How-To Guides from Gadget Hacks

Picture this: you set your Pixel Watch 3 down somewhere in your house, can't remember where, and instead of the usual "somewhere in a 30-foot radius" hunt, your phone guides you directly to the exact couch cushion where it's hiding. That's the power of what Google quietly introduced with precise Bluetooth tracking on the Pixel Watch 3.

Netflix's move into live programming just got a rocket boost. NASA announced this summer that its NASA+ live feeds—including rocket launches, spacewalks, and those mesmerizing Earth views from the International Space Station—are heading to Netflix. This marks the first time Netflix has embedded live programming from an outside source directly into its U.S. platform.

Apple's shiny new CarPlay Ultra promised to transform your entire dashboard into an iPhone-powered command center. But three years after its grand debut, most automakers are delivering a collective "thanks, but no thanks" to Cupertino's most ambitious in-car takeover yet. What you need to know: Apple's next-gen CarPlay goes way beyond mirroring your phone to control A/C, speedometer, and radio — but major brands like Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Volvo are saying "don't invade our systems."

You're probably walking around with a portable power bank in your pocket and don't even realize it. Yes, that iPhone of yours doubles as a quick-charge station for all your other pocket-sized gadgets. But it's important to understand precisely how this feature works, including its limitations, the devices you can charge, and how effectively it does the job.

When typing an email or website address in a compatible input field on an iPhone, most people will manually type in the domain extension. But there's a much faster way to enter domain suffixes for email addresses and website URLs that you should be using on your keyboard. Even better, there's a way to customize what domain extensions appear in the keyboard shortcut.

Apple expanded its Food topic in Apple News into a full-blown section with recipes, restaurant reviews, kitchen tips, and more with the iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 software updates. The new Food section is exclusive to Apple News+ subscribers, but nonsubscribers can still view select stories and recipes.

Even if you don't know a gundark from a gonk droid, you can still sling Baby Yoda stickers and lightsaber emoji like a seasoned Jedi Master. And if you happen to be reading on May 4, may the 4th be with you.

Over time, your Android phone or tablet has likely connected to dozens of Wi-Fi networks — and it remembers every single one. Whether it's a hotspot at home, school, work, the gym, a coffee shop, a relative's apartment — or even from a friend's phone — each time you type in a Wi-Fi password, your Android device saves it for safekeeping and easy access later.

Your iPhone can already send messages with your voice, reply with a tap, and suggest words while you type. Now, with iOS 18.4, it can instantly launch a specific conversation from virtually anywhere on your device. Thanks to a new action in the Shortcuts app, you're just one tap (or Back Tap) away from texting your favorite contact.

One UI has an exciting privacy feature that lets you lock apps, photos, videos, and files on your Galaxy device behind Samsung's defense-grade Knox security platform. Only you can unlock it using a pattern, PIN, passcode, and/or biometrics like fingerprints and iris scanning. It's like having a safe built right into your smartphone, and it couldn't be easier to set up.

In an era where cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving, knowing whether a website is secure is more important than ever. Apple has finally addressed a long-standing limitation in Safari for iPhone and iPad, allowing us to view SSL/TLS certificate details in iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 — something we could already do on macOS for over a decade.

The last emoji refresh for iPhone was over a year ago, but thanks to the Unicode 16.0 update, a new wave of fun and expressive characters just hit your Apple devices, bringing fresh glyphs to your keyboard.

Apple has released and continues to test 2024's major software updates for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Apple Vision. But are your devices compatible? Will you need to upgrade a device or two to get all the latest features? Find out here.

There are plenty of ways to personalize your iPhone or iPad, right down to how it responds when you open an app. With a quick setup, you can have it play a custom sound every time you launch your favorite apps, adding a unique touch to your daily routine.

Your days as an ordinary Muggle are over — as long as you have an iPhone. With just a word or two, you can use your iPhone and newfound Muggle-born powers to cast spells or utilize charms just like Harry Potter and team. Only your "wand" is from Apple, not Ollivanders in Diagon Alley.

You might not know this, but you can use Apple Wallet to store your driver's license right on your iPhone. It speeds up airport security, adds an extra layer of protection with Face ID or Touch ID, and lets you verify your age or identity quickly without handing over your physical card.

Staying connected with the people who matter most is easier when you can instantly distinguish their calls or messages — even without looking at your iPhone. That's where custom vibration patterns for alerts come in handy. They're perfect when you need a tactile way to identify who's calling or texting while your iPhone is on silent or in your pocket.

Apple Maps keeps getting better and better for all the hikers in the world. With iOS 18, iPadOS 18, or macOS Sequoia 15, you can access thousands of detailed trail maps within U.S. national parks and topographic views, but you can also create your own walking and hiking routes.