More on phones and computers
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Toggle Airplane Mode on and then off to reset the cellular connection if you lose service or experience slow data speeds.
This forces the phone to renegotiate the connection with the network, which is faster than restarting the device.
- This does not work on all phones; one user noted their 3GS required a reset instead.
4 people, independently
Activate 'Do Not Disturb' settings if you are letting someone else use your phone for a long stretch.
This stops notifications from appearing and hides private messages or previews from view.
- On some devices, DND only mutes sounds but still shows text previews on the screen.
- On iPhones, DND may only work when the screen is off.
5 people, independently
Use WPA2 encryption for your network instead of WEP or leaving it open.
WEP is easy to break, and most people are too lazy to hack a non-trivial WPA2 passphrase.
3 people, independently
Use an authenticator app instead of SMS for two-factor authentication.
SMS is vulnerable to SIM swapping, penetration, and loss of SIM cards; apps do not rely on cell signals.
- Changing or upgrading devices can lead to being hard locked out of everything.
7 people, independently
Generate distinct, random passwords for each account; avoid reusing them.
Reusing credentials makes other sites only as secure as the weakest one; if a password is compromised on a weak site, all linked accounts are at risk. Two-factor authentication does not excuse poor password hygiene.
3 people, independently
Enable subtitles to ensure you catch every word and joke.
It helps avoid missing mumbled dialogue or background bonus content.
- Some find that subtitles can spoil jokes or detract from the visuals.
3 people, independently
Change your WiFi password and SSID when getting a new router to improve security and remove access for former guests or neighbors.
Previous users may still have access to the network.
3 people, independently
Keep Bluetooth turned off on your phone unless you are actively using a paired device.
Turning it off saves battery life by stopping the constant search for devices and prevents accidental broadcasting.
- Some users prefer leaving it on for automatic connections to watches or cars.
9 people, independently
Whitelist specific websites in your ad blocker if you wish to support them and they do not display unbearable amounts of ads.
In most cases, ads are the only source of revenue for these sites.
- Be careful not to click ads indiscriminately, as this can flag the website for fraud.
4 people, independently
7 more on this
Fully close the app, enable airplane mode, and then reopen it to prevent ads from loading.
Ads often load at startup; closing the app prevents caching if offline mode is activated before opening.
6 people, independently
Recognize that some games store ads for offline use or embed them in the code, meaning going offline may not stop all advertisements.
Developers can cache ads during online sessions to display later, or integrate them directly into the application files.
7 people, independently
Activate airplane mode on your phone before displaying photos to others to stop notification alerts.
Prevents embarrassing moments caused by incoming messages appearing while browsing images.
3 people, independently
Magnify the image a bit before passing your device to another person so they cannot scroll to different pictures.
When an image is enlarged, swiping to other photos is blocked until you zoom back out.
6 people, independently
Disconnect smart TVs from the internet entirely and use an external player instead.
This avoids creepy tracking features and ensures the television functions only as a screen without unnecessary internet access.
3 people, independently
Keep your phone in Power Save or Low Power Mode to help conserve battery.
3 people, independently
Avoid using Internet Explorer unless you absolutely have to.
3 people, independently