Fingerprint Reading: a reader asked… I recently switched from a Blackberry to an iPhone 6s, and am having trouble with the fingerprint reader. I’ve enrolled several fingers and both thumbs, but I can’t get the reader to unlock my phone reliably. Any advice? That’s a common problem with folks who’ve transitioned from a device that has physical keys to one with virtual keys – muscle memory has you using the tips of thumb and fingers to tap the teeny tiny […]
Old VHS tape recycle: a reader asks… In trying to clean out/declutter the house, I unearthed what appear to be 10 unused VHS tapes. Since they are obsolete (or almost so), how do recycle or dispose of them safely? I looked in your library but didn’t come up with the answer. More and more municipalities are going towards single-stream recycling which makes it easy to drop just about anything into the recycle bin. Sometimes this can actually cause more problems, […]
iPhone Buttons: a reader asks… I have a complaint about my darn iPhone, I can’t tell what’s a button to tap on the screen and what isn’t! The new flat look for the iPhone as well as websites and software programs (MS Office 2013 I’m looking at you) is a huge step backwards in my opinion. Is there something I can do to make my iPhone easier to use? I agree with you completely! Today’s flat design concept makes everything […]
Windows Protection: a reader asks… I just bought a new Windows 10 laptop PC. Can you tell me the basic things I need to do to protect my computer from hackers? The most basic thing to do is to use good protection software on a Windows computer. Windows 10 does come with some very basic protection mechanisms, but they really don’t do enough to protect you from today’s threats. For the best protection, you really need three items: Anti-virus, anti-malware, […]
Lost Home Page: a reader asks… Today I lost my Yahoo as my Internet Explorer home page and I can’t seem to get it back. Of course, all my favorites were attached to it. I have a Dell laptop using Windows 7. Any help? Internet Explorer is often subject to being hijacked by dodgy websites you visit, or by apps or software you download and install. Often these can happen simply because you clicked on something without really reading and […]
Chromebook: a reader asks… I’ve got a different question for you: What do you think of Chromebooks at this point in time? I’m considering replacing my aging laptop, and it looks like my choices are another macbook, a Windows 10 laptop, a tablet with a keyboard, or… a Chromebook. I am a student on a limited budget and want to spend less than $700. Thoughts? So, first things first, I like Chromebooks! They start up in about 10 seconds, and […]
iMessage on iPad: a reader asks… I have an iPhone 5s and an 1 year old iPad. Just recently I updated the iOS on them both, I had ignored that for a good long while. The problem appeared after I updated, it seems like my iPad now has a texting app that’s getting all my text messages from the iPhone. My Mac also has this and I don’t want either! Can I turn them off? Anytime my phone rings or i get a […]
What’s a PUP? a reader asks… I use the anti-malware program you recommend, and when I scan my Windows PC it shows me things called PUPs. I usually select them and quarantine or delete them, but I’m curious. What are they, and should I always get rid of them? First off, thanks for taking my advice and using Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium, which provides full-time protection against malware and Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs). PUPs may be completely innocuous, but almost always […]
Back-to-school Laptop: a reader asks… I’ve got a teen heading off to college in a few weeks, and I want to make sure he has the right technology. He has an iPhone 6, and we’re shopping for a laptop – or should he get an iPad? If not, should we get him a Macbook Air, a Macbook Pro, or a Windows PC? It boils down to a few key questions. Namely, your budget for a laptop, his experience (and your’s) […]
Win10 Anniversary Update: a reader asks… I have a laptop that I upgraded to Windows 10 last year. I’ve been reading about the Windows 10 Anniversary Update that’s supposed to fix a bunch of stuff with Windows. It’s supposed to be available now but I haven’t seen it on Windows Update. Do I need to manually install this update? I wouldn’t be too anxious about installing the update. Microsoft reportedly put it on the Windows Update list, but is rolling […]
PSA: No More Ransom: Just a quick public service announcement. If your PC has been infected with Ransomware and you don’t have a full system image backup, then you may be thinking of paying the ransom to get your files back. Before you do this, check out this website: Of course, you’ll need to visit it from an uninfected computer, and download a set of possible keys you could use to decrypt your hard drive. No guarantees, but it’s definitely […]
Office 365 Confusion: a reader asks… I just bought Microsoft Office 365 for my Windows 10 PC. I haven’t installed it yet, because I’m confused about what to do. It looks like the default installation is Office 32-bit, version 2016. But my PC has Windows 10 64-bit. Also, I have MS Office 2010 already installed. Do I need to uninstall that? First off, Office 365 doesn’t necessarily do an upgrade of your existing Office programs, it just installs the latest […]
Win7 Update Rollup: a reader asks… I just replaced a crashed hard drive on my Dell Inspiron laptop, and installed Windows 7 fresh. I see it’s Service Pack 1, but there must be hundreds of updates since then. Do I have to do all those updates bit by bit or is there a faster way to get my system up-to-date? There is, with the “Windows 7 SP1 Convenience Rollup” that Microsoft released. This standalone update package brings any Windows 7 […]
I hate Edge! a reader asks… I recently upgraded to Windows 10 from Windows 7 on my Lenovo laptop PC. Everything is working fine and I’m happy with Windows 10 except for one thing. I just hate the new Edge browser! In Windows 7 I used Internet Explorer and it was fine. I had my favorite add-ons working just fine. But that disappeared in Windows 10 and all I have is this Edge browser which doesn’t run my add-ons. I’m […]
Too Orange? a reader asks… I use Night Shift on my iPhone so that at night the screen isn’t so blue. Unfortunately, now it’s very orange-looking. Is there a way to adjust the color so it isn’t so bad? I want to stop that blue light at night so it doesn’t keep me awake, but the orange tint is so bad it’s distracting. Yes there’s an adjustment on the Settings page for Night Shift. Go to Settings, then Display & […]
Macbook Pro Buy? a reader asks… I’m ready for a new Macbook Pro, my old Macbook Air has served me well since 2011, but now has too many problems to keep using. I also found the Air model a little lightweight for my needs, so want to upgrade to the Pro. I heard there’s a new model of Macbook Pro coming out this fall. My question is, should I wait and get that, or buy now? That’s really a question […]
Music on iPhone: a reader asks… I have an iPhone and use iTunes on my computer. I have a pretty large collection of music I’ve collected over the years that’s in my computer’s iTunes library, mostly by ripping CDs. Is there an easy way to get that music on my iPhone? There are two ways to get that music on your iPhone, but first let me pose a situation for you. Your iPhone might have 8, 16, 32, 64 or […]
Online lies: a reader asks… I have a relative who’s always sending me emails with the most outlandish statements. Some of these are very well made Youtube videos, others are links to ‘news’ articles that state as facts things that I know to be false. I don’t want to cause a rift in family relations, but I’m sick and tired of these emails coming from my relative. Do you have any advice? You have several options. First, you can just […]
New System Image: a reader asks… On the last day of the free Windows 10 upgrade, I took my Dell laptop to the Microsoft Store to be upgraded to Windows 10 (from Windows 7). I told them that I didn’t need to save anything from the old operating system setup, so they wiped the drive and installed Windows 10 fresh. That’s all great, but now I want to create a backup of my system so I can restore it in […]
Toner Refill? a reader asks… Hi, I have an HP color laser printer, model M252dw. The toner cartridge replacements from HP.com are $70-80 apiece (I need 4) and that’s a lot of money. Do you think I can use the cheap refill kits I’ve seen online for eight dollars or so each? Ok, there’s a probability that you’ll void your warranty if you don’t use HP-certified products, and the refill kits I’ve seen online show the ink as coming from […]
Chrome or Edge? a reader asks… I recently upgraded to Windows 10, and I see there’s a new web browser called Microsoft Edge. I’ve been using Google Chrome for awhile and it works pretty good. Also use Gmail. Should I switch to using Edge for day-to-day web browsing? Is it safer or faster? Right now I consider Edge to be a work-in-progress. It has potential to be a decent web browser, but as yet is not suitable for anything more […]
Win10 Protection: a reader asks… Hi Chris, do I really need to spend money to protect my new Windows 10 computer? I know you recommend Bitdefender and Malwarebytes, but I’d prefer not to have to spend more money, after all I just plunked down a lot for my new computer. It boils down to how much risk you want to take along with how safely you use your computer. Windows 10 does come with some basic protections built-in that older […]
iMessage tip: a reader asks… I have an iPhone 6 and use text messaging a lot. I have 2 questions, first, how can I know when text messages were sent? I see the date above a group of bubbles which tells me the date they were sent, but it doesn’t tell the time. Second, on the list of people I’ve texted with, how do I search for someone specific? My list is pretty long. Thanks for your help! Apple’s iMessage […]
Is Dropbox safe? a reader asks… Hi Chris, I’ve been looking at online file storage solutions, and am about to decide on Dropbox. I have two questions for you, first, is Dropbox safe for me to use? I read all the time about companies getting hacked and am worried about storing my files online. I don’t have anything really important to anybody but me, but don’t want it all getting to some hacker somewhere. Second, which plan would you recommend? […]
Is this legit? a reader asks… Sorry to bother you, but is this legit? It won’t close to let me out! I’m using an HP desktop PC. It’s a scam. I can see that it’s simply a web page, but I can’t see the entire screen so I’m guessing the hacker who designed this page set it so the x-out button at the top-right isn’t usable. Anybody who can code in HTML can create web pages that look like anything […]
Win10 Upgrade no-go: a reader asks… I have a Windows 7 laptop PC and have been trying to upgrade to Windows 10 before the deadline. Every time I try I get an error during the upgrade and the system rolls back to Windows 7. I really want to go to Windows 10 before the deadline. Is there a way I can fix this without paying someone for hours of work? Generally when the upgrade fails, it’s because there is some […]
When to buy: a reader asks… I’m thinking that it’s about time for me to get a new computer. My 2006 iMac has served me well, but the hard drive is failing and the monitor flickers. Plus, it’s slowed down as I’ve updated OS X, seems like I’m always seeing the spinning beach ball. I’m thinking a new iMac but am wondering if now’s the right time? The rumor mills for the release of a new iMac are pointing to […]
New Laptop Setup: a reader asks… I just received a new Dell laptop with Windows 10 on it for my birthday. Can you give me your secrets, a rundown of what I should to to set it up correctly and to get my files copied over from my old laptop? Here’s what I think you should do, updated from my older article New Laptop? for Windows 10 and my current recommendations. The first thing you should do is to set aside […]
Lost Files: a reader asks… Hi there! I messed up big! So big I am hyperventilating a bit. But that’s probably when people email you. I got an HP Assistant message to create my system backup. I thought that I would do that on my external hard drive, which I use to store photos and documents. BUT what I did not realize is that creating the backup wipes the external hard drive and you are supposed to use a clean disc […]
Facebook un-friend: a reader asks… I use Facebook every day and have a huge group of friends. Unfortunately, one of these friends has started posting things I find really objectionable. I would like to unfriend them, but know that will cause a fight in real life which I’d like to avoid. Is there a way I can stop seeing their posts without unfriending them? Both Facebook and Twitter have a method of blocking someone’s posts from appearing in your feed […]
"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!"
Hi! I'm Chris Gardner, Your Tech Coach giving you Practical Help for Your Digital Life® since 1996. My job is to translate geek-speak into clear and concise advice and give you easy-to-understand how-to's and instructions about your consumer technology products and services.
Browse my library with over 1,000 of the types of questions and answers we all have about our consumer technology. Better yet, use the search bar above or pick a subject or keyword below to see a list of related posts you can read. And please sign up for my free weekly digest and occasional email alerts!
If you don't find the answer to your question in my library, ask me a question - anything about consumer technology. I answer questions large and small, from how to use Siri on an iPhone to how to protect your computer, tablet or smartphone. I take arcane language from manuals and translate that into easy-to-follow instructions. This gives you better ways to use your consumer technology - helping you get more out of the gadgets and services you already own and use.
I provide all the above, supported by my readers who find my answers valuable (patronage model). Please consider supporting me by sending any amount via 
(send to @PosiTek), or via 
(send to Support@PosiTek.net), or via 
using any credit card (no Paypal account required), or by mailing a check or cash to PosiTek.net LLC 1934 Old Gallows Road, Suite 350, Tysons Corner VA 22182.
I am not a non-profit, but your support helps me to continue delivering advice and consumer technology support to the public.
If you need more immediate or direct support, please see my 1-on-1 Tech Support page. I don't profess to know everything about everything, but I'm great at finding and giving you exactly the right answer in the way you need to hear it. Give me a try and let Your Tech Coach help you get your technology working for you, not the other way around!
Need more help using this website? Click here!
The information presented on this website and referred to in various social networking channels are the considered opinions of the authors. We accept no advertising, kickbacks or any sort of remuneration for any commercial products or services that we recommend or suggest. Furthermore, posts or links to external websites or other content do not imply endorsement, unless explicitly stated.
Any elements on this website that may be linked to or displayed, including trademarks and product/service images, are for educational purposes only under fair use copyright law. PosiTek.net LLC purchases licensing for commercial imagery used on this website via Shutterstock.com and any other imagery is licensed for our use via:
