How-To Guides

You can charge your phone or tablet much faster if it's in airplane mode as it turns off wifi, mobile signal, location and bluetooth. This is also useful if you're trying to preserve your phone battery (although nobody will be able to call you when it's turned on)....

Ever wondered about those mysterious F1, F2, F3... keys at the top of your keyboard? They can be useful (Windows), although the problem is not every single program co-operates. F1... in most programs it will open the help documentation. F2... if you have selected a...

In virtually all web browsers, using [Ctrl] + L on your keyboard will highlight the address bar, enabling you to quickly search or type in a website address without having to reach for your mouse. You don't need to visit Google (other search engines are available) to...

Windows 10 now lets you view a history of items you've copied to it. Use [Windows Key] + V to view it: Simply click on any item in the list and it'll paste where your cursor is. Clicking on the three dots to the right of each item will give you the options to delete...

You might already know you can use Alt+Tab on your keyboard to switch between your open programs: but if you press Win+Tab, Windows will display all the programs you have open and you can click on the one you want to switch to: And if you have multiple displays (e.g....

Microsoft Word has a built-in dictation feature, allowing you to talk instead of type. The web version will also transcribe audio files. The 'Home' tab has a 'Dictate' button over on the right-hand side: If you have your microphone set-up (if you can use video...

It might come as a shock but you don't have to use Google. Ecosia is a decent alternative, and they have a simple message: "you search the web, we plant trees". Instead of spending their ad income on world domination, they spend it on trees. About every 45 searches or...

WhatsApp can be a great way to easily keep in touch with friends, family, colleagues and even clients. But did you know you can use it on your computer too? It makes it much faster to type messages. Just go to WhatsApp Web and follow the instructions. It links to your...

You can 'pin' any program you use regularly to the Windows taskbar at the bottom of your screen. When the program is open, right-click on it and click 'Pin to taskbar'. It'll always be ready for you. Note too, that for some programs there might be additional shortcuts...

In Outlook on Windows you can quickly find any email by pressing Ctrl + E on your keyboard (or click in the search box above your email list). Search by keyword or name, or you will notice that the 'ribbon' changes to help you filter your search: Most of the options...

In honour of Larry Tesler's death, take a moment to learn how to cut (Ctrl+X), copy (Ctrl+C) and paste (Ctrl+V) quickly. These shortcut keys make cut / copy / paste a breeze. Some extra tips: If you're trying to select text on a website that's also a link, hold down...

Windows 10 has a very easy feature to share your screen with someone else - and you can choose to give them control over your computer too. But don't do this unless you know who they are... Click 'Start' and search for 'Quick Assist'. You can then either send a...

You can easily customise your Windows 10 Start menu. To remove icons, simply right-click them and select 'Unpin from Start': And to add one in, find the program in your Start menu, right-click it and choose 'Pin to Start': An example of how your shiny new Start menu...

If you've lost control of your inbox, a good way to deal with it is to sort by 'From'. This will group together emails based on who sent them: It's generally much quicker to work through emails from a single person to make sure you've not missed anything, and if you...

If you've got a mouse with a scroll wheel in the middle of it, a quick and easy way to open a webpage link in a new tab is to click it with the scroll wheel instead of the normal mouse button. You can also hold down the 'Control' key on your keyboard as you click a...

It's all too easy to accidentally close a tab when you're browsing the web. Especially frustrating if you're reading something interesting, such as the EJC website. Just press Ctrl + Shift + T and the last place you were looking will magically reappear. On a Mac it's...

Notifications can be useful, but they can also be annoying if you're trying to focus on something important - or perhaps giving a presentation. Windows 10 has a built-in 'Focus Assist' which lets you limit, or turn off, notifications. Click Start and search for it....

If you're trying to copy and paste some content from, say, a website into a Word document or email it can be frustrating when the formatting is also copied across. Solve that problem with 'Paste Special' which lets you strip out unwanted fonts, bold, italic and other...

We’re torn on the use of ‘emojis’ in business. On the one hand, they perhaps aren’t particularly professional. On the other – language constantly evolves, and there’s a valid argument that with our increasingly text-based communication, there is a need for expressing...

You may already be familiar with the little green padlock you see next to a website address: It means the website is being delivered over a secure connection – which is good. But… beware of complacency. All the green padlock means is that the connection is secure – it...

Google, and to a certain extent Bing, offers instant conversions, translations and tools - just type what you need to know. Examples: Maths: 23*54 10 miles in km computer expert in french time in new york define: useful 15 minute timer There are dozens of things like...

If you're using your computer late at night (perhaps reconsider doing that!), Windows 10 has a setting to reduce the 'blue light' emitted from your screen. Don't forget it will change the colours you see, so don't go approving any artwork with it turned on... Click...