Latest Software How-To Stories
SEE SOFTWARE STORIES BY CATEGORY
Updated
Three privacy tools that block your Internet provider from tracking you
The government may soon allow your ISP to sell your browsing data. Here's how to fight back.Smart Mobile Tricks
5 handy things the Photos app can do with your iPhone snapshots
These tips will help you find best features Photos has to offer—draw shapes, write captions, publish a gallery online, un-delete a trashed photo, and more.Hassle-Free PC
How to keep a private stash of bookmarks in Chrome
Hush for Chrome lets you stash some bookmarks that can only be used in incognito mode.Smart Mobile Tricks
6 ways to maximize the Android phone dialer
Rearrange your speed-dial contacts, get phone numbers for nearby businesses, send annoying callers straight to voicemail, duck spam calls, and more.How-To
Microsoft OneNote for beginners: Everything you need to know
OneNote is the Great Organizer of Microsoft programs, ready to take almost any kind of content and make it available across multiple platforms. Here's how to get started.Max Productivity
3 tools that easily unsubscribe you from emails
Email subscriptions can quickly overwhelm your inbox. Use these services to clean up the mess.Hassle-Free PC
How to create an icon-only bookmarks bar in your browser
Maximize the space on you bookmarks bar by removing the text.Max Productivity
How to get notifications of specific Gmail messages on your Android phone
Try this trick to stay on top of important email while staying out of your inbox.How-To
How to use Process Explorer, Microsoft’s free, supercharged Task Manager alternative
Microsoft's Process Explorer is a powerful utility that makes the built-in Windows Task Manager obsolete. Here's how to use it.Smart Mobile Tricks
8 handy things to do with your new Google Assistant
From telling it what to call you to playing tic-tac-toe, here are some nifty ways to get started with your new Assistant.Hassle-Free PC
How to use the Skype Chrome extension to quickly add Skype call links to calendar entries
The Skype extension for Chrome lets you add call links to your calendar entries on Google and Outlook.com.Max Productivity
4 of the best Windows 10 app launchers for increasing your productivity
Add one of these to your desktop to more quickly open programs, find important files, search the web, and more.Smart Mobile Tricks
8 Android app shortcuts that are actually useful
Save yourself some taps while freeing up storage space, creating reminders, scanning receipts, recording audio notes, and more.Max Productivity
3 Windows text expanders that take the tedium out of typing
These apps let you easily insert commonly used phrases and sentences with just a few keystrokes, saving you time and effort.Hassle-Free PC
How to jazz up your Firefox new-tab page with the upcoming Activity Stream feature
Try Activity Stream before it's built in to Firefox later in the year.Updated
Excel logical formulas: 12 simple IF statements to get started
This is where the number-crunching fun starts. Learn the ins and outs of the logical formulas that represent the heart of Excel.Hassle-Free PC
Skype like a boss with these hidden chat commands
Skype has several powerful slash commands you should know about.Answer Line
How Babelsoft Media Preview reveals less-common file types in Explorer
Babelsoft Media Preview is the answer for revealing less-common multimedia files that Windows Explorer's own Preview tool doesn't support.Hassle-Free PC
How to use Mentions in Windows 10’s Mail app
Microsoft recently rolled out its Mentions feature to the Windows 10 Mail app. Here's how it works.Hassle-Free PC
How to force Cortana to use your default browser
A little program called EdgeDeflector lets you pair Cortana with the browser and search engine of your choosing.Hassle-Free PC
Three steps to make managing passwords easier
Dealing with passwords will probably never be painless, but you can at least simplify the process.World Beyond Windows
How to easily keep your cloud files private with Rclone
Want to use Google Drive or Dropbox storage and still keep your data private? The Rclone command-line tool adds a reassuring layer of security.Max Productivity
How to make Word custom bullet points to enhance your documents
Word's built-in bullet points can give boring reports a bit of bling, but you can do even more by creating custom bullets from an image file. Here's how.Hassle-Free PC
Quickly scan your Gmail inbox with website favicons
Gmail Sender Icons is a handy Chrome extension that puts each sender's website favicon in the subject line.Smart Mobile Tricks
6 gotta-know Spotify tips for Android and iOS
Save Spotify radio stations for offline listening, snip out the gaps between songs, keep the music playing when your playlist runs out, and more.Updated
4 ways to block political posts on Facebook
Maybe you've made a political post or two (or more) on Facebook, or maybe you're trying to hide from them. Here's how to silence the noise.Hassle-Free PC
Three ways to restrict OneDrive uploads in Windows 10
Sometimes you need a break from the cloud when your internet connection isn't the greatest.Updated
Chromebook power tips: How to work smarter online and offline
Bet you don’t know everything Chrome OS can do. Here’s what it offers, from keyboard shortcuts to Chromecast capers—and a surprising amount of offline productivity.Max Productivity
Why extracting images from Word is so hard, with 3 decent workarounds
Extracting images from Word is not a simple cut-and-paste proposition. We explain why it's so hard and show you the pros and cons of the workarounds.Smart Mobile Tricks
5 alternative (and easier) ways to unlock your Android phone
You can set your Android phone to unlock itself when it's in your pocket, while you're near a certain location, when it hears your voice, and more.Hassle-Free PC
How to judge the time commitment of your next video game
Video games require a lot of time to complete. HowLongToBeat.com can help you figure out how much time to set aside for each game you play.Max Productivity
3 great email app alternatives to Windows Mail: Mailbird, eM Client and Inky
Windows 10's default Mail app isn't the best option for unruly inboxes. Try one of these instead.Hassle-Free PC
How to browse Netflix’s hidden categories
Netflix Categories for Chrome is an easy way to browse the video site without searching.Smart Mobile Tricks
6 essential settings to make your iPhone and iPad display easier on the eyes
Make text larger, or just bolder. Zoom in on all of the screen or just parts. And finally get buttons to look like buttons again, with these helpful tips for iOS 9 and later.Hassle-Free PC
Gmail is dumping Windows XP and Vista, now what?
Gmail is turning its back on Windows XP and Vista as the lights slowly go out on Microsoft's aging and unsupported operating systems.Smart Mobile Tricks
The safest ways to lend someone your Android phone
You can let people borrow your device without revealing your open apps, browser tabs, or personal data.Max Productivity
3 great Read It Later apps for saving articles and other content
Capture and curate articles and videos for later viewing with these bookmarking tools.Hassle-Free PC
How to switch to Chrome’s Material Design settings page for an easier experience
Google has yet to make the Material Design settings page standard, but you really should switch to it now.Smart Mobile Tricks
How to get iOS-style VIP alerts in Gmail for Android
Keep the Gmail alerts on your Android phone quiet except for messages from your hand-picked inner circle.Max Productivity
The Evernote email trick everyone should use: How to forward emails automatically
You can email notes straight to Evernote, no muss, no fuss, assuming you have a paid plan. Here's how to set up the email addresses and filters to make this process automatic.Updated
How to change Windows 10’s default web browser to Chrome, Firefox, or Opera
Windows 10 pulls a nasty trick when you upgrade: It sets your default web browser to Edge, even if you opted for Chrome or Firefox in Windows 7 or 8. Here's how to change it back.Updated
If we show you how to back up your PC for free, will you finally do it?
What's it gonna take? These free backup tools are a good start.Smart Mobile Tricks
7 ways to make the most of Google Keep for Android and iOS
Add narration to a doodle, color-code your notes, share a note with a friend, save selections from a web page, and more.Max Productivity
4 simple note-taking apps for Windows 10
When you want to quickly capture simple information, Evernote and OneNote can be overkill. Reach for one of these no-frills note takers instead.Max Productivity
Excel Date and Time functions: WEEKNUM, ISOWEEKNUM, WORKDAY, WORKDAY.INTL
Bookkeepers, project managers, HR departments and more use the Excel Date & Time functions WEEKNUM, ISOWEEKNUM, WORKDAY, WORKDAY.INTL to calculate time. Here's how.Max Productivity
PowerPoint tips from Duarte’s Five Rules Presentation
Duarte's Five Rules is a classic PowerPoint presentation that can make you an instant expert. Study the slides and read these tips to learn more.Hassle-Free PC
How to change the ‘Hey, Cortana’ wake word in Windows 10
Microsoft doesn't let you personalize Cortana's wake word, but this third-party program does.How-To
How to turn off Chrome notifications and stop websites from bugging you
Stop notification overload by shutting websites down in Chrome.Smart Mobile Tricks
How to mirror Android SMS alerts on an iOS device
With the help of a clever app, you can create an "applet" that will trigger an iOS alert whenever your Android device gets a text message.Max Productivity