Simple Tech Tips for Home Computer Users
Windows, Mac, and mobile tech support – networking – Internet safety – consumer technology
In this week’s member-exclusive How-To Tuesday on Simple Tech Tips, we’re talking about how to avoid spear phishing scams. Most people are familiar with phishing messages, spam that tries to trick you into clicking on links and infecting your computer with malware. Spear phishing takes this to a whole new level by using highly personalized … Continue reading How to Avoid Spear Phishing Scams
In this week’s member-exclusive How-To Tuesday on Simple Tech Tips, we’re talking about how to speed up a slow computer. Computer slowdowns can be tricky to troubleshoot, and the problem gets worse the longer you wait to fix it. Learn how to keep your computer running at top speed in this step-by-step guide. Not a … Continue reading How to Speed Up a Slow Computer
In this week’s member-exclusive How-To Tuesday on Simple Tech Tips, we’re talking about how to figure out Windows and Mac version numbers. If you’re having computer problems, the first thing the technician will ask you is, “What version of the operating system are you running?” But there are so many different updates and numbers, it … Continue reading How to Figure Out Windows and Mac Version Numbers
In this week’s member-exclusive How-To Tuesday on Simple Tech Tips, we’re talking about how to fix crashing apps on your computer. Trying to figure out why an app keeps crashing can be frustrating. Some apps are kind enough to give you an error message, while others simply stop working with no notice. In this guide, … Continue reading How to Fix Crashing Apps on Your Computer
Ever type the wrong Web address by mistake? Did you know that cybercriminals snatch up typoed domains in order to create tempting lookalikes? Typosquatting is the practice of registering a domain that is a typo of a common site, like goole instead of google or microsft instead of microsoft. Most people don't notice typos, especially … Continue reading Typosquatting: How Mistyped Web Sites Lead To Malware and Scams
Fake apps proliferate online, and it’s hard to tell the good apps from the bad. Scammers are getting sneakier by hiding their malicious apps behind the smokescreen of reputable ones. Your garden-variety fake app is typically malware disguised as a fun game or useful utility. Behind the shiny exterior lies code that can steal your … Continue reading When Good Apps Go Bad: How to Avoid Malicious Software
Your computer’s built-in antivirus software is no match against today’s Internet threats. Here’s why you should replace it with something stronger. Windows and Mac computers both have default antivirus programs, Windows Defender and Apple’s XProtect. (If you haven’t noticed XProtect running on your Mac, that’s because it runs silently in the background as part of … Continue reading You Need Better Antivirus Than Your Computer’s Built-In Software
When was the last time you backed up your computer? If you have automatic backups, do you check them on a regular basis? Have you ever tested your backups by trying to restore some of your files? It’s not enough to set your backups and forget them. You would not believe the number of times … Continue reading This Computer Backup Guide Will Really Save Your Assets
If there's one thing you do for your own computer safety, please, use strong, unique passwords! Doing so decreases your chances of suffering virus infection, account hijacking, identity theft, and even financial fraud. People continually re-use passwords, or create weak passwords, or don't change the default passwords on important devices like routers and smart home gadgets. … Continue reading The Essential Guide to Strong Passwords (2021 Edition)
One of the most common questions I hear from parents is, “How can I set up parental control software?” But parental controls aren’t a panacea for keeping your kids safe online. Let’s talk about when to use parental controls… and when not to use them. Most computers have basic built-in parental controls, like the ability … Continue reading The Pros and Cons of Parental Control Software
Simple Tech Tips for Home Computer Users 