Managing Everyday Tech
Backing up your files so a lost device is not a disaster
Learn the three-copies rule, how automatic backups work, why syncing is not a backup and how to test a restore so photos and documents survive a lost or broken laptop.
The collection
Managing Everyday Tech
Keeping the phones, laptops and gadgets you use each day in order: subscriptions, backups, storage, notifications, battery care and retiring old devices.
Managing Everyday Tech
Caring for batteries in everyday gadgets
Lithium-ion batteries wear faster in heat and at extreme charge levels. Learn simple charging and storage habits that slow wear and the signs that a replacement makes sense.
Managing Everyday Tech
Cutting down on app notifications that interrupt you
Cut down on interruptions by sorting app alerts by importance, setting quiet hours, grouping messages and switching off notifications you never act on.
Managing Everyday Tech
Freeing up storage on a phone or laptop
Find what fills up your phone or laptop, remove large files you no longer need, move archives to cloud or external storage and keep a short routine to stop warnings returning.
Managing Everyday Tech
How to keep track of recurring tech subscriptions
Recurring tech subscriptions hide in app stores, website accounts, phone bills and payment histories. Learn where to find them, build one simple list and decide which to keep.
Managing Everyday Tech
What to do with old devices before you sell or recycle them
Before you sell, donate or recycle an old phone or laptop, save your files, sign out of accounts, turn off device finding and erase the storage, in that order.