20 Essential Technology Tips And Tricks You Need To Know
Technology has become an indispensable part of our everyday lives, surrounding us with modern devices and innovations. With the outbreak of the coronavirus, many employees have transitioned to remote work, which can bring about technological challenges.
For some individuals, completing tasks efficiently and effortlessly may seem like a daunting task, requiring excessive time and effort. However, when it comes to technology, there are numerous methods to expedite and simplify these tasks, regardless of one’s proficiency or familiarity with the software or systems at hand.
Continual learning and adaptation are key in discovering new tricks and shortcuts that can enhance productivity and streamline processes. Embracing these advancements can make a significant difference in how effectively and efficiently tasks are accomplished.
- Reboot For System Recovery
It’s a good practice to reboot your computer at least once a week. This clears the system memory, ensures completion of any pending Windows updates, and can enhance overall efficiency and performance.
- Simplify Password Management With A Secure Password Manager
Are you tired of struggling to remember your passwords? On average, people spend 12 days of their lives searching for login details. Simplify the process by using reputable online password managers like 1Password and Keeper. These tools allow you to securely store and manage your passwords, saving you valuable time and reducing the risk of being locked out. They also provide features like browser integration and password generation for stronger account security.
- Capture Screenshots Easily
On a PC, open the “Start” menu, search for “Snipping Tool,” and select “New.” Drag the cursor to capture the desired area, and then save or share the screenshot. On a Mac, simply press and hold “Shift+Command+4” and drag the crosshair to select the region you want to capture.
- Protect Your Eyes By Adjusting Screen Brightness Automatically
Excessive exposure to blue light from screens can disrupt sleep patterns. Windows offers a built-in feature called “Night Light” that automatically adjusts the screen colors to warmer tones when the surrounding illumination changes. Right-click the “Start” button, search for “Night Light,” and set a schedule for when you want the feature to activate.
- Easily Restore Closed Browser Tabs
Accidentally closed a tab in your web browser? On a Windows computer, simply press “Control+Shift+T” to quickly reopen the last closed tab and resume browsing.
- Simplify Web Searches From The Browser Bar
Instead of opening a new tab and navigating to a search engine, you can directly search from the browser bar at the top of the page. Just enter your search term into the section where site addresses are typically displayed, and the browser will immediately display search results on a new page.
- Refine Your Google Searches With Quotation Marks
If you’re overwhelmed with unrelated search results on Google, enclose your search term in quotation marks. This tells Google to only show results that match the exact phrase you entered, significantly reducing irrelevant search results and making it easier to find what you’re looking for.
- Quick Texting Hack
To add a period and automatically capitalize the next letter at the end of a sentence while texting, simply hit the space bar twice. It saves you the trouble of manually adding punctuation and capitalization.
- Enhance Your Writing With Office 365’s Thesaurus
When writing, make use of the integrated thesaurus in Office 365 to eliminate redundancy and find alternative words. Right-click on any term and select “synonyms” to access a variety of fantastic options for enhancing your writing.
- Streamline Meeting Scheduling With Calendly
If you need to schedule meetings with individuals who use different calendar applications, Calendly can simplify the process. Set your preferred meeting times and duration in the app, and then share a specific Calendly URL. This allows others to book events with you effortlessly, avoiding the back-and-forth of multiple emails.
- Schedule Emails To be Sent Later In Microsoft Outlook
In Microsoft Outlook, you can schedule emails to be sent at a specific date and time. When composing a new email, go to the “Options” menu and select “Delay Delivery.” Choose a date and time next to “Do not deliver before” in the delivery options to schedule the email to be sent later.
- Organize Emails With Outlook’s Email Filters
Take advantage of Outlook’s email filters to automate email organization based on specific conditions. Go to the “File” menu in Microsoft Outlook and select “Manage Rules & Alerts” and then “New Rule.” This allows you to assign tasks to emails based on sender, subject line keywords, and more.
- Locate Your Phone With Google Or Apple
If you’ve misplaced your Android phone, simply search “locate my phone” while logged into your Google account on a web browser. You can also use Google Home and say, “Hello Google, find my phone.” For Apple devices, try using “Find My iPhone” on iCloud.com.
- Transform Your Device Into A Motion-Activated Security Camera
With just a few clicks, you can turn your smartphone, laptop, desktop computer, or tablet into a motion-activated security camera. Using a simple website, you can utilize your device’s camera to capture any movements and store the data locally for your security purposes.
- Open Links In New Tabs for Easy Browsing
When you want to open a link in a new tab for future reading without leaving your current page, simply hover your cursor over the link and click the middle mouse button or wheel. This instantly opens the link in a new tab, allowing you to continue browsing uninterrupted.
- Use Your Webcam As A Scanner
Your webcam can be utilized as a scanner for quickly capturing documents. On a Mac, launch Photo Booth, and align the document in front of the webcam. Click the red camera symbol to take a picture, and then save it to your desktop.
- Obtain Free Meeting Transcripts With Otter.AI
Save time on note-taking and transcription by using Otter.ai. This tool records and transcribes audio in real time, providing instant access to searchable transcripts. While replaying the recording, you can also add annotations or comments.
- Disable Unstable Wi-Fi Using Voice Assistants
Instead of navigating through menus, simply ask Siri or Google Assistant for assistance in turning off your Wi-Fi. For example, say, “Hey Siri, switch off my Wi-Fi” to quickly deactivate it.
- Improve Internet Speed By Modifying DNS Settings
When experiencing slow internet speeds, consider modifying your DNS (domain name system) settings. This can be done to optimize your connection by using faster DNS servers. Changing DNS servers can sometimes result in noticeable improvements in internet speed.
- Utilize Voice Typing In Google Docs
Take advantage of the speech-to-text feature in Google Docs to dictate your content. Open Google Docs in a new window, go to the “Tools” menu, and enable “Voice Typing.” You can then start dictating your text, and commands like “comma,” “period,” and “new paragraph” are recognized.
Extra Tip: Undo Sent Emails In Gmail
Did you accidentally send an email to the wrong recipients or notice an error right after hitting “Send”? Gmail allows you to cancel the sending of an email within a specific timeframe. Adjust the default setting to give yourself more time by going into the Gmail settings and increasing the cancellation window, which can be set up to 30 seconds.
