5 technical tricks that will save you time and money
Every day I show someone how to quickly find something on their smartphone by tapping the built-in search bar.
It’s usually front and center, and as soon as you start typing the letters of the app you’re looking for — or the setting you want to adjust — you’re right there. No more “touch settings, scroll down to this and that” nonsense.
This trick alone saves so much time and sanity; it’s crazy that so few people know about it.
If you feel like you’ve barely scratched the surface of what your smartphone — or other devices used for you — can do for you — read on for some super simple tech tips.
Is your camera doing everything it can for you? How to use your smartphone camera for more than just pictures
Check out these tricks to give your phone a new lease of life. 5 Ways to Make Your Old Smartphone Feel Like New in 2022
1. Recover deleted photos and videos
This happened to my husband the other day. He deleted a bunch of social media videos that I needed, thinking it was successful AirDropped them to me. Unfortunately it’s not, but luckily this is an easily fixable problem on both iPhones and most Androids.
He Android, if you’re using Google Photos, tap the app, select “Library,” then “Trash.” Deleted photos that you have backed up are stored here 60 days, giving you plenty of time to think. To restore it, hold your finger on the image in the trash, then select “Restore”.
Google says that if you delete an item from your Android 11 and above without backing it up, it only stays in your trash for 30 days.
Apple’s iOS has a similar characteristic. In Photos, tap “Albums” at the bottom and scroll down to “Recently Deleted.” To restore a photo, tap on it and select “Restore” in the lower right corner of the screen. If you want to put everything back in the trash, tap “Recover All”. If you accidentally delete a photo or video, Apple gives you 30 days to return it.
How to prepare your smartphone for trading: What to know about iPhone value, condition.
Self-care and technology:Can video games make you healthy?
2. Find facts from your photos
If you don’t know about Visual Look Up on your iPhone photos, this one might blow your mind. It allows you to identify places and learn more about landmarks, animals, birds, plants and even insects in your photos.
Go to your Photos app and tap on the image. Look for the small “i” icon in the middle of the circle at the bottom of the screen. If there are two small stars in the upper left corner, you’re in luck: visual preview information is available for that photo.
Swipe up on the image or tap that icon to see more of what the AI ”sees” in the image, then tap Look up in the middle of the screen or tap the little “pin” icon to see what Siri has to show you about it. It often takes you to the Wikipedia page and shows other similar photos.
Make your phone work harder so you don’t have to! Here’s how to create custom shortcuts
More:4 iPhone Camera Tricks You Should Know
It’s still new technology, so it’s far from perfect, but I’m looking forward to the day when it will identify other things like clothes, shoes, or even furniture that you want to learn more about (and maybe buy). I admit, though, I’m a little obsessed with this one.
Apple says Visual Look Up isn’t available in all regions or languages, so if you can’t find it, go to availability page for more information.
3. Create a WiFi code for your housemates
My cousin is getting married at my house this weekend, and we have more than ten family members right now. This saved me from having to shout the WIFI password at least 12 times already. Plus it’s just awesome.
This one has more steps than the others, so I made a list.
On iPhone:
Go on your own Shortcuts application. (Remember just start typing “shor” and it should appear at the top of your phone. Tap Gallery in the lower right corner. You will see rectangular boxes with small icons at the top of the screen. Mine opens right up to Accessibility Shortcutsthe one you want to touch.
If you don’t see it right away, swipe right on those rectangles until you do. After selecting Accessibility Shortcuts, scroll down the list of icons and select QR Your Wi-Fi. Touch Add shortcut. Touch My shortcuts at the bottom left of the screen. Touch QR Your Wi-Fi in the list of shortcuts, enter your WIFI name and press Done.
Follow the prompts to enter your password and tap Done again. Once the QR code appears on your screen, you can capture or tap it for more options to share, save the code, drop or more.
Is your phone compromised? 5 Signs You’ve Been Hacked
On most Android phones:
Make sure you’re connected to the WiFi you want to share. Touch Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi or Settings > Network & Internet > Internet, then tap the gear to the right of your network. Touch QR code. If you don’t see this option, tap Share button on the right. This should generate a QR code with your WiFi name and password. Take a screenshot QR code if you want to save it for later. You can also regenerate it anytime.
4. Ditch streaming services seasonally to save money
I know, I know, you just have to find out what happens in next week’s episode of House Of The Dragon, but what about when the season ends? I subscribe to about a dozen streaming services, but I only really care about one or two shows on each. If you feel the same way, you can save money by canceling your services during content lulls.
First, pick one or two streaming services that you watch the most, no matter what. For many people this might be something like Hulu or even Netflix. They now serve as the basis for your entertainment.
Looking at the bottom line:5 secrets to help you cut your streaming costs
Then go through all the services you’re subscribed to and write down the shows you care about. Use a streaming guide service like Just watch to track when new seasons come out and, in the meantime, cancel subscriptions you don’t use. The money this can save can add up over time.
5. Remove Google search results
Did you know that strangers can get your home phone number, physical address, and tons of other personal information—like how much money you make—by simply doing a Google search of your name? It’s a stalker’s dream come true and a potential privacy nightmare.
I came across my neighbors’ messy divorce papers of 30 years when I tried to look up their phone numbers online the other day. That’s information I don’t want to know – embarrassing for them (what a soap opera!) – not information they’d probably want out in the open for the whole world to see.
Clean up your personal data online:Remove your personal information from the top 7 people search sites for free
Delete your online steps:Hidden trackers attack your browser. Here’s how to delete them.
Google is now rolling out a new feature that lets you remove private information or other posts that could put you or your children at risk. It should be available to everyone by mid-October. It’s not perfect, but it’s a start.
Here’s how: In the Google app or Chrome browser, tap or click the three dots next to the search results. A window titled “about this result” should pop up. If you don’t see it yet, it’s because it hasn’t appeared for everyone, but you should see it soon.
Scroll to the bottom and select the “remove result” button. After you fill out the removal form, Google says it will review your request. You can check your status by tapping on your profile icon in the top right corner and selecting “results about you”.
What are some of your favorite tech hacks and shortcuts? Be sure to let us know on Twitter at @USATODAYTech.
Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy Award-winning consumer technology columnist. Email her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @JenniferJolly. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of USA TODAY.
#technical #tricks #save #time #money
