How-To Geek

About a decade ago, I used to daily drive a custom Android ROM called CynanogenMod. In its settings app, there were in-built switches for cutting off any app’s internet access. Sadly, native Android still doesn’t have this feature, even in the latest version 16 update. Let me show you a workaround and why you might want to use it.

Believe it or not, the first ever 3D movie I saw was the original Avatar, and boy did that set a high bar for what 3D movies can be. During the peak of the last 3D movie fad, it was mainly a cinema experience for me. 3D TVs and Blu-rays were just too expensive for me back then, but these days people can hardly give their 3D movies away.

There was a time when the first thing you did after getting a new Android phone was to throw a new launcher on it. Nova Launcher, Go Launcher, Apex Launcher, Action Launcher, ADW Launcher, and C Launcher come to mind. Today, however, outside enthusiast circles, people don’t seem to care about the launcher on their Android phone.

Much like cars, phones are a necessary part of modern life. It's time to approach buying them the same way.

Most people only ever plug a charger into the USB-C port on their iPhone, but the interface is compatible with so many more devices. These can help you work or play, circumvent limitations, and get more done when you’re away from a “proper” computer.

The Health app is the central hub for health tracking—from Apple Watch data to information from connected dietary apps that track your water intake or meals. The app organizes everything into easy-to-read graphics, metrics, and visuals to view your health data at a glance.

Just like a home made from bricks and mortar, laying a solid foundation for your smart home will reward you in the long run. That’s why I decided that my smart home would not be reliant on the cloud to function, long before I bought my first smart plug or bulb.

Your smartphone knows more about you than you know about yourself. Okay, that might be hyperbole, but it's still so important to manage the settings that track both your online and offline activity. Here are six Android settings that could put your privacy at risk and what you can do to keep your personal data safe.

Performance and practicality rarely go hand in hand, especially in the compact crossover world. Yet one model manages to break that rule, offering genuine excitement without sacrificing everyday usability or value. With its turbocharged powertrain, sleek design, and premium interior, this crossover proves you don’t need a sports car to enjoy a thrilling drive.

“Designed by Apple in California” is a phrase that many have come to associate with the iPhone, but not all iPhones are built equally. Depending on where in the world you purchase and use your iPhone, you may have access to more features or other small differences in your device.

Microsoft is about to roll out patches to prevent the easiest way you had to skip signing into a Microsoft account during Windows 11’s setup, and if that seemed like a gentle nudge, it’s likely just the beginning. You’ve probably used these tricks before, or at least read about them: disconnect the network, run a command, or drop a patched ISO on a USB and roll right past the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) screens. Microsoft calling this out as “skipping critical setup screens” is partly true, but it seems like a convenient way to keep you locked into OneDrive, Office 365 trials, and a steady stream of telemetry that the company can use.

If you're deep in the CRT hobby like I am now, you've probably realized that when you try to share your hobby online, your screens don't quite look right on camera. This is nothing new, and happens because of the fundamental way CRTs work.

One of the major selling points of the Pixel phones is their AI features. However, I'm not a big fan of AI features on a smartphone. If you're like me, then keep reading to find out how to turn off all the annoying AI features on your Google Pixel phone.

With lossless audio coming to Spotify Premium, this high-fidelity audio option is now available to most music streaming subscribers on big services. That's great in principle, but is it worth sacrificing your bandwidth, storage space, and paying a premium to have access to lossless media?

If you're customizing your mechanical keyboard with aftermarket keycaps, it helps to understand their shapes (aka keycap profiles) so that you can pick the right ones. Here’s a quick crash course on everything you need to know about keycap profiles.

Have you ever seen the term “optical character recognition” or OCR and wondered what it meant? Well, I’m here to help you understand what OCR is. It’s very possible that you’ve used OCR and didn’t know it. You might have even used it today. Here’s everything you need to know about optical character recognition.

We’ve all picked up weird habits with our phones over the years. Little routines that made sense at the time, passed down like tech folklore. “Close your apps to save battery.” “Never charge overnight.” “Let your battery hit zero before plugging it in.”

The arrival of HDR was a revelation, and for a long time TVs struggled to reach the brightness needed to make this new video standard shine, but now thanks to a relentless brightness war, even entry-level TVs can reach heights only high-end sets could dream of before.

Android phones and tablets are at just as much risk as any other device for snooping, surveillance, and cybercrime. To help you combat these dangers, we’ve put together the best VPNs for Android so you can surf more securely.

On the first day of 2026, the Steam Beta for Chromebooks will end. This means you will no longer have the option to play Steam games on your Chromebook with official support. If you're not a Chromebook user, this might not sound like much of an issue. After all, who plays video games on a Chromebook?