Passkeys vs. Passwords, a reader asks… I’ve been seeing that websites now want me to add a passkey to my login. I use Gmail on my PC and on my iPhone. Every once in a while Chrome wants me to verify my identity, and asks me to create a passkey. Should I do this? The short answer is yes, but read on. Passkeys are a 2-factor authentication method we can use to verify our identity with websites and other entities. […]
Windows 11 Upgrade? A reader asks… I have a Windows 10 computer, and ran PC health, which says my computer is eligible for Windows 11. I’m not sure how to update to Windows 11. Any advice? You should run Windows Update and look at the screen after the update checker completes. You should see a blue button labeled “Download and Update” in a box that says “Upgrade to Windows 11 is ready–and it’s free!” At this point, no compatible Windows […]
Access to Google Docs or Sheets: a reader asks… I have a verizon email address I use for most things, and also a gmail account. Recently, I signed up to work with someone on some volunteer efforts, and I signed up using my verizon email account. Unfortunately, the volunteer work involves working with some spreadsheets and documents, and they gave me links to those, which are google sheets and docs. I can’t access them. I’m using Chrome. What’s wrong? What’s […]
Unwanted Gmail AI Help: a reader asks… I use Gmail and recently a new text show up in my Compose window. it says “Press / for Help me write”. If I start typing my email it disappears, but shows on all new emails I start. Is there a way to get rid of it? Google’s version of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is called Gemini, and Google is rolling out Gemini-integrated features to all its platforms. What you’re seeing is Gemini offering […]
Apple Updates: a reader asks… I seem to be constantly bombarded with updates to my technology. I have an iPhone and iPad, and just got told to update to 26.2. My question is, how much of a priority is this? Can’t I put this off for awhile? Generally, you should update your technology devices anytime an update becomes available. That doesn’t necessarily mean drop everything and do the update now, but it does mean you should do it at the […]
Accented Letters in Word: a reader asks… Not often, but every once in a while, I have to type a word (using Word) that’s in another language, like French, German, or Spanish. I’m not trying to translate anything, but I do want to have those special letters like the o with two dots over it, or an eyebrow over an a or e. I know the menu system has a Symbols toolbox, but it has a very long list of […]
Data Removal Services Redux, a reader asks… Do you have data removal service you use / recommend? I read this Wirecutter article, “The Best Data Removal Service Can Help You Scrub Your Internet Presence” at https://share.google/snbiFvu5WwCL3g3OE. Sorry, I don’t have a recommendation for you. I last wrote about this back in April (see my articles, “Data Removal Services” and “More Data Removal Services Info”), and I don’t think the situation has changed significantly. The only changes I see are a) more data […]
Windows 11 Start Menu Shortcuts: a reader asks… I’ve been wondering about this for a while. Where are the shortcuts for my start menu items? I know I can pin menu items to my Start menu and also to my Taskbar. However, if I want to create a shortcut on my desktop to a program that’s on my Start menu, there doesn’t seem to be a way to do so in Windows 11. Can you point me in the right […]
Chrome Profiles: a reader asks… Can do! With Chrome open, click the three vertical dots on the top-right of the window. That brings up a Chrome menu. That will open a new window titled “Set up your new Chrome profile” with a blue sign-in button. Click that and log in to your spouse’s Google account. After completing the login, you’ll see a second profile in the Chrome menu (click the > to view the first sub-menu). Also on that sub-menu, […]
Windows 10 Bu-Bye? a reader asks… I still have a Windows 10 computer I’m using for day-to-day work. Now that Windows 10 is kaput, am I at risk? In a word, yes. As of October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide updates for Windows 10 (see caveat below). This has been well-publicized for over a year now. There is a free upgrade path to Windows 11 if your current PC is compatible, but most PCs that are over five […]
Windows Update? A reader asks… I have a Windows 11 desktop PC and follow your advice to check for updates regularly. I read that Microsoft released the update 25H2 on September 30th. I checked my system, and I’m still on 24H2. I ran Windows Update, but it didn’t show the 25H2 update. What should I do to get the latest update? Microsoft rolls out these major Windows updates gradually, for two good reasons: First, the early rollout ‘victims’ can report […]
Windows 11 Screenshotting: a reader asks… I read your article Screenshots of my PC, and that’s good info, but I have a fairly new Windows 11 PC. Has your recommendation changed? What should I use to capture a screenshot of my PC, either a window or the whole screen. And, can I also capture a video of that screen? Yes, with Windows 11, a third-party screen capture utility is not needed; Microsoft has built that capability right into Windows, called […]
iPhone Messages in iCloud? A reader asks… On my iPhone (14 Pro), I got a new pop-up in the Messages app, asking me to “Turn on Messages in iCloud”. I’m not sure if I should do this. Can you tell me what this does and if I should do it or not? I don’t have a Mac, but I do use an iPad and my Apple watch. And finally, if I store my messages in iCloud, can I trust Apple […]
Chrome Update or Alternative? A reader asks… I recently saw a browser vulnerability report that urgently recommended I update Chrome to fix four critical vulnerabilities. I generally let the auto-updates do their thing, but is this something I need to jump on right away? And is there a better alternative to Chrome where I don’t need to always be updating the darn thing? Anytime you hear about an urgent update to any software you use, you should take action to […]
Apple Watch Calling Tip: a reader asks… I have an iPhone (15 Pro) and an Apple Watch (series 10). A lot of times I get a call when the phone is in my pocket, so I answer it on my watch. All well and good, but often I’m talking to my wrist and need more call privacy, so I pull out my phone. Is there an easy way to switch the call from my watch to my phone? Here’s an […]
Crashed Hard Drive Options? A reader asked… My ASUS Windows 10 computer died last Sunday while I was on a Zoom call. I didn’t have my charger, and the battery died. After plugging it back in, I tried the power button, but nothing happened. I took it to a computer repair shop (and also bought a new computer, as the old one was six years old). The shop claims they couldn’t transfer my personal data to the new computer, citing […]
iPhone Missing Photos: a reader asked… Something very peculiar has been happening with my phone. For the first time in over 11 years of having some variant of the iPhone, random pictures seem to be disappearing into thin air (the entire year of 2020, the second half of 2023, and 2019, etc.). I didn’t notice this issue until the past couple of months. Troubleshooting I’ve done so far: 1) All of my recent 2024-2025 photos seem to be OK, and […]
Windows 11 Hiding Notification Icons: a reader asks… I recently upgraded my computer to Windows 11. I take your advice and always show all icons in the notification tray (bottom-right of the screen). This was easy to set in Windows 10, but with Windows 11, new icons get hidden automatically. Even icons I’ve previously set to show get hidden when they’re updated. I have to go into the Windows Taskbar settings menu and individually switch each hidden icon back to […]
Google Search Results? A reader asks… I’ve noticed recently that when I search for something using Google, the results page now gives me what looks like an answer to my search terms before it lists websites that have information on them. Is this AI and should I give it serious consideration, or scroll down to actual websites for information? Yes it is an AI overview that examined your search terms and came up with an answer for you, using “generative […]
Update Ad Nauseum: a reader asks… Why does my computer and all my technology devices constantly need updating? Am I buying lousy products? Can’t the manufacturers do a better job designing their devices? In a (near) perfect world, we would buy a product and it would work for its entire service life without trouble. And that service life would be long (years, decades?) and trouble-free. But we live in reality and life factors require that consumer technology products need near-constant […]
Test your Personal CyberSecurity Savvy: a reader asked… I think I’m pretty good at keeping my online accounts safe, I use good passwords, MFA wherever it’s available, and don’t respond to spam emails or any warnings where they give a phone number to call. Is there anything else I should do? Actually, there are a lot of things to do and to avoid doing. I think one of the best ways for you (and everyone) to get a reality check […]
Lost Access to My Facebook! a reader asks… Help! I lost access to my Facebook account when I switched to a new iPhone. I had setup 2-factor authentication on my iPhone (using the Microsoft Authenticator app). I traded my phone for a new one, and used the iCloud restore feature to put all my stuff on the new phone, but my authenticator didn’t come back! Now when I try to access Facebook on my computer or anywhere, it asks for […]
Beware This Scary Hacking Tactic: a reader asked… I received this popup in my browser when visiting a website on my Windows computer. After reading your articles on scams and hacking, I’m much more careful about clicking on things automatically, but this looks real, like it comes from Microsoft Edge. Is it, or is it a scam? This is one of a new type of phishing hacks that criminals are using. It’s called a ClickFix attack, targets Windows Users, and […]
Microsoft Authenticator Warning, a reader asks… I use a Windows 11 computer with a subscription to MS 365. I also have the Microsoft Authenticator on my iPhone, which uses passkeys instead of passwords to my Microsoft account. Every once in a while I get a notification on my phone to approve access to my Microsoft account. I’m sure this comes from my computer, and am guessing this is Microsoft occasionally asking for revalidation. That’s all ok, but I also use […]
Don’t use Public USB or WiFi: a reader asked… I’m getting ready to fly abroad and have a couple of questions for you. First off, is it safe to use the USB charger outlets at airports and aboard planes? I’ve heard conflicting advice. Second, is it ok to use public WiFi? Thanks as always for your advice! I recommend against using any publicly accessible USB ports built into charging stations or power outlets. Why? Since they’re publicly accessible, it doesn’t […]
Unsubscribe Warning: a reader asks… I get a lot of unsolicited junk email, and lots from mailing lists I never signed up for. I’ve tried unsubscribing, but the problem seems to be growing. What can I do? First off I have to warn you that clicking any link in an unsolicited email is risky. Hyperlinks in emails, on websites, even in text messages is absurdly easy to fake. Here’s an example: For many bulk emails that come to your inbox, […]
Scams Keep Coming: a reader asks… Is there any way to stop the scam emails? I get all kinds, and they look very real, but aren’t. I used your advice and looked at the email address in the From line (the actual email address), and it’s always some random email address, Gmail, Instagram, etc. What can I do to stop this? Unfortunately, it’s impossible to stop all junk, spam, or scam emails from reaching your inbox. There are ways to […]
Old computer Recycle: a reader asks… I have recently upgraded to a new Windows 11 PC, and transferred everything from my old Windows 10 desktop. Before I take my old Dell desktop PC to the recycle center, what should I do? Congrats on the new PC, and glad you’re looking at recycling the old PC. Here’s what I’d recommend you do to prepare that computer for recycling: Your quickest option is to reset the PC – this feature is built […]
Recover Text Messages: a reader asked… Help! My iPhone seems to have lost some of my most important text message conversations! I have it set to keep them forever, but some have gone missing. How can I get them back? I do have iCloud backup set to run daily, but the erase-and-restore-from-a-backup procedure sounds daunting. Is there an easier way? Yes there is! You don’t need to do a full iPhone erase-and-restore procedure because Apple thoughtfully put in a method […]
MS Teams Icon on Desktop: a reader asks… I have a Windows 11 PC and I use Teams for video conferencing a lot. I know I can pin the icon to my Start menu and Taskbar, but how do I add a desktop icon? Normally I right-click an item and create a shortcut, but that option isn’t available for the Teams app. Can you advise? Sure, this is one of those odd things where Microsoft software developers don’t follow the […]
"I'm all about helping you deal with our 21st century high-tech digital world so you can enjoy a healthy and secure digital life!"
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