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How to Back Up WindowsDon’t risk losing everything! I’ll show you how to back up Windows step by step, using free tools you already have. Protect your files, photos, and memories so you’re ready when, not if, disaster strikes.2026-06-27 - #30103 |
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How to Protect Data on a LaptopLaptops get lost and stolen all the time, and a password alone will not protect what is on yours. I'll cover four steps that lock down your data plus a real story about what can go wrong.2026-06-26 - #123964 |
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How Do I Remove Malware from Windows?I'll walk you through the steps to clean an infected computer, from backups and full scans to the one method guaranteed to work... plus how to avoid the whole mess next time.2026-06-25 - #3811 |
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Is Google Forcing Everyone Into AI Search?With AI Mode, ads, and AI summaries crowding the page, it's getting hard to find real search results. I'll break down what Google is really doing, how it compares to ChatGPT, Kagi, and DuckDuckGo, and what to watch for.2026-06-24 - #193528 |
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If It’s All Digital, Won’t You Lose It Anyway?Can digital photos and files really be lost forever? Yes, but it's almost always easily avoidable. I'll describe two simple habits that keep your precious files safe for decades, perhaps even centuries, to come.2026-06-22 - #10784 |
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You’re Just Not That Interesting (Except When You Are)If you're worried about being tracked online, you may be stressing over the wrong things. I'll describe two kinds of privacy, why companies don't really care about you as a person, and the choices that can protect you today and years from now.2026-06-20 - #22674 |
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How Do I Use an Open Wi-Fi Hotspot Safely?Open Wi-Fi hotspots at coffee shops and other public places are opportunities for hackers. I'll review how to stay safe.2026-06-19 - #4790 |
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8 Steps to Securing Your RouterMany routers arrive with weak default settings that could put your whole network at risk. I'll share eight simple steps to lock it down, plus two popular tricks that feel safe but do nothing at all.2026-06-18 - #11107 |
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Common Cloud Objections: Yes, They Can See Your Data. No, You Shouldn’t Panic.Many people fear their files stored in the cloud get scanned, stolen, or used to train AI. I'll break down the most common objections and share how easy it is to keep your data private.2026-06-17 - #193269 |
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It Pays to Be SkepticalA pop-up says malware was found. An email claims your package couldn't be delivered. A caller insists they're from Microsoft. Here's one simple skill to keep you and your technology safe.2026-06-15 - #21535 |
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Why Is “Back Up First” Your Recommendation for Everything?Why do I recommend backing up before almost everything? A complete system image backup is much more than lost-file insurance. It's the closest thing to a silver security bullet for your computer.2026-06-13 - #33048 |
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If It’s in Only One Place, It’s Not Backed UpAn external drive stopped working, and important files lived on it. One simple habit can keep you from ever facing loss like this.2026-06-12 - #16572 |
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Please Set Up and Maintain Account Recovery InformationLocked out of an account for good? It happens more often than you think, and it's almost always avoidable. I'll explain the steps you can take today to make sure you're never permanently shut out.2026-06-11 - #149957 |
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How Do I Stop Spam?Drowning in 300 junk emails a day? You can't stop spam completely, but you don't have to suffer, either. I'll cover why blocking and unsubscribing make things worse, and share one simple habit that trains your inbox to clean itself.2026-06-10 - #5979 |
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Am I Sending Spam?Wondering why your promo emails go unanswered? There is a good chance they are going straight into spam folders. I'll describe three things that make your emails look like spam, and what you can do to fix them.2026-06-08 - #18468 |
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You Can’t Un-Ring a Bell: What Really Happens to Your Data When You Post Anything OnlineThe moment you hit Post, copies of what you shared start spreading. Marking it private won't stop it. Deleting it won't fix it. I'll describe what happens to everything you put online, and why it matters.2026-06-06 - #24288 |
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Why Won’t My Computer Wake Up From Sleep?Your computer goes to sleep just fine, but waking it up? Sometimes it comes back without a hitch. Other times, the screen stays dark and nothing works. I'll discuss why sleep mode can be unreliable and what you can do about it.2026-06-05 - #14677 |
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Your Password May Not Be Used to Encrypt Your Data, and That’s OkayThere's a surprising and counterintuitive technique related to how some encryption tools work: your password is not what locks your data. I'll describe what keeps your data secure and why changing your password doesn't always mean re-encrypting all your data.2026-06-04 - #75685 |
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End-to-End Encryption Was Removed From Instagram. Should You Care?Instagram just killed its encrypted DMs. But here's the real story: most people never had it turned on to begin with. If you care about keeping your conversations private, I'll share which apps I recommend.2026-06-03 - #192475 |
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How Do I Update Drivers on My Computer?Device drivers are behind-the-scenes software that make your hardware work. I'll discuss the right way to update drivers and explain why to avoid driver update services.2026-06-01 - #3084 |
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Yes, You Can Use the Cloud Safely — Here’s HowCloud storage is one of the most useful tools around, but it brings two real risks along for the ride.2026-05-30 - #128296 |
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How Do I Secure a Hard Drive Before Sending It in for Repair?When your computer goes to the shop, can you trust a stranger with your personal files? I'll share how to keep your data safe before handing your machine over, and what your options are when it's too late.2026-05-29 - #17773 |
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How Do I Change My Router’s Password?Your router's default password might as well be no password at all. Changing it is an important step you can take to secure your home network. I'll show you how to find your router's settings and lock it down with a strong password.2026-05-28 - #130435 |
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Mythos About MythosA new AI just found thousands of security vulnerabilities in nearly every major operating system, and its maker decided the world wasn't ready for it. What does that mean for you?2026-05-27 - #192235 |
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Are You Ready for Your Computer to Be Stolen?Losing a computer to theft or loss isn't just an inconvenience. Your personal data could end up in the wrong hands. I'll describe what steps to take now so that if your device disappears, your data stays safe and your recovery is quick.2026-05-25 - #12635 |
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How to Reduce Your Frustration with TechnologyTechnology never stops changing, and your attitude affects how well technology works for you. I'll discus why accepting and even welcoming change might be the most useful tech skill you can develop.2026-05-23 - #85022 |
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Can Malware Reach My External Drive?Can hackers really get to everything, including your external hard drive? I'll cover what malware can do and what you need to do before it happens to you.2026-05-22 - #192221 |
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Does Deleting Browser History and Cache Really Delete Traces of My Webmail?Hitting "delete" on your browser history or emails doesn't mean they're gone for good. I'll cover what actually happens when you delete things, and what it really takes to make them disappear.2026-05-21 - #13011 |
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Has BitLocker Been Broken? What YellowKey Means to YouA security researcher just showed that bypassing BitLocker on Windows 11 takes little more than a USB stick and a reboot. I'll discuss what we know, who needs to worry, what the risks are for most people, and what you can do about it right now.2026-05-20 - #192620 |
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What Good Is an Image If I Can’t Restore an Old Backup to a New Computer?You're backing up regularly. Yay! But when you try to restore an image backup to a brand new PC, it doesn't go as planned. Image backups are good for many things, but not that.2026-05-18 - #3963 |
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What’s the Best Password Manager in 2026?Overwhelmed by too many password manager choices? I’ll walk you through the best current options, what makes them different, and how to pick the one that fits you best.2026-05-16 - #148053 |
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How Do I Report Spam to the Originating ISP?Want to report spam to the ISP it came from? These days, spam comes from massive networks of hacked computers, not a single traceable server. I'll explain why reporting spam to what you think is the source of that spam is mostly a waste of time.2026-05-15 - #191990 |
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Which Cloud Backup Should I Use?Cloud backup sounds good until you realize that most options only cover part of your data, and some aren't real backups at all. What works is a layered strategy that combines local image backups with cloud sync to keep your files safe no matter what happens.2026-05-14 - #191968 |
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How to Share Two-factor Authentication to a Single Account With Multiple UsersYour team shares one account, but two-factor authentication keeps locking everyone out. There are real solutions to this problem, and they don't sacrifice security. I'll show you how to set up shared two-factor authentication so everyone can get in.2026-05-13 - #191949 |
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Have You Tried Turning It Off and On Again?Tech support always says the same thing: "Have you tried rebooting?" It sounds lazy (and perhaps crazy), but there's a reason it works so often.2026-05-11 - #2434 |
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The Most Important SkillThink the most important skill in tech is coding? Nope. Whether you're asking for help online, applying for a job, or using AI, writing and speaking English well matters more than you'd expect. I'll explain why it might be the most valuable skill of all.2026-05-09 - #6166 |
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AutoHotkey: Mouse and Keyboard Remapping, Macros, and HotkeysTyping the same email address dozens of times a day gets old fast. AutoHotkey is a free program that lets short key combos do your typing for you. I'll show you how I use it every day to make a few keystrokes replace long blocks of text.2026-05-08 - #3668 |
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How Do I Get Into My UEFI Settings?Need to change your boot order or check a startup setting? You'll need to get in to UEFI first. There are three ways to do it, and at least one of them works no matter what situation your computer is in. I'll show you how each one works.2026-05-07 - #191715 |
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How Do I Know You’re Not AI?Can you tell if this article was written by AI? You can't... but that might not be the right question. What really matters is whether you can trust the information.2026-05-06 - #191783 |
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The Laws of ComputingWhat was once lost, has been found. In my backups, of course.2026-05-04 - #192178 |
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Why Don’t You Back Up Your Computer?If you don't back up, it's probably not because you're lazy. A disaster will get your attention fast, though. I'll dig into why backing up is so easy to ignore, why it shouldn't be, and what it would take to fix the problem.2026-05-04 - #3388 |
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Recognizing and Avoiding Dark PatternsDark patterns are sneaky design tricks built to work against you. I'll break down some of the most common and show you what to watch for before you click.2026-05-02 - #191601 |
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What’s My IP Address?You might be sharing more than you think when you visit a website. Your IP address, your browser details, and even what you searched for to get there is all visible. I'll explain what websites see when you show up and why it matters.2026-05-01 - #10740 |
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Should I Download Windows 10 Updates?Windows 10 is past its end-of-support date, so why does Windows Update keep delivering updates? And should you keep taking them? My answer is a definite yes, and the reasons are more important than you might think.2026-04-30 - #191543 |
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What Is “Mailer-Daemon” and Why Is It Sending Me Email?Get an email "from" mailer-daemon? There's a good reason this mysterious sender keeps showing up.2026-04-29 - #191556 |
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How Two-Factor Authentication Works and Why You Need It Right NowYour password alone might not be enough to keep hackers out. Two-factor authentication adds a second layer of protection that stops intruders even when they know your password. I'll explain how it works, why you need it, and how to set it up without making your daily log-in a hassle.2026-04-27 - #16401 |
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My Computer Has Started to Shut Down Randomly. Could It Be the Fan?Your computer keeps shutting down and is telling you "Over Temperature." The culprit might be hiding in plain sight: dust and pet hair. I'll show you how those innocent-looking dust bunnies can kill a computer, and what to do about it.2026-04-25 - #42183 |
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How Can I Pin “Restart” to My Taskbar?I'll show you how to put a one-click restart button right on your taskbar. The skills you'll pick up along the way are useful far beyond restarting.2026-04-24 - #191287 |
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How I Use AI at Ask Leo!Wonder whether an AI has written the articles you read online -- like this one? The answer at Ask Leo! is no, but AI does play a role. Here's a behind-the-scenes look at how AI helps me, where it falls short, and what a real human -- me -- still does.2026-04-22 - #168449 |
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Is It Safe to Let Your Browser Remember Passwords?Letting your browser remember passwords is convenient. With that convenience comes significant risk. Most folks are much better served by using a password vault.2026-04-20 - #16718 |
