrbo, a site similar to Airbnb that allows people to rent out their homes.
• The mobile app version has an AI assistant that can recommend hotels to suit your specifications.

Con:

• It may not give the cheapest options, and the hotels recommended by the chatbot may not be as cheap as suggested.

WayAway

Find it: WayAway is free online.

Pro:

• WayAway searches multiple reservation sitesin my case, it turned up a lower price than Booking.com for the same hotel on the same dates.

Con:

• It doesn’t search for other types of stays, like homestays.

Bing Chat

Find it: Bing Chat is free with Microsoft Edge.

Pro:

• It allows you to do general research on the cheapest months to visit a given destination. For instance, you can ask it for the cheapest time to visit Hawaii if you don’t have set dates in mind.

Con:

• Price information for specific hotels seems to be inaccurate.

Bard

Find it: Bard is free with a Google sign-in.

Pro:

• Bard gives different answers than Bing, so you can get a second opinion by using two AI travel planners.

Con:

• As was the case with Bing, the price information wasn’t accurate at all.

Tools for planning activities

There are many AI tools out there for creating travel itineraries; if you search your phone’s store for travel apps, you’ll find both professional and homegrown models. It’s still early days, but here are the ones I’ve tried so far.

Expedia’s AI assistant

Find it: The Expedia app is available for free.

Pros:

• It easily whips up suggestions for budget restaurants and activities of different types.
• You can easily tweak the itinerary according to your tastes.

Con:

• It’s not 100% accurate.

Bing Chat

Find it: Bing Chat is free with Microsoft Edge.

Pro:

• Bing provides answers, as well as sources and articles for additional information.

Cons:

• It’s not 100% accurate.
• It offers less-detailed responses.

Trip Planner AI

Find it: Trip Planner AI offers a limited free version or a pro paid version for $7.99 a month.

Pros:

• It shows the cost of attractions.
• You don’t have to bother with writing prompts.

Cons:

• The free version doesn’t let you specify your tastes or budget.
• It didn’t catch the fact that some museums are pay-what-you-wish places.

Wanderbot

Find it: Wanderbot is free online.

Pros:

• It allows you to make changes to the itinerary via the chat.
• You can book activities directly.
• It provides a map with the activities already marked.

Con:

• It appeared to be buggythe activity descriptions didn’t always match the titles.

Iplan.ai

Find it: Iplan.ai is free online.

Pros:

• There’s no need to write prompts.
• You can select your interests and budget.
• The itineraries are organized by day and come with photos, maps and suggested times.
• You can decide which hours you’re available each day.

Cons:

• The itinerary doesn’t make sense geographically, sending you from one side of the city to the other.
• It sent me to the same restaurant for every meal (I chose the budget option).

How to use online travel tools to save money

What did I learn from my high-tech travel plunge? That technology has changedand improved!since I was a college student hopping around Europe and spending more than the occasional night on the cold, hard floor of an airport.

As hesitant as I was to use AI to plan my trip, the tech really shone when it came to asking for recommendations about cheap and free activities. I liked the ability to probe options, reject them and explore additional possibilities as I began to collect information.

For example, asking about cheap Broadway tickets got me onto the topic of free staged readings, which is a terrific way to experience the New York theater scene. It was also easy to ask for prices or more detailed information about specific attractions, although, as is the case with everything ChatGPT does, I had to check its work manually. While the experience with the Expedia app’s AI assistant seemed to be more seamlessand it saves the information about activities in one convenient placeI liked that Bing pulled up relevant articles from niche publications that I could check out later if I felt like learning more.

Also, I tested these tools on a trip for which the destination and dates weren’t flexible. It seems to me that I would have saved more if I’d used AI to research the cheapest destinations and dates and then dreamed up my trip from there. Of course, when buying flights or booking hotels for specific dates, I would still switch over to more traditional (but still powerful) flight and hotel search engines.

And cheapskate that I am, I’ll admit that I’m tempted to begin my next vacation by firing up an AI chat assistant and typing, “Where’s the cheapest place to visit right now?”

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See, even the most secure phones track users in a number of different ways, including through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS. You may think that if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about. But in today’s data-driven economy, your info is worth a lot. And there are good reasons you may want to avoid tracking. Perhaps you don’t want people making money off your data, you’re worried it might fall into the wrong hands or you just don’t like the idea of being snooped on.

“Location technology in cell phones could be helpful when looking for the nearest gas station, but it can also enable others to retrieve information about your whereabouts, legally or illegally,” Stephanie Benoit Kurtz, lead faculty for the College of Information Systems and Technology at the University of Phoenix, told Reader’s Digest. “Users rarely read the fine print associated with what is being tracked, and shared in that tiny print might be some very disturbing trendseverything from tracking the location of your device at all times to sharing information from your device, such as other applications installed, contacts, text messages and emails.”

If this concerns you too, look for signs someone’s tracking your cell phone, brush up on online security secrets and read on for some tips on how to make your phone impossible to track.

Smartphone tracking

You may think of the people tracking your smartphone as shadowy figures looking to steal your identity, your money or both. But there’s a whole range of people and organizations that track smartphones, not just hackers.

Smartphone tracking can be either active or passive. And no, those good passwords you’ve been using won’t make a difference. Active tracking, which uses GSM, 3G or 4G, is sometimes called a man-in-the-middle attack. This is illegal in most countries but may be employed by law enforcement and government security agencies investigating a specific threat.

Passive tracking uses Bluetooth beacons, Wi-Fi and GPS to approximate a user’s position. Various applications on your phone employ these methods. With some, that’s the whole point. Consider location-tracking apps and services that help parents keep a tab on their kids. Others harvest your data for their own business development and marketing purposes or sell it to the highest bidder.

Advertisers might use your data to show you targeted ads. Even the government buys location data, a fact that the Wall Street Journal reported in 2020. The Department of Homeland Security purchased data pulled from smartphones, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) used it to track undocumented immigrants.

How to make your phone impossible to track

While the government and law enforcement will probably always be able to track your phone if they really want to (more on that below), there are ways to reduce mobile security threats, delete your digital footprint, avoid spyware and make your phone impossible to track by apps. Let’s take a look.

Shut down the phone

Contrary to popular belief, there’s such a thing as iPhone spyware, even if you have the best iPhone security. The easiest and most complete way to stop your phone from being tracked is to shut it down completely.

“If you are this concerned about your activity being tracked/recorded, simply remove the means by which companies can do so, and your device will be its own isolated ecosystem,” says Brandon Wilkes, marketing manager of The Big Phone Store.

Obviously, this comes with the very real inconvenience of not being able to use your phone at all, and it’s probably not a practical solution for most people. Still want to use this method? Back up your phone on a computer before taking the plunge so you can still access the data.

Next, learn how to make a private phone call and keep your phone number safe.

Turn on airplane mode

Airplane mode isn’t just for flying the friendly skies. It’s also a handy quick fix if you want to stop the passive tracking of your phone. Of course, turning on airplane mode means you won’t be able to make calls or use the internet with your device.

“The easiest way to keep your phone from being tracked is to change a few settings,” says Baruch Labunski, CEO of digital marketing company Rank Secure. “The fastest and best way to do this is to turn on the airplane mode option. This shuts off cell and Wi-Fi radios installed inside your phone so it can’t connect to networks.”

Want to give it a go? Navigate to “Settings” and toggle on “Airplane Mode” to activate it on an iPhone or Android phone.

Turn off location settings

Turning off the location-based features of your phone can prevent GPS tracking. Switching to airplane mode will do this for you, but you can also turn off GPS tracking as an isolated feature on many devices, allowing you to still use your phone to make calls and access the internet.

“Google, Apple and Samsung all store and record your movements through the GPS functions of your phone,” says Nick Donarski, co-founder and chief technology officer of computer support services and blockchain firm ORE System.

Turn off location settings on iPhones or iPads:

1. Go to “Settings.”
2. Select “Privacy.”
3. Tap “Location Services.”
4. Toggle “Location Services” to the “off” position.

Turn off location settings on Android:

1. Open the “App Drawer.”
2. Go to “Settings.”
3. Select “Location.”
4. Enter “Google Location Settings.”
5. Turn off “Location Reporting” and “Location History.”
6. You can also select “Delete Location History” to remove all previous tracking data.

Turning off location settings will remove some of the functionality of certain apps and online services. With it disabled, for instance, map apps won’t be able to give you directions from here to there, and apps like Yelp can’t pull up restaurants in your vicinity. But if you’re really serious about not being tracked, you’ll need to return to old-school navigation methods, such as paper maps.

Use a VPN

A virtual private network (VPN) is a great way to enhance the security of your phone. “Connecting to a VPN changes your IP address [a string of characters that identifies each device browsing the internet] through the establishment of a private network, which prevents your location [and your browsing traffic] from being accurately determined and linked back to you,” says Labunski.

It’s worth noting, however, that VPNs and other security apps do not stop your phone from being tracked when it’s offline, so you’ll still have to use one of the methods above if you’re really concerned about passive location tracking.

Use a secure search engine

Have you ever considered what Google knows about you and what all those website cookies are up to? Certain lesser-known browsers act in a similar way to VPNs, allowing for anonymous searching without tracking.

Try downloading and using Onion Browser for iOS and Tor for Android. “[These browsers] can increase the user’s privacy and prevent tracking from outside parties by encrypting your information and relaying it through servers that mask your IP address,” says Wilkes. “They also feature plug-ins that prevent web pages from using Javascript, which can track user activity.”

If you’re hell-bent on dropping off the radar, you may also want to delete yourself from Google search.

Keep a close eye on app permissions

Every app you download to your phone should ask for permission for its tracking activities from the outset. If you don’t want a certain app to track you, deny these permissions straight away.

If you have an iPhone, you can also view app permissions by accessing your privacy report. Go to “Settings,” “Privacy” and then (at the bottom) “App Privacy Report.” You’ll need to tap “Turn On App Privacy Report” to see how your apps use your data.

The service allows users to “monitor when their location is being tracked, as well as when apps can use body sensors or view your contacts, messages, calls and calendar,” says Wilkes. “It is at the discretion of the user to decide if an app is trustworthy enough to access this data.”

Luckily, if you don’t want a specific app (or any app) to track your data, you can prevent it in a few simple steps.

Block apps from tracking on an iPhone:

1. Go to “Settings.”
2. Tap “Privacy.”
3. Tap “Tracking.”
4. Toggle off “Allow Apps to Request to Track” to stop all apps from tracking you.

Heads up: You can also give or revoke tracking access to specific apps by toggling the switch next to the app in the list below the “Allow Apps to Request to Track” field.

Block apps from tracking on an Android device:

1. Go to “Settings.”
2. Select “Locations.”
3. Tap “App Locations Permissions.”
4. Select the apps individually and change permissions to “Allow all the time,” “Only when using the app,” “Ask every time” or “Don’t allow.”

Why bother? “Every app, software and tech that installs and integrates into your mobile devices has intimate access to our personal lives, our whereabouts and even our personal activities through our images,” says Donarski. “The real answer to protecting ourselves is weaning ourselves off technology. But as that is not necessarily going to happen anytime soon, vigilance, education and extra scrutiny over the apps, messages and links we visit on our mobile devices are the key elements of securing yourself and your data.”

Install updates

Always install the latest operating system for your phone and the latest version of any apps you have. Updates often come with bug fixes and smartphone security improvements that protect your data better, especially if you select the right privacy options.

Be picky about what you install

Just because an app is free doesn’t mean it’s not costing you. Free apps make their money by showing you ads and/or selling your data to third parties like data brokers. Use the web version instead of the mobile version when possible, and always look carefully at the fine print before you install something on your phone.

“Prior to installing an app, you should understand exactly what the app is doing, what information the app is gathering and what information is being shared with that organization or third parties,” says Benoit Kurtz. “The Acceptable Use Agreement, or End User Agreement, matters. That tiny print covers things like information around the collection of location data, how it is collected and then what is done with that information.”

Disable ad tracking and personalization

Ad tracking makes it possible for companies to deliver personalized ads that are more appealing to youand more likely to result in sales for the company. But this requires companies to collect data about you, such as your browsing and shopping habits and your physical location. Disabling cross-site tracking in your browser will minimize this intrusion.

If you have an iPhone, go to “Settings,” then scroll down to find your web browser of choice. Tap the browser name, then scroll down to the “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking” field. Toggle this to the “on” position to stop cross-site tracking on that browser.

On an Android device, you can prevent the Chrome browser from collecting or tracking your data by taking a few steps: In the app, tap the three dots to the right of the address bar, then tap “Settings.” Select “Privacy and Security” and then “Do Not Track.” Turn this off to stop ad tracking.

To further limit tracking, adjust Apple or Android advertising settings.

On an iPhone, go to “Settings,” “Privacy” and “Apple Advertising,” then toggle off “Personalized Ads.” If this feature is enabled on your Android device, go to “Settings,” “Privacy” and “Delete Advertising ID.”

Avoid public Wi-Fi

Public Wi-Fi networks, such as those in cafes and at airports, aren’t very secure and are more prone to malware attacks, snooping and rogue network interceptions. They also collect personal data from you, such as your name, date of birth and email address, before you can use the service. The more personal information you give, the more of your data is out there.

Campaign for better protection

As you’ve seen, there are several ways to make your phone impossible to track, but all involve some kind of sacrifice in functionality. The people who really hold the power here are those who run the telecom companies.

We should all be active in pushing these companies to provide better consumer protection, says Grant Gibson, executive vice president at CIBR Ready. “They are the real key to help solve this challenge,” he says. “We should all be involved and motivated to solve these challenges by using every channel possible to protect ourselves.”

It may seem like you have little sway here, but you can let lawmakers know that data privacy is a top concern, and you can vote for officials who support legislation to protect consumers’ data.

Frequently asked questions

TL;DR? Here are some quick reference points for the most frequently asked questions about smartphone security.

How would I know if my phone is being tracked?

There are a number of telltale signs that can tip you off to the fact that someone is tracking your phone or your phone has been hacked. These include:

• Your phone is hot. A phone that’s overheating when not in use may be running spyware in the background. The spyware makes your phone work harder and therefore produce more heat.
• Your battery drains quickly. You can blame spyware again. Remember, these programs make your phone work harder, which is why a tracked phone may constantly have low battery life.
• Your data usage shoots up. A tracked phone is constantly sending data to the hacker, so you may see your monthly usage shoot up for no good reason.
• Your phone reboots unexpectedly. Malware may interfere with your phone’s normal functioning, causing it to glitch and restart at random times.
• Your phone takes longer to shut down. If your phone is taking longer than usual to shut down, that may be because it’s trying to close tracking apps that are running in the background.

Can cell phones be tracked when turned off?

A cell phone that’s not connected to the internet can still be tracked via its GPS system, but a mobile phone that’s completely switched off is much more difficult to trace. You can, however, track a powered-down phone to the last location it was turned on via functions such as Apple’s Find My feature or by calling the service provider.

Law enforcement can also trace a turned-off phone via its International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, a unique 15-digit code that can identify a device on a mobile network. With this number and the help of your mobile operator, officers can track your phone’s exact location, even when it’s off.

Your phone can also be effectively disabled, as carriers can deny services to a phone with an IMEI listed as stolen, even if it has a new SIM card. There’s really no way to hide or change your IMEI numberit’s inscribed into the metal SIM tray of every phone.

Can cell phones be tracked with location services turned off?

In short, yes. While turning off location services makes it much harder for people to track your phone, they can still glean its general whereabouts through your IP address, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals. Turning your phone off completely is the only way to prevent all trackingunless someone has your IMEI, of course!

The bottom line: You can attempt to learn how to make your phone impossible to track, but all mobile phones can be tracked to a certain extent. The good news is that the above steps make it a whole lot harder.

Sources:

• Stephanie Benoit Kurtz, lead faculty for the College of Information Systems and Technology at the University of Phoenix
• Baruch Labunski, CEO of Rank Secure
• Nick Donarski, co-founder and chief technology officer of ORE System
• Brandon Wilkes, marketing manager of The Big Phone Store
• Grant Gibson, executive vice president at CIBR Ready
• Wall Street Journal: “Federal Agencies Use Cellphone Location Data for Immigration Enforcement”
• Apple: “Control app tracking permissions on iPhone”
• Google: “Turn ‘Do Not Track’ on or off”

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The post How to Make Your Phone (Nearly) Impossible to Track—and Keep Personal Information Safe appeared first on Reader's Digest.

What is email etiquette?

Email is a part of nearly every facet of modern life. From an important report for your boss to an informal note for a family member, email is one of the main ways we communicate. That means that in addition to knowing everyday etiquette rules, top-notch email skills are essential. Email etiquette is the collection of polite habits and unspoken rules that help us digitally communicate in an efficient and professional way.

Since you use email all the time, you might think youve got this covered. But similar to wedding etiquette, email etiquette rules can be very specialized and change quickly. That’s why we’ve rounded up the most important email etiquette rules for you to follow.

Why is email etiquette important?

“Your emails are often the bestand sometimes onlydemonstration of the quality of your communication skills,” says technology etiquette expert Michele L. Olivier, CEO of O&H Consulting. “Good email etiquette makes a good impression on others, isan important job skilland reduces inbox anxiety for the sender and the receiver.”

Plus, proper email etiquette doesnt just cover social, cultural and professional aspectsit also encompasses some unique technological rules, says Toni Dupree, CEO of Etiquette & Style by Dupree. Because of the rapidly evolving nature of technology, what’s “good” and “bad” changes frequently.

Thankfully, you don’t need to take an etiquette class to help you stay on top of the latest trends. We asked etiquette experts to share the most current rules so you can make the right impression every time you hit send.

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Email etiquette tips

Use your name in your email address

Stinkybutt28@hotmail.com might have been funny back in the day, but it’s time to get rid of that old account. Email addresses are used for everything from making doctor’s appointments to applying for jobs, so adults need a normal, easy-to-understand email address. Stick to using a combination of your name and a few numbers when creating an email account. (This, of course, is very different from creating a strong email password.) Don’t worry: You can always forward messages from your old accounts to your new one so you don’t have to start from scratch.

Separate business and personal emails

If you’re sending a professional email, make sure to use your business email account. Most companies will assign you an email address with their name on it, but if they don’t, you can always create a separate email address strictly for business. This makes you look legitimate and professional and reduces the likelihood of embarrassing email mistakes. If you want to stick to one email account, at least sort work emails into a separate folder. While we’re on the topic, here’s how the most productive people manage their emails.

Craft a short, informative signature

One of the best tools for writing a good email is the signature that automatically appears at the bottom of every email you send, says Georgene Huang, CEO and co-founder of Fairygodboss, a career counseling service for women. Include your full name, job title (if using a business email) and contact information, like a phone number, website or social media account. Some people now also include their preferred pronouns.

Save the funny GIFs for a text

Several years ago, fancy formatting in emails was all the rage, but these days, the rule is to keep it simple, especially in your signature. Nix the cutesy fonts, sparkly GIFs, multiple colors and random quotes. Many people find them irritating, and some phone email programs aren’t able to import them properly, so your formatting may not come across correctly on mobile devices.

Get to the point right away

Generally speaking, email is an information-sharing tool, so most of the time, people prefer to read concise, to-the-point messages. There’s no need to fluff it up with unnecessary details or vague pleasantries, particularly if you’re sending a business email. You can be brief without being blunt or rude. According to email etiquette experts, it’s also helpful to include what you’re asking the reader to dowhether it’s committing to a meeting, sending a file or just listeningin the first paragraph so they know what to expect. Here are a few etiquette rules that should really be taught in schools.

Use an accurate subject line

Many people preview their messagesmeaning they see the subject line and the first line of the body of the email before deciding if they want to open it and read the whole thing. “Teaser” subject lines are frustrating and can come off as manipulative, so keep it brief but specific. It’s less important to be funny or eye-catching than it is to be informative and clear. Also keep in mind that these grammatical mistakes will make you look bad.

Only email people who need the information

“There’s no magic number for how many people should be included in an email, but make sure everyone you’re emailing actually needs to receive the message,” says Huang. You’d be surprised how many people include others on email chains “just in case,” which can be annoying and create extra work. Just because you can email everyone in your contacts at once, it definitely doesn’t mean you should. Plus, not following this email etiquette rule could also lead to an embarrassing email mistake.

Don’t assume pronouns

A person’s identity is, well, very personal. And in this day and age, getting the personal details right is more important than ever. “Take the extra five seconds to make sure you are spelling the person’s name correctly,” says Olivier. “And don’t assume someone’s gender or pronouns. If you are unsure, just use their name.” Modern etiquette says it’s fine to ask someone what they prefer to be called, whether that’s a nickname or a gender-neutral pronoun. Abiding by their preferences shows respect.

Think twice before hitting “reply all”

Email is often used as a way to deliver information to a large group of people at once. However, not everyone in the group will need to read every reply or question, and using the “reply all” feature unnecessarily can clog up inboxes. Before you reply to a mass email, consider who you are talking to and address the message only to themmore often than not, it’s just the person who sent the original email. If you’re worried about people missing vital information, a better solution is to gather it in a shared document that anyone can access and update.

Use “bcc” for one-way communication or privacy

Here’s one way to avoid the “reply all” problem: When you are the sender, put your own email address in the “to” field and everyone else’s email addresses in the “bcc” field, since “bcc” stands for “blind carbon copy” and means that any email addresses in that field will be hidden. Recipients will only be able to see your email. This is best for emails where you want to simply disseminate information and/or when you want to protect the privacy of the recipients. You wouldn’t want your lack of email etiquette to be the reason someone’s trying to figure out how to block annoying emails!

Use the “cc” field for groups that need to work together

CC stands for “carbon copy.” The difference between cc’ing and bcc’ing is that the recipients of a cc’ed email can see one another. Put emails in the cc field if you’d like a group of people to have everyone else’s contact information or to have a group discussionlike when planning a group event. In business settings, it’s also appropriate to cc someone to make sure they are aware of something but they’re not the primary audience intended for the message. Managers often ask to be cc’ed on important communications.

Use spell check and grammar check

Most email programs have built-in tools for checking spelling and grammar. These tools have become highly accurate and work for catching the most common mistakes. It’s worth the time to go through your email to correct any errors. Plus, giving it a quick read-through before sending can help you avoid other common errors, like forgetting to attach a document or spelling a person’s name wrong. “Most email errors could be prevented by proofreading it once before hitting send,” says Dupree. Just be aware that spell check won’t catch certain mistakes.

Write in complete sentences

Texting your best friend? You can abbreviate as much as you like, and punctuation is optional. Email, however, usually requires a bit more structure. Email often includes more information and longer blocks of text, so using complete sentences and punctuation makes it easier to read and understand. It’s also good business etiquette, particularly if your emails will be referenced later. Being concise doesn’t excuse you from proper writing rules. (That said, it’s fine to ignore these old-school grammar rules.)

Drop the “Mr.,” “Mrs.” and “Ms.”

Email used to be treated the same as any other business correspondence, but that’s no longer true. Now, being too formal can be off-putting or make you seem out of touch, says Olivier. “Write in a conversational tone,” she advises. “These days, most people prefer to be addressed by their first name. ‘Dear Ms. Olivier’ always makes me suspicious because it’s a common tactic used by scammers.” However, this is one area where your particular society or business culture may have its own set of standards, and those should take precedence. Here are a few outdated etiquette rules even experts don’t follow anymore.

Do not send or ask for read receipts

A read receipt is a message or notification that shows if and when an email is opened. These clog up inboxes, and due to changes in the technology behind how emails are received, they’re not even very accurate anymore. If you really need to know if someone got your message, wait at least 24 hours and then send a polite follow-up note. Otherwise, it’s safe to assume they received it.

Use voice dictation very carefully

Many people send emails from their phones, and while that’s not a bad thing, it does increase the risk of errorsespecially if you’re using the voice dictation tool. The computer may “hear” the wrong word, use the wrong spelling or even occasionally completely change the whole meaning of your message. If you do use voice dictation, be sure to proofread carefully before hitting send.

Skip the “thanks” replies

“If a reply isn’t necessary, then don’t send one,” says Olivier. “It’s that simple.” Replying “Thanks” or “OK” doesn’t convey additional information and adds another email to an already full inbox. It is not considered rude in emails to skip the “thank you,” but you should still use it when speaking in person. The exception to this is if the sender asks you to confirm receipt or to acknowledge you received the information.

Be cautious with emojis and text speak

LOLs and smiley faces are common in texting, but in an email, those abbreviations and emojis can come across as informal at best and confusing at worst. However, this is one area where etiquette is changing rapidly, and in companies with a more casual corporate culture, they are totally fine, says Olivier. In fact, using some emojis can make you seem with it and on top of current trends, while others like the thumbs-up emoji can come across as passive aggressive. This comes down to understanding the corporate culture and the expectations of the person you’re emailing, she notes.

Reply within 24 to 48 hours

Nothing is worse than sending an important email and then hearing nothing back. Good email etiquette says that you should do your best to reply to every message within one to two days. If you can’t, send a short reply (or autoreply) stating that you are behind but will get back to them by a certain date or time. In many cases, it’s best to reply as soon as you read the email, if you have the information available. Putting it off until later takes mental energy, and it adds up until it feels overwhelming. Don’t wait until you have the “perfect” replypeople generally prefer a short but quick answer over a three-page dissertation anyway.

Set up an “away” message

If you’re out of the office or on vacation, set up an automatic “Out of office” or “Will be slow to respond” message to give people a heads-up that they shouldn’t expect a response from you right away. You don’t have to give out detailed information; stick to the basics, and let them know when they can expect a reply. While this is necessary for business communications, it’s not a bad idea to do it for personal accounts as well if you know you’ll be away from your email for an extended period of timethat way, loved ones won’t worry if they don’t get a speedy response. For a good laugh (though not necessarily inspiration for your own message), check out these hilarious out-of-office messages.

Don’t use the “Sent from my iPhone” message

It’s not uncommon to see an email with a note at the bottom indicating the person sent the message from their mobile phone. It’s meant to apologize in advance for errors, poor grammar, bad formatting or brevity, but it’s really just poor form, according to Olivier. “If you have to apologize in advance for something, don’t do it,” she says. If you’re sending an email that is complex, take the time and do it properly from your computer. Either way, there is no need to share what device you’re using to send it.

Check your outbox frequently

Some email programs use a queue to hold emails before sending them, and occasionally messages will get left in the queue and not sent. However, “it got stuck in my outbox” is not a good excuse and is simply bad manners, says Olivier. Make it a habit to ensure all your messages are sent.

If you wouldn’t say it to their face, don’t type it

The Internet is forever. Even emails you think have been deleted can generally be found again. This means you should practice good social and business etiquette in every email you send. Use clear communication and a kind tone, and avoid name-calling, sexual pictures or text, accusations or other faux pas. A good rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t want your grandmother to read it, then don’t write it.

About the experts

• Michele L. Olivier is a technology etiquette expert and the CEO of O&H Consulting. She has more than 20 years of experience in talent recruiting.
• Toni Dupree is a social etiquette expert and public speaker. She is the CEO of Etiquette & Style by Dupree in Houston.
• Georgene Huang is a business etiquette expert and the CEO and co-founder of Fairygodboss, a career-focused community for women.

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While you most likely got locked out of your phone through your own actions, it’s possible someone else locked it without your knowing, in which case you’ll want to learn how to delete iPhone apps and how to lock apps on iPhone. But first, it’s essential to know how to unlock an iPhone without a passcode, either for yourself or someone elseand possibly even save a life.

Why wouldn’t you be able to use a passcode on an iPhone?

There are several situations when you might need to unlock an iPhone without a passcode:

• You reset your passcode and forgot the new one.
• Someone else reset your passcode.
• You have entered an incorrect passcode so many times that your phone has locked itself out of security settings.
• Your phone is disabled.
• Your screen is cracked and won’t accept your passcode.
• The phone belongs to someone else who needs help.
• You’re stuck in an emergency situation in which the only phone available has a passcode you don’t know.
• Many people only use Touch ID or Face ID, so they forget their password. “Apple’s Face ID feature relies on a learning algorithm, so it is still not 100% accurate,” explains tech expert Jason Wise, chief editor atEarthweb. “If the feature gets disabled or gets a glitch on your device, you will have to resort to using the passcode.”

How to unlock an iPhone without a passcode

Not being able to get into your iPhone can be frustrating and maybe even a bit scary, depending on the situation. If this happens to you, try one of these strategies to unlock it. Be aware that using these methods will factory reset your phone, but restoring your data is as easy as logging into iCloud with your Apple ID and password. That’s why it’s a good idea to back up your data to iCloud regularly. It’s too late to do it once you’re locked out of your phone.

How to unlock an iPhone with a computer

Using iTunes

Cornelius Fichtner, tech expert and president of OSP International, broke down the steps to use iTunes or Finder to unlock an iPhone without a passcode. Apple has changed things for users with macOS Catalina or later. For those running older operating systems or PC users, iTunes can still be used to unlock an iPhone.

1. Install iTunes on your Mac or PC.
2. Unplug the phone from the computer (if it’s connected) and turn it off.
3. Put the phone into recovery mode by pressing the correct button and connecting the phone to the computer at the same time. For iPhone 8 and later, use the side button; for the 7 and 7 Plus models, use the volume down button; for iPhone 6 and earlier, use the home button.
4. Hold the button until you see recovery mode pop up.
5. Find the iPhone in iTunes and select “restore” when you see the option to restore or update.
6. Once the download finishes, the phone will turn off and boot up again. When it’s done, disconnect it from the computer, set it up and use your iPhone as usual.

Using Finder

1. Mac users running Catalina or later operating systems without iTunes can unlock their iPhone using Finder.
2. Open Finder on your Mac and plug your iPhone into the computer using a USB cord.
3. Put your iPhone into recovery mode: For iPhones X and later, press and quickly release the volume up and down buttons in order. Then press and hold the side button until you see the recovery mode screen.
4. You’ll see a pop-up with options to update or restore; press “Restore.”
5. Agree to the terms and conditions, and Finder will start downloading the latest iOS firmware.
6. Wait for your iPhone to restore.

Using Find My

Another way to unlock an iPhone without a passcode is through Apple’s Find My feature. While the Find My app has many benefits, it can also open you up as a target for scammers, so be aware of that, though generally, the benefits outweigh the risks. Fichtner breaks down how to unlock an iPhone using Find My.

1. Go to icloud.com on your Mac and sign in.
2. Open the Find My app.
3. Click “All devices” on the top bar; select the phone you’re going to unlock.
4. Press “Erase iPhone.”
5. Enter your Apple ID to confirm.
6. The process will begin when your iPhone is connected to a network.

Should you unlock an iPhone using third-party apps?

You may see third-party apps advertised to unlock an iPhone without a passcode, but they’re not necessary when Apple gives you other, safer tools to unlock your iPhone. “It is possible to unlock an iPhone with third-party software, but I’d advise against it. Use iTunes or Finder,” says Eric Florence, cybersecurity consultant at SecurityTech.

Alex Hamerstone, advisory solutions director for TrustedSec, a company specializing in information security, agrees. “They’re basically all just scams,” he says. “Even the FBI has famously struggled to unlock iPhones when investigating mass shooters and other criminals. If a company has actually been able to crack Apple’s encryption for the iPhone, they’re not going to sell it for a few dollars online.”

“The best-case scenario,” Hamerstone says, “is these sketchy apps take your money and you get nothing in return. If all you lose is the few bucks you paid for the app, then consider yourself lucky. What is more likely, however, is that they will steal your account data, personal information or financial information for further crimes and scams.”

Chris Hauk, consumer privacy champion at Pixel Privacy, also weighs in: “While several apps claim to unlock your iPhone, it is best to stick with Apple’s recommended trilogy of using iTunes/Finder/Find My to unlock the device. While there are fairly reputable companies that offer utilities that can unlock your iPhone, be aware that the app may be sending data back to the developer, which could lead to a violation of your privacy and device security.”

Consensus: Stick with their recommended methods or visit your local Apple store to get help. Don’t try to solve this yourself by downloading apps or tools you find online.

Hacks for unlocking an iPhone

There are hacks for everything these days, like using hidden smartphone codes to disable call waiting or get better reception. Other hacks will teach you how to restart a frozen iPhone, how to turn off read receipts and how to hide text messages on an iPhone. Not enough hacks for you? Check out TikTok, which has already convinced us that we need a desk vacuum, but has the ultimate trick for unlocking an iPhone without a passcode.

This TikTok video is easy and foolproof. You can practice doing this on your own iPhone by covering the camera so Face ID doesn’t work.

Unlock an iPhone without a passcode by doing the following:

1. Swipe down from the top to open the Control Center.
2. Turn off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and cellular data. Turn on Airplane Mode.
3. Open the calculator.
4. Turn the phone sideways to open the scientific calculator.
5. Type a period.
6. Tap In.
7. It will say Error.
8. Swipe up and the iPhone is unlocked.

Sources:

• Jason Wise, tech expert and chief editor atEarthweb
• Cornelius Fichtner, president of OSP International LLC
• Eric Florence, cybersecurity consultant at SecurityTech
• Alex Hamerstone, advisory solutions director for TrustedSec
• Chris Hauk, consumer privacy champion atPixel Privacy

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Considering the things Google knows about us, this was a welcome move. The feature empowered users to manage their personal information, such as phone numbers, street addresses and emails, that appears in search results. But having to check for new results and request their removal was enough of a slog to make us want to disappear from the internet altogether.

If you can relate, you’ll be happy to learn about an upcoming update. Soon, Google will take privacy control further by notifying users when their private information surfaces in searches, enabling them to promptly take action and regain control over their digital footprint. Here’s what you need to know to take advantage of Results About You alerts and avoid potential identity theft.

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Privacy in the internet age

In today’s always-online world, it’s astonishing how much of our personal information is scattered across the web. There’s a good chance that Google knows a lot about you just by virtue of it being the internet’s default search engine. Almost all your online activities, interactions and transactions leave behind digital footprints harvested by data brokers and companies for various purposes. This information can range from innocent contact details to more sensitive data, such as financial credentials.

The presence of this information online can not only compromise your privacy but also opens you up to potential risks, including identity theft, online scams such as phishing, and unsolicited marketing (the dreaded spam email and annoying robocalls). An easy and effective means for average internet users to manage and control their online footprint has never been more necessary.

How Results About You helps

Google heeded this call in 2022 with its Results About You feature. This tool was designed to address online privacy concerns by allowing users to have some level of control over the personal information that is available and shared via internet searches.

It initially required you to actively check and request the removal of unwanted information from Google’s search results. While undoubtedly a step in the right direction, this approach still relied on users being proactive about monitoring their online presence. For many of us, remembering to check and taking the necessary steps is a lot to ask.

How to get alerts when your personal info appears online

With the coming update, Google has shifted the paradigm by allowing you to receive notifications when your personal information surfaces on the internet. This new alert system will act as a guardian, informing you about instances in which your private details have become public. And it sidesteps the biggest barrier to using the Results About You feature: the need to hunt down the info yourself.

The feature covers a range of personal data, including phone numbers, residential addresses and emails. Depending on your preferences, you can receive these alerts through various channels, including via push notifications on your device or email alerts.

When the notification feature becomes availablethe latest post from the company set a timeline of “the coming days”you’ll need to use the Google app to opt in to alerts. Also, this will only be available in the United States initially, though the company has plans to roll out the feature in other countries soon.

Setting up the alert system is straightforward and will allow you to receive push notifications on your mobile device when Google detects your information online. You’ll start in the Google app (available on Android or Apple devices). Simply click on your Google profile icon, select “Results about you” and follow the on-screen prompts to opt in to alerts.

Considering the alert feature is still in the rollout phase for both Android and Apple devices, you’ll need to try another tactic if you want to remove your personal info from Google right now. Thankfully, you can still make requests via the regular Results About You feature (more on that below).

Is the Results About You feature worth it?

As someone who values privacy and has an active online presence, I found the current Results About You tool helpful. And I definitely plan on setting up alerts as soon as they become available. They’re a reassuring layer of passive protection, and I imagine they’ll be a welcome addition to my digital security toolbox. Being promptly notified when my personal information appears online will make it easy to spot privacy issues and take any necessary action to request its removal.

One thing to note, however, is that removing information via the Results About You feature (using either the current version or the forthcoming alert tool) affects Google search alone. If an item is removed there, it doesn’t disappear from the internet as a whole.

How to remove your personal info

You’re now familiar with the Results About You feature, and soon you’ll be able to receive notifications when your personal info lands in Google’s search results. If you’d rather not have all those private details floating around right now, however, then it’s time to take action. But what, exactly, are your next steps?

Once the new alerts become available, Google will send a notification when your private details appear in search, and you can request its removal directly in the Results About You tool. Yet even without receiving an alert about your personal information appearing online, you can still delete yourself from Google search. Bonus: The process is dead simple.

In the Google app, or on a computer or mobile web browser, you can request that Google remove a piece of information manually within the search results. Let’s say you searched for your name (or something else related to you) and want a result removed, click the three vertical dots next to it. At the bottom, you’ll see a button that says “Remove result.” Click on it and follow the instructions to submit a removal request to Google. If and when Google approves the request, this specific information will no longer be readily accessible to anyone who conducts a search.

Empowering privacy in a digital world

With this coming update, Google’s Results About You feature will become an even more powerful tool for enhancing privacy and giving people more control over their personal information. In a world where digital security and privacy are increasing concerns for average internet users, this feature is an invaluable and easy-to-use weapon against cybercriminals and online snoops.

By alerting you to the presence of your private information online, Google’s Results About You will enable you to more easily remove unwanted details. Furthermore (and just as important), it can give you some extra peace of mind when navigating today’s vast and often unpredictable digital landscape.

Privacy is important to me, so I’ve used Google’s Results About You feature to keep tabs on my online presence, making it just a little easier to safeguard my personal information in the online realm. And with the upcoming alerts feature, it will be even easier to do so.

Source:

• Google: “New privacy tools to help you stay safe and in control online”

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What is netiquette?

Just like it sounds, netiquette is etiquette on the net. Even though online platforms can seem like the Wild West at times, there’s no need to add to the chaosthe digital world still requires rules of conduct. We’ve asked two experts to give us their most important rules of the web.

Parent, don’t sharent

“I think the most important rule for me is that as a parent, do not share your children’s pictures or private information online,” says Jennifer Zhu Scott, a technology executive and mom of two. Because of user agreements, even when you post to a private account on platforms such as Facebook or Instagram, that content is no longer yours, she says. Additionally, others can screenshot or download your pictures and posts without you knowing.

When your kids become adults, they can decide what content to share about themselves, but it’s not fair to make those decisions for them while they’re still children. Even on her private Instagram account, which is only visible to close friends and family, Zhu Scott never posts pictures of her children. “I can’t emphasize this enough: Honor your children’s will when they can actually make their decision (about) what kind of digital presence they want as adults,” she says. “Don’t take that away by posting pictures out there without their consent.”

Use respectful language

It’s important to remember that everything you do online leaves a digital footprint. If you wouldn’t say something or use certain language in person, then refrain from doing it online. Using common etiquette, including no name-calling, cursing or writing anything deliberately offensive, is all wise, whether you’re writing an email, social media post or conversing in chat rooms.

Keep an eye on privacy

“Privacy is freedom,” says Zhu Scott. “It’s always easier to share than to take information back, so think twice before you share.” Beyond improving your online security and avoiding sharing your data to online scammers, you must also keep in mind new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, which can use photos and audio that we give away for free on our social media accounts.

In the near future, “I think it will be a complete privilege” for a person to not have images of their lives online, she says. Via user agreements and data brokers, “some third parties can use your voice, your face and your image to create something completely against your will.” So now might be the time to take a hard look at what you’re putting out there.

Fact check before reposting

We’ve all been there: We see a piece of incendiary content and our first urge is to take action and share. “It’s super easy to get your blood boiling, but often what we see could be taken out of context,” says Zhu Scott. Headlines and social posts may be written in an attempt to anger users and keep their attentionnot for some lofty purpose, but to make more money, she continues. “When people get angry, they tend to interact with each other more. And the more attention [someone] can create, the more revenue dollars a [piece of] social media content can generate.”

Proper netiquette says to pause and fact check. With growing concerns about misinformation and disinformation, it’s best to look at everything with a critical eye, says James Halbert, who studies online interactions and is an associate professor in industrial organization and psychology at Adler University. “When you’re finding information online, always go to the source.” For Halbert and his students, that means tracing claims back to peer-reviewed articles, rather than relying on Wikipedia. “It’s good to keep a watchful eye on that material. It may not be true.”

Additionally, Zhu Scott says to remember that the online world is international. A piece of content may have a cultural context you’re not familiar withso think before you jump to conclusions. “People have a tendency to use their own lens to judge other people without appreciating the cultural context,” she says. “Don’t judge too quickly.”

Debate like a gentleperson

If it’s a controversial topic you’d avoid at Thanksgiving dinner, consider avoiding debating about it online. But if it’s something you feel strongly about, there are certainly ways to debate respectfully. While online debates can be notoriously trickyhence the term “flame wars”Zhu Scott says you don’t necessarily have to shy away from participating. “I think having a debate on issues is a wonderful thing,” she says, as long as you’re open to learning.

Instead of trying to overwhelm others with superior opinions, think of it as an exercise in mutual listening, where the desired result is that everybody learns more about the truth. Good online debate netiquette means “holding the spirit to seek for truth, even if the truth is very different from what I originally thought,” Zhu Scott says.

If you want to speak up in a cordial way about a troubling post, a good place to start is asking where the information came from, Halbert says. “It’s a way of challenging something without saying, ‘Hey this is wrong,'” Halbert says. “You have to take your emotion out of it,” and focusing on whether the content is factual helps to do so.

Take it offline

If someone is offended by something you’ve posted or by a comment you’ve made, and you can sense things may become heated, Halbert has a simple netiquette rule: Take it offline. “I would call my friend up and say, Hey, dude, what’s going on?” he says. When responding to a negative comment, rather than having a drawn-out fight on social media for the whole world to see, Halbert recommends trying to “resolve the issue as solidly as possible.” And to do that, he says, it’s better to pick up the phone.

“The problem is we don’t call people anymore,” he says. Posts and emails can be misconstrued because it’s hard to convey and detect tone. Perhaps your friendor youdidn’t understand how the post or comment was intended. A phone call can clear that up quickly, Halbert says.

Don’t confuse adding friends for being a good friend

We may feel connected to distant family members or to old friends because we see their new posts, but “it’s a false sense of connection,” says Halbert. “We don’t know what they’re struggling with. You know that when you talk to them on the phone every day, when you have a personal relationship with them,” he says.

Research has shown that, especially for Generation Z, while socializing online can create a sense of connection, it can also elicit a sense of isolation, says Halbert. That’s because we tend to compare the overwhelmingly positive posts we see with our own more nuanced livesand feel that we fall short. It’s important to remember that online connections cannot replace community and building in-person relationships, Halbert says. If the internet is your primary way of connecting with people, that’s very dangerous.

Be professional, even on your personal account

Not following netiquette rules can be just as damaging as rsum mistakes. If your personal account is public, or if you only have one account for both professional and personal interactions, recognize how these two worlds are connected. When you express yourself on social media, you should be aware of business etiquette because “you’re not always representing yourself, you’re representing a lot of other people, especially as a professional,” Halbert says. Before posting something, he always considers the context and readers.

Another solution is to maintain a public professional account and a personal one only visible to a small group of trusted friends and family, says Zhu Scott, who has opted for this approach. “Sharing too much personal, sensitive information can be inappropriate and risky,” she says. Even if you’re a social media influencer, she says, “be smart about it, be strategic.”

Choose connections wisely

This netiquette rule can protect your privacy and professional image. Be careful about who you connect with, both experts say. Zhu Scott says she has learned how to say no: She’s constantly turning down friend requests with a polite message explaining why.

As for Halbert, “I’m very careful with whom I connect,” he says. Rather than adding anyone who asks, he maintains a LinkedIn network of connections with students, colleagues and professionals in his field whose work he admires. Rather than following particular content creators, he follows professional organizations.

Interact sparingly

You may feel pressured to like everything that friends or professional connections post, just to be polite. But Halbert advises the opposite. First, liking or commenting on a post will encourage a platform’s algorithm to show you more posts by that person or similar content, which works against you if you’re using your account to stay abreast of what colleagues or friends are doing. But more important, most platforms will tell your entire network that you’ve liked a post and, for better or worse, that can become the basis for judgment, especially if it’s controversial or even an Instagram scam or Facebook scam. Halbert reserves likes for professional work he truly admires.

Keep it simpleand stress-free

One netiquette rule that can help set boundaries for your own well-being is to consider reducing the number of social media accounts you use. “You don’t realize that’s an extra stressor you’re putting in your life,” Halbert says. “When you’ve got multiple accounts, you have to check this one, you’ve got to check that one, you’re afraid of leaving someone out, people are waiting on your response, what do they think about your response?” All of this adds extra stress.

Despite the fact that his research focuses on the online world, Halbert himself has only one social media account: his LinkedIn. He knows he would have more connections if he put his personal life across various social media platforms, but for him, that’s a small price to pay for less stress.

About the experts

• Jennifer Zhu Scott is the CEO of IN. Capital, an investment company that focuses on artificial intelligence and deep tech. Her TED talk on how she handled her children’s smartphone use has more than 3.3 million views.
• James Halbert is an associate professor at Adler University, where he directs the graduate program in industrial organization and psychology. In February 2023, he and colleagues published the book Community Engagement in the Online Space. He also investigates social media and its effects on stress.

Funeral Etiquette Tips to Know

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The post 11 Netiquette Guidelines to Follow for Respectful Online Interactions appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Why do some device batteries seem to die quickly?

Theres a simple explanation for why this happens, as it turns out. (The dead battery, that is; not your bad luck.) “The life of a lithium-ion battery is generally 500 cycles (about a year and a half). A battery cycle is measured by one full charge of 0 to 100. So, the more full cycles your phone goes through, the sooner you have to change it,” saysLiz Hamilton, Director, People and Customers at Mobile Klinik, a mobile phone repair business. We can thank chemical reactionswhich create atomic buildup while the device chargesfor batteries limited lifetimes.

How can you make your device’s battery last longer?

So, whats a techie (or just the average smartphone owner) to do? To make your battery last as long as possible, though, theres a highly recommended method for charging your devices. And you can try it right now!

Hamilton says that you should only be partially charging your phone to slow down the depletion of your batteries life cycle. She says the sweet spot to keep your battery charged is at 25-85%. Find out why your phone is charging slowly.

“Lithium-ion batteries can be stressed at the extremes. One of the biggest contenders for destroying your phone’s battery health is letting the phone charge past 100 percent,” says Hamilton. “Many people have this habit and don’t realize the damage it causes to their battery.”

So, the trick: Don’t let your phone’s battery drain completely to zero, and when charging it, only let it reach about 85 percent and then unplug.If you do fillyour battery completely, don’t leave the device plugged in; doing so constantly cancause your electronics to age faster in the long run.

Hamilton also recommends turning down your screen’s brightness, disabling features that you don’t use such as location, certain apps, and notifications and using low power mode to extend the life of your battery.

Of course,these are just suggestions; you’re in no danger if you keepyour phone charging overnight. But following the guidelines could make your battery last muchlonger, which ultimately saves you money down the road. To save even more money, use these tech tricks to save data and lower your cell phone bill.

Sources:

• Liz Hamilton, Director, People and Customers at Mobile Klinik

Phone Battery Myths

Reconsider Charging a Phone in the Car

Reasons Your Phone Is So Slow

The post The Best Way to Charge Your Device Will Make Its Battery Last Way Longer appeared first on Reader's Digest.

If you’ve only ever used your iPhone’s volume buttons to toggle the volume up and down, you’re missing out on the many shortcuts for which they can be used. Not sure where to start? Here are the best ways to use those volume buttons for more than just music.

Get Readers Digests Read Up Newsletter for iPhone tricks, humor, cleaning, travel, tech and fun facts all week long.

How to use your iPhone’s volume buttons

Take photos

If you need an extra hand to take photos, this handy hack can help. It works with portrait, traditional photo and panorama modes when shooting from the rear camera, and with portrait and traditional photo modes for the front camera. Just open the Camera app and press either volume button to take a photo or start a panorama. You can end the panorama with another tap of the button, or you can hold the button down the entire time to take the panorama. Accidentally delete one of those photos? Don’t fret. Here’s how to recover deleted iPhone photos.

Take videos

You can use the same trick to take a video. Just switch to video mode in the Camera app, then press either of the volume buttons to start taking a video. You can press it again to stop, or you can hold down the button the entire time to take a videoit’ll stop recording once you release the button.

Take photo bursts

A photo burst makes editing iPhone photos easier because it gives you more options to choose from. If you have an iPhone XS, iPhone XR or newer, you can press and hold the volume up button to take burst shots. To allow for that, go to Settings > Camera, then turn on “Use Volume Up for Burst.”

Scan documents

Your iPhone’s built-in document scanner will work in apps such as Files, Mail, Notes and Reminders. Since this function uses the Camera app, you can press either volume button to snap a scan of the document you need instead of pressing the shutter button on the screen.

Snooze an alarm clock

For those who use their iPhone instead of a traditional alarm clock, this is the trick you need to know. If you’re half asleep and can’t be bothered to find the “Snooze” on your phone screen in the morning, just press either volume button to snooze your alarmjust make sure you have the “Snooze” function enabled for that particular alarm.

Turn off an alarm clock

If you have toggled off the “Snooze” option for your alarm, clicking either volume button will turn off the alarm.

Call emergency services

When you’re in an actual emergency and can’t spend time unlocking your iPhone to call 911, Apple has made things easier. To quickly get ahold of emergency services, just hold down the side lock button and either volume button (or all three buttons) until the “Emergency Call” slider pops up. Swipe the SOS icon to the right to place the call.

Force a restart

If your phone is frozen and there’s no way to restart it, you might be forced to complete a factory reset. To do so, press the volume up button, then volume down button, then the side lock button until you see the Apple logo on a black background. Once your lock screen reappears, it means a hard reset has been performed. Unlike a regular restart, which happens at the software level, a hard reset happens at the hardware level, which can help when your phone is frozen or buggy. Keep in mind that a factory reset wipes your entire phone, so make sure you have backed it up on the cloud recently.

Turn off Face ID or Touch ID quickly

You can temporarily prevent Face ID from unlocking your iPhone. Press and hold the side lock button and either volume button for two seconds. You’ll see the same screen as when you’re calling emergency services. After the sliders appear, press the side button to immediately lock your iPhone, which will lock automatically if you don’t touch the screen for a minute or so.

Silence an incoming call

Want to quickly silence a call when you’re busy? Pressing either volume button will silence incoming regular calls as well as FaceTime calls, and will also stop vibrations if your phone is on vibrate mode.

Sources:

• Apple: “If your iPhone won’t turn on or is frozen”
• Apple: “Use the side, Home, and other buttons on your iPhone”
• Apple: “Disable Face ID”

How to Hide Private Photos on an iPhone

What to Do If Your iPhone Is Disabled

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The post Your iPhone’s Volume Buttons Are Loaded with Hidden Features appeared first on Reader's Digest.

While you can’t schedule a text message on the texting screen, once you learn the iPhone hacks workaround or how to do it with a third-party app, it’s easy.

Can I send a scheduled text on an iPhone?

Well, yes and no. The catch to learning how to schedule text messages on iPhones is that it is not a normal iPhone messaging function. But you can send a text to be delivered at a certain time using a workaround or a third-party app.

How to schedule a text message on iPhone

Let’s get into how to schedule a text on iPhone. The workaround involves the app called Shortcuts. If you have an iPhone running iOS 13 or later, it will already be in your app library. If you’re using an earlier iOS, you can download Shortcuts from the Apple Store. Using this iPhone tech tip allows you to send a one-time message or a recurring text that will send at the same time every day.

1. Open the Shortcuts app

Shortcuts is an app that allows you to create shortcuts to make other apps on your iPhone work better. We’re literally using Shortcuts to create a shortcut.

To find the Shortcuts app, go to the Home Screen and swipe left until you get to the App Library. Then, tap on the search box at the top of the screen and type in “Shortcuts.” Shortcuts will pop up. Give the icon a tap.

2. Create an automation

• Tap on the Automation tab at the bottom of the screen.
• Tap the blue box labeled Create Personal Automations. If you’ve created a personal automation before with Shortcuts, you won’t see the blue box. Instead, tap the + icon at the top of the screen.

3. Set time of day

• Select Time of Day from the list of options.
• Set the time on the new screen that pops up. Choose if you want the message to resend daily, weekly or monthly. If you only want the message to send once, you’ll need to disable the shortcut afterward (more on that later).
• Tap Next.

If your smartphone freezes while trying to schedule a text message on iPhone, here’s how to restart an iPhone.

4. Write and send message

• Choose the Send Message option from the list.
• Tap Message and write out your message.
• Toggle off the Ask Before Running option so the message will send automatically.
• Tap Recipients and choose who you want the message to go to.
• Tap Next and Done.

Once the text is sent, it will keep sending at the same time if you don’t disable the shortcut. To do this, go back to the automation, tap on it and slide the Enable This Automation button to “off.” The next time you want to schedule a text message, just toggle it back on and tap on the When and Do options to customize the message and time. Make sure you’re up to date on your texting abbreviations before you hit send!

FAQs for scheduling texts

How do you send a delayed text on an iPhone using a third-party app?

If all those steps sound like too much to you, you may want to try a third-party app. One thing to remember about these apps is that most won’t send messages automatically. You’ll get a notification asking if you want to send the message at the time it’s scheduled, and you have to tap the confirmation button for the message to send.

Some good choices are:

• Scheduled: This app lets you schedule SMS messages, iMessages, Facebook Messenger DMs, WhatsApp messages and more. You can also use it to schedule reminders or schedule messages to resend at certain times. This is the only app on our list that will send messages automatically, but you’ll need to sign up for the Premium Plan for that function. With the free version, you only get a reminder to send the message.

• Reminderbase: This app lets you schedule when messages go out and reminders, but it doesn’t use your phone number. You have to choose from a number in the app, which could confuse your message’s recipient.

• Moxy Messenger: Like Scheduled, this app lets you schedule iMessages, SMS messages and messages from social media apps.

• Carrier Messaging: This is a very basic app that lets you schedule messages to individuals and groups. You can’t schedule messages to social media inboxes with this one.

How to use the Scheduled app

Since they all work differently, as an example, we’ll show you how to use the Scheduled app to schedule a text message on an iPhone.

1. Download the app from the Apple Store.
2. Sign up for the Premium Plan.
3. Tap the + icon on the home screen.
4. Choose the type of message you want to send (like SMS, iMessage or WhatsApp) and the recipients.
5. Add your message.
6. Tap Schedule Date and pick when you want the message to send.
7. Choose if you want the message to repeat.
8. Tap Reminder if you want a reminder to send the message, or tap Send Automatically if you want the message to send on its own.
9. Tap Schedule Message to finish.

Can you schedule a text on iMessage?

Nope. The only method for how to schedule a text message on an iPhone is to use the workaround with the Shortcuts app or a third-party app. Now that you know how to do it, learn how to stop spam texts once and for all.

Can iPhones Get Viruses?

Unlock an iPhone Without a Passcode

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The post You Can Schedule a Text Message on Your iPhone: Here’s How appeared first on Reader's Digest.

You may be wondering how to break a habit that’s so destructive and uncannily powerful. Tricks like habit stacking can help build good habits. And tools like your iPhone’s Do Not Disturb mode can help combat the negative effects of social media on your brain. But sometimes they’re not enough.

In order to break his phone addiction, Martin Torres (whose name has been changed) learned that he had to go much deeper. Along the way, he ended up making recovery possible for countless others by helping found a 12-step fellowship for internet and technology addicts. This is his story.

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Screen time as salvation

My phone addiction started before I got a phone. From a really young age, screens called to me. I’d always get excited to go to friends’ houses, where there were video games to play and televisions to watch.

Long before I got a cell phone, I got a Game Boy. This was my first handheld device. My mom didn’t allow us to have video games, and we didn’t have a television, but she compromised with the Game Boy. I would stay up late (or hide in the bathroom) just to keep playing it.

As I grew older, my attachment to screens and the rewards they gave mea sense of wonder, fantasy, adventure, connection and creativitygrew stronger. By the time I turned 11 or 12, I had started to feel more disconnected from my peers. That, combined with some traumatic experiences as a child, some abuse, led me to turn more and more to screens as a coping mechanism.

The picture of phone addiction

I got a flip phone when I was in middle school, but I didn’t get a smartphone until I was 18. I was one of the last of my peers to get one, mostly because I suspected it would not be good for me. (For a long time, I avoided signing up for social media for similar reasons.) I had been struggling with a lot of compulsive activity with my laptop: playing online games, watching videos and procrastinating on homework.

But I remember when I did get a smartphone. Oh wow, I thought. So this is why everyone uses this. I feel so much smarter. I can just look up everything all the time.

And in the first few months of having a smartphone, I felt this huge boost in my productivity, in my intelligence.

But this happened within the context of an ongoing battle against compulsive screen use, which could take me late into the night and way into the morning. I’d even started to stay up all night, either on my phone or on my laptop, just scrolling through social media feeds, playing games and watching videos.

Hitting rock bottom

The first time I ever considered that I might be a phone addict was in 2014. I’d gotten a summer scholarship, a real dream opportunity. I didn’t have any professors, any homework or any parentsI was on my own in a different city. And I couldn’t stop watching YouTube videos on my phone.

One night, probably around 4 or 5 a.m., I had a realization. I’d been sitting hunched on the ground by the wall, using the neighbor’s Wi-Fi because I’d blown through all my data. And I was watching these videos, but I didn’t enjoy them. I didn’t want to be watching them. I thought they were inane and pointless.

I remember watching a video and thinking to myself, Please stop. I’m so tired. I don’t like this. I’m not enjoying it.

And then I watched my hand click on the next video. I felt really scared, like I was a prisoner of my own body.

That was the first time I thought, Could this be what an alcoholic experiences? I wouldn’t be able to stop until I literally passed out. I’d fall asleep watching the video in bed, and I’d wake up a few hours later only to start again. I needed that morning screen time to start my day, just like it was coffee.

Seeking help

That was when I first tried searching online for help. I was living in a big city, and I was sure there would be a group of other screen addicts. But I found nothing.

There was nothing in my city or anywhere in my country. All I could really find were intensive rehab camps in South Korea and Chinaand a footnote on Wikipedia that said there’s a lot of debate about whether internet addiction is a real thing. I remember thinking, Wow, I’m really messed up.

I had recently started therapy, so I tried to talk to my therapist about it. I don’t think he was well equipped to see this as an addiction. He was more concerned about me being perfectionistic or too hard on myself. He told me that maybe it was OK to relax sometimes and watch some videos, even if it wasn’t the most intellectually meaningful content in the world.

So I felt very alone. And this continued for three or four more years before I found recovery.

The courage to change

I continued to binge and suffer in silence and in secret. I was very high performing, so no one had any idea how much I was using screens. But it was leading me toward tremendous financial instability. I lost one job because of my addiction, and I lost multiple relationships.

I was actively suicidal. I couldn’t stop thinking about taking my life.

I was really trying to stop these different behaviors, and I could go for a period of a few weeks to a month without using screens. But sometimes I could only go for a few hours.

In 2017, I had about two months free from playing any kind of game. Then I had a really bad relapse and missed three nights of sleep. When I came out of that binge, I told myself I was going to take my life if I ever did that again.

And so I searched again for a recovery group. I had looked periodically over the years, but this time, I found a 12-step fellowship for gaming called Gaming Addicts Anonymous. Still, I knew my problem had to do with much more than playing games: It was tied to everything I consumed through a screen.

I met some other members in that program who were also working on their internet and technology addiction, and that’s how Internet and Technology Addicts Anonymous (ITAA), a 12-step fellowship based on Alcoholics Anonymous, began. That was in June 2017, six years ago. My life has changed radically since then.

The impact of community

I’d been trying for so long to control my problem in secret. It turns out, the real key to change is not being alone anymore.

So much has followed from that realization. It’s not actually a phone problem that I haveit’s a phone solution to my shame, my perfectionism, my fear and my depression. Learning to be in a community of other people where I didn’t have to be ashamed of who I really was and what I really struggled with, being compassionately listened to and listening to others, has been tremendous for me.

Part of the process of change was re-evaluating how I thought about my phone addiction. I’d made so many justifications to keep using my phone. There were podcasts and music I needed to listen to all the time to be up to date, I’d tell myself. And while there were some things I could recognize as purely meaningless entertainment, there was this whole other huge area that made it easy to justify my screen time. It was like, Oh yeah, I need to be able to respond as soon as someone texts me. If someone texted me, it would weigh on my soul until I responded. And if it took me more than 30 minutes or an hour to respond, I’d feel really guilty.

My work is primarily through a screen, so it has required me to learn appropriate boundaries, self-awareness and balance. It’s not about being anti-technology; it’s about developing a healthy relationship with technology.

Freedom from bondage

My last online binge was in November 2017. I had a few minor slips over the next two years, but I’ve been continuously sober since the beginning of 2020. That’s across all my devices: my phone, computer and everything else.

Before recovery, I was always trying to stop my phone use. Now, through recovery, I don’t have to stop using the phone because I don’t have the desire to use it. It’s gone. And that was something I never could have imagined.

These days, I just use my phone as needed. I largely use my smartphone like a basic flip phone, making calls and sending texts. I try to do as little on my phone as possible, so I do most of my work from my computer unless I’m in transit and it’s something urgent.

I don’t have any notifications turned on. I check my messages and emails once or twice a day at regular times, and I also give myself permission to take days or weeks to respond.

Sometimes I won’t know where my phone is because I don’t have it on me all the time. I usually don’t have it in my pocket; it’s somewhere in the room or on the desk. I’ve heard of studies saying that some people would rather receive a physical injury than have their phone break or that others believe losing their phone is the most frightening thing they could imagine.

But when I realize that I’ve left my phone at home, I feel happy. I don’t have the sense that I’m tethered to my phone. It’s so much better than I could have possibly imagined.

A life well lived

I really thought my phone addiction was just an annoying little habit in a corner of my life, so it’s hard to describe how free I now feel. I’m not just free from the behavior; so much else in my life has flourished. I could not have imagined the magnitude of change that would come from simply using my phone less often. It’s really been humbling and mind-boggling.

Unlike with other addictions, I can’t overdose on my phone. But it still stole so much of my life. If you strung together all my screen time, I’m sure it would amount to years of 24/7 watching things I don’t even care about. I experienced a tremendous amount of grief about how much I lost and was losing. I’d had all these hopes and dreams but instead spent my time staring at my phone, scrolling.

Today, I never have that thought anymore. I never feel like I’m not living up to my potential. I’m not perfect, but I feel like I’m really doing the best I can and like I’m living my life instead of watching other people live theirs.

Tips for breaking a phone addiction

Currently, ITAA has just over 100 meetings a week. A quarter of those are in person, in cities around the world, including the United States, Europe, Russia, Japan and South America. The rest of our meetings are on Zoom.

The program grew through word of mouth. In the first year, there was just one meeting per week. Then there were two. Then seven. It’s continued to grow, roughly doubling in membership every year.

Through ITAA, I’ve learned some essentials that have aided my recovery. If you’re trying to beat a phone addiction, the tips below are a good place to begin.

Don’t go it alone

Don’t try to beat your screen addiction on your own. It’s the first thing we recommend to newcomers. Come to meetings and see how that feels. Listen to others.

Another thing that’s often helpful for people getting started is making phone calls to other members and looking for a sponsor who has more experience and can help you one-on-one.

Abstain from compulsive behaviors

Because it’s not a primary addiction like alcohol or drugs, where you just stop the activity with the substance, we use a framework that helps us each identify and abstain from the specific behaviors that trigger our addiction, and that looks different for everyone. That’s a process of discovery that we do with other members.

“Bottom lines” are the things that, once we start, we can’t stop, and once we stop, we can’t stay away from. Those are the things we abstain from completelyit’s like our version of alcohol.

For me, it’s any kind of game, watching entertaining online videos, watching movies and television by myself, social media use, any kind of digital erotic content and dating apps. I also generally don’t read the news if I don’t have to.

Know your triggers

“Middle lines” are the things that trigger us or draw us toward our bottom lines. It could be a big deadline, travel or a conflict with someone. But it could also be needing to buy something online, a work email or getting a text from someone who wants you to watch a hilarious video. It could be compulsively checking your text messages or googling random questions.

Focus on your “top lines”

“Top lines” are the things that bring joy and meaning and purpose to our lives. They’re what we replace our addictive behaviors with. They can include going to meetings, calling other members and working the steps. Things like exercising, spending time with the people we love, working on creative projects and things we’re passionate about, taking long walks in nature, resting, napping and staying well hydrated are all top lines.

Find what works for you

In general, the principle that has been most useful for me is that I pretty much only use technology as necessary. I use it as a tool to help me live in alignment with my values, work on things that matter to me and connect to people I love. But I don’t use it for entertainment or curiosity. That’s been a simple but effective guideline for me.

But this process looks different for everyone. For example, some people (like me) can’t play any video games. But other people have never had an addiction to video games, so if their kid wants to play a game with them, it’s a way of being more connected with their family.

Limit temptations

I find it super helpful to turn my notifications off. A lot of people don’t bring their phone to bed or into their bedroom. I and many others don’t check our phones first thing in the morning or last thing at night. We have an offline morning and evening routine.

We practice taking breaks from our devices, turning our phone off and putting it in a drawer and going out for the whole day without the phoneor even taking a whole month off from our smartphone and getting a flip phone instead. I think those things have been helpful for different members who are more on the behavioral end of the spectrum.

Forget the gimmicks

Superficial tricks, like setting your phone to grayscale, using blocker apps or setting a timer, are not super effective in the context of addiction because they reinforce the paradigm of self-control when the key to finding freedom from this is to accept that we don’t have the ability to take control in this area of our lives. So even if you’re just a compulsive user, so to speak, there’s really no harm in joining meetings and listening to others.

Do the work

We also recommend finding a sponsor and working the steps, which is really the core of long-term recovery. Some of the mistakes I made, and others have made, come from being obsessed with stopping the behavior. What we really needed was a much deeper healing process that involves working through our past traumas, being open-minded and open to accepting help from others, and re-learning just how to be in the world so that we don’t need these numbing addictive patterns to survive. And that’s really the difference.

Be open to help

Recovery is a nuanced process, and we encourage people to avail themselves of outside help, whether that’s therapy, support groups or any resources they can draw on to support that. We don’t think of ourselves as the only solution that’s out there.

A lot of people don’t consider 12-step programs because of the spiritual or religious overtones of these programs, so I just want to say that I’m an atheist, and that hasn’t in any way proven a hindrance to my recovery. There is no pressure, dogma or religious affiliation.

A lot of people may not identify as phone addicts. Their phone use might not be a huge source of suffering, shame or loss in their lives. But what I want to say is that no one should have to suffer because of their phone. There are enough reasons to suffer in the world already.

And when it comes to phone addiction, there is hope.

*Name has been changed.

Source:

• Internet and Technology Addicts Anonymous: “Join a Meeting”

Why You Might Need a Burner Phone

What If Social Media Disappears?

Don't Make These Phone Mistakes

The post I Was Addicted to My Phone—Here’s How I Got Over It appeared first on Reader's Digest.

If you’ve got an iPhone, you can probably get those messages back if you take action quickly. Read on to learn some hacks, tricksand tips for retrieving deleted texts on an iPhone, including those green texts you get from contacts who don’t use an iPhone. Once you know what to do, read up on how to hide messages on an iPhone, unsend an iMessage and turn off autocorrectand read receipts on an iPhone.

How is it possible to retrieve deleted texts?

Now that you’ve breathed a sigh of relief that you can get your messages back, you might be wondering how that’s even possible. After all, if something’s gone, isn’t it just … gone? Not necessarily, says Mark Soto, founder of Cybericus, a Milwaukee-based cybersecurity firm that frequently performs digital forensics on phones, recovering deleted text messages and emails. “iPhone messages are stored in a database in what is called SQLite format. These messages aren’t immediately deleted from the databasethey’re instead added to a type of list called free lists,” he explains. “The messages in these free lists are then stored in records that can be accessed by iTunes and in your cloud backup. This is how forensic agencies are able to recover deleted messages.”

But here’s something Apple insiders know about iPhones that you don’t: Those free lists are eventually written over as you send more text messages. So if you’ve accidentally deleted your messages, Soto says, don’t send additional messages until after you’ve recovered the ones you lost.

Contact your service provider

There are a handful of ways to retrieve lost messages, but Soto says the simplest is probably contacting your service provider. “Every now and then, you’ll get lucky and find out that they have a backup of your recent messages and calls,” he explains. “This is usually the first step we take before we start to use any digital forensics software.” You can also contact your service provider to view your call history.

Recover deleted text messages from iCloud

If your service provider can’t help you, your next best bet is your iCloud backup. You can set your iPhone to back up on a daily basis. The backup includes the following information: app data; Apple Watch backups, device settings, home screen and app organization; iMessage, text (SMS) and MMS messages; photos and videos on your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch; purchase history from Apple services, including your music, movies, TV shows, apps and books; ringtones; and visual voicemail password (which requires the SIM card that was in use during the backup).

Make sure that you have enough space in your iCloud for all of the information above. Apple gives you 5 GB for free. In the United States, you can get 2 TB for $9.99 per month.

Bruce Hogan, the cofounder and CEO of SoftwarePundit, offers the following step-by-step instructions for backing up your phone and restoring it from a backup.

How to back up your iPhone:

1. On your iPhone, turn on the iCloud backup by visiting: Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
2. Connect your phone to Wi-Fi for the backup to begin.

How to restore your iPhone from a backup:

1. First, reset your phone. You can do this by navigating to Settings > General > Reset.
2. Once your phone has been reset, navigate to the Apps & Data screen. On this screen, select Restore from iCloud Backup.
3. Sign in to iCloud with your Apple ID, and the phone will back up.

Trading in your phone soon? Here’s how to delete everything on your iPhone.

Go through iTunes to retrieve deleted texts

Not everyone backs up through the cloud as often as they should. If your last backup was six months ago, you won’t be able to retrieve any recently lost text messages. But if you’ve backed up your data to iTunes, you can recover it, according to Kenny Trinh, managing editor of NetBookNews. Here’s what he says you need to do:

1. Connect your iPhone to your computer.
2. Run iTunes, and click the iPhone icon on the iTunes interface to access your iPhone management interface.
3. On your device’s Summary page, choose Restore Backups.
4. Choose your iPhone backup by Data and Size, and click Restore.

Try data-recovery software to get the deleted texts back

When all else fails, it’s time to look at third-party software tools, says Brett Downes, founder of the link-building company HaroHelpers. “This may cost you a fair bit of money, so you need to weigh how important the lost messages are,” he notes. “Also, there is no guarantee it will work. But if you’re desperate, this is the nextpossibly lastchance.”

Downes has personally used PhoneRescue by iMobie and says that many experts also recommend Enigma Recovery. These tools each have their own set of instructions and price tags. So how do they work? It all comes down to free lists. “Even deleted messages remain on your handset until overwritten, so you should be able to recover deleted messages using this software,” Downes says. “[But] make sure you use the software as quickly as possible. The longer you leave it, the more likely it is that you’ll have written over the relevant section of memory.”

Ask someone to forward deleted text messages

There is one more way to get those texts back. “If there is a specific message you need or a thread of messages, get in contact with the person you sent them to/shared text exchanges with,” Downes says. “They can either forward the essential message to you or, if there are a lot, download them and send them over as a batch.” (FYI, here is how to forward a text message.)

While we’re on the subject, you might want to go through your messages and delete unnecessary ones. And if you get any of these texts, delete them immediately.

Text deletion tips to remember

Once you’ve retrieved your lost messages, make sure you’re prepared in case this ever happens again. “Set up Messages in iCloud,” Hogan suggests. “This allows you to access and send messages from any Mac device. In the event that you lose your phone, you’ll still have your messages on your computer.”

Of course, that only helps you if you’ve lost your phone. If you accidentally delete your messages, you’ll still be in the same boat. “If you delete a message on one device, it will be deleted from all devices,” he concedes. But at least you’ll have a backup on the cloud. By the way, if you’re looking for a secure messaging app, learn what Signal is and how safe it is to use.

Now that you know how to retrieve deleted text messages on an iPhone, find out which things you’re doing to your iPhone that Apple experts wouldn’t.

About the experts

• Mark Soto is the former founder of Milwaukee-based cybersecurity firm Cybericus, which specialized in ransomware prevention and data recovery.
• Bruce Hogan is the co-founder and CEO of SoftwarePundit. He leads the team’s research and publishes content about software products and trends.
• Kenny Trinh is the co-founder and CEO of Astronet Media and sub-brand NetBookNews, where he covers mobile computing and technology.
• Brett Downes is the founder of the link-building company HaroHelpers.

Source:

• Apple: “iCloud+ plans and pricing”

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Unlike other text-based social media apps, including Twitter, Mastodon and Bluesky, Threads requires an Instagram account to work. You can use the same login credentials to sign in and the same username, though your profile is entirely customizableexcept for U.K. users under age 18, who get a default private profile. Of course, there are a few other ways Threads differs from its social media counterparts too. Here’s how.

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Threads has a 500-character count per post

Threads gives users a 500-character count per post, while unverified Twitter users can post only 280 characters. Verified Twitter accounts, which cost $8 a month, receive 25,000 characters per post. Bluesky, created by former Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, allows 300 characters, and Mastodon, an open-source platform developed by German software developer Eugen Rochko, allows 500 characters, though the limit can be tweaked with coding.

Videos can be up to five minutes long

Threads currently allows all users to post videos that are five minutes long, while unverified users on Twitter can post videos up to two minutes and 20 seconds long. Mastodon has no length limit, but video files can measure only 40 MB. Bluesky, meanwhile, doesn’t allow users to post videos, though photos are allowed.

The homepage feed reflects Meta’s algorithm

Twitter shows users trending content, often allowing you to discover funny Twitter accounts you might not follow yet. It also has separate For You and Following tabs on the homepage. Threads, for now, only allows you to scroll through the home feed, which mixes both people you follow and accounts in which you might be interested. That means that the only content you’ll discover on Threads is whatMetas algorithm serves youthere are no hashtags, trending sections or search capabilities. Because Mastodon does not follow an algorithm, it just shows you the people you follow. Bluesky, however, allows you to curate individual feeds for all of your interests.

Posts are called “threads”

Threads, for now, seems to have settled on calling its posts “threads.” Mastodon prefers “toots,” Twitter uses the well-known “tweets” and Bluesky users favor “skeets.”

Threads lets you send DMs, block and mute

Threads has roughly the same functionality as Instagram, incorporating direct messages, blocking and muting. Bluesky, on the other hand, has no DM features and only recently added a blocking feature. Twitter has DMs and a blocking feature, but current CEO Elon Musk may remove the block button in favor of a stronger mute option in the near future. Mastodon DMs operate differently and don’t function in a separate tabthey simply become posts seen only by the mentioned users. The app also has the same blocking and muting functionality as Twitter and Threads.

Sources:

• TechDirt: “Elon Musk Says Twitter Is Going to Get Rid of The Block Feature, Enabling Greater Harassment”
• Meta: “Introducing Threads: A New Way to Share With Text”

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Best overall

Fintie Stand Case

This Kindle stand case is made for the 11th Generation Kindle Paperwhite, including the Signature Edition. Starting around $20, the synthetic leather sleeve comes in 24 different color optionsour favorite being the marble designs. They also offer a variety of cases for the 2022 basic 6-inch Kindle and a flip case for the Kindle Oasis, along with a slim-shell option for the Kindle Scribe (though there are limited color choices for the last two).

The non-scratch microfiber interior protects the screen from scratches, debris and unwanted fingerprints. Their hand strap makes reading with one hand more comfortable, and you’ll love the foldable stand for a hands-free experience. We love the built-in card slot for an ID, credit cards or some cashmaking this an excellent travel option. You might like these summer escape reads to add to your Kindle too.

“Fits perfectly for my Kindle. The vintage library print/style is nice and eye-catching,” writes Rosemarie in her five-star review. “I got a few compliments on this Kindle 6.8 inches case, as it’s not in physical stores to buy. I highly recommend this product; it’s a good catch.”

Pros

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Cons

• Only a few solid color choices

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“In recent years, there has been a significant surge in the development of artificial intelligence, enabling the creation of tools that automate tasks related to prediction, generation, analysis and retrieval,” says Ameer Al-Nemrat, PhD, an expert in information security and computer forensics at the University of East London. “Disturbingly, offensive applications of AI include intelligent password guessing techniques designed to evade detection.”

After running more than 15.6 million common passwords through PassGAN, an AI password cracker, a recent Home Security Heroes report found that the software could crack any seven-digit password in less than six minuteseven if they contain symbols, numbers and lower- and uppercase letters. Additionally, the AI cracked 51% of these usual types of passwords within a minute, 65% within an hour, 71% within a day and 81% within a month. After seeing these worrying results, you’ll undoubtedly take online security more seriously. Examine your password list, identify any weak password security and replace them with good passwords that are long and complex. Read on to learn how to protect yourself from AI password cracking.

Can AI be used to crack passwords?

Most definitely. Conventional hackers rely on manual effort, common tools and expert knowledge to achieve their objectives. At the same time, those possessing AI capabilities can use it to automate tasks, enhance tools and avoid detection, according to Al-Nemrat.

“The use of AI empowers adversaries to expedite the attainment of their goals,” he says. “For instance, machine learning can assist in extracting credentials, intelligently selecting the most suitable target, monitoring users for information-gathering purposes or identifying previously unknown vulnerabilities in software.”

As per the report mentioned above, the time for AI to crack passwords depends on the length and complexity of the password. Rahul Mahna, managing director at EisnerAmper’s Outsourced IT Services team, says that many people use passphrases, which are longer and more complex passwords, but even those can be hacked. “The concern now is if a person’s passphrase can be determined by machine learning from their social media and other postings, then that phrase can become compromised,” he warns.

How can hackers use AI to crack passwords?

AI can help hackers expand their operations through automation, reducing the reliance on human labor, thus enhancing the likelihood of success, Al-Nemrat notes. He says the following AI methods can support their endeavors:

Automate the creation and execution of spear phishing attacks

Spear phishing is a type of phishing that includes information known to be of interest to the target, like current events or financial information. Hackers target people with fraudulent text messages, emails, phone calls, invoices and more to get hold of sensitive personal data.

Analyze and derive insights from data gathered through OSINT (Open Source Intelligence)

OSINT collects publicly available data from search engines, social media, professional social networks, published articles and academic papers, government reports, the dark web and more. “Machine learning can skim pictures found on a potential user’s social media to see recurrence of text such as a dog’s name tag,” explains Mahna. “This can be coupled with the ability to listen to a user’s voice in postings and hear the emphasis on certain words being said. Then, intelligently inferring the users’ proclivity toward a password or phrase.”

Carry out simultaneous attacks on multiple organizations

“In essence, AI empowers adversaries to target a larger number of organizations with more precise and targeted attacks, all with a reduced workforce,” Al-Nemrat summarizes. This allows for deeper penetration into a network by targeting a greater number of assets.

How can you protect your passwords from these hackers?

Mahna believes that risk is mitigated by diversity, a principle common in many disciplines, including password protection. He suggests the following methods to help you protect yourself against hackers.

Unique passwords everywhere

Mahna emphasizes having different passwords for each website, device or service. Don’t worry about remembering all these passwords, since password managers can not only store your passwords but can also generate unique combinations for you.

Long passwords

Using long passwords that include numbers, lower- and uppercase letters and symbolsand are not easily understood or inferredwill enhance the protection element.

Personal privacy

Posting too much information onlinelike on Facebook or Instagramabout your life is not a good idea if you’re concerned about security. It can provide information about your whereabouts, assets and family.

“Recent examples showed how a person posted they went on vacation, and their house was broken into because of their stated absence,” Mahna says. “Using this as a reality, AI will learn at a much quicker rate of such occurrences and be able to better time an intrusion, and possibly discover passwords or gaps and attempt logins during a vulnerable periodeven potentially disabling security measures like multi-factor authentication.”

What to do if you think you’ve been hacked

If you assume you’ve been hacked, first you should disconnect from the internet (if possible) before taking further steps, such as scanning for malware or viruses, changing passwords and activating or enabling two-factor authentication (2FA), Al-Nemrat recommends.

Additionally, Mahna says that the best way to handle an attack is to prepare in advance, like changing your passwords frequently. Here are more things you can do if you suspect you’ve been hacked:

Monitor your credit

Assuming the worst scenario, Mahna suggests exploring credit monitoring services to help mitigate after a hacking event occurs. These companies alert you if any changes are made to your credit reports or if your credit score changes, so you can keep an eye out for fraudulent transactions.

Create new accounts

If possible, instead of changing your password after you’ve been hacked, start fresh and create a new account instead. “It’s not a fun process, but often a new account will have increased security mandates and make the experience of that service far more compelling,” he concluded.

Sources:

• Ameer Al-Nemrat, PhD, expert in information security and computer forensics at the University of East London
• Rahul Mahna, managing director of EisnerAmper’s Outsourced IT Services team
• Home Security Heroes: AI password cracking report

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Fear not! We’ve got your back. Our quick and comprehensive how-to will guide you through the process of making your Facebook posts shareable so you can reach a wider audience (and start basking in the wave of virtual high-fives from your friends and followers). For other Facebook-related tech tips, check out how to make Facebook private, how to hide friends on Facebook and how to tell if someone blocked you on Facebook.

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How to make a Facebook post shareable

If you’re not a natural social media wiz, the process of creating shareable Facebook posts may be as intimidating as retrieving deleted text messages or discovering if someone’s spying on your phone. But take heart: Learning how to make a Facebook post shareable is easier than you probably think. The steps below will show you how to do it.

1. Navigate to your Facebook feed.
2. Create a new post by clicking or tapping on the “What’s on your mind?” bar at the top of the screen.
3. Enter your post, then click or tap on the small gray box beneath your name. Depending on your default settings, it may say “Public,” “Friends,” “Friends except,” “Specific friends” or “Only me.”
4. In the menu, choose whether you want the public, your friends, specific friends or a custom list of friends to view and share your post. (More on those settings below.)
5. Select “Done.”
6. To publish your post, select “Post.”

What Facebook’s visibility settings mean

If you’re interested in helpful Facebook hacks, you’ll not only need to know how to make a post shareable on Facebook but also what the various visibility settings mean. They affect who can see your post and share it with others. Here are your options and what they mean:

• Public: If you choose the “Public” option, you will allow anyone with or without a Facebook account to view and share your post.
• Friends: Selecting the “Friends” option limits the post’s viewability and shareability to your Facebook friends list. Keep in mind that if you tag a friend in a post, their Facebook friends will also be able to see iteven if you are not friends with those users. To prevent your post from being visible to the friends of the people you tag, adjust the visibility setting when creating a post: After clicking the gray box beneath your name, select the “Custom” option and uncheck the “Friends of those tagged” item.
• Friends except: By selecting “Friends except…,” you can hide your post from certain friends while still allowing the rest of your Facebook friends to view and share it.
• Specific friends: With the “Specific friends” option, only the people you select can view and share your post.
• Custom: The “Custom” option allows you to selectively share a post withor hide a post fromspecific people. It’s very similar to the “Friends except” and “Specific friends” options, with one exception: There is a shortcut that allows you to create specific friend lists that you can choose to share or not share your posts with every time. This can come in handy when you want to share certain posts with groups or networks you belong to, or when you want to hide sensitive posts from some Facebook friends.
• Only me: This option allows you to share posts on your feed that are visible to you only and will not appear on your friends’ feeds.

FAQs

As you learn how to make a Facebook post shareable, you may come across situations that leave you scratching your head. Luckily, we have answers to your most frequently asked questions. (Speaking of Facebook FAQs, we’ve answered your burning questions about Facebook secret conversations.)

How do I make a Facebook post shareable after posting?

You’ve posted to Facebook, and now you’re hearing rumblings that your friends or other folks can’t share the post. What gives? If people are unable to share your post on Facebook, it’s likely the post’s security settings don’t allow sharing.

So, how do you make a post shareable on Facebook after it’s published to your feed? To make an old post shareable, follow these steps:

On the website

1. Find the post you want to make shareable.
2. Click on the three-dot icon in the top-right corner.
3. Select “Edit audience.”
4. Choose whether you want the public, friends, specific friends or a custom list of friends to view and share your post.
5. Click “Done.”

On the app

1. Find the post you want to make shareable.
2. Tap on the three-dot icon in the top-right corner.
3. Tap “Edit privacy.”
4. Choose whether you want the public, friends, specific friends or a custom list of friends to view and share your post.
5. Tap “Done.”

While you’re on the social media site, be sure you’re also aware of common Facebook scamsand how to avoid them.

Can I make certain posts shareable and others not?

Your Facebook profile has a default setting that determines who can view and share your posts. But if you want more specific options, Facebook allows you to customize the privacy settings for individual posts, so you can decide which of your posts should be shareable and which ones will remain private.

Want the post you’re drafting to stay private? You have the “Only me” viewing option at your disposal. Hoping your post will be shared far and wide? You can select “Public” instead. By adjusting the visibility setting before you publish a post, you can determine if and how widely it’s shared.

Why can’t I make my Facebook post shareable?

Struggling to make your Facebook post shareable? This may indicate your default privacy settings on Facebook don’t allow sharing. Hop into your account settings (the same place where you’d change your name) to update them.

Here is how to check and adjust sharing settings:

On the website

1. Go to your Facebook home page.
2. Click on your profile photo in the top-right corner.
3. In the drop-down menu, select “Settings & privacy.”
4. Click “Settings.”
5. In the left-hand sidebar, select “Privacy.”
6. Under the “Your Activity” section, find the option labeled “Who can see your future posts.”
7. Click “Edit” and select the setting you prefer.

On the app

1. Open the Facebook app.
2. Tap the Menu icon (it’ll show your profile photo) in the bottom-right corner.
3. Tap the gear icon in the top-right corner.
4. Scroll down to the “Audience and visibility” section.
5. Tap “Posts.”
6. Select “Who can see your future posts?”
7. Select the setting you prefer.

Why should you make your post shareable on Facebook?

While there is good reason to keep your Facebook posts private, there may be moments when it’s handy to allow sharing on certain posts. For example, you might want to make a shareable post about local events or issues happening in the community, like an upcoming fundraiser or a new restaurant opening. Or maybe you just want to highlight important personal news with a wider audience, whether it’s a new baby or recent retirement.

Whatever the case, Facebook’s customizable settings will allow you to share certain posts while keeping the rest private. And now that you’re well versed in how to make a Facebook post shareable, you can move on to other commonly asked questions about Facebook, like whether you can see who views your Facebook profile.

Sources:

• Facebook Help Center: “Select your audience on Facebook”
• Facebook Help Center: “Change the audience of a post on Facebook”

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How to spot fake social media ads

The majority of people who fall for fake ads on social media don’t report them, but even still, the numbers are staggering. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that in 2021, “more than 95,000 people reported about $770 million in losses to fraud initiated on social media platforms.” If this sounds like a lot, that’s because it isan eighteenfold increase since 2018.

“Even legitimate ads are cloned and repurposed for malicious purposes, and as an end user, you have no way of knowing whether the ad is legitimate without clicking on it,” says Paul Bischoff, a privacy advocate at Comparitech. Tip: Don’t click on it! “Attackers can cloak their domains, so you can’t know in advance where an ad will take you.”

Although older adults are often the victims of scams, 18- to 39-year-olds lost the most money to scams originating from fake ads on social media in 2021, and if the past is an indicator of the future, that number will continue to grow. Because online scams and Facebook Marketplace scams are so prevalentand it can be hard to recognize the signs an app can’t be trustedit’s wise to learn how to identify a scammer. Below, we break down red flags you should be aware of so you can protect yourself from Instagram scams, Facebook scams and fake social media ads.

The post 9 Red Flags You’re About to Click on a Fake Social Media Ad appeared first on Reader's Digest.

After all, many people include personal data, like their hometown, birth date, marital status, friends list and more, in their profile. And you don’t want all of Facebook’s 2.9 million active users to have access to that. It can open you up to data theft, Facebook scams and possibly even spam texts.

What’s more, many people like to use the platform to “check in” at restaurants, live performances and more, or to post their vacation photos in real time for their friends to see. But either of these habits could tip off burglars that you’re not homeor tip off potential employers about some personal behaviors that you might not want them to know about. Fortunately, Facebook provides several tools that allow you to restrict who can see the information you post. Keep reading for some clever tech tips that’ll teach you how to make Facebook private.

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Facebook’s privacy levels and what they mean

Facebook allows you to specify who can see various aspects of your profile. You can set your privacy for any of the following audiences:

• Public. If you want to make a Facebook post shareable to a wide audience, this is your best bet. Anyone on or off Facebook can see posts set to “public.”
• Friends. Anyone on your Friends list can see posts with this setting.
• Friends except. You can specify the people on your Friends list who should not see a given post. This is handy if you’re trying to plan a surprise for someone or if you’re Facebook friends with colleagues who you don’t want to see what you do outside of office hours.
• Specific friends. Think about this as the opposite of the “friends except” option. Most people use this to indicate a small set of individuals who have access to a given postmaybe you’re posting about an inside joke or providing details about an event that only a handful of people should know about.
• Only me. Some people like to post things on their own timeline but don’t want anyone else to know about it. Maybe you saw a recipe you don’t want to forget about but don’t necessarily want to share, or perhaps you have a photo you want to save but don’t want others to see”only me” is perfect for this.

Looking for tips on how to make Facebook private in the strictest sense of the word? While your account won’t be 100% confidential, you’ll get the most private Facebook account possible by selecting “Only me” whenever it’s an option.

How to make your Facebook private

You can make several aspects of your Facebook account private, either from a web browser or the smartphone app, and that all starts in “Settings & privacy.” (It’s also where you’d go to change your name on Facebook.)

On a web browser

If you’re using a browser to adjust your privacy settings, the first stepno matter your end goalis to navigate to Facebook’s privacy center, which you can do by following the steps below.

1. Click on your profile photo in the upper-right corner of the page.
2. Click on “Settings & privacy.”
3. Select “Settings.”
4. In the sidebar on the left side of the page, select “Privacy.”

From there, you can adjust your online privacy, limiting who sees your posts and profile, blocking people and adjusting who can message you, tag you, post on your page, follow you or comment on your posts.

To make your posts private

1. Go to the “Your Activity” section.
2. Click “Edit” next to “Who can see your future posts?”
3. Select who you want to see your posts. If you want a post to be completely private, click “Only me.”

Within this section, you can also adjust who can see posts you’ve shared in the past and who can see the people, pages and lists you follow. (By the way, you can also use Facebook’s snooze button to hide posts from a pal for 30 days.)

To make your Facebook account less visible to others

Within this section, you can modify who can send you friend requests, see your Friends list, look you up using your email address or phone number, or find you on a search engine.

1. Go to the “How people find and contact you” section.
2. For each option (such as “Who can send you friend requests?” and “Who can look you up using the email address you provided?”), click “Edit” to adjust privacy settings.
3. Select the appropriate setting from the drop-down menu. For the most privacy, select “Only me” when possible.

To prevent random people from sending you private messages

In this section, you can choose where message requests end up: your Chats list or the “Message requests” folder. You can also decide not to receive message requests at all. (If you do accept and create discussions, learn all the fun ways you can name a group chat.)

1. Go to “How you get message requests.”
2. For each option (such as “People with your phone number” and “Friends of friends on Facebook”), click “Edit” to adjust settings.
3. Select where you’d like to receive message requests from the drop-down menu. To avoid messages from certain people, select “Don’t receive requests.”

To limit who can post on your page, see what others post or tag you in posts

1. In the left-hand sidebar, click “Profile and tagging.”
2. Adjust each item to your desired level of privacy. For the greatest privacy, select “Only me.”

To modify who can “follow” you or comment on your public posts or profile info

1. In the left-hand sidebar, click “Public posts.”
2. Edit each item accordingly.

Want to keep things even more private? Use Facebook’s Secret Conversations feature for covert chats with friends.

To block certain people from seeing or commenting on your posts

In this section, you can block users; block messages, app invites and event invites from a user; block apps and pages; and create a restricted list.

1. In the left-hand sidebar, click “Blocking.”
2. Click “Edit” next to the category (such as “Block users” and “Block messages”) you’d like to change.

On the Facebook mobile app

1. Click “Menu” in the bottom-right corner of the home screen.
2. Scroll down to “Settings & privacy.”
3. Tap “Settings.”
4. Scroll to the “Audience and visibility” section.

From there, go one by one through each of the following categories, and edit them according to your desired level of privacy:

• “How people find and contact you”
• “Posts”
• “Stories“
• “Reels”
• “Followers and public content”
• “Profile and tagging”
• “Blocking”
• “Active status”

Hungry for more tips? You’re going to want to learn how to save videos on Facebook so you can watch them later.

Using Facebook Privacy Checkup

If you want to be sure you haven’t overlooked anything when it comes to online security, Facebook can walk you through a series of privacy settings to ensure that all aspects of your profile are as secure as you’d like them to be. These include:

• Who can see your posts. This lets you tweak the audience settings for both past and future posts and stories, and it allows you to determine who can see the information in your “About Me” section, like your occupation, birth date, where you live and work, contact information and Friends list. You can also use this to block specific people.
• Who can find you on Facebook and how. This determines whether people can find you on Facebook via a search engine like Google, who can send you friend requests and which of your friends (if any) you permit to see your email address and phone number.
• How to keep your account secure from hackers. This section will evaluate the security of your password and enable you to turn on two-factor authentication and notifications any time someone logs into your account from an unrecognized device.
• Your data settings. This allows you to control the websites and apps that allow you to log in using your Facebook credentials.
• Your advertising preferences. Here, you can determine whether you want Facebook to show you targeted ads based on your browsing history and the demographic information you provide in your profile. You can also specify whether friends can see which advertisers you interact with on Facebook.

The way you find the privacy checkup tool varies slightly, depending on whether you’re using a web browser or the app on a mobile device.

On a web browser

1. Click on your profile photo in the upper-right corner of the page.
2. Click on “Settings & privacy.”
3. Select “Privacy Checkup.”
4. Choose the privacy topic you’d like to start with and follow the series of prompts.
5. Continue for each of the remaining four topics.

Here’s a helpful Facebook secret: You can enter “privacy” in the search bar at the top, and your first result should be “privacy checkup.” Click on “Privacy Checkup” at the top of the page and follow the steps above.

On the mobile app

1. Click “Menu” in the bottom-right corner of the home screen.
2. Scroll down to “Settings & privacy” and tap it.
3. Tap “Settings.”
4. Tap “Privacy Checkup.”
5. Choose the privacy topic you’d like to start with and follow the series of prompts.
6. Continue for each of the remaining four topics.

You can also enter “privacy” into the search bar at the top, and “privacy checkup” should be your first result. Tap that, and you should see “Privacy Checkup” at the top of the next page. Tap it, then select a topic and follow the prompts.

FAQs

If you’re still curious about how to make Facebook private, read on for answers to some commonly asked questions.

Can I see who has viewed my Facebook profile?

No, you can’t see who viewed your Facebook profile. The social media platform doesn’t have this functionality, and neither do third-party apps, even if they make claims to the contrary. There’s also no easy way to see who’s blocked you.

How do I adjust the privacy settings for my Facebook photo albums?

You’ll find this setting in a separate area from those above.

1. Click your profile photo (or tap “Menu” and then your name on the app).
2. Click or tap on “Photos” (you’ll need to scroll down on the app).
3. Click on “Albums.”
4. Select a photo album.
5. On the page that opens, click on the three dots to the right of the album title (at the top of the page in the app).
6. Click “Edit album.”
7. In the panel on the left side of the page, click on the current privacy setting (for example, “Friends”). This will appear after the description on the app.
8. Select the new privacy level.
9. Click “Done” (or “Save” on the app).

If you want to adjust the privacy setting for an individual Facebook photo, follow the first two steps above, then click “Your photos.” Click on the photo you want to change your settings on, click the three dots on the right, select “Edit post audience” (it’ll say “Edit post privacy” on the app) and modify your audience as you wish. If a photo is part of an album, you may not be able to do this.

Can I adjust the privacy settings for the things I post in Facebook groups?

No. Only group administrators can change the privacy settings for a group. In addition, groups have only two levels of privacy: public (anyone on or off Facebook can see who’s in the group and what they post) and private (only group members can see who’s in the group and what they post). So if you’re in a public group, be conscious of what you share on Facebook.

Can I see what my Facebook page looks like to other users?

Yes. Click on your profile photo. Click on the three dots at the top of the page, then select “View As.” That will show you what the public sees. To return to normal, click “Exit View As.”

And that’s it! You’ve now learned how to make Facebook private so you can enjoy the social media platform without worrying that important details are falling into the wrong hands. Next, find out how to save a video from Facebook Messenger.

Sources:

• Forbes: “Top Social Media Statistics and Trends of 2023”

How to Hide Likes on Instagram

What Is Instagram Vanish Mode?

What Are Instagram Notes?

The post How to Make Your Facebook Private to Protect Your Personal Info appeared first on Reader's Digest.

The quick answer is yes. And what may be the greatest thing about Android screen record is that it’s really easy to do. Screen recording on your Android is a lot like screen recording on an iPhone, with just a few key differences. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for more tech tips, you can learn how to clear cookies and how to retrieve deleted text messages on your Android phone too.

How to turn on your Android’s screen recording feature

If you hate fiddling with your phone’s functions, you don’t have to sweat that when you screen record. Whether you have a Samsung or Google phoneor any Android, for that matterit’s really easy to start screen recording immediately. Raphael even says that it has gotten easier over the years. “At this point, on any reasonably recent Android phone, you can find an option to make it happen right within your device’s Quick Settings area.”

How to screen record on an Android phone

You can find your Quick Settings area when you swipe down from the top of your home screen. There will be a series of tiles or icons that appear, and those are the Quick Settings. Here’s what you do from there:

1. Scroll through the list of icons until you find the Screen Recorder icon. You might have to go through an extra step or two depending on the model of your Android phone, but the most basic will be tapping the Screen Record or Screen Recorder icon.
2. You may find it easiest to scroll to the screen you’re tying to record on before tapping Screen Record so you can begin recording immediately.
3. Tap “Start” on Screen Record. Some models will have classic icons for screen recording that represent the “record” and “stop” buttons you used to see on tape recorders.
4. Press “Stop” when you’re ready to finish recording.

How to screen record with audio on an Android phone

Sometimes images aren’t enough, and you need a little sound too. “Once you tap the tile for screen recording, you’re basically ready to roll,” says Raphael. “Your phone will typically ask if you want to record any manner of audio and if you want to have your swipes and taps visible in the recording, and then you’ll just hit one more button to get the thing going.” Here’s a step-by-step to make things easier:

1. Just like when you’re looking for the screen record function, swipe down from the top of your phone screen to access the Quick Settings. You may have to scroll through the list of icons until you find the Screen Recorder one.
2. You might have to go through an extra step or two depending on your model of Android phone, but the most basic will be tapping the Screen Record icon.
3. Look for directions that ask if you want to record with sound or not. Tap “yes.”
4. Check the volume on your phone to make sure it’s loud enough. You can also try a test recording first to see if you like the way you sound.
5. Tap Start. Some models will just have classic icons that represent the “record” and “stop” buttons.
6. Hit the Stop button when you’re done.

How to open and edit your screen recording

Unless you’ve set your phone to use external storage, any recordings you make will be automatically stored in your phone’s local storage (which, by the way, might make you wonder how to free up space on android). Raphael says, “the specific location varies from one type of Android device to another, but the easiest way to find them is to open up the Photos app and look within the Library tab.”

To edit your recordings

1. Go to the app where you store photos and videos. For some people, that’s in their Gallery folder, and for others it’s in the Google Photos app.
2. Your new recording should be immediately visible in the “Today” section. If you don’t see it, try scrolling through the photos or gallery folder until you find the screen recording you just made.
3. Tap the recording and you’ll be presented with a few options, including Edit, Crop and even a few filters.
4. Tap Edit and experiment with cropping your shot or even trimming part of your video, if it seems too long.
5. When you’re satisfied with the results, tap “Save a copy” or just “Save,” if you don’t need to make any more edits.

Apps for screen recording on an Android

Because Androids have become quite sophisticated over the past few years, there’s no real need to download a separate app for screen recording. Raphael says third-party apps used to be invaluable back in the days before Android offered its own native screen recording function. “At this point, though, there’s really no reason for most people to mess with them,” he says. “Using your phone’s built-in screen recording tool is faster, simpler and usually also more reliable.”

But if you have an older phone modelor have specific preferencesyou may still need to use an app. Here are two that you’ll find in the Google Play store:

AZ Screen Recorder

This is an easy-to-use app that has its own built-in editor. If you like a few bells and whistles, this app might make you feel more in control of your screen recordings than the built-in Android screen recordings setting.

Link to Windows

I’m a huge fan of Link to Windows in general, since it allows you to connect your Windows PC with your Android. So you can share content between your laptop or desktop setup and your Android phone, and then edit on a larger screen for better results.

And after trying out all this, your phone may be low on juice! Make sure you know how to make your phone charge faster.

Sources:

• JR Raphael, author and publisher of Android Intelligence

How to Stop Spam Calls for Good

This Is How to Clear Your Cache

How to Name a Group Chat

The post How to Screen Record on an Android Phone appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Yes, you read that right. Once you get the hang of this amazing tech tip, you can tame your tab overload with a single flick of the wristwell, fingertip, to be precise. With the guide below, you will learn the satisfying, secret technique to quickly close all tabs on iPhones (and get back to browsing!) ASAP.

By the way, if your phone is super slow and your iPhone battery life is getting worse, don’t assume those pesky tabs are to blame. Those annoyances may be signs it’s time for a new phone.

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Why you should close your iPhone browser tabs

Tech experts say it’s always a good idea to close the browser tabs on your iPhone, but not for the reasons you might expect. Contrary to popular belief, having too many tabs open will not hurt your phone’s performance or drain its battery, and it’s not the culprit behind your phone charging too slowly.

These days, iPhones are far more efficient, placing web browsing apps like Safari or Chrome in a “suspended” state when you’re not using them to avoid wasting the phone’s energy. To speed up your iPhone, learn how to clear your cache and how to clear cookies on your phone instead.

That said, closing all tabs on your device is still the best practice, and here’s why: Keeping dozens of tabs open in your browser can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Finish researchers, who reported their findings on so-called digital clutter at a 2023 conference on human-computer interaction, say having a ton of tabs open can increase stress. Once you learn how to close tabs on iPhones with a few taps, you will be well on your way to minimizing your digital clutter and embracing the mental peace of a tab-free device.

The next time you find yourself 20 tabs deep on your browser app, don’t waste time closing out of each one individually. We have a little secret for you: There is a faster way to mass-close your tabs on iPhones. Below, we’ll explain how to close all tabs on an iPhone at the same time using your preferred web-browsing app. (And as an added bonus, this trick works for iPads too!)

How to close all tabs on iPhones

Several popular browsers, including Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge and even Brave, allow you to close all tabs on your iPhone at once. This iPhone trick is easy. Just follow the steps below that pertain to your browser of choice.

How to close all Safari tabs on your iPhone

1. Open the Safari app on your iPhone.
2. Tap and hold the tabs icon, which looks like two overlapping boxes and appears in the bottom-right corner of your screen.
3. In the pop-up menu, tap “Close All Tabs.”
4. Confirm that you want to close all the open tabs in the browser by tapping “Close All Tabs.”

How to close all Chrome tabs on your iPhone

1. Open the Chrome app on your iPhone.
2. Tap the box-shaped tabs button at the bottom of your screen.
3. Tap “Edit” in the bottom-left corner.
4. Tap “Close All Tabs.”

How to close all Firefox tabs on your iPhone

1. Open the Firefox app on your iPhone.
2. Tap the tabs icon, which looks like a box with a number inside.
3. Tap the trash can symbol.
4. Select “Close All Tabs.”

How to close all Microsoft Edge tabs on your iPhone

1. Open the Microsoft Edge app on your iPhone.
2. Tap the tabs icon, which looks like a box with a number inside.
3. Choose the “Close All” option at the bottom of your screen.
4. Confirm that you want to close all the open tabs in the browser by tapping “Close.”

How to close all Brave tabs on your iPhone

1. Open the Brave app on your iPhone.
2. Tap and hold the tabs button, which looks like a box with a number inside and appears at the bottom of your screen.
3. Select “Close All Tabs.”

How to reopen a closed tab on your iPhone

Oops! One of the tabs you mass-closed is actually a page you need to read. Sometimes knowing how to close all tabs on iPhones can backfire. But don’t worryyou don’t have to be an Apple insider to know how to get it back. Here’s how:

How to reopen closed tabs on Safari

1. Tap the tabs icon, which looks like two overlapping boxes and appears in the bottom-left of your screen.
2. Tap and hold the “+” symbol.
3. In the list of recently closed tabs, tap on the web page you want to reopen.

How to reopen closed tabs on Chrome

1. Open the Chrome app on your iPhone.
2. Tap the “+” symbol.
3. Tap the three dots in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
4. From the icons at the top, select “Recent Tabs,” and tap it. (You may also see “Recent Tabs” on your homepage after hitting the plus sign.)
5. In the list of recently closed tabs, tap on the web page you want to reopen.

How to reopen closed tabs on Firefox

1. Open the Firefox app on your iPhone.
2. Tap the three lines in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
3. Select “History.”
4. Tap “Recently Closed.”
5. In the list of recently closed tabs, tap on the web page you want to reopen.

How to reopen closed tabs on Microsoft Edge

1. Open the Microsoft Edge app on your iPhone.
2. Tap on the tabs icon, which looks like a box with a number inside.
3. At the top of the screen, tap “Recent.”
4. In the list of recently closed tabs, tap on the web page you want to reopen.

How to reopen closed tabs on Brave

1. Open the Brave app on your iPhone.
2. Tap and hold the tabs icon, which looks like a box with a number inside.
3. Select “View Recently Closed Tabs.”
4. In the list of recently closed tabs, tap on the web page you want to reopen.

Learning how to close all tabs on iPhones is just the start of your smartphone mastery. We also have guides for other iPhone shortcuts, like how to delete iPhone apps and restart a frozen iPhone.

Sources:

• Apple: “Open and close tabs in Safari on iPhone”
• Google Chrome Help: “Use tabs in Chrome”
• Mozilla: “Use tabs in Firefox for iOS”
• Microsoft Support: “Microsoft Edge for mobile FAQs”
• Brave: “Close all tabs at one time”
• Association for Computing Machinery: “When Browsing Gets Cluttered: Exploring and Modeling Interactions of Browsing Clutter, Browsing Habits, and Coping”

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The post How to Close All the Tabs on Your iPhone—and Why You’ll Be So Glad You Did appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Fortunately, how to get more storage is a pretty straightforward process. Once you’ve sorted it out, scroll through our massive list of tech tips, including how to see who unfollowed you on instagram, texting abbreviations and how to screen record on an Android phone.

How to see what’s taking up space

Before you start deleting files, you should figure out what’s taking up so much space, and if you need it or not. Some Android phones have regular prompts to let you know if you haven’t used an app in a while, and if you don’t need that app, it’s pretty easy to decide that you can get rid of it.

For the most part, though, your photos and videos are taking up the most space on your Androidand they’re likely what you’ll want to keep for Instagram Stories. “Particularly with the quality of cameras on most phones these days, media tends to eat up a ton of spacemore than any other type of material, in most cases,” said JR Raphael, author and publisher of Android Intelligence.

Here’s another easy way to see what’s using up all your space on most Android phones (like the Samsung line):

• Go to Settings > Battery & Device Care > Storage. That will give you a visual list of your internal storage, including how much space your images, videos, audio files, documents installation files and apps are using.
• When you first get to the Device Care screen, you’ll see the amount of storage you have available.
• When you tap on Storage, it will show you how much you have already used and what you’ve used it for. This list will include Images, Videos, Audio files, Documents, Installation files (that will probably be 0%) and a few others. You can tap on each of these to explore the actual files (photos, videos, downloads and more) to see what you want to keep or delete.
• Another nice option in the Device Care screen is the ability to turn on Auto optimization. This will automatically keep your phone in the best condition possible by closing background apps and cleaning memory.

Ways to free up space on Android

There are several things you can learn about how to clear storage on your Android, and one easy place to start is with the Google Photos app. Raphael is a big fan of what he describes as “the excellent Google Photos service.” Depending on your phone, this could come preloaded or you’ll have to download the app. Raphael likes this service, since “it lets you back up all your photos and videos securely to your Google account and then access them from any device where you’re signed in, as if they were right there in front of you.” To keep your phone from being overloaded, once you back up your photos or videos to Google Photos, you can delete them from your phone.

Free up space on your Android phone using the Google Photos app

1. Once you have everything backed up to Google Photos, you can clear out any extra images or copies you have (do you really need 17 versions of that pancake pic?). That works with almost all Android phones, including Samsung phones.
2. If you’re using a Google-made Pixel phone, you’ll have even more options for managing your data. Click on Storage > Internal Shared Storage > Manage Storage, which will give you options to choose Smart Storage, which in turn removes backed-up photos when your storage is almost full. You can also do this manually.
3. If you’re new to using a Pixel phone, you’ll find that it’s really intuitive. Simply follow the prompts to take you from Storage to manual or automatic backups.

Free up space on your Android phone using the Google Files app

Raphael said another great tool to try is the Google Files app, which is free to download from the Play Store, if it isn’t already on your device. Google Files will help you browse files, clean up your phone and transfer files offline if needed.

1. Once you open Google Files for the first time, you’ll be asked for permission. Tap Allow.
2. You’ll see a screen called All Files Access, where you’ll have the ability to permit or deny access to files on your phone. Bear in mind that while some might seem familiar, some might belong to apps you deleted a while back.
3. To clean files (delete ’em!), go to Files by Google > Scroll down to Clean > tap Clean.

One important thing to keep in mind: The most recent update to the Google Files app doesn’t work seamlessly with all Android phones. You might have to download and then check to see if it works with your phone.

How to get more space

Now that your Android phone is all nice and tidy and free of clutter, you might want to set up backup systems. This can be anything from an external device to an SD micro card that you install in your phone. The extra storage lives in your phone, but not on your phone’s internal memory. That’s a smart move, so you can preempt your Android running out of space while you’re snapping zillions of pictures on your next vacay.

1. Use cloud storage. Cloud storage is a way of storing your computer or phone data externally, most often in off-site locations. You then use the internet to access your files and information. Raphael says that since support for external storage is becoming increasingly rare on most mobile devices, your best bet is really to rely on cloud storage. If you’re fine not keeping all your information in the exact same place (which is probably a good idea in general), Raphael suggests using Google Photos for your pictures and videos, YouTube Music or whatever streaming service you prefer for audio, and Google Drive or another cloud-based service for everything else.

2. Set automated backups for your cloud storage. Another way to keep your Android phone from getting too clogged is to use your favorite programs to automatically back up all your media. On an Android phone, the easiest way to do that would be with Google Photos. Once you open the app, you’ll be asked to sign in to your account. You’ll then see both upload and storage settings. You can choose to save your pics in high-quality or to upload backups only when using Wi-Fi. If you’re a fan of Microsoft products (that would be me) you can set all your photos to be directly uploaded to OneDrive (you’ll probably be initially prompted to choose to upload via WiFi or standard cellular service).

3. A bigger Secure Digital (SD) card. If your phone does support external memory cards, you can save your larger files there. While many people prefer using the card, some still like the idea of being able to remove an SD card if needed. You can also upgrade your storage from 32 GB to 128 GB or 256 GB to store even more.

Source:

• JR Raphael, author and publisher of Android Intelligence

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While Siri is undeniably usefuland has become an ever-present helper in the daily lives of many iPhone usersthere may be instances when you prefer not to have this smart assistant listening in. So whether you value your privacy, want to save battery life or simply find Siri’s suggestions distracting, we’ll show you how to turn off Siri and Siri suggestions on your iPhone so you can better customize your iPhone experience.

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How to turn off Siri

When you get a new iPhone, you’ll be prompted to set up Siri during the initial startup process. If you decline to do this, Siri is disabled by default. However, if you’ve set up Siri on your iPhone and now want to turn it off, it’s easy to do. Simply follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap on “Siri & Search.” It should be in the third group of Settings options.
3. On the next screen, toggle off the switch next to “Listen for ‘Hey Siri.'”

By turning off this feature, your iPhone will no longer respond to the “Hey Siri” wake phrase, effectively preventing Siri from listening for your voice. However, you can still activate Siri manually by pressing and holding the Side button (iPhone X or newer) or Home button (older iPhone models). Siri can also still be used with CarPlay when “Hey, Siri” is toggled off. To completely disable Siri, toggle off the “Press Side Button for Siri” option on this screen. Note that doing this will turn Siri off for all applications, including CarPlay.

Should you decide to reenable Siri, retrace the steps you performed above to toggle Siri back on. Siri will then be reactivated, and you can again enjoy the convenience of using Apple’s virtual assistant. Also, it’s never a bad idea to clean your iPhone’s charging port.

How to turn off Siri suggestions

Along with the aforementioned functions, Siri can provide suggestions to you in several ways. For instance, Siri can recommend apps, suggest keywords when you’re performing an online search or suggest contacts when you’re about to make a call or send a text message. While these can certainly be helpful, they can also be intrusive. If you find Siri’s suggestions on your iPhone distracting or prefer not to see them, you have a few ways to disable them. To start with, you can disable simple search suggestions by following these steps:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap on “Siri & Search.”
3. Locate “Show Suggestions” beneath “Before Searching” and toggle off the switch next to it.
4. Additionally, under “Suggestions from Apple,” you can toggle off the switches next to other categories like “Show when Sharing” or “Show when Listening” to disable specific Siri suggestions. You can also disable notifications for Siri suggestions entirely by toggling off “Allow Notifications.”

To turn off app-specific suggestions, you must disable Siri suggestions for each particular app. Here’s how to do this:

1. Scroll down to the bottom in the “Siri & Search” menu in the Settings app. You’ll find a list of every app Siri can interface with on your device.
2. Select the app for which you’d like to disable or modify Siri suggestions.
3. The available options will vary from app to app, but you can disable or modify Siri suggestions using the various toggles. For example, you can disable in-app search recommendations or prevent Siri suggestions from appearing on the Home Screen when that app is running in the background.
4. Additionally, you can prevent Siri from studying your app usage habits by disabling the “Learn from this App” toggle at the top when you select an app. This stops Siri from tracking usage of that particular app and tailoring suggestions based on your habits.

Note that the above steps must be followed for every app in which you want to disable Siri suggestions and other Siri actions. Following these steps, you can disable or customize Siri suggestions and benefit from a more personalized (and perhaps less intrusive) iOS experience.

While Siri can be an invaluable tool for many users, there are situations where you may prefer to turn it off temporarily or even permanently. Thankfully, Apple offers users a lot of control over their iPhone experienceas well as useful tricks. By disabling Siri and Siri suggestions on your iPhone, you can regain control over your device’s functionality and better protect your privacy by preventing Apple’s smart assistant from listening in. Ultimately, the choice is yours, and following the steps above should make it easy for you to tailor your iPhone’s virtual assistant experience to your preferences.

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The post How to Turn Off Siri on Your iPhone appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Thankfully, it’s easy to avoid. Below, we’ll explain the nature of this malware and its potential impact, show you how to protect yourself and offer up a few other iPhone security tips for iOS users to secure their devices.

What’s the new malware that’s targeting iPhones?

This newly discovered malware leverages a vulnerability within an attachment sent through iMessage. When an unsuspecting iPhone user receives such a text message, the security flaw within the attachment is triggered automatically, enabling the execution of malicious code without requiring any user interaction whatsoever.

By exploiting this weakness, the malware establishes a connection with a Command and Control server. This connection allows the malware to discover, access, and exploit additional vulnerabilities. This then grants the malware complete control over the targeted iOS device. With control of your iPhone, an attacker can access your contacts, accounts, apps, personal data, and even payment information if you’ve set up Apple Pay on your device.

How can I protect my iPhone from this malware?

The good news is that there’s an easy way to protect yourself against this malware. The most vital step to safeguard your device is to update your iPhone. Keeping the iOS firmware up to date equips you with the latest security patches, as Apple regularly releases security patches and updates to address new vulnerabilities. By ensuring your device is running the latest version of iOS, you significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to this malware and other mobile security threats.

Follow these steps to update your iOS firmware:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go to General and select Software Update.
3. If there’s an update available, tap “Download and Install.”
4. We also recommend enabling Automatic Updates if you haven’t done so already.

Since this malware exploits attachment vulnerabilities in iMessage without requiring user interaction, turning off automatic message previews is another step we suggest you take. This adds another level of security by preventing potentially malicious content from loading automatically. To turn off automatic message previews:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and select Messages.
3. In the Notifications section, toggle off the “Show Previews” option.

More iPhone security tips and tricks

The above steps will harden your iPhone against this new iMessage exploit, but that’s not the only security threat you should be wary of. Here are some additional iPhone security tips to protect your device against spyware, viruses, and other malicious code:

• Exercise caution with links: Always be wary of unfamiliar links received via text messages, emails, or social media platforms. Avoid clicking on suspicious links, which may lead to phishing websites or malware-infected pages.
• Handle attachments carefully: Be vigilant when opening attachments, especially from unknown sources. Malware can be disguised as innocent-looking files, such as documents or images. Verify the sender’s credibility before opening any attachments.
• Use Face ID in public: Set up your iPhone to always use Face ID in public. This prevents a would-be hacker from getting your iPhone passcode through “shoulder surfing” and potentially using that to access your device.
• Install reliable antivirus software: Consider installing a reputable antivirus app from the App Store. These apps can provide an extra layer of security by scanning for potential threats and offering real-time protection.
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Enabling two-factor authentication for your Apple ID adds a strong barrier to entry to both your Apple account and iPhone. 2FA ensures that if your password is compromised, unauthorized access will be hindered without the secondary authentication method, which the attacker likely does not have access to.

The fight against cybercrime is a constantly evolving arms race between hackers and those who thwart them. With this new malware threat targeting iPhone users, it’s crucial to remain vigilant and take preventative measures to protect your iOS devices. This is easy to do with a bit of diligence. By keeping your iOS firmware up to date, disabling automatic message previews, and exercising caution with links and attachments, you significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to this or any other malicious attack.

Source:

• SecureList by Kapersky: Operation Triangulation: iOS devices targeted with previously unknown malware

What Is Spyware?

Can Your Phone Catch a Virus?

Smartphone Security: Everything You Need to Know to Keep Your Phone Safe

The post There’s a New Threat Targeting iPhones—What You Need to Know appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Once you unleash the power of quiet mode, you’ll see the flood of benefits it brings to your mental well-being and time management. Not only will this handy new feature allow you to take control of bad social media habits, but it will also help you regain your precious time and create a more mindful online experience.

So grab your phone and get ready to dive into the serenity of the Instagram quiet mode tool. And for more tech tips, check out our comprehensive guide to what Instagram is and how it works, including how to use Instagram notes and Instagram Stories, and how to hide likes on Instagram.

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What is Instagram quiet mode?

Instagram’s quiet mode feature allows users to silence notifications on Instagram for up to 12 hours a day. By default, quiet mode runs from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., but you can customize your quiet mode hours.

While you can still browse your Instagram feed and send and receive messages while in quiet mode, your profile’s activity status will switch from a green active dot to a moon icon. Additionally, anyone who sends you a direct message while you’re in quiet mode will receive an automatic reply saying you are not receiving notifications during this time. When you turn the feature off, Instagram will share a quick summary of any new notifications or messages you might have missed.

If you think the concept sounds familiar, you’re not wrong. After all, what is Instagram quiet mode but the app’s version of “do not disturb”?

The feature can come in handy any time you need to focus and set boundaries with your social media use. For example, you might choose to activate Instagram quiet mode when you’re driving or meditating, watching a movie in a theater or interviewing for a new job. It can also be useful when you need to focus for long stretches of time, like when you’re working or studying. It might not provide a complete digital detox, but it’s a tool that can help you avoid the siren’s song of social media.

Right now, Instagram quiet mode is available for users in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, but there are plans in the works to make it available in more countries soon.

Understanding the concept of Instagram quiet mode is just the beginning. Below, we’ll show you how to enable and use this nifty tool. By the way, we’re only scratching the surface of all the hidden Instagram tricks you never knew aboutexplore features like Instagram vanish mode and the Add Yours Instagram sticker too.

How to turn on Instagram quiet mode

By now, you know the answer to “What is Instagram quiet mode?” It’s time to put the feature to good use! When you want to silence Instagram notifications temporarilysuch as while driving or attending an important work meetingyou can manually turn on the Instagram quiet mode feature. Just follow these steps:

1. Go to your profile by tapping the person icon in the bottom-right corner of your screen.
2. Tap the three-bar icon in the top-right corner.
3. Select “Settings and privacy.”
4. Tap “Notifications.”
5. Select “Quiet mode.”
6. Toggle the switch to the “on” position. When you’re ready to turn quiet mode off, toggle the switch back to the “off” position.

Bonus tip: Facebook has a quiet mode feature too, and it works the same way. You can also learn how to make Facebook private, how to hide friends on Facebook, how to make a Facebook post shareable and how to tell if someone blocked you on Facebook.

How to schedule Instagram quiet mode

You can enable Instagram quiet mode for regular, repeated periods of time, like during your usual work or study hours. To schedule recurring Instagram quiet mode hours, simply select the times you want the feature to turn on and off with these instructions:

1. Go to your profile by tapping the person icon in the bottom-right corner of your screen.
2. Tap the three-bar icon in the top-right corner.
3. Select “Settings and privacy.”
4. Tap “Notifications.”
5. Select “Quiet mode.”
6. Toggle the switch to the “on” position.
7. Tap next to “From” and choose the time you want quiet mode to start.
8. Tap next to “To” and choose the time you want quiet mode to end.

Instagram will automatically silence notifications during the period you selected for up to 12 hours a day.

That’s it! You’re now an expert and can easily answer “What is Instagram quiet mode?” Next, find out the answers to other commonly asked questions about Instagram, like whether you can see who views your Instagram, how to know if someone blocked you or unfollowed you on Instagram and what happens when you restrict someone on Instagram.

Sources:

• Meta Newsroom: “Instagram Quiet Mode: A New Way to Manage Your Time and Focus”
• Instagram Help Center: “How to use quiet mode on Instagram”

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The post What Is Instagram Quiet Mode—and How Can It Help You Focus? appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Several of these customization tools and options are relatively new following the recent release of iOS 16. If you’re unfamiliar with them, worry not: We’ve got you covered. We’ll guide you through the process of personalizing your home screen using widgets, custom icons and wallpapers. We’ll also provide some tech tips and additional iPhone tricks to help you get the most out of your device and make your iPhone reflect who you are.

Use widgets to enhance functionality and accessibility

Introduced with iOS 14, widgetswhich provide at-a-glance information like weather updates, news headlines or upcoming calendar eventsare one of the best iPhone hacks for customizing your home screen, and they provide lots of utility as well. Widgets enhance productivity by providing shortcuts to frequently used apps or specific app features, saving you time and effort because you don’t have to open the individual apps.

Here’s how you can create and utilize widgets to customize your iPhone home screen:

1. Press and hold an empty area of your home screen until the apps jiggle.
2. Tap the “plus” icon at the top-left corner to enter the widget gallery.
3. Scroll through the widget options, or use the search bar to find a specific one.
4. Tap on a widget to preview its available sizes and customization options.
5. Select the desired size and press “Add Widget” to place it on your home screen.
6. Drag the widget to your preferred location. To move existing widgets, long-press the screen until the apps jiggle, then drag the widget to the desired location.

Personalize your home screen with custom icons

Custom icons are another way to transform the aesthetic of your apps on the home screen, allowing you to match your iPhone interface with your unique style. You can do this via the official Shortcuts app. It may appear complicated at firstlike first learning how to screen record on an iPhonebut it’s quite simple. Here’s how to customize icons on your iPhone:

1. Any iPhone running iOS 13 or later should have the Shortcuts app, but if yours doesn’t, open the App Store and download it.
2. Open Shortcuts and tap the “plus” icon in the upper right corner. This brings you to the shortcut creation interface.
3. Tap “Add Action.” This will create a new action associated with this shortcut.
4. Tap “Scripting.” This will create a new script, which is the action this shortcut will perform when you tap on it.
5. Right at the top, you’ll see “Open App.” This is what we want this shortcut to do, so select it.
6. In the top bar, you’ll see “Open App” with the word “App” appearing as faded text on a button. Tap that “App” button and select the app you want this shortcut to open. The text should now read “Open [whichever app you selected].”
7. Tap the information icon at the bottom center of the screen. It’s a lowercase “i” in a circle.
8. Tap “Add to Home Screen.”
9. Under “Home Screen Name and Icon,” tap the green icon next to “Open App.” This brings up a little menu that allows you to take a photo or choose a picture from your Photos app to use as a custom icon for this shortcut.
10. You can also change the shortcut’s name to the app that it opens by tapping on the “Open App” text. Otherwise, the icon will appear with the default name “Open App” beneath it.

And that’s it. It seems like a lengthy process, but once you know what to do, it’s fairly quick and easy. Now you may be wondering where and how to get custom icons. There are several different ways to acquire custom icons to use with the Shortcuts app:

1. Search for “iOS icon packs” in the App Store.
2. Search online for custom icon packs. (Only download these from a trusted source.)
3. You can use pictures or photos you already have in your Photos app on your device.
4. Feeling creative? You can make your own icons on your iPhone by using the editing tools in the Photos app or any third-party imaging app you prefer.

Set the perfect background with custom wallpapers

Wallpapers can be just about anything, including pictures you’ve downloaded, photos you’ve taken and premade designs. If you customize your app icons, consider choosing a wallpaper that complements your custom icons or creates a visually appealing contrast. Changing your wallpaper is one of the best ways to customize your iPhone home screen, set your mood or showcase your favorite photos. After you’ve cleaned your iPhone charging port if you need to, here’s how to change your wallpaper:

1. Open the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
2. Tap “Wallpaper” and then “+Add New Wallpaper.”
3. You’ll be presented with options to choose from. You can open your Photos and select a picture, create a dynamic picture slideshow using Photo Shuffle or scroll down and browse a selection of premade wallpaper themes.
4. Select an image or wallpaper and adjust it to your preference (zoom in or out, drag to reposition, etc.).
5. Tap “Add” in the upper right corner.
6. You can select “Set as Wallpaper Pair” to apply the wallpaper to both your home screen and lock screen, or click “Customize Home Screen” for additional options.
7. A wallpaper set as a pair will be blurred on the home screen by default. If you tap “Customize Home Screen,” you’ll see an icon in the lower left corner that lets you turn this blur effect off.
8. You can further edit the picture using the controls at the bottom. You may also choose another photo for your home screen to set two different wallpapers (one on your lock screen and one on your home screen) for an even more customized experience.
9. If you want to change your wallpapers to a pair you had previously used, open the Wallpaper settings as you did in step 2. Your previous wallpapers will be saved. You can scroll through them and tap “Set as Current” at the top to use them again without having to repeat the previous steps.

More tips for customizing your iPhone home screen

Although widgets, custom icons and wallpapers are the primary tools to customize your iPhone home screen, there are other ways to do so as well. Here are some more iPhone tricks and tips to enhance your home screen:

• Organize your apps: Group similar apps into folders and hide apps you don’t use to declutter your home screen, make it easier to find what you need and put your most-used apps front and center. To create a folder, drag one app icon onto another and a folder will be automatically created.
• Use shortcuts: Along with creating custom icons to reflect your own aesthetic, you can leverage the Shortcuts app to create automated actions, personalized widgets or custom behaviors for various apps.
• Explore third-party customization apps: Open the App Store and explore apps like Widgetsmith, Color Widgets or Vellum for even more widget and wallpaper customization options.

Customizing your iPhone home screen allows you to tailor your device to your style preferences and showcase your creativity, while also making your iPhone experience more efficient and enjoyable. So don’t be afraid to poke through all the tools availableincluding how to share your location on your iPhoneand enjoy the endless possibilities to make your iPhone truly yours.

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The post How to Customize Your iPhone Home Screen to Show Off Your Style appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Not so fast. The blue light your iPhone emits can wreak havoc on your sleep. Studies show it can disrupt melatonin levels, as well as your circadian rhythm, both of which can leave you tossing and turning all night. To offset this, Apple offers an iPhone blue light filter along with a couple of iPhone tricks and iPhone hacks that can help you reduce the amount of blue light that reaches your eyes. You may have to fidget a bit with your smartphone accessibility settings, but once you’re there, you can even set up a custom iPhone shortcut to make it easier the next time you want to adjust things.

How does blue light affect your health?

Exposure to blue light during the day is actually beneficial; it keeps us awake, alert and able to think clearly. It also helps establish our circadian rhythmthe internal clock that regulates our sleep and wake cycles.

But when we’re exposed to blue light at night, it can disrupt our circadian rhythm, and consequently our sleep. Perhaps the biggest effect that nighttime exposure to blue light has is on the production of melatonin, a hormone your brain produces in response to darkness. Less darkness means less melatonin and less sleep.

But the health effects of a disrupted circadian rhythm go beyond sleep: Research has found that when it’s messed up on an ongoing basis, it can contribute to the development of cancer, as well as problems with your heart, digestion, reproductive health, mood and more. As if that wasn’t enough, blue light can also prematurely age your skin. Numerous studies have shown it can cause hyperpigmentation, or age spots and mottling.

What are blue light filters?

Blue light filters are tools or features designed to reduce the amount of blue light that smartphones, tablets, computers, TVs and other devices emit. Some of these devices have blue light filters built in that consumers can use to reduce their exposure to blue light at night. (It’s important to note, however, they don’t reduce digital eye strain.)

Typically, these filters adjust the color temperature of the light that reaches your eyes, making it a warmer color that’s less disruptive to sleep. Often, you can schedule them to activate at a certain time, or you can set them manually. Some experts recommend enabling your blue light filter at least two to three hours before bed.

Does the iPhone have a blue light filter?

The iPhone actually has two different ways of filtering blue light. One is a built-in feature called Night Shift (available on iPhone 5s and later), and the other is a setting that lets you switch the color of your display to red, ensuring that even less blue light gets through.

How effective are blue light filters?

The jury is still out on how effective blue light filters are. Early findings suggest:

• Enabling the iPhone blue light filter, known as Night Shift, did reduce blue light intensity by more than 80%, found a 2020 study. However, simply reducing brightness on the iPhone also reduced blue light intensity.
• People who used Night Shift before bed did not sleep any better or longer than people who did not use it, found a 2021 study.

How do you filter blue light on an iPhone?

Night Shift, the iPhone blue light filter that’s been studied by researchers, changes your screen’s display to warmer colors so it emits less blue light. That way, even if you can’t kick the habit of using your smartphone in bedor worse, you can’t stop doomscrollingyou can at least protect your health.

You can set up iPhone blue light filters in a few ways: schedule Night Shift to turn on and off at specific times; turn it on manually; or set it so that it operates from sunset to sunrise.

You can also go into Settings to enable a red light mode and eliminate even more blue light.

Here’s how to set these up.

Schedule Night Shift to turn on automatically

If you want to set it and forget it, follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings > Tap Display & Brightness.
2. Scroll down to “Night Shift” and tap the toggle (which currently reads “off”) to turn it on.
3. This takes you to a new screen, where you can select whether Night Shift should be scheduled or you want to turn it on manually.
4. To schedule it, tap the toggle switch on. You’ll land on a new screen, where you can see preselected hours of operation. If those are good, do nothing. You can also adjust the color temperature on this screen using the slider at the bottom.
5. If you’d like to change the hours that Night Shift operates, tap on them to go to another new screen.
6. On this screen, either select “Sunset to Sunrise” (Apple says it detects sunset and sunrise using your phone’s clock and geolocation) or specify the times by tapping next to “Turn On” and “Turn Off.”

Turn Night Shift on and off manually

If your schedule is not consistent, you may want to adjust the iPhone blue light filter manually, according to your varying bedtime. To do this, follow steps 1 through 4 above. Then:

1. Toggle on “Manually Enable Until Tomorrow.” You’ll see the screen change color instantly. You can then adjust the Color Temperature slider to “less warm” or “more warm,” according to your preferences.

Turn Night Shift on and off with one press

You can turn Night Shift on easily via the Control Center too.

1. Open Control Center.
2. Press and hold the brightness icon.
3. You’ll see a Night Shift button at the bottom of the screen. Press it to turn the iPhone blue light filter on or off.

Use the red light filter

If you want to block out even more blue light, turn on its color opposite: red light.

1. Open Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size
2. Scroll down to Color Filters and toggle it on.
3. Here, you’ll see a row of colored “pencils” and a toggle switch for Color Filters. Toggle it on.
4. You’ll see a choice of filters. Select “Color Tint.” Your screen will now appear pink.
5. Adjust the Intensity slider so it’s at the far right (maximum) position. Your screen should now be red.

Other ways to filter blue light

While the iPhone blue light filter is handy, you can also reduce your blue light exposure with other products, like a blue-blocking screen protector you can pop on your phone.

Blue light eyeglasses, widely available over the counter, can help filter out blue light without affecting your vision. (If you wear prescription lenses, however, you may need to ask your eye doctor for blue-blocking lenses in your Rx.)

Sources:

• Chronobiology International: “Systematic review of light exposure impact on human circadian rhythm”
• Journal of Biophotonics: “The inner clockBlue light sets the human rhythm”
• Middle East African Journal of Ophthalmology: “The Effect of a Screen Protector on Blue Light Intensity Emitted from Different Hand-held Devices”
• Brigham Young University: “Is Night Shift really helping you sleep better?”

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The post You Can Filter Blue Light on Your iPhone for a Better Night’s Sleep appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Your car is constantly listening, collecting and recording information on you, and in a world full of smart everythingtelevisions, kitchen appliances, speakersthere’s no question that the internet is spying on us. The more apps you use for ordering groceries, saving money on gas, budgeting and even meditating, the more you’re being tracked.

“If you use CarPlay, for example, then Apple has a record of everything you’re doing in your vehicle, and the same is true with Android,” explains Jean-Paul Schmetz, digital privacy expert and CEO at Ghostery, a company that provides privacy-focused products.

What kind of information could your car have stored about you?

Your car knows your name, home and work addresses, garage door codes, phone number and email, as well as where you are, where you’ve been and where you’re going. Cars with microphones and cameras collect voice recordings, and all the data from devices you connect to the vehicle is also collected, which means your text messages, call records, mapped locations, etc.

“All the apps you use in the car collect their own information about your habits and activitieslike Apple or Google Maps, Spotify, etc.,” Schmetz says. “Unlike on your desktop or mobile browser where you can install specific ad-blocking or anti-tracking software, it is very difficult to block your personal data from leaving the car, so the best thing you can do is go into the settings of all the apps on your devices and manually remove your consent for collecting and using your information.”

How is this information used?

The truth is, we don’t know exactly how our information is being cataloged and used. “You need to operate under the assumption that the data your car collects about you will be used in a variety of different ways you cannot control or remove consent from later on,” Schmetz says. “This data is often sold to advertisers but could also be sold to insurers or other third-party businesses that may have interest in it.”

How do I delete my data from my car?

Deleting the data your car collects isn’t as simple as wiping your information off your iPhone. “You’ll need to find the right setting in the maze of ‘Menu’ items that allows you to remove your consent to be tracked and hope manufacturers respect that choice,” Schmetz says. “There’s no benefit for the manufacturers if you do this, so be prepared to not find a ‘Do Not Collect’ option easily available.”

Source:

• Jean-Paul Schmetz, digital privacy expert and CEO at Ghostery

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The post Is Your Car Spying On You? appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Apple recently announced some new and more advanced accessibility features, including one which uses machine learning to replicate your voice. The feature is called Personal Voice and will help people with limited speaking abilities use a synthesized voice for communication. Here’s everything we know about Personal Voice, including when you can expect to see it, and some details about the other new accessibility features Apple is bringing to its devices this year.

What is Personal Voice and how does it work?

Personal Voice is part of the new on-device accessibility technologies Apple is rolling out this year. It’s designed to work with Live Speech, another of the new accessibility features Apple recently previewed. Live Speech allows users to type something and have the iPhone, iPad or MacBook read it aloud. It can be used during FaceTime calls and in-person communications, making it a useful tool for the speech-impaired.

The new Personal Voice feature enhances this experience by allowing you to customize Live Speech with a synthesized version of your voice. Personal Voice uses machine learning to recreate the sound of a person’s voice for use during Live Speech, allowing speech-impaired users to connect with friends and family in a personalized way.

How to enable Personal Voice

The catch with Personal Voice is that it requires a vocal sample of the user to recreate the person’s voice. Unfortunately, this cannot be done with a pre-recorded voice sample; it requires the device owner to read along with a prompt for 15 minutes. This means that those unable to speak cannot set up Personal Voice. However, they will still be able to use the Live Speech text-to-voice function.

We don’t yet have detailed information on how to enable Live Speech and Personal Voice, but Apple gave us a preview of how users can set it up. Once these features arrive on Apple devices later this year, they will most likely be found in the Settings app under “Accessibility.” There, you should be able to enable and set up Live Speech and Personal Voice for use on your iPhone or iPad.

Other new accessibility features from Apple

Apple announced other new accessibility features coming to their devices along with Live Speech and Personal Voice sometime this year. Here are two new tools users can look forward to, as well as some changes to existing accessibility features:

1. Assistive Access: This feature simplifies popular apps and combines them into a single, intuitive, easy-to-use interface. Assistive Access allows the user to synchronize Phone, Messages, FaceTime, Camera, Photos and Music into a single Calls app. This combined interface also utilizes high-contrast icons and large, easy-to-read text, offering a heavily streamlined user experience for individuals who may prefer a less complicated communication interface.
2. Point and Speak: This is a new function built into the Magnifier app. It makes it easier for those with impaired vision to use certain objects with text, such as buttons. Point and Speak can use input from the camera and LiDAR scanner on an iPhone or iPad to “read” text labels aloud as the user interacts with an object (for example, the keypad controls on a kitchen appliance). Point and Speak will also be used with other Magnifier functions, such as Door Detection and Image Descriptions, allowing those with vision disabilities to interface more easily with their environment using audio cues.
3. Made for iPhone hearing devices: Hearing aid devices compatible with iPhones and iPads will soon be compatible with Mac computers.
4. Voice Control: Users who use voice-to-text will be automatically presented with phonetic suggestions for words that sound alike, such as “there” and “their,” so it’s easier to choose the correct term when communicating.
5. Pause moving images: Users can set their devices to automatically pause moving images, such as GIFs, in Messages and Safari. This is useful for those who may be sensitive to rapid animations.

Source:

• Apple: “Apple introduces new features for cognitive accessibility, along with Live Speech, Personal Voice, and Point and Speak in Magnifier”

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The post Everything You Need to Know About Apple’s Personal Voice Feature appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Turns out, you canand without breaking any email etiquette rules. But just like when you’re unsending a text message, you need to act fast. Luckily, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about how to unsend an email using Outlook, Gmail and other platforms in one easy-to-find place. While you’re poking around your inbox, learn how to use Outlook read receipts and Gmail hacks to save time and get organized.

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Can you unsend an email?

Many email platforms, including Outlook and Gmail, allow you to unsend or recall an email after sending it. You should keep a few caveats in mind, though. For starters, the unsend feature may not work if the recipient has already opened the email or if you wait too long to unsend it. Both Outlook and Gmail give you a set amount of time after you send an emailusually a period of between five and 30 secondsto unsend it. After that, the feature is disabled.

In Outlook, you also may not be able to unsend an email message that was sent to non-Outlook users. The message-recall feature is available only if both you and the recipient have a Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Exchange email account in the same organization. That means you won’t be able to recall a message sent to a recipient using Gmail, Yahoo or any other email platform. Fortunately for Gmail users, their accounts do not have this limitation.

Can you unsend or edit an email in Yahoo?

iPhone users with Yahoo email accounts can unsend emails through Yahoo’s iOS app. To use this handy iPhone hack, just follow a couple simple steps:

1. After you press “Send,” look for an “Undo” button that’ll appear at the bottom of your inbox feed.
2. Tap it to unsend the email.

The bad news? Yahoo doesn’t allow users to unsend an email message through its Android or desktop apps. But fear notif you have a Yahoo email account, you can sign in to your email account through a platform like Spike, Mailbird or Apple Mail to unsend emails.

How to unsend an email in Outlook

To use the Outlook shortcut to recall sent emails, follow these instructions for your device:

On PCs

1. Open Outlook and navigate to the “Sent Items” folder.
2. Double-click on the email you want to unsend.
3. In the menu bar at the top of your screen, click on “Message.”
4. Click “Actions.”
5. Select “Recall This Message” from the drop-down menu. (If you don’t see “Recall This Message,” your account probably does not support the unsend feature.)
6. Choose to delete the message or unsend it and replace it with a new message.
7. Click “OK.”

On Macs

Outlook doesn’t allow Mac users to completely recall an email the way a PC user would. But you can enable an “Undo send” feature that gives you a brief window of time to unsend an email. (Heads up: This works on the web version of Outlook that you can use on your Mac but not the Outlook desktop app for Macs.)

1. Go to Settings in the upper-right corner of the page.
2. Select “View All Outlook Settings.”
3. In the menu of settings options, click “Compose and Reply.”
4. Scroll down to find the “Undo Send” option.
5. Click and hold the notch on the slide bar to set the length of time (from zero to 10 seconds) you’ll have to undo a message after sending.
6. Select “Save.”
7. When you want to undo a sent message, click the “Undo” button that appears for the allotted time period you selected.

On Android phones

1. Open the Outlook app on your smartphone and tap the “Sent” folder.
2. Find the email you want to unsend and tap on it to open it.
3. Tap on the three-dot icon in the upper right-hand corner of your screen.
4. In the drop-down menu, tap on “Recall Message.”
5. Choose to delete the message or unsend it and replace it with a new message.
6. Tap on “Recall.”

And if you want to recall a message from the Outlook app on an iPhone? You’re not completely out of luck. While Outlook’s iOS app does not allow users to recall or unsend a message, email platforms with iOS apps, like Spike, Mailbird or Apple Mail, offer an “undo send” feature and are compatible with Outlook accounts. They’re good options for iPhone users who want the option to unsend emails.

By the way, you can also make the most of your smartphone’s messaging features by learning how to hide texts, forward texts, retrieve deleted text messages and create an anonymous text.

How to unsend an email in Gmail

The steps for how to unsend an email using Gmail are the same no matter what type of computer or smartphone you’re using. Whether you’re on a Mac or PC, iPhone or Android, use this Gmail trick:

1. Look for the “Message sent” bar at the bottom of your screen.
2. Click the “Undo” button next to “Message sent.”
3. You will see a notification confirming the message was unsent.

How will you know if your email has been unsent?

When you unsend an email in Gmail, you’ll see a notification that says “Sending undone” once the process is complete. The unsent email will also appear in your drafts, so you can edit and resend the message when you’re readyor delete that mistaken message altogether. (Hint: These Gmail shortcuts will save you time as you navigate your inbox.) If you have passed the allotted time to undo a sent message, though, the “Undo” button will disappear.

Outlook users with PCs or Android phones will receive an email notification titled “Message Recall Report for message [original message subject line]” a few seconds after submitting a recall request. Click on the link titled “View Message Recall Report” to open and read the report. If the recall request doesn’t work right away, Outlook will continue to try to unsend the message for up to 24 hours before notifying you that the request has failed. You won’t get this feature for Outlook on Macs and iPhones, though.

Can you edit an email in Outlook or Gmail?

You can edit a sent email messagebut only in a roundabout way. So, why would you want to? Well, the obvious answer is that your email has a typo that only became apparent after hitting the “Send” button. (Pro tip: You can turn off autocorrect if it’s often the culprit of your typos.)

While it would be handy to edit an email like editing a text message, it’s unfortunately not that simple. Sending an email delivers it to the recipient’s inbox, where you won’t be able to access and edit it.

That’s why it helps to know how to unsend an email. When you recall or unsend a message, it doesn’t end up in the recipient’s inbox, so you can still edit and resend it if you notice a typo. Just follow the instructions above for how to unsend an email on Outlook or Gmail, then correct the mistake and hit “Send” again.

Heads up: We can help you with other commonly asked questions about your email too. So if you’re getting a lot of spam emails in your inbox, learning how to block emails can protect your email from hackers.

Sources:

• Microsoft Support: “Recall or replace an email message that you sent”
• Google Support: “Send or unsend Gmail messages”
• Yahoo: “Updates on iOS & Android: Spice Up the Emails You Want to Send and Unsend the Ones You Don’t”
• Apple Support: “Unsend emails with Undo Send in Mail on Mac”
• Apple Support: “Unsend email with Undo Send in Mail on iPhone”

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The post Can You Unsend an Email After Hitting “Send” Too Soon? appeared first on Reader's Digest.

What is a Tile Mate?

At its simplest, the Tile Mate is a square-shaped gadget that syncs to your phone to keep track of your belongings. Thanks to its wireless functions, it works on everything from keys to bags to luggage to keep you connected to just about anything. Using an app on your mobile device, the Tile Mate locates whatever it’s connected to, and it also works in reverse to find your phone.

While the Airtag only works with Apple products, you can connect the Tile Mate to the Tile app, which is compatible with iOS and Android devices, Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Siri. The gadget is water-resistant and comes with a three-year, non-replaceable battery. While the battery claims to be good for only three years, Tile also has other models with longer battery life (rechargeable options are available from other brands).

Theres a community within the Tile Network, in case the Tile Mate gets lost. By upgrading to a Premium plan, which costs $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year, your Tile will send an alert if you’re about to leave something behind. The Premium Protect plan, which will set you back about $100 a year, offers a $1,000 reimbursement if you lose the Tiled item. You can still use the Tile without any plan at all, though you’ll find extra benefits by subscribing.

Less than two inches in height and width, the gadget comes in matte black and white with a hole to connect to a backpack, keychain or other spot.

Highlights

Pros

• Allows you to track items through a mobile app or Smart Device
• Also has cell phone tracking capabilities
• Features a range of up to 250 feet
• Connects to Tile Network
• Small build doesn’t take up much space
• 27,000 Amazon ratings and a 4.5-star average

Cons

• The battery is non-replaceable
• Premium plans are an extra cost

Shop Now

How to use the Tile Mate

Download the Tile app on your mobile device and connect to the Tile Mate. The app will ping the Tile when its within Bluetooth range up to 250 feet. Similar to the Find My Phone feature on iPhones, the app will also let you know the tracker’s most recent location on a map. A Smart Home device can also track the Tiles whereabouts.

Choose from a variety of jingles and ringtones for the Mate’s default sound. One of its greatest features is that the Tile Mate works in reverse: double tap the Tile and itll ping your phones location.

Attach the Tile Mate to your keys as a keychain, pop it in your work bagor slip it in your luggage. There are so many other places to add it, including strollers, wallets, dog collars and more. However you use it, you can rest assured that your belongings are always within reach (or at least reachable).

The tracker is also a helpful gadget for those with memory issues, such as dementia or Alzheimers. Losing something can be a frustrating experience, but the Tile Mate is a friend to the forgetful.

Some reviewers say the apps ping sound is loud enough to hear in a crowded room or from far away. And you can add contact information through the QR code. If the Tile Mate gets lost, someone can scan the QR code and figure out where to return it.

The best Amazon reviews

With over 20,000 five-star ratings and a 4.5-star average rating, the Tile Mate is a favorite for people on the go.

Five-star reviewer Kiara recommends the Tile Mate to everyone she works with. I work at a bank so if someone loses their keys it’s a big no-no. Or if you lose your apartment keys theres always a fee, she writes. Best to avoid those by purchasing a Tile! I do pay the $2 subscription to remind me when I leave home without them and it’s so helpful!

Irene Surrat bought one to keep on her son-in-law’s only car key fob. “Replacements are hard to get and expensive. Fear of losing only one was nerve-wracking. Now he has this on it, he never has to worry. He said getting it set up was easy,” she writes.

In one five-star Tile Mate review, verified purchaser Mo says it saved them from losing their purse and everything in it. This purchase was essential! I accidentally left my purse in a shopping cart and drove home before I noticed, someone from the store found my Tile and scanned it. I called the store and they brought it out for me when I drove back!” they explain. “I am so thankful for this!

Where to buy a Tile Mate

The Tile Mate is available on Amazon and Target, or directly from the Tile website. Never lose a set of keys again.

Shop Now

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The post Never Lose Your Keys Again With This Clever $25 Tool appeared first on Reader's Digest.