Apple loves keeping you in its walled garden of convenient but locked-down apps. That's not always a bad thing—I enjoy using my Apple Watch to unlock my Mac. However, it gets annoying when you can't use third-party apps or services for certain things, like music streaming or voice assistants. Shazam, the song recognition service owned by Apple, is a great example of this.
When you ask Siri to identify a song playing around you, the voice assistant will listen, recognize the song via Shazam, and show you a button to open it in Apple Music. That's great if you use Apple's streaming service, but not so great if you opt for a third-party option. Normally, iOS won't allow you to open these links in Spotify, YouTube Music, or any other streaming app that you might use. Fortunately, the iPhone automation community has a great solution to this particular problem: a shortcut called Quick Shazam, created by user @ZXXII over on RoutineHub.
Force Shazam to send songs to Spotify (or other services)
To stop Shazam from sending you to Apple Music all the time, you'll need to use Apple's Shortcuts app. Most iPhones will already have it, so start by downloading the Quick Shazam shortcut and running it on your iPhone. During the setup process, Quick Shazam will ask you to choose your favorite music platform from the following options:
Spotify
Deezer
Tidal
iTunes
YouTube
YouTube Music
Pandora
SoundCloud
Don't worry if you end up dropping a subscription later, as you can change your pick whenever you'd like. Before you use this shortcut, I highly recommend making it easier to access by adding it to the Home Screen. To do so, open the Shortcuts app and hold down the Quick Shazam icon. Hit Share and Add to Home Screen. Now, it'll open just like an app.
From here, just tap the shortcut's icon whenever you want to and it'll automatically open Shazam and start listening for a song. Once the song is identified, you'll see a Shazam pop-up with an Apple Music button for a second or so. Ignore this. The shortcut will automatically dismiss the pop-up and opens the song in your preferred music streaming service.
Modern Macs look and feel great, but sometimes I really miss the look and feel of retro Macs. Skeuomorphism, where digital objects are designed to mimic their real-world counterparts, is dead, but quite often I feel like going back to that era of Mac software. If you're feeling as nostalgic as I am, this guide will walk you through the steps to create the perfect retro look for your Mac.
Make Music look like QuickTime Player
Credit: QuickTune
The Mac's Music app is the go-to for anyone who uses Apple Music. To use a retro controller for this app, check out QuickTune, which recreates the look of QuickTime 7 from Mac OS X Tiger and allows you to control playback for Apple Music. Standout design elements include glass buttons for window controls, a brushed metal theme, and dedicated playback control buttons.
For those who use command line tools, the modern macOS Terminal app can feel a bit too polished. If you feel like going back to the good old days of using the command line on a CRT monitor, consider using Cool Retro Term. My colleague Justin Pot has written a great piece that walks you through the ins and outs of that app.
Bring back iTunes and iPhoto
Credit: Pranay Parab
iTunes and iPhoto were era-defining apps for the Mac. Everyone knows about the former, which was the default music player, a digital storefront for buying music, and the app you used to manage your iPhone. iPhoto was less popular, but used to be the photo management app before Photos came around.
To complete a retro look for your Mac, you're going to need a pack of retro icons. Designer Ben Vessey has you covered here, with 205 old school icons that complete your modern Mac's transformation into a retro computer. This icon pack costs £7.99 (roughly $10) and includes icons for Apple's apps plus lots of third party apps including the Adobe suite, 1Password, Spotify, and more. It also has icons for system folders and commonly used file extensions. This pack includes a complimentary retro wallpaper, too.
You'll also need to buy the IconChamp app ($9) to replace icons on your Mac, and even after that, a couple of system apps including Trash and Calendar cannot be changed due to macOS restrictions.
Get a retro Mac wallpaper
Credit: freddiemt/YouTube
The final step of your retro transformation involves changing your Mac's wallpaper. YouTuber freddiemt has uploaded all of the default wallpapers that shipped with each version of the Mac's operating system to this Google Photos album. You can also quickly search online for retro Mac wallpapers to craft the perfect retro look for your computer.
Normally, you wouldn't think of using your keyboard with Apple Music, but like Spotify, Apple Music supports plenty of convenient keyboard shortcuts, even some on Windows. From basic playback controls to managing your playlists, you can do pretty much everything on Apple Music without touching your trackpad or mouse.
Apple Music keyboard shortcuts for playback and navigation
Credit: Pranay Parab
These are the best keyboard shortcuts to play music, find things in your music library, and to manage playback.
Spacebar (Mac) or Ctrl-Spacebar (Windows): Play or pause the selected song.
Option-Command-U (Mac) or Alt-L-Q (Windows): View or hide the playback queue.
Command-Up Arrow (Mac) or Ctrl-Up Arrow (Windows): Increase the volume.
Command-Down Arrow (Mac) or Ctrl-Down Arrow (Windows): Decrease the volume.
Return (Mac) or Alt-L-R (Windows): Play the song from the beginning.
Right Arrow (Mac) or Ctrl-Right Arrow (Windows): Play the next song. Works only when a song is playing.
Left Arrow (Mac) or Ctrl-Left Arrow (Windows): Play the previous song.
Option-Command-Left Arrow (Mac) or Ctrl-Alt-Left Arrow (Windows): Go back within the currently playing song.
Option-Command-Right Arrow (Mac) or Ctrl-Alt-Right Arrow (Windows): Go forward within the currently playing song.
Command-F (Mac) or Alt-L-F (Windows): Open the search page in Apple Music.
Command-T (Mac) or Ctrl-T (Windows): Show or hide the visualizer.
Option-Command-E (Mac) or Ctrl-Shift-E (Windows): Opens the equalizer.
Control your Apple Music windows
Credit: Pranay Parab
Use these shortcuts to quickly manage Apple Music windows on your Mac.
Option-Command-M or Shift-Command-M (Mac) / Shift-Ctrl-M (Windows): Open or close the mini player.
Shift-Command-F (Mac): Open or close the full-screen player in Apple Music.
Option-click the green button (Mac): Lets you switch between the custom and maximum window sizes for the app. The green button is located in the top-left corner of the window.
Command-/ (Mac): Shows or hides the status bar, which reveals information about the songs on the screen. This includes the number of songs in a playlist, total duration, and how much space the playlist will occupy if you download it.
Command-M (Mac): Send the Music window to the dock.
Command-H (Mac): Hide the Music window.
Option-Command-H (Mac): Hide all applications other than Music.
Command-0(Mac): Show the Music window.
Command-W (Mac): Close Music.
Command-Q (Mac) or Alt-F4 (Windows): Quit Music.
Quickly manage your playlists
Credit: Pranay Parab
If you love creating playlists on Apple Music on your Mac, these are the shortcuts you need.
Command-N (Mac) or Ctrl-N (Windows): Create a new playlist.
Option-Command-N (Mac) or Ctrl-Alt-N (Windows): Create a new smart playlist. Lets you define a few requirements and automatically generates playlists with songs that match your needs.
Shift-Command-N (Mac) or Ctrl-Shift-N (Windows): Generate a fresh playlist from songs you've selected. Use this shortcut after selecting a bunch of songs and it'll instantly create a new playlist.
Command-L (Mac) or Ctrl-L (Windows): Select the song that's currently playing.
Command-I (Mac) or Ctrl-I (Windows): Open the information window for the selected song.
Shift-F10 (Windows): Right-click any selected song and reveal the contextual menu.
Command-] (Mac): With the information window open, this shortcut shows the information for the next song.
Command-[ (Mac): When the information window is open, this will show you the information for the previous song.
Shift-Command-[ (Mac): Moves to the previous tab in the information window.
Shift-Command-] (Mac): Moves to the next tab in the information window.
Command-C (Mac) or Ctrl-C (Windows): Copies information of the current song, such as name, duration, artwork, etc.
Command-V (Mac) or Ctrl-V (Windows): Pastes information that you've copied.
Command-A (Mac) or Ctrl-A (Windows): Select all songs in a playlist.
Shift-Command-A (Mac) or Shift-Ctrl-A (Windows): Unselect all songs.
Delete (Mac) or Backspace (Windows): Deletes the selected song from the playlist (asks for a confirmation before deletion).
Command-Delete: Deletes the selected song from the library without any confirmation.
Option-Delete: Deletes the selected song from all of your playlists and your library.
Other useful Apple Music keyboard shortcuts
Credit: Pranay Parab
Command-U (Mac) or Ctrl-U (Windows): Stream an audio file from a URL using the Music app on your Mac.
Shift-Command-Right Arrow (Mac) or Shift-Ctrl-Right Arrow (Windows): Go to the next chapter in the audio file (if it has chapter markers).
Shift-Command-Left Arrow (Mac) or Shift-Ctrl-Left Arrow (Windows): Go to the previous chapter in the audio file.
Command-O (the letter, not the number) (Mac) or Ctrl-O (Windows): Import an audio file into your library.
Shift-Command-R (Mac) or Ctrl-R (Windows): Show where an audio file is located.
Command-, (comma) (Mac) or Ctrl-, (Windows): Open Music settings.
The Mac's built-in tool for screenshots is pretty cool, but recording your screen has always been a bit of a pain. As of writing, this feature is divided between two apps—the screenshot tool (accessed by pressing Command-Shift-5) and the good old QuickTime Player. For a better and more direct alternative to macOS' built-in screen recording tools, try the free QuickRecorder utility.
QuickRecorder combines the best features of macOS' screen recording with excellent customizability, which makes it a must-have. You can record your Mac's screen, or that of an iPhone connected to your Mac, or even capture audio from any app that's running on your Mac. This includes your web browser, a video conferencing app, or any other app that plays audio.
Why use a screen recording app?
A screen recording app does what it says—records a video of your screen. This is useful for many reasons. If your Mac is having issues, you can use a screen recording app to record a video and demonstrate the problem to either Apple or your friendly neighborhood repair shop. If your grandparent can't figure out how to do something on their Mac, you can record your screen and send them a video to show how something is done.
With a good screen recording app, you'll be able to choose the quality of the recording so that you can optimize it for either space or looks. A good recording app will also allow you to choose whether to show the mouse cursor, record an app's audio, and allow you to record a voiceover with the screen recording. QuickRecorder does all of these things and it's free, which makes it a compelling alternative to the screen recording tools in macOS.
Installing and setting up QuickRecorder
Since you'll need to download this app off GitHub (click the dmg file to download, then double click the download to install), your Mac may not allow you to use it immediately. You may have to go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway to run it. This is a security feature, but QuickRecorder is safe to use, so you need not worry. The app may also prompt you to allow it recording permissions, which you can do right from the pop-up.
Using QuickRecorder to record your screen
Credit: Pranay Parab
Once the setup is done, you can launch QuickRecorder. The app will show a nice, large rectangular pane with options that are easy to follow. You can choose one of the following options:
System Audio: Records audio from any app on your Mac.
Screen: Records the whole screen.
Screen Area: Lets you create a rectangle on screen and only records things that are inside the rectangle.
Application: Lets you pick an app and records all visible windows of that app.
Window: Records the selected open window.
Mobile Device: If you've connected a mobile device to your Mac using a USB cable, this lets you record the screen of the mobile device. Normally, you'd do the screen recording directly on the mobile device, but this method saves you the hassle of converting formats and transferring the file to your Mac.
Credit: Pranay Parab
Once you've selected any of the above options, QuickRecorder shows you a record button next to a few additional options for resolution, quality, and frame rate. Hit record to begin recording. When the recording begins, you'll see a purple area in the menu bar. Click the pause icon to take a break from recording or the stop icon to end the recording. Once you're done recording, QuickRecorder saves the file to your Mac's desktop.
QuickRecorder also supports Presenter Overlay, the macOS Sonoma feature that lets you place yourself on camera while recording your screen. On older versions of macOS, the app lets you record yourself along with the screen recording using the webcam.
Configuring QuickRecorder for optimal results
Credit: Pranay Parab
The default settings in QuickRecorder are pretty good, but you can easily configure the app for more utility. When you open the app, click the gear icon to open Preferences. Here you can customize pretty much everything about your screen recording. The most important options are listed below:
Video Settings: Choose between MOV and MP4 as a video format, and pick an encoder (H.264 for greater compatibility and H.265 for smaller file sizes).
Audio Settings: Audio format is AAC by default, but you can choose MP3 for smaller file sizes or ALAC/FLAC for lossless audio. You can also enable noise cancellation to block out background noise.
Shortcuts Settings: Set up keyboard shortcuts to start recording without using your mouse.
Other Settings: Here, you can add a short delay before the recording begins to allow you some time to compose yourself. You can also choose to include or exclude QuickRecorder and the menu bar from the recordings. The app can also highlight the mouse cursor, in case you want to make it extra clear where to click.
Excluded Apps: Lets you select which apps not to record.
Icon Settings: Use these to show or hide the app from your dock or menu bar.
Select Save Folder: Choose where your screen recordings are saved.
With these options configured, you can level up screen recordings on your Mac.
Google Maps is so popular that it's pretty much synonymous with navigation. And that's for good reason. But while the app is pretty good with its default settings, if you go deeper, you'll unlock a treasure trove of useful features. From better walking directions to incognito mode, there's a bunch to Google Maps just below the surface.
Always keep the map facing north
Google Maps has a tendency to point the map in the direction you’re facing. For example, if you’re facing south, you’ll see the south displayed at the top of the screen in Google Maps. This works for some people, but it can leave others very confused. If you’re someone who likes to always keep north at the top of the screen, you can go to Google Maps settings > Navigation, and enable Keep map north up. If your mind is better attuned to paper maps, then this setting might make Google Maps more useful for you.
Review your navigation settings
Far too many people have ended up stranded or delayed because they haven't double checked any changes they might have made to their navigation settings. For example, you may have previously asked Google Maps to avoid toll roads during a journey and forgotten about it. On your next trip, Google Maps will remember the setting and could take you through longer or less safe routes (depending on where you are located). In some parts of the world, taking an offbeat route could be a fatal mistake. That's why it's best to review navigation settings before each long trip, especially if you're in an unfamiliar place.
Before you start your journey, tap the profile icon in Google Maps and go to Settings > Navigation. Under Route options, make sure your desired options are selected. You definitely don’t want to be avoiding highways or tolls under most circumstances, so it’s best to periodically check these settings.
Get better walking directions
Credit: Diego Thomazini via Shutterstock
When you're a pedestrian, Google Maps sends few audio alerts by default. You can manually make it send more so that you don't have to keep looking at your phone to navigate. Navigate to Google Maps settings > Navigation, scroll to the bottom, and enable Detailed voice guidance.
Make accessibility options more prominent
Plenty of people need accessibility information to be front and center in Google Maps. After all, inadequate accessibility features may make a location a no-go for some people. Although Google Maps is pretty good about showing accessibility information in general, you can make a small change that prominently highlights it in every listing. Go to Settings > Accessibility and enable Accessible places.
It's worth remembering that Google Maps may not always have accurate accessibility information, so it's always a good idea to call ahead and confirm if your destination actually has the facilities you need.
Review your content on Google Maps
The modern day Google Maps doesn't live in its own silo. It has access to a lot of information from your Google account, such as your photos, location history, and other Google services. There's a page in the app's settings that lets you review how this data appears in Google Maps. Go to Google Maps settings > Personal content to control what the app can display on your profile. This can be useful if you leave a lot of reviews.
Pause location history
If you’d rather not allow Google Maps to keep a tab on your location history, tap the profile icon and hit Personal content. Tap Location History to go to the Activity controls. Tap the Turn off button next to Location History to stop Google from logging your Google Maps locations. You can also tap Manage activity to review all previously saved locations and remove them. Alternatively, you can keep location history enabled and tap Auto-delete to make Google delete this data once it’s three months old.
Incognito mode
By default, Google Maps will keep logging your searches and location data unless you ask it not to. Using incognito mode is a quick way to stop some of that tracking. Tap the profile icon and select Turn on Incognito mode.
Stop Google Maps from logging your searches
Every time you use Google Maps to search for things, you may see a list of your recent searches below the search box. If this bothers you, turn off search history by going to Account Settings and disabling Save recent searches on this device.
Get rid of unwanted notifications
No one likes receiving unnecessary alerts on their phone all the time. Google Maps allows you to customize the kinds of alerts you receive, which is great for keeping the notifications you need while eliminating the spam. Make this tweak by going to Settings > Notifications in Google Maps.
Download maps for offline use
While most of us live in places with fairly decent internet connectivity, our travels can take us to remote places with less robust infrastructure. If you’re planning a trip to a rural destination, it helps to download maps for offline use. These won’t have the accurate, up-to-date traffic data you’re used to, but it still beats being lost in a place with no cellular reception.
To download maps, tap the profile icon in Google Maps and select Offline maps. Next, tap Select your own map and you’ll see a zoomed out map of the place you’re in. Just move the blue rectangle over the area you intend to visit and then tap Download. Before downloading, Google Maps tells you how much space downloaded maps will occupy on your smartphone. You can use offline maps for up to 30 days from the date of download.
Plot routes with multiple stops
For long journeys, Google Maps can actually add stops to your route. Usually, Google Maps shows the fastest possible route between two places, but if you plan to visit a few other spots along the way, adding it to the route will help you get a more realistic ETA.
First, open Google Maps and plot a route. Then, tap the three-dots icon in the top-right and select Add Stop. This will allow you to add another location. You can also drag the three horizontal lines icon next to each stop to change the order of your stops.
Set a reminder to leave
Google Maps can also send you a notification around the time you should leave, to help you reach your destination on time. Enter the place you’re leaving from and the place you’re going to in Google Maps, then tap the three-dots icon in the top-right and select Set a reminder to leave. You can select when you want to leave in the Depart at tab, and hit Finished. Maps will then send you a notification at the time you chose.
Alternatively, you can go to the Arrive by tab and select when you’d like to reach your destination. Google Maps will figure out the right departure time for you to make it to your destination on time, and send a reminder accordingly.
Change vehicle icon
Credit: mhong84 via Shutterstock
While you’re on one of these awesome road trips, you can quickly add a small—but fun—element to Google Maps. The default vehicle icon is a blue arrow, but if you tap that arrow, you will see other vehicle icons too. Pick the one you like and you’re set.
Tell Google Maps which EV plugs you use
Electric vehicle owners have to deal with multiple charging plug standards, and it can sometimes be a hassle to find the right kinds of chargers for your car. You can solve this problem by telling Google Maps which types of charging plugs your EV uses. When you look for chargers, the app will then highlight ones that use plugs compatible with your vehicle. To enable this in Google Maps, go to Settings > Electric vehicle settings > Add plugs.
Customize public transit options
When you enter a destination on Google Maps, you’ll also see a tiny little train icon below it. Tapping this will allow you to check public transit timings and available routes for your journey. This is pretty accurate in many places, but the secret sauce here is the customizability of this option. To see these, tap the Options button that appears when you select public transport.
Here, you can sort results by extremely useful filters such as Wheelchair accessible and Lowest cost, apart from preferred modes of public transport.
Disable autoplaying videos
Google Maps sometimes shows you video previews for certain locations. These start playing automatically, but if you want to disable them, go to Settings > Video settings, and disable Allow autoplay.
Share your location in real time
Google Maps also allows you to share your location with others in real time. This may sound a bit creepy, but can be a useful safety feature. For example, if you are feeling unsafe, you can allow close friends or family members to monitor your location for some time. This feature is also helpful when you’re heading to a friend’s home and they want to see how far away you are.
To use this feature, tap the profile icon in Google Maps and hit Location sharing. When you want to begin sharing, tap Share location and then tap For 1 hour to customize how long you want to share your location. Finally, you can select one of your contacts from the list or tap More options to send a link containing your realtime location using other apps.
Learn more about local businesses
If you’re not sure if a local business has the amenities you need, look for the business in Google Maps, swipe right below the name of the business, and then tap the About tab.
This lists a lot of useful information, such as whether the lot is wheelchair accessible, if the bathrooms are gender-neutral, or if the business is minority-owned.
Windows 10 is slowly on its way out, as Microsoft has announced it'll stop issuing free software updates after Oct. 14, 2025. At the same time, there are plenty of reasons why you might be hesitant to upgrade to Windows 11 or might not be able to upgrade at all. Luckily, there's a middle ground: giving your Windows 10 PC a fresh coat of paint that makes it look a lot like a brand new Windows 11 computer.
It goes without saying that this won't magically make your PC run Windows 11, but it'll give it a new look and add some useful features from the newer operating system.
With that out of the way, here's how you can go about crafting a near-perfect Windows 11 look for your Windows 10 PC.
Step 1: Create a restore point
Before starting, make a new system restore point. Don’t skip this step!
We’ll be changing several important settings, so having a recent restore point ensures you can safely revert to your current configuration with all your files intact in case something goes wrong. It’ll also help revert your changes if you end up not liking the custom desktop look later on.
Credit: Brendan Hesse
Search for Restore using the Windows task bar.
Select Create a Restore Point from the search results to open the System Properties menu.
In the System Protection tab, select your hard drive and make sure Protection is set to On. If it’s off, click Configure, then turn on system protection.
With system protection turned on, highlight the drive from the list, then select Create.
Add a description for the new restore point, then click Create.
Wait for the backup process to finish.
If you end up needing to use the restore point, go back to the System Properties menu using the steps above, then click System Restore and follow the on-screen instructions.
Step 2: Make Windows 10 look like Windows 11
Next, we’ll make Windows 10 look more like Windows 11—including the new taskbar and start menu, the rounded folder and taskbar corners, new icons and backgrounds, and more.
To do this, you’ll need to install a custom, third-party desktop theme and icon set based on Windows 11, which takes a lot more work than simply installing the theme from the Microsoft Store. If you’d rather just give Windows 11 a quick, temporary test drive, there’s a way to see the OS’s new interface first-hand without installing anything. That said, if you want a fuller experience (and can’t install the beta), a custom theme is your best option.
Credit: Vin Star (via YouTube)
Before we can apply the custom theme, however, you need to install several third-party apps the theme requires to run.
There’s a lot to install, but don’t feel too overwhelmed; full installation instructions for each app or file are available on each of the download pages listed below, and all of these apps are open-source and/or certified safe to use.
Here’s what you’ll need:
SecureUXTheme: This app allows you to install third-party Windows 10 themes without affecting your system files.
OldNewExplorer: Changes the look and feel of the Windows explorer menus.
StartisBack ($4.99; free trial available): Adds a better start menu based on Windows 7’s. The full version is a $4.99 one-time fee, but the trial version can be used indefinitely (albeit with limited features). You only need the free trial to use the custom Windows 11 theme.
Stardock Curtain mod: Rounds out folder windows on Windows 10, like they are on Windows 11.
Once the prerequisite apps are installed on your PC, it’s time to make it look like it’s running Windows 11. For this, we’ll be using niivu’s Windows 11 for Windows 10 theme (it just requires a free DeviantArt account). Niivu’s installation instructions are available here, but here’s the simplified version:
First, you need to figure out which version of Windows you’re on. Press Windows key + R.
Type “winver” and press enter.
Make note of the version number, then close the window.
Download niivu’s theme from the link above.
Unzip the download file.
In the unzipped folder, open the folder that matches your Windows version.
Open another Windows Explorer window and go to This PC > [drive] > Windows > Resources > Themes and copy over the downloaded files.
Once the files are in the correct folders, right-click on your desktop.
Select “Personalize.”
Under the “Themes” section, select the Windows 11 theme from the list. It should immediately apply to your desktop.
By this point, your Windows 10 desktop should look pretty close to the default Windows 11 theme, but there are a few optional tweaks you can make to get it even closer:
niivu also recommends installing xoblite for enhanced right-click menu functionality, but this isn’t required.
Again, these are optional mods, but they’ll make Windows 10 look and act even more like Windows 11.
Step 3: Upgrade your Windows 10 security options to match Windows 11’s (sort of)
The upshot of Windows 11’s strict hardware requirements is that it’s a much more secure operating system—at least on paper. The combo TPM (Trusted Platform Module) and SecureBoot requirements should help keep Windows 11 devices safe from malware, ransomware, and remote take-overs.
Some Windows 10 PCs already have a TPM and support SecureBoot. Of course, that means these computers can probably run Windows 11 if desired, but still, it’s worth checking to see if your PC can use these features.
Enabling your TPM or SecureBoot will add extra security to your PC at the hardware level, but Windows 10 will often disable them by default. We’ve already covered how to check for and enable your PC’s TPM (if you have one), so let’s talk about SecureBoot—besides, it’s more likely your PC will support this feature.
How to enable Secure Boot
SecureBoot prevents apps from installing if the code is not properly verified, and will prevent processes from taking over your device during startup, so it’s definitely a worthwhile feature if it’s available to you.
Here’s how to check if you can use it:
Search for System information in the Task Bar, then select it from the search results.
In the System Information window, scroll through and check that BIOS Mode is set to UEFI and Secure Boot is set to On.
If Secure Boot is set to Off, then it’s disabled. If it says Unsupported, well, it’s not available for your PC, or your BIOS Mode is set to BIOS.
Credit: Brendan Hesse
In either case, it’s possible to enable UEFI and Secure Boot from your startup BIOS menu. Doing so will differ based on your motherboard and its firmware, but a quick Google search should point you in the right direction.
However, a word of caution: Only change your PC’s BIOS settings if you’re absolutely certain you know what you’re doing. And even if you do, it’s always possible changing to UEFI or enabling Secure Boot could cause major issues. If it works, you won’t run into any issues. But if it doesn’t, you’ll need to resort to some drastic measures to reset your motherboard and regain access to your PC. This includes popping open your PC and temporarily removing the motherboard’s battery. And if you screw this up, you’ll end up with an unusable PC.
Other security features you should turn on
Enabling SecureBoot and your PC’s TPM (if you have one) will get you closest to Windows 11’s baseline security features, but there’s a lot more you can do to safeguard your Windows 10 PC and all the apps and files on it. Here’s a quick checklist:
There are also several security enhancements enterprise users and IT professionals implement if they use Windows 10 on their networks.
As I’ve said a few times already, you can’t get Windows 10 to mimic Windows 11 in every way. But if you enable these extra security layers and take the time to apply the custom themes and UI mods, it’ll be easy to fool yourself into thinking it’s the real thing.
Faking Windows 11 is nice option for those of us who can’t upgrade just yet—but don’t feel left out. Windows 11 is still going through plenty of growing pains, so Windows 10 is a perfectly fine place to be while its successor figures itself out.
Editorial music curation is one of Apple Music's strong suits, as evidenced by the service's excellent playlists. Apple is taking that to the next level now, with the release of a list of it 100 best albums of all time. You can find a link to the list in the Apple Music app, but rather annoyingly, the list itself can only be viewed on a webpage, much like the Apple Music Replay collection.
If you ask a hundred people to make a list of their favorite albums, you'll get 100 different lists. The same is true for Apple Music's list of 100 best albums. There are plenty of great albums in this list, but you could spend the rest of your life arguing about the order. For example, I think albums such as Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and Miles Davis' Kind of Blue should be in the top 10, but you may think they're fairly placed in the twenties. Another problem with this list is that it appears to be focused on English albums. If you're a fan of music from other languages or non-English speaking regions, you're not going to find much representation in Apple Music's list. Apple hasn't detailed the exact methodology for this list, but it has offered this explanation: "Assembled with the help of artists and experts, it’s a modern love letter to the records that have shaped the world we live and listen in today."
What one can't dispute is that the list includes some top-notch albums. If you enjoy music, you'll definitely find lots of great albums in Apple Music's list.
The Apple Music app is good enough for most people, but it's not well-suited for people who dislike playlists and prefer listening to albums exclusively. Since Apple's list is all about music albums, you might want to consider using a third-party Apple Music app instead of the official one. Albums (free, $19/year for premium features) is a great app that lets you keep the focus off playlists and on the album order songs were released in.
While the free tier should be good enough for most, the premium tier includes Last.fm integration, better stats, and improved customization.
Apple Music's 100 best albums of all time
With that out of the way, here are Apple Music's 100 best albums of all time, starting from Apple's favorite and working down. Each album links to Apple Music's website, where you can sign in and listen as long as you have an active Apple Music subscription.
Google has been working hard to add more accessibility features to your Android phone. The company recently revealed some of these as part of a feature update announced on Global Accessibility Awareness Day. The new features include AI powered image captions to help people with low vision, an easier way to find objects, and detailed accessibility data for places listed on Google Maps (on Android, iOS, and desktop). Here are the best new accessibility features coming to Google products.
An easier way to find objects
For people with low vision, Google's Lookout for Android tool is a boon for independence. It allows you to use your phone's camera to find out more about things around you. Google is now rolling out Lookout's Find mode in beta, which lets you locate objects in your immediate space. Google says that you will be able to select from seven categories of items (including bathrooms, seating, and tables) and use the camera to spot them. This feature will tell you which direction the object or place is in, and how far it is from you. Lookout can also now immediately provide AI-generated captions for photos taken directly in the app.
Type by just looking at your phone
Look to Speak is getting a new feature that takes text out of the equation. This Android tool has been around since 2020 and allows users to simply look at prewritten customized phrases to have their phone speak them aloud. Google says it makes communication easier for people with cognitive challenges and literacy related issues, and can even help surmount language barriers.
Now, instead of having to look at phrases, users can set emoji and photos to read out preselected phrases instead. For instance, looking at the hand waving emoji can make your phone say, "Hello."
Easier access to accessibility information in Google Maps
Google has made it easier to find accessibility-related information in Google Maps, regardless of platform. The company says this information is now available for over 50 million locations. To find it easily, there is an accessibility icon in the app that gives you details about how accessibility friendly the location is. While this icon was previously available on Google Maps for Android and iPhone, it's now also available on desktop.
Improved walking instruction for people with low vision
In the Google Maps app for iOS and Android, the Lens feature is getting better at giving you walking instructions. Intended for people who have low vision or are blind, the app's walking instructions now read out the names and categories of places near you, and tell you how far away each place is as well. Google says its voice guidance feature will let you know if you're going in the right direction, redirect you if you're not, and even tell you if you're at a busy intersection.
Better support for information about hearing devices
Locations that support Auracast, a technology that casts audio to hearing devices, can now display that information on their business profile in Google Maps. If you have an Auracast-enabled Bluetooth hearing aid, this information will benefit your visits to popular venues such as auditoriums, gyms, and theaters.
Enhanced Sound Notifications alerts
The Sound Notifications feature alerts you when a smoke alarm goes off, a doorbell rings, or when there are other sounds around you. It works by sending push notifications, firing your phone's flash, or vibrating the phone. Google says Sound Notifications now has a better setup process, lets you browse sound events to see which sounds were heard around you, and lets you save custom sounds for appliances in your house.
Over the past several years, countless websites have added paywalls. If you want to read their articles, you have to sign up and pay a monthly subscription cost. Some sites have a “metered” paywall—meaning you can read a certain number of articles for free before they ask for money—and others have a hard paywall, where you’ll have to pay to read even one article.
Paywalls are mostly an thing with news websites, largely because relying on advertising income alone isn’t a viable strategy anymore, and news companies are pursuing more direct revenue sources, like monthly subscriptions. Of course, paywalls aren’t entirely a bad thing—it’s worth it to support journalism you find valuable, so by all means, if you can afford to pay to read articles, you absolutely should. But whether you lost your password, haven’t saved it on your phone, are in a rush, or are just strapped for cash and promise yourself that you’ll subscribe later, there are several ways to bypass paywalls on the internet.
You may be able to use some of these methods successfully today, but that could change in the future as websites clamp down on bypass methods. If nothing else, I hope you support the websites that you do read—especially your friendly local news outlet. But if you can’t right now, here are some of the best ways to bypass paywalls online.
Paste the headline into Google
The simplest ways are often the best. There are plenty of paywalled websites that have an arrangement that lets people arriving from Google search access their articles for free. Your first port of call should be to copy the headline and paste it into the search bar on Google. The article should appear as the first result, so just click that to read it for free.
Try a Facebook redirect
Some paywalled websites let readers arriving from Facebook read articles for free, and the method works even if you don’t have a Facebook account. To do it, open the article you want to read and go to the address bar of your web browser. Now paste https://facebook.com/l.php?u= before the URL of the paywalled article and open the page. This’ll show you a Facebook redirect page, and you can click Follow Link to open the website. The paywalled article should now be free to read.
Open the link in an incognito window
Another quick way is to open the paywalled articles in an incognito window in your web browser. Just note that this method works with metered paywalls only. If you’ve used up your free article quota for the month on any website, opening its articles in an incognito window could let you keep reading without paying yet.
Disable JavaScript in your browser
Some websites use JavaScript to hide content behind paywalls, and you can circumvent those blocks by disabling JavaScript in your browser. Note that disabling JavaScript can (and will) break most websites—some may not let you view comments, while others may not load at all. But it’s worth trying if you just need to read the content of the post.
Ideally, you’d use a separate browser for this so that you don’t have to keep enabling and disabling JavaScript. Once you’ve chosen your secondary browser, check out our guide to disabling JavaScript in various ones.
Enable "reader mode"
Most modern browsers now have a "reader mode" that strips extraneous elements from the page (like ads, formatting, and empty space). As a bonus, reader mode will sometimes also allow you to bypass paywalls. This article will tell you how to use reader mode in Safari, Firefox, Edge, and Chrome.
Use a VPN
Some paywalled sites, like The Washington Post, will let you read a limited number of articles for free each month, then throw up the wall once you've hit the limit. You can use a VPN to change up your IP address and trick the site into giving you more freebies. This method won't help you on sites that don't offer any free access, but it's worth trying, and will work with both paid and free VPNs.
Use Bypass Paywalls from GitHub
If you're using a Chromium-based browser (Chrome, Edge) or Firefox, you can install the Bypass Paywalls extension from GitHub. It's slightly intimidating if you've never installed an extension outside of the Chrome Web Store, but it's pretty simple—just click this link and follow the instructions for your browser of choice. For Chrome, for example, that involved downloading the extension, turning on "Developer Mode" in the browser's settings, and dragging the extension file into the browser window. Once completed successfully, this extension grants seamless, paywall-free access to more than 160 sites, including Vulture, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal—there's a complete list on the GitHub resource page. (Hat tip to reader dsww in the comments for pointing this one out.)
Try another browser add-on
There are lots of browser extensions that allow you to bypass paywalls on many websites. For academic articles, Unpaywall (Firefox, Chrome) is a good choice. For Chrome or Edge, you can also try Postlight Reader, which can also do you the favor of cleaning away the clutter of ads and generally making online content easier to read.
Edit a couple of elements on the webpage
If you understand a bit of HTML and CSS, you can edit elements using your browser to go past some paywalls. Essentially, you’re editing the page to remove the banners that lock content behind a subscription. It’s a lot like opening the curtains to reveal the nice view outside your window.
It works with some websites, but others have added a hard block that reveals the article only if you’ve signed in with a paid account. Still, it’s worth trying once to see if it works:
On any website, right-click the banner just below the last visible sentence of the article and select Inspect Element. This will open up a console where you can search for the offending elements and hide or change them. The exact element varies from site to site, but it’s often labeled display, paywall, or subscribe. Here’s a neat GIF on Reddit that shows you how to get it done.
Use 12ft.io
12ft.io is a simple website created with the sole purpose of breaking through paywalls—and it's so simple to use, it appears to have become an easy target for those who'd like to keep you from easily bypassing a paywall. A few months ago, the site was taken offline (the link returned an error message reading ”This Deployment has been disabled. Your connection is working correctly. Vercel is working correctly,” whatever that means). It's now back, but who knows for how long. (Previously, there was an alternative, 1ft.io, that worked in much the same way, but the developer recently shut it down permanently, as evidenced by an announcement posted to that URL.)
To use 12ft.io, simply paste the paywalled link in the text field and hit “Submit.” (Alternately, you can type “https://12ft.io/” before the URL in your browser bar.) The site will then show you the cached, “unpaywalled version” of the page. The only problem is that the site doesn't always work on all websites (The Wall Street Journal being a notable example). If you get the “access denied” message, try this next tool.
Use Archive.today to archive the page
Archive.today is a website that archives any website you paste the link on their bar. Think of it like taking a screenshot of any website with a time stamp (a self-described “time capsule,” if you will). It “saves a text and a graphical copy of the page for better accuracy” and gives you a short link to an unalterable record of any web page. As a bonus, you can often use this functionality to bypass a paywall and read the entire article. Pate your link into the black “I want to search the archive for saved snapshots” bar. If the article you’re trying to bypass isn’t already archived, then put the URL into the red “My URL is alive and I want to archive its content” bar. This tool is a good bet if 12ft.io has already failed you.
Spaywall promises to "legally bypass paywalls"
Another site that works similarly to 12ft.io and Archive.today, Spaywall states that the site "legally [bypasses] paywalls by redirecting you to archived news and research papers." In testing links, it appears it takes the site a big longer to archive pages than some of your other options, so it's probably best for reading older articles.
Use a paywall bypass shortcut on Android
If you are trying to read a paywalled article on an Android phone, you can get around it with the Bypass Paywalls Clean browser extension. This extension used to be available for Firefox but has been removed from the Mozilla store. However, you can add it to a different browser; Reddit users recommend trying the Kiwi browser.
Use a paywall bypass shortcut on iPhone
The last method on our list works only on iPhones: Apple’s free Shortcuts app lets you run automation routines on your iPhone, and its tools have been used to bypass paywalls on various websites. There are plenty of these shortcuts, and they may all not work with all websites. Get started by trying AntiPaywall, Bypass Paywall, Paywall and Cookie Bypass, or Unpaywall.
Check if your local library provides access
Many libraries offer access to paid magazine and newspaper subscriptions online. Typically you'll have to go to your library's website, log in with your card number or account details, and then access different publications indirectly, via the library's portal (for example, if you live in Marin County, California, you can easily read The Washington Post for free). There are too many library systems out there to count, so you may or may not be lucky enough to be in one that allows this perk, but it's worth a shot; since the library is paying the publication for the service, you don't even need to feel guilty. (Not sure if your system has a news portal? Ask your local librarian!)
Ask a subscriber for a "gift article"
This one isn't likely to be feasible often, but it's worth a shot for when you're trying to read that one paywalled article that's going viral: Many publications allow paid subscribers to "gift" a copy of a certain number of articles every month (The Washington Post and The New York Times each allows gifting 10 articles per month, for example). If you know your aunt subscribes to The New York Times, it can't hurt to ask if she's willing to gift you the occasional read.
Buy a single article with Blendle
If you can't pay for a subscription but don't mind paying for a single article, you can try the Blendle app. This news aggregator partners with publications and will sell you a single article for a nominal fee—according to the App Store page, most articles cost a quarter. The downside: The selection of publishers is limited in the U.S. (the company is based in Europe), but includes The New York Times, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, and more.
Like it or not, Windows 11 is here to stay. If you want to continue using Microsoft's operating system, you're going to be forced to embrace it sooner or later. Starting Oct. 14, 2025, Microsoft will stop free software and security updates for Windows 10, and while you have the option to pay for updates, it's probably better and cheaper to just upgrade to Windows 11. But if you are among those who recently updated to Windows 11 and are facing significant issues, you can still roll back to Windows 10.
Back up your PC first
I always recommend backing up your data to avoid losing important information during updates, or in this case, a downgrade or a rollback to an older version. Lifehacker has covered several methods for backing up your Windows PC here, but the best way is to just copy everything you want to save over to an external hard drive. You will still have to reconfigure a fair few things and log into your favorite apps all over again, but it's much better than having to scramble to restore lost data.
How to go back to Windows 10 from Windows 11’s settings menu
This should be your first option when returning to Windows 10, but it only appears for the first 10 days after you upgrade to Windows 11. If it's been longer, or if you updated to Windows 11 via a clean install, then you won't be able to use this method. This is the easiest way to go back to Windows 10:
Go to Settings > System > Recovery.
Scroll to Recovery Options > Previous Version of Windows, and select Go back if it’s available. If it’s not, skip down to the other methods listed below.
You’ll be asked to provide a reason for uninstalling Windows 11, and then asked if you want to check for updates instead of uninstalling Windows 11. Click No, thanks to continue with the rollback.
Follow the remaining on-screen prompts, then select Go back to earlier build to finally start the process.
Let the rollback process complete. This may take a while, but once it’s done, you’ll be safely back on Windows 10 with your files intact.
How to uninstall Windows 11 and reinstall Windows 10
Outside of the above method, reinstalling Windows 10 requires some form of physical installation media. For most people, this means creating their own installation media with a USB drive. You’ll need to download the Windows 10 installation media creation tool (available here) and put it on a a blank disc or a USB thumb drive with at least 8GB of space. Run the program, then follow the on-screen instructions to create your installation media and run the Windows 10 installation process. This will take a while, and you will have to ensure that your PC boots off the USB stick, which you can do by going into your computer's BIOS settings and changing the boot order. It may sound a bit intimidating, but if you look up the steps involved for your computer (the steps vary depending on the components in your PC), you will find that it's a simple process. After the installation is done, you’ll also have to install Windows updates, reinstall your apps, and restore your backup files, so set aside a solid chunk of time before you update.
The other alternative is to directly download the Windows 10 ISO file and create a bootable USB disk with Rufus, an excellent free tool. If you go to Microsoft's Windows 10 download page from your PC, you will only see an option to download the Windows Media Creation tool. If you'd rather download the Windows 10 ISO directly, you can either open this page from a non-Windows computer, or make your browser pretend that it's a non-Windows computer. On Chrome, Chromium-based browsers, or Firefox on your PC, open the Windows 10 download page and then press Ctrl-Shift-I, followed by Ctrl-Shift-M. At the top of the page and below the address bar, you'll see a button called Responsive. Click this, select any device from the list, and reload the page. Hit Esc and close all the developer toolbars and console windows active in the tab. You will now see the good old Windows 10 ISO download screen. Download it, and use Rufus to create a bootable disk. You can use that to proceed with a clean install of Windows 10 on your PC. Good luck!
Microsoft has officially announced that it's ending support for Android apps on Windows 11, but you don't have to be deterred by that. If you have been using the official method and installing Android apps from the Amazon app store, you can continue to do so till March 5, 2025. You can also, however, prepare yourself for the future and switch to an Android emulator right away. There are lots of good Android emulators for Windows 11 now and you can use any of these to run Android apps on your PC. These days, Android emulators are far more resource-efficient than they used to be and most of these emulators should run well even on relatively low-end PCs.
Bluestacks
Bluestacks by now.gg has been around for a long time, and has improved a lot over the years. This emulator lets you download and install apps from Google Play, which is a big plus, and many of its best features are gaming-focused. So if you want to play your favorite Android games with a keyboard and a mouse, Bluestacks is a good choice—it lets you create macros and scripts to map your favorite actions to keyboard shortcuts, which saves you time while gaming.
Also, it lets you quickly change your device profile to run apps exclusive to certain devices. Some games, such as PUBG Mobile, are best run in the developer’s own emulators, but most other apps and games work well with Bluestacks.
Bliss OS
In case you don't want to install an Android emulator on your PC, you can try Bliss OS—it has an option that lets you boot it off a pen drive. You're also free to install and use it on your PC if you wish. The freedom of installation options and stability are highlights of this emulator.
GameLoop
Tencent, the Chinese tech giant, owns GameLoop, and as its name suggests, its focus is on game play. Because Tencent published PUBG Mobile and a host of other mobile games, the focus of GameLoop is to give you the best possible experience while playing those games. It features an anti-cheat system, too, which is good if you are looking to avoid hackers in your games.
NoxPlayer
NoxPlayer is also targeted largely at people who want to game, and if you are having issues with Bluestacks or GameLoop, give NoxPlayer a shot. It has the features you need for gaming—support for keyboard and mouse, recording macros, and the ability to run multiple games at once.
You can try Windows 11's way of running Android apps (while it lasts)
If emulators aren't cutting it for you, then you can try the official Windows method to install Android apps until it works. Be aware that this method will stop working after March 5, 2025, so enjoy it while it lasts. For this, you'll have to install Windows Subsystem For Android from the Windows Store. Once that's done, you can follow our guide to installing Android Device Bridge (ADB) on your Windows 11 PC. When that's done, you should install MicroG, an open-source app that lets you run Android apps that require Google Play Services. With those prerequisites out of the way, let’s get those apps sideloaded. It may look complicated at first glance, but it’s pretty quick to pull off once you know the process.
To start, open the Windows Subsystem for Android from the Windows 11 Start menu under the All Apps section.
In the Windows Subsystem for Android setting window, find and turn on Developer Mode.
Open the Files window at the top of the settings menu to open Android on your PC.
Back in the settings menu, scroll down and click Refresh next to the IP Address option (it’s right beneath the Developer mode toggle). Once the IP Address appears, click Copy.
Next, open Windows Terminal as an admin. Go to Start Menu > All Apps. Hover your mouse cursor over Windows Terminal then select More > Run as administrator.
In the Windows Terminal window, type the command adb connect (IP address) using the IP address from steps 4 and 5. It should look like adb connect 1234.5.6.7
Press Enter to run the command. If everything worked, you should see connected to [IP address]. We can now sideload APK files saved on your computer to run on Windows Subsystem for Android.
Back in the Windows Terminal window, type the command adb installfollowed by the folder pathway and filename in quotation marks. For example, the full command may look like adb install C:\com.whatsapp_2.21.21.15-212115005_minAPI16(x86_64)(nodpi)_apkmirror.com
If everything is correct, you’ll see Performing Streamed Install in Windows Terminal once the installation is started, and Success once it’s complete.
And that’s it. The app is now installed on your PC. Like other Android apps, you can run sideloaded apps from the Windows 11 Start Menu. They will be listed under “all apps.” Double-click to run the app and it will open in its own app window.
To fire up the voice assistant on your iPhone, you can say "Hey Siri" or simply "Siri," followed by your command. This has been true for a long time now, but Apple will finally let you change this to a custom trigger phrase of your choice "to launch shortcuts and complete complex tasks." This is not a blanket system-wide change coming with iOS 18, but it will allow you to set up custom phrases for some tasks in your workflow.
This means that although you won't be able to replace the "Hey Siri" command totally in iOS 18, you'll have the choice to make Siri do some things without calling it by its name.
iOS 18's big push for accessibility
We've written about iOS 18's accessibility features that Apple recently announced ahead of WWDC 2024, and one of these features is called Vocal Shortcuts. This will allow you to use custom phrases to trigger Siri. You'll also be able to launch shortcuts using custom phrases with iOS 18. The example Apple shared shows an iPhone using the phrase "Rings" to display your Activity Rings from the Apple Watch.
This is an accessibility feature designed to help people who face challenges with speech. It is a good example of why companies should invest more in improving accessibility—these features make the iPhone experience better for everyone. Vocal Shortcuts sounds like a great addition to the iPhone, but there are a few concerns that remain to be addressed.
Even the "Hey Siri" command gets triggered accidentally or sometimes isn't understood by the iPhone. It remains to be seen, then, how well Vocal Shortcuts work. There's always the chance that it ends up getting triggered by mistake, which could make the feature less useful. The screenshots shared by Apple show that it works just like Siri's setup process, where your iPhone will ask you to say the phrase a few times to learn how you say it. The Vocal Shortcut will be based on your speech, which should reduce the chances of firing up your shortcuts accidentally.
Apple doesn't put a middle-click button on its mice anymore. Instead, the company now makes two types of mice for its Mac devices—the trackpad (available for desktops via the Magic Trackpad) and the trackpad-like Magic Mouse. But even if you're using one of the touch-focused options that Apple ships with your computer, you can still add a middle-click function to speed up your workflow.
Apple Magic Trackpad
To use this trick anywhere but a MacBook, you'll need an Apple Magic Trackpad or Magic Mouse.
What you can do with middle-click
Anyone who's ever used a mouse on PC knows that the middle-click button is a part of the scroll wheel, which Apple's current mice don't have. You can click the scroll wheel to execute certain functions, which vary depending on how the mouse is programmed. Macs still have access to these functions, since you can use third-party mice with them, and they include:
Open links in the background in your browser
Close browser tabs
Paste selected text in your Mac's Terminal
These things can save you a lot of time and they're really convenient. If you're switching to Mac from Windows, you're going to find Apple's lack of focus on the middle-click frustrating.
How macOS lets you middle-click by default
Although Macs don't ship with the middle-click button, you can use the Command-left click shortcut to execute a middle-click. This works really well, but it's a little inconvenient compared to pressing one button.
There's a better way to middle-click on your Mac
Credit: Pranay Parab
If your Mac uses a trackpad or Magic Mouse, you can add a simple, free utility called MiddleClick-Sonoma to give it a middle-click feature. The app binds the middle-click to a simple three-finger tap gesture, which is easy to execute on either device. It'll open links in the background on all browsers and close tabs, too. You can select any text in Terminal, and the three-finger tap also pastes it quickly in the app. In my experience, all these features work perfectly every time.
To install MiddleClick-Sonoma, go to its GitHub page and download the zip file. Open it and drag the app to your Mac's Applications folder using Finder, which will complete the installation. You may see a security warning from Apple, but the app is safe. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security on your Mac, and click Open Anyway to run the app.
It'll ask for Accessibility permissions, which are required to allow the app to function. Once this is granted, the last step is to ensure that the app starts when your Mac boots up. To do this, go to System Settings > General > Login Items on your Mac and hit the + button under Open at Login. Use the search bar to find MiddleClick and add it. Now, the app will run as long as your Mac is running.
Apple Magic Mouse
The Magic Mouse is Apple's take on a traditional pointer, but it doesn't middle-click.
Remember to disable the Look Up gesture
Credit: Pranay Parab
By default, the three-finger tap gesture on your Mac is reserved for Look Up. This allows you to select text and look up its meaning, definition, or other information about the term from the internet. I've always found this gesture a little annoying, as I keep accidentally firing it up when I don't need it.
Since MiddleClick uses the same gesture, it's best to disable Look Up to make sure that your middle-clicking isn't interrupted. You can do this on your Mac by going to System Settings > Trackpad > Point & Click. Now, disable Look up & data detectors. That's all you need to do to ensure you can middle-click in peace.
A paid alternative that has more features
Credit: Pranay Parab
Although MiddleClick-Sonoma is great and free, it requires a bit of setup, and the app is usually forked once a year as someone updates it to work with new versions of macOS. This means that you may have to reinstall the app annually and set it up all over again, so long as you keep updating your Mac regularly (you should).
For some people, that's a big hassle. You can avoid this by opting for a paid app, and I think Middle is worth the asking price of $8. Its developer also made Rectangle, which is a window manager app that we've recommendedmultiple times. Middle is easier to install and setup, and has the advantage of automatic updates (for as long as the developer chooses to support it).
It also allows you to configure other gestures to execute the middle-click. If you don't like the three-finger tap, you can choose instead to use a Three Finger Click, Four Finger Tap, or One Finger Force Touch. This app also lets you disable the middle-click action in certain apps, which is nice to have.
Your MacBook has a few features built in to ensure that its battery's health stays intact. It will automatically shut down the laptop if it gets too hot, since higher temperatures reduce the battery's life and capacity to perform. It'll also slow down charging when the battery is at 80% if it determines you won't need a full charge. While these features are good enough for most people, there are some battery management apps that will allow you far greater control over your MacBook's battery health.
Battery Toolkit is the best free app I've found to manage your MacBook's battery. It allows you to keep your MacBook's battery percentage between two predefined values, lets you stop charging your MacBook even when it's connected to power, and even lets you force your MacBook to charge to 100%. Some of these features require you to pay on other battery management apps, such as AlDente.
Battery management apps are best used by people who like to keep their MacBook plugged in all the time. Plenty of people use their MacBooks with the lid shut, where the laptop is connected to a monitor, an external keyboard, and a mouse. In these situations, plugging in and unplugging the Mac repeatedly to prevent overcharging is a little cumbersome. Why put in all that effort when an app can manage your battery for you?
Installing Battery Toolkit on your MacBook
To start, download Battery Toolkit from its GitHub page. Your Mac may prevent you from installing the app because it's not from a well-known developer, but it is safe to use. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway to install it.
Set up the app for optimal battery management
Credit: Pranay Parab
Once the app is running, set it up in a way that works for you. Click Battery Toolkit's icon in the menu bar up top and select Settings. Go to the Power tab and set a minimum and maximum percentage value. That way, your MacBook will start charging when it hits the minimum value and stop charging at the maximum. I've set it up to keep my MacBook between 30 and 80%, but you can choose the values that work best for your use. Click OK when you're done.
Note that the app doesn't allow you to let the minimum percentage drop below 20%, and the lower limit for the maximum charge is 50%. This is to prevent damage to the battery.
With the initial setup done, Battery Toolkit will run in the background and do what you've asked. You can keep the MacBook plugged in all the time and the app will ensure that its battery stays within the predefined threshold. But there are times when you need to change things around, and the app lets you do that too. Click Battery Toolkit's menu bar icon to see these features.
You can toggle on Disable Power Adapter to temporarily stop the MacBook from charging while it's plugged in. There are two more options here that you should know about:
Request Charging to Full
Request Charging to Maximum
These options can be confusing because of the way they're worded, but it's quite easy to understand. Charging to full will force your MacBook to charge to 100%, which you should use when you know you're going to be away from a power adapter for a long time. Charging to maximum will charge the laptop to the upper limit you've specified in the app.
You can also temporarily disable all of Battery Toolkit's settings by clicking its menu bar icon and selecting Quit Battery Toolkit.
Your iPhone has more features than you probably ever use, but with this comes with a problem—an overcrowded Settings app. With each new feature addition, toggles get added to or shuffled around in Settings. Every time I need to access an infrequently used setting, I find myself going through multiple pages, even if I use the nifty search feature in my iPhone's Settings app. If you find this frustrating, try SCSettings. This shortcut makes it easy to access of useful iPhone settings, such as wifi, Bluetooth, shut down and restart options, controls for silencing unknown callers, and more.
Setting up SCSettings
The setup for this shortcut is pretty easy. First, open Apple's Shortcuts app, which is your iPhone's automation hub. Next, download SCSettings from RoutineHub. This a third-party site that acts as a gallery for some of the best shortcuts out there. Tap Get Shortcut and follow the on-screen instructions.
Once the shortcut is installed, open the Shortcuts app and switch to the Shortcuts tab. Tap and hold SCSettings, select Share, and then tap Add to Home Screen. This will make this shortcut act like an app. You can even drag it to the dock at the bottom of the screen for easier access.
Using SCSettings on your iPhone
Tap the SCSettings icon on your iPhone's Home Screen to launch the shortcut, then select any of the on-screen options to toggle various settings. This is everything the shortcut can do:
Toggle wifi: This completely switches off wifi. You can't do this from Control Center, which merely disconnects wifi without switching off the radios.
Toggle Bluetooth: This switches off the Bluetooth radio. Like wifi, you can't do this via Control Center.
Silence Unknown Callers: Automatically silences any calls from unknown numbers.
VPN Settings Menu: Lets you access the following VPN settings: Toggle VPN, Toggle Connect on Demand, and VPN Settings.
Restart Device: Asks for a confirmation and restarts your iPhone.
Shut Down: Asks for a confirmation and shuts down your iPhone.
Search Passwords: Allows you to search your iCloud Keychain for saved passwords.
Settings Shortcuts: Allows you to easily access the following settings:
iPhone Analytics
App Privacy Report
iCloud Private Relay
Hide My Email
Screen Time
Personal hotspot
Clear Safari website data
Switch camera formats
Storage settings
Battery settings
AirDrop settings
Once you get used to this shortcut, you'll find yourself using it all the time. It's become a mainstay on my iPhone, since my job requires me to play around with settings a lot. As long as you place SCSettings in a prominent place on your iPhone's Home Screen, you'll grow to love it.
Sometimes, the shortcut may ask you for permissions to send some values. These are safe to allow, and they let the shortcut figure out which option you've chosen and take you to the corresponding Settings page. The beauty of SCSettings is that it works with options your iPhone already has, and just makes them easier to access.
One of the most annoying aspects of Spotify's free tier is the ads. Every half hour or so, the service injects a bunch of ads that interrupt your listening. There are two ways to get rid of the ads: either pay for Spotify Premium, or use any of the Spotify ad blockers I've listed in this guide.
Consider Spotify Premium
If you can afford Spotify Premium, consider subscribing. You don't always have to pay full price, either: I previously wrote a guide that helps you find the best Spotify Premium discounts. With Premium, not only does Spotify block ads, but it also adds useful features such as the ability to download songs, view time-synced lyrics, use unlimited song skips, and turn on improved audio quality.
But even though the free tier has its limitations and annoyances, Spotify does let you access interesting features such as podcast transcriptions and Spotify Blend without paying a dime. The only problem is that Spotify can take away any free feature and put it behind a paywall at any point, as it recently did with time-synced lyrics, which used to be available for free.
What Spotify ad blockers can and can't do
A Spotify ad blocker will usually either remove ads from Spotify's free tier or automatically mute the app when ads are playing. An ad blocker will not let you access all of Spotify Premium's features without paying. There are certain modded Spotify clients for Android that will allow you to add in premium features for free, but you're using these tools at your risk. Your account might get banned, or worse, your phone and all the sensitive data in it could be compromised by rogue applications.
How to block Spotify ads in web browsers
Spotify’s web player works pretty well across browsers. If that’s how you use the service, a browser extension can block ads for you. Most people will want to use uBlock Origin to block Spotify ads, but note that it blocks ads on all other websites, too. If you’d rather not block ads across the entire internet, Blockify is the Chrome extension you need. It'll block ads on Spotify alone and nowhere else.
How to hide Spotify ads on PC
There are two ways to block all ads in Spotify’s Windows app without paying for Spotify Premium. Just know that these blockers won’t work with the Microsoft Store version of the Spotify app. You’ll have to download the app directly from Spotify’s website to be able to use them.
BlockTheSpot is among the best ad blockers for Spotify on Windows. Its GitHub page goes through all the install instructions, and the blocker will remove audio, video, and banner ads from Spotify’s app. BlockTheSpot now claims it'll continue to work even if Spotify gets updated, and that it also allows you to access audio in higher quality without paying. This app also lets you hide the Upgrade button, which Spotify uses to urge you to get Premium. You still won't be able to download music if you're using BlockTheSpot, though.
If you’re looking for an alternative to BlockTheSpot, try BurntSushi. The key difference between these two apps is that BlockTheSpot is a modified Spotify client that lets you remove various annoying features, while BurntSushi is an ad blocker that works by intercepting network requests to block Spotify ads. In theory, BurntSushi should be more resilient and continue to work for longer, but both of these apps have been around for years.
How to remove Spotify ads on Mac and Linux
On Mac, you can use BlockTheSpot-Mac to block ads on the app. Install the Spotify app, quit it, and follow the instructions on the GitHub page to install the ad blocker. If you’re using Spotify’s app on Linux, you can try Spotify-adblock—just be sure to check if it’s compatible with your Linux distro before installing it.
For those who are comfortable with command line interfaces, Spicetify is a good alternative.
Mute Spotify ads on Android
On your Android phone, you can easily mute Spotify whenever it plays ads. It's not a perfect ad blocking solution, but silence is far more bearable than annoying ads. To set this up, download Mutify. Once the app is installed, go to Spotify's settings and enable Device Broadcast Status. This will allow Mutify to figure out when ads are playing and mute Spotify. With this, you can enjoy listening to music while Mutify runs in the background and takes care of muting ads for you.
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