Spotify frequently adds new features, packing the app with everything from AI-powered playlists to stories about the music you're listening to and the artists who contributed. But Spotify also has a range of simpler settings designed for making tracks sound better and personalizing your playlists—so if Spotify is your preferred music service, you should try these tips, tricks, and hidden methods to maximize your listening experience.

Use folders to organize your playlists

If you have dozens of playlists in your Spotify library, it can be tedious to locate what you want to listen to or to remember everything you've created over the years. Playlist folders allow you to organize by category, genre, or any theme you want to use. Folders must be initiated on desktop or via the Spotify web player, but they'll appear on all of your devices once synced. Open Your Library and click the Create button at the top, then select Folder. You can rename the folder, add playlists to it (drag and drop, right click, or use the three dots next to said playlist), or create additional folders within folders.

Exclude items from your taste profile

Spotify's algorithm generates personalized recommendations—like your Discover Weekly, Daily Mix, and Release Radar playlists—based on what you listen to and how often you listen to it. It also uses this data for summaries like Wrapped, so if you don't want certain tracks or playlists included, you can exclude them from your taste profile. This is a useful feature if you frequently use lo-fi beats while working or white noise to sleep—or, in my case, playlists for teaching yoga that don't represent my regular listening. To exclude a playlist or track, tap the three dots and choose Exclude from your taste profile or Exclude track from your taste profile.

Enable volume normalization to prevent abrupt shifts

If you find yourself manually adjusting the volume between songs on your playlists to compensate for some songs sounding louder than others, you can enable volume normalization to have Spotify do that work for you. This setting balances soft and loud tracks so the volume sounds consistent as you listen. Tap your profile picture in the app, go to Settings and privacy > Playback, and toggle Enable Audio Normalization on. You can also select the volume level based on your listening environment: loud, normal, or quiet.

Use 'Equalizer' to customize audio frequencies by genre

Another Spotify setting for customizing sound is Equalizer, which allows you to adjust the bass and treble levels in music and podcasts. You can do this manually across six bands, or you can select one of the genre presets, such as Dance, Jazz, or R&B. To use the EQ feature, tap your profile photo and go to Settings and privacy > Playback > Equalizer.

Use 'Smart Reorder' to sort songs by beats per minute

One of Spotify's newest features automatically sorts songs on your playlist by beats per minute (BPM) and key. Smart Reorder, which is related to the Spotify Mix feature, is designed to make song transitions sound seamless. (Like many of the platform's best features, Smart Reorder is available only to Premium subscribers.) Open any playlist you've created and tap the Mix button. Then tap Edit, scroll down to select Smart reorder, and tap Save to confirm your changes. Note that you can't undo the reorder back to the original, so you may want to create a copy before using this feature.

Download lyrics for offline playback

Spotify recently added support for offline lyrics, which means that when you download music, you'll get the lyrics for those tracks (if available) as well. Lyrics are downloaded automatically, so you don't need to enable any additional settings. Simply tap the download button on any song to add it to your library. Note that this is only available to Premium subscribers, as users on the free plan can listen to podcasts, but not music, offline.

Start a 'Jam' and listen collaboratively with others

Spotify has a couple of collaborative listening features that allow you to create playlists with friends. When you start a Jam, anyone in close proximity can add to your playlist in real time—an easy way to DJ without needing to swap devices or playlists. Jams are great for parties and events, and they're supported on both Android Auto and CarPlay for road trip listening. If you have Spotify Premium, you can start a Jam by tapping the device icon > Start a Jam. Anyone on the same wifi network can join the Jam, or you can invite others via QR code, shared link, or by bringing your phones close together.

Alternatively, you can invite collaborators to your personal playlists. This feature allows you to curate playlists with friends asynchronously and over time, as anyone with access can add, remove, or reorder tracks and listen from their own devices. To add friends to a playlist, tap the three dots at the top and select Invite collaborators.

Start a private listening session to hide activity from followers

If you have guilty pleasure music that you don't want others to know you listen to, you can do so through a private session, which hides your activity from anyone who follows you. History from your private listening session is also excluded from Spotify's Made for You recommendations. Sessions end automatically after six hours unless you disable them sooner or restart Spotify. To start a private session on mobile, go to your profile and tap Settings and privacy > Privacy and social and toggle Private Session on. On the desktop app, select your profile and click Private session.

Add local files for content Spotify doesn't have

Spotify has millions and millions of tracks to choose from, but if there's something missing, you can upload local files from your device and add them to your playlists. You'll first have to enable the feature from your profile under Settings and privacy > Apps and devices > Local audio files, then you can choose your file source, such as another app or folder on your device, to add tracks to the Local Files folder. Reddit users note that this feature can be finicky, and you may need to adjust specifics like the file name and metadata to make it work.

Use advanced search to narrow your results with seven hidden tags

If a basic Spotify search doesn't turn up the results you're looking for, use advanced search tags to narrow them down or filter by year, genre, or keyword. Spotify supports a handful of tags:

• year:

• genre:

• label:

• track:

• album:

• artist:

• tag:

You can also combine them, such as genre:pop year:2005, and use NOT, AND, OR operators to curate your search even further.

OpenAI is trying its best to turn ChatGPT into an app platform, so you can access apps such as Adobe Photoshop, Canva, and Apple Music right inside the AI chatbot interface—and now Tubi has arrived as the first video streaming app to be available in ChatGPT.

You can't load up actual movies and TV shows from the ChatGPT prompt box, but you can search for titles that you might enjoy, and see what's available in the Tubi library. The idea is that you're never stuck for what to watch next: Tell ChatGPT and Tubi what you're looking for, and you'll get personalized results back.

As a keen watcher of films and shows, I was eager to put it to the test as soon as it became available.

What Tubi can do inside ChatGPT

You can find the Apps portal from the left-hand navigation pane inside ChatGPT on the desktop or on mobile: Search for the Tubi app, click Connect on its listing page, and from then on it'll be available through the + (plus) menu in the ChatGPT prompt box. You can also access it with a "@tubi" mention in any of your prompts.

First up I asked what to watch next if I'm a fan of classic action thrillers like The Fugitive and Crimson Tide, and Tubi delivered: Its selection of titles like Enemy of the State, No Way Out, and US Marshalls (the lesser-known sequel to The Fugitive) were pretty much spot-on, and covered a lot of other similar films I've already seen and enjoyed.

The Tubi app inside ChatGPT. Credit: Lifehacker

Tubi can tap into user ratings, too. I asked about the highest-rated TV shows of the 2020s, and it served up pretty obvious picks like Severance, Succession, and Andor. None of those, however, are available on Tubi—I got several Tubi catalog "access errors" when using the ChatGPT integration, and when they occurred, the service would just fall back on more general recommendations.

I wanted to see if I could get Tubi to recommend Drive (which is available on the platform), so asked for a "cool, 2011 thriller based on a book and set in Los Angeles." Maybe that was too many clues, but it did indeed get the film I was looking for—showing that ChatGPT and Tubi do have access to enough accurate metadata to find picks like this.

Tubi's recommendations were generally good ones. Credit: Lifehacker

I also asked for "classic TV period dramas" to see if Tubi would come back with anything I hadn't heard of before. The recommendations were rather limited, and I didn't discover anything new that I particularly wanted to watch, but given that the AI is working within the confines of the Tubi library, the results were all acceptable.

You don't only have to use Tubi inside ChatGPT for recommendations. You can also ask to see what's trending on the platform at any given time, or test your knowledge of TV shows and movies by playing the Tubi trivia game: Just ask to "test my movie knowledge" (or something along those lines) to launch it.

The pros and cons of an AI search

There's something appealing about being able to search for "a dreamy 2000s movie suitable for adults and teenagers with a reflective, wistful vibe" rather than just scrolling through a thousand titles in the "drama" category. That's the kind of nuance and natural conversation that AI bots now offer, with or without Tubi (and it came back with Lost in Translation, which is a pretty good fit).

You can run these searches in standard ChatGPT, though the Tubi integration lets you narrow down the focus to titles you'll actually be able to stream on the free platform—and if you specifically want to see something on Tubi, then it's a handy way of filtering your selection right away, without any additional steps.

You can also ask about what's trending on Tubi. Credit: Lifehacker

I could see myself turning to a recommendation tool like this again in the future, but I'm still not completely convinced. Sure, ChatGPT and the other AI bots always sound convincing, but that's by design: They're not going to admit they haven't got any relevant picks, and will always serve up something, no matter how closely (or not) it matches what you're looking for.

Ultimately, the AI models ChatGPT and Tubi are relying on haven't seen any movies or TV shows, or sat in a movie theater, or felt emotion of any kind. Whether you're plugging your requests into this new Tubi tool or scrolling through the "recommended" bar on any streaming service, you're relying on algorithms and metadata.

Some results will be limited by what's available on Tubi. Credit: Lifehacker

It's not the same as asking a trusted friend or relative for a recommendation—or indeed reading a recommendation from a human, who has actually lived through some of the experiences they're seeing on screen.

I worry that AI might be making our movie and TV show watching more flattened and generic with its recommendations—in the same way that it generates flattened, generic text and artwork—so while I'll probably fire up Tubi inside ChatGPT again in the future, I'll always keep human recommendations in the mix. And I'll still scroll for 20 minutes for hidden gems—inefficient as it may be, serendipity is how I've found some of my favorite movies.

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A like-new unit of the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus is down to $109.99 (originally $249.99) on Woot, and using the code FIRE20—valid through April 14, 2026—drops the price another 20 percent to $88. For comparison, a brand-new unit is currently listed at $189.99 on Amazon, and most past discounts haven’t gone much lower than $149.99, according to price trackers. Shipping is free if you have Prime; otherwise, expect to pay about $6. It is also worth noting that shipping is limited to the contiguous U.S.

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This is a 3.1-channel soundbar with an integrated center channel, designed to make dialogue clearer and give movies a fuller sound than standard TV speakers. It is a straightforward setup that connects over HDMI eARC or optical, so it works with most TVs without extra configuration. There’s also Bluetooth if you want to stream music from your phone. Despite the name, it does not run Fire TV software. You control everything with a basic remote that lets you switch inputs, tweak bass and treble, and cycle through modes like Movie or Night. There is no on-screen interface, so you rely on voice prompts and small LED indicators to confirm changes.

Sound-wise, it’s a noticeable improvement over built-in TV speakers, notes this PCMag review. Dialogue is easier to follow, and overall audio has more presence. The limitation shows up in the low end. The built-in bass is present but not strong, so action scenes and music can feel a bit flat. Amazon sells bundles with a separate subwoofer or rear speakers, and those add noticeable depth, but they also cost significantly more. This bar also supports Dolby Atmos in a basic way, though it lacks height channels, so you will not get the full overhead effect. For under $100 after the code, this works as a straightforward upgrade for smaller rooms or casual viewing.

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The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold (256GB, Unlocked) is currently $1,499 (originally $1,799) on Amazon, and price trackers show this is historically its lowest price. Physically, the phone keeps the same overall size as the earlier 9 Pro Fold, but it runs on the new Tensor G5 processor with Android 16 and, since the phone is unlocked, works across major U.S. carriers like Google Fi, Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T. That flexibility is helpful if you plan to change carriers down the line.

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Folded, it measures 6.11 by 3.00 by 0.43 inches, and when opened, it spreads into an eight-inch inner display that feels more like a small tablet. The outer screen is now 6.4 inches with slimmer bezels and significantly brighter output, reaching roughly 3,000 nits, which makes a noticeable difference when using the phone outdoors. Both screens support refresh rates up to 120Hz, so scrolling and animations look smooth. Google also strengthened the aluminum frame and simplified the hinge design by reducing the number of internal parts.

It is also one of the few foldable phones with an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, something still rare in this category. At 9.1 ounces, though, the phone is heavier than many competing foldables, and the raised camera module on the back causes a bit of wobble when placed on a table.

As for its battery life, it lasted over 13 hours in PCMag’s testing, which puts it ahead of others in its category, including Samsung's Z Fold 7. Charging is capped at 25W wired and 15W Qi2 wireless, and it works with Google’s new Pixelsnap magnetic charging accessories (which our writer called a delightful MagSafe clone).

Google also leans heavily on its AI features, here. The phone runs Gemini tools locally, including Live Voice Translation and Instant View, which briefly shows the photo you just took on the outer screen before you move on to the next shot.

The cameras are another strong point. You get a 48MP main sensor, a 10.5MP ultra-wide, and a 10.8MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, along with Pixel photo tools like Best Take and Add Me. In practice, the phone delivers some of the best camera results currently available on a folding phone, according to this PCMag review.

Saying “my back hurts” is a bit like saying “my car is making a noise.” It may be serious, or it may be nothing, and only a professional will know for sure. But if you have back pain, especially in your lower back, you’re not alone: By some estimates, 75% of us will have an achy lower back at some point in our lives, often without any obvious cause.

I cannot diagnose your back pain over the internet. That said, I can tell you about common reasons for back pain, and provide general strategies that can help you feel less achy.

Back pain doesn’t always mean you’re injured

We tend to assume that pain is a sign that some part of our body is damaged and needs fixing. But that’s not always true. When it comes to back pain, around 90% of the time there is no detectable injury. That doesn’t mean that the pain is imaginary—there can be physical causes that don’t show up on x-rays or MRIs, and other factors also contribute to us feeling a sensation of pain.

Doctors and scientists used to think of pain as a simple signal sent from damaged body parts to the brain. It’s now considered more accurate to say that pain is a perception created in the brain in response to a variety of things we experience. Tissue damage can be one of them, but our experience of pain is also shaped by our expectations, our fears, and other things going on in our brain and body.

You might feel pain more acutely if you’re stressed or worried about it. This increases your stress, and things snowball from there. Or maybe you’ve been to the doctor about something that was worrying you, only to find out that the issue is actually very minor, and you’ll be fine. It’s not unusual to experience less pain from that point onward, even though nothing has physically changed.

Obviously, there are back problems that are physical and fixable, so it’s definitely worth getting checked out to rule out serious issues. But if you just have an achy back sometimes and your doctor says nothing is seriously wrong, what can you do?

A strong back tends to be a healthier back

Exercise tends to help people with low back pain feel better, according to a 2021 meta-analysis of trials that included everything from strength training to Zumba.

If you’re dealing with pain on a daily basis, the first step doesn’t have to be finding the “best” exercises to deal with it. Instead, focus your efforts on finding something you can do without experiencing pain, or at least without increasing your pain. A physical therapist can help guide you through this process, especially one who specializes in sports medicine or who has experience working with active people. (Some physical therapists prescribe exercises that are too easy to be effective, especially to older adults; this is a recognized problem in the industry.)

There is still disagreement on exactly what kind of exercise is best to prevent or treat back pain. Some PTs focus on core work, believing that it’s crucial for your deep core muscles, such as the transverse abdominis, to be strong to protect your back. Using this approach, you may find yourself doing a lot of dead bugs and bird dogs, and get a lot of practice drawing your belly button in toward your spine.

Another school of thought holds that core muscles are only a small part of the picture, and that strengthening your back muscles themselves should be the focus of training. This approach is more likely to favor work with free weights, like deadlifts, dumbbell rows, and lunges. Done correctly, these moves also work your core; you need to brace your core to stabilize your spine for a deadlift or squat, and that’s as legitimate a type of core work as anything you do on a yoga mat.

Sore muscles are okay, actually

It’s normal to be concerned about protecting your back. After all, if you’ve heard a million times not to “lift with your back,” you might worry that any soreness after lifting or bending means you injured something.

But there are muscles in your back, and they can get fatigued or sore when you use them a lot—just like the muscles in your arms or legs. You wouldn’t be surprised or worried if you had sore thighs after a heavy squat day or after running a race. The muscles in your lower back can feel sore after your deadlift day at the gym, or even after a long day of standing and walking more than you’re used to.

Sometimes people confuse this normal soreness with injury, and worry that those deadlifts did something terrible to their back. But before you panic, consider treating your back the same way you would any other sore muscle: Use gentle heat, walk around a bit, and consider foam rolling or massage. The pain from sore muscles tends to feel a bit better with activity, and will usually fade within a few days.

Stretches and exercises that are good for people with back pain

What exercises can you do to potentially prevent back pain and possibly manage back pain you already have? Again, it’s best to check with a professional to be sure of what makes the most sense for you, but here are some strengthening and stretching exercises that are often recommended:

Core exercises

• Bird dogs

• Dead bugs

• Planks

• Side planks

Back-strengthening exercises (with barbells, dumbbells, or kettlebells)

• Deadlifts or Romanian deadlifts

• Rack pulls or block pulls

• Bent-over rows

• Split squats or your favorite regular squat

• Reverse hypers

Stretches

• Cat/cow

• Jefferson curls

• Figure 4 stretch

• Spinal twist

• Lying hamstring stretch

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If you're all-in on Microsoft 365 for work, school, or personal use, chances are high that Outlook is your go-to email service. It stands to reason then that, if you're an Android user, reading headlines that suggest Microsoft is shutting down your email service on your mobile OS of choice sounds a bit shocking. After all, Outlook is a massive program, and Android is the world's largest mobile platform; why in the world would Microsoft decide to deprecate its email service on Android?

That's because Google isn't sunsetting the Outlook for Android app; rather, the company is doing away with Outlook Lite, a lightweight version of the app designed for lower-powered smartphones. As Neowin highlights, Microsoft first announced this deprecation back in September, so the announcement didn't come out of nowhere. What is news, however, is we now have an official end-of-life date. Luckily, Outlook Lite users still have some time to set their affairs in order, as the app doesn't officially go under until May 25.

RIP Outlook Lite (2022–2026)

Microsoft first dropped Outlook Lite back in 2022. Back then, "lite" apps were more necessary, especially in areas of the world with slower internet speeds, and for users with lower-powered Android devices. This combination made running some traditional apps a bit difficult, as "budget" devices struggled to load relatively intensive assets over weak network connections. As such, lite apps, like Outlook Lite, offered a compromise: Developers could strip away many of the features that would otherwise bog down the experience, leaving just the essential components necessary to run the app.

But 2026 is a different world. Network speeds have improved across the board, as has budget Android hardware. Even a "cheap" Android phone has enough processing power to run the apps most people want or need to use on the Play Store. As such, it doesn't make as much sense for Microsoft to maintain two Outlook apps, when the main Outlook option can now serve most users just fine.

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Outlook Lite probably doesn't have many new users anyway, seeing as Microsoft started blocking downloads on Oct. 6 of last year. But there could still be a number of active Outlook Lite users still out there. If you're among them, you have just about six weeks to move over to the dedicated Outlook for Android app. Without taking action, you won't lose access to the emails in your account, and Microsoft won't delete the app from your phone, but you won't be able to access anything in the Lite app itself. There's even an "Upgrade" option present within the Outlook Lite app, so you can save yourself a few taps to get started. Of course, you don't have to go with Outlook for Android, even if you have an Outlook email—there a number of excellent clients out there to choose from.

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Bose is a recognized name in audio and has been making capable active noise-canceling (ANC) headphones since 2016, when the company launched the QuietComfort line of devices. Right now, you can pick up Bose's entry level QuietComforts for $199, $159 off the original price. This is the lowest price they've reached, according to price-tracking tools, making them a good bet if you're looking to get a high-performance pair of ANC headphones without spending a fortune.

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Bose headphones are often found at the top of any roundup of the best headphones on the market and have been consistently praised for years. The QuietComfort line in particular excels in comfort (hence the name) and ANC. If those are features you're after, these headphones are worth considering, especially at this price point.

Keep in mind that this is the entry level model in the current QuietComfort line; Bose released both these and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra in 2023. The Ultras are more high-end and include extra functionality, but they retail for more and aren't necessarily the best bet for every user—if you don't care about Bluetooth 5.3 versus 5.1, immersion mode (which allows you to hear the audio as if it is coming from different directions), or other extraneous features, you can save yourself some money and go with the basic Bose QuietComfort.

These headphones can connect to multiple devices at once, so you can seamlessly transition from one device to the next. They also offer a transparency mode that lets you hear your surroundings while wearing them, a customizable EQ so you can listen to your music how you like it to sound, and an impressive 24 hours of battery life, according to PCMag's "excellent" review. Also worth noting: They have physical buttons rather than touch controls, which will be a plus or a minus, depending on your preferences.

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Samsung’s Galaxy Watches have been able to measure your blood pressure for years now—theoretically. U.S. users just got access to the feature, in a phased rollout that finally reached my device. I’ll show you how to set it up, which is more complicated than you might think, and then discuss what we know about its accuracy. 

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How to enable blood pressure readings on your Galaxy Watch

I spent all last week checking for software updates on my phone, watch, and app store, to no avail. Finally I got a card in my Samsung Health app (the one with the blue and green icon of a person running) inviting me to “keep track of your blood pressure.” This sent me to the app store to download a new version of the Samsung Health Monitor app (the one with the pinkish icon of a heartbeat). 

Besides a Samsung Galaxy phone and watch, you’ll need two things to set up blood pressure monitoring: access to a blood pressure cuff (a wrist cuff from the drugstore is fine) and a cellular network connection (not wifi). 

The mobile connection is so that Samsung can check that you really, truly are in a country where the company can legally offer blood pressure readings. This won’t be a problem for most of you, but my Samsung phone is a device I use exclusively for testing Samsung-related wearables, and thus I have never connected it to any cellular network. I also don’t have a physical SIM card in my regular phone to easily swap in, but fortunately I was able to find a SIM card to borrow for a few minutes. Once you set up the app, you can disconnect from the cell network and the feature will keep working.

The blood pressure cuff is needed to calibrate the watch’s readings. Once you install the Samsung Health Monitor app and tell it you’re ready to calibrate, it will ask you to sit quietly and take three readings from the cuff. Before you start, the app warns you to avoid “exercise, bathing, alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine” for 30 minutes. 

Many things can affect the accuracy of a blood pressure reading, so I already knew to sit with my feet uncrossed, not to have a full bladder, and to make sure I was sitting quietly for at least a few minutes before taking the reading. A screen that the Samsung app showed me after calibrating said that I was supposed to sit with my hands resting on a table for five minutes before taking readings. 

Even though both readings are taken at the same time—the watch on one arm, your cuff on the other—you have to sit quietly until the watch is done. Moving around after the cuff finishes, but while the watch reading is still going, can result in a null result that requires you to redo the watch reading. The app didn’t recommend a waiting period between readings, but some blood pressure guidelines mention that you should wait about two minutes between readings. 

Where to get a blood pressure cuff

Access to a blood pressure cuff is probably the most annoying part of the process for most people. You could use a blood pressure machine at a pharmacy, or ask a doctor (or, say, a nurse friend who has a sphygmomanometer) to do the readings for you. 

But if you’re interested in tracking your blood pressure, it probably makes sense to get your own cuff anyway. A basic wrist cuff shouldn’t cost more than about $20-30 and you can grab one from Amazon or any pharmacy. I already had one of these, so that’s what I used. 

Samsung recommends an arm cuff if possible, like this $49 model. These are supposed to be a bit more accurate than the wrist cuffs. Both types will inflate themselves and do the reading automatically, so you don’t need any special expertise to operate them, nor even any help to do the reading while you’re keeping an eye on your phone and watch. 

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Are the readings accurate? 

While the blood pressure feature is new in the U.S., it’s been available in Europe and South Korea since about 2020. That’s enough time for several studies to have been done on Samsung’s technology. (It takes time to collect and publish data, so the newest Galaxy Watch models aren’t represented in the literature yet—but older Galaxy Watch models are.) 

This Korean study from 2022 concludes that the Galaxy Watch blood pressure technology has a “systematic bias” toward the calibration readings. That means it will underestimate high blood pressure and overestimate low blood pressure. This is the same phenomenon I see Whoop MG users complain about—they say the device tends report blood pressure numbers that are similar to their last measurement that was taken without the device. At that point, is the device really adding anything? 

The Korean Society for Hypertension released a position paper in 2021 with recommendations for consumer blood pressure technology. For smartwatches, it recommends scrupulously following the instructions for readings, which get a bit more detailed than the ones I mentioned above—check the paper itself for the society’s full recommendations. It also notes that there can be a few points’ difference between your right and left arms. 

But more importantly, the society recommended against using smartwatch measurements for blood pressure for people who are pregnant or have any of a variety of health conditions, or are taking certain medications. The blood vessels change during pregnancy in ways that could confuse a smartwatch-based sensor. The other health conditions and medications mentioned are: “aortic valve insufficiency with wide pulse pressure, atrial fibrillation with considerable beat-to-beat variability, peripheral vascular disease with weak perfusion, diabetes, cardiomyopathy, ESRD, neurological disorders such as hand tremor, blood clotting disorder, or taking antiplatelet agents / anticoagulants.”

The society also said that smartwatch blood pressure readings aren’t reliable for a pressure below 60 mmHg or a systolic (top number) pressure above 160 mmHg, and may not be reliable enough for people who already have hypertension and need to monitor it. But after all those caveats, they speak favorably about the idea that people who want to measure their blood pressure from a watch are at least thinking about their blood pressure, and those who have hypertension may end up getting diagnosed earlier because they’re checking it regularly. 

Elon Musk's "X Corp" is back at it. The company's latest X-themed product is XChat, a messaging app built for X users to securely chat with one another. The app is currently available to preorder on the iOS App Store with an April 17 release date, and advertises itself as an end-to-end encrypted chat app free from ads or tracking. That sounds like a great pitch, especially if you're someone who frequently messages other X users. The problem is, the pitch doesn't seem entirely accurate.

As Mashable's Jack Dawes highlights, XChat's app privacy policies are a bit out of alignment with its promises. If you scroll to the "App Privacy" section of XChat's App Store page, you'll see that the app has declared it may collect the following data points, and link them to your identity:

• Location

• Contacts

• Search History

• Usage Data

• Contact Info

• User Content

• Identifiers

• Diagnostics

X Corp also says it may collect additional "User Content," but that this data is not linked to you. Regardless, this is a laundry list of information the so-called "private" chat app is taking from you, and linking to your identity. Even if XChat is entirely end-to-end encrypted, it seems rather disingenuous to claim the app has zero tracking, when its privacy policy says it can take any and all of these data point from you. I wouldn't feel particularly private if I knew XChat was scraping my contacts, location, and usage data, even if it didn't have access to the messages themselves. By comparison, Signal, one of the more popular secure chat apps, only collects contact info from its users—and doesn't link that data to the user themself.

XChat does claim it comes with some key features that other mainstream chat apps do. That includes editing or deleting messages for everyone in the chat, blocking screenshots, sending disappearing messages, cross-platform calling, and large group chats. (The App Store listing shows a group chat with 481 members.)

As the app is meant for X users to communicate with one another, you do need an X account to use XChat. That means the app likely won't pop off the same way other messaging apps have, but it may attract existing X users who have a number of contacts they already chat with in DMs. We'll see whether that's the case when the app launches later this week, but I imagine any privacy-minded users may prefer to seek alternative arrangements.

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Last week, Chinese tech firm Bigme teased an intriguing new addition to its lineup of e-readers and digital notebooks: the "world's first" dual-screen smartphone, with both a color e-ink and an LCD display, on opposite sides of the device. I thought I had a pretty good idea of how that might work—but now, Bigme has revealed what the "Hibreak Dual" will actually look like, and it's definitely not what I was expecting. Seeing it actually made me laugh out loud.

The e-ink side of the phone looks exactly like I anticipated, offering a 6.13-inch, 300 PPI black-and-white/150 PPI color e-ink display not unlike the one on the Boox Palma 2 Pro or Bigme's own Hibreak Pro Color. It does support stylus input, which I wasn't expecting, but instead of the full-screen rear LCD screen I was expecting, the back of the device has a tiny, circular touchscreen that looks like nothing so much as a porthole on a submarine.

Credit: Bigme

You're probably wondering why this thing exists, or why anyone would buy it. I don't know either.

The product page on the Bigme website describes the 360x360 circular LCD as a "secondary screen" intended for notifications, music, or checking the time—three things you can do right from the lock screen on most any Android-enabled touchscreen device, but e-ink displays are either on or off, so the additional utility does make a certain sort of sense. But people who opt for an e-ink smartphone are typically looking for fewer distractions, so I can't imagine many of them want a phone that will still be pinging them with alerts, only on a tiny, awkward screen that's too small to read easily. Is anyone nostalgic for the days of the nigh-illegible display on the front of the Motorola Razr?

Credit: Velimir Zeland/Shutterstock

Even Bigme seems slightly confused about why it designed this thing. In a promotional video, you can watch a model awkwardly interacting with the circular LCD, snapping selfies and watching vertical videos with big black bars on either side. Stretching for utility, the video also touts that you can use this second screen to snap a photo of your pet. Layer a chatbot over it, and you can create your own "AI pet." Sure, Jan.

In response to incredulous comments on the r/Bigme Reddit (typical response: "This can't be more disappointing") the company attempted a justification: "This product combines an e-ink main screen with an LCD subscreen [supporting] functions like viewing images, watching videos, [and] receiving call reminders...This design keeps you in an eye-friendly experience while using the LCD functions that e-ink alone handles less effectively." Recognizing the reality didn't quite match up to what people were expecting, the company did add that it has "heard your requests for a full-screen dual e-ink and LCD phone (both displays large)" and it will "include that in our future product planning."

I'm really not sure why Bigme needed help arriving at this conclusion, but here we are.

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If you actually want to buy the Hibreak Dual, you have a lot of options

Let it not be said that Bigme is going at this half-assed: The company is launching the Hibreak Dual in eight different configurations. Starting April16, you can preorder it with a black-and-white or color e-ink screen, choose between 8GB or 12GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage, and buy it with or without a stylus and a case. It's not currently clear when the devices will actually ship. Prices range from $519 on the low end to $689 fully tricked out. (For comparison's sake, the Bigme Hibreak Pro Color—without the porthole LCD or stylus support—is on sale for $489 on Amazon.

Once you get past the bizarre design choices, the Hibreak Dual has pretty standard specs for an e-ink phone: 5G dual-sim, outdated Android 14 OS, the aforementioned storage and RAM options, a generic "octacore" 2.6GHz processor, a 4,500mAh battery, a 5MP selfie camera, and a 20MP rear camera. I don't know why I bothered to tell you that though. You probably aren't going to buy it.

(I'm still laughing. Why is it a circle?)

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Apple's product lineup is not small: The company makes smartphones, tablets, computers, headphones, and smart watches, among many others. But aside from the Vision Pro, it's a bit late to break into the headset and smart glasses market—while other companies, namely Meta, have pushed full steam ahead on their own smart wearable tech. But as anyone following tech rumors may know, Apple is working on its own smart glasses—four glasses, in fact.

In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman asserts that Apple is working on not just one design for its upcoming smart glasses, but four. According to Gurman, there are two main designs, which each offer slimmer or smaller variant. They include the following:

• A rectangular frame, like the Ray-Ban Wayfarers

• A rectangular frame with a "slimmer" design, like those worn by Apple CEO Tim Cook

• Larger circular or oval glasses

• A smaller "more refined" oval or circular frame

Gurman says that all four models will use acetate, rather than plastic, which may make the glasses more "durable and luxurious" than similar options from other companies. The company is planning on a number of finishes and color options, and may include black, ocean blue, and light brown. The goal here is to design something "instantly recognizable," a concept Apple calls "the icon," according to Gurman. Think Apple's AirPods, Apple Watch: These products don't really look like anything else on the market, so when you see them, you know right away what they are and who makes them. Rather than develop smart glasses that look like any others, like Meta Ray-Bans, the company wants you to know those are Apple glasses you're seeing.

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Functionally, Apple's smart glasses should be similar to Meta Ray-Bans: You'll be able to take photos and videos, sync with your iPhone, take phone calls, receive incoming notifications, listen to music, and chat with Siri hands-free: presumably, Apple's AI-powered assistant, assuming the company actually releases it with iOS 27. Gurman says the glasses will pair with Apple's upcoming AirPods and a new pendant device, both of which may come with embedded cameras for AI assistance.

My big question for Apple here is regarding privacy: Smart glasses aren't necessarily a privacy enthusiast's dream design, as they subtly embed cameras into the frames. You can walk around taking images and recording videos of people without their explicit knowledge, without attracting the same attention as you would holding up your smartphone. Gurman doesn't speak much to this point, though he does say Apple is taking a slightly different approach to the camera design than Meta: Apple's cameras may be vertical ovals with surrounding lights, as opposed to the Meta Ray-Bans' circular camera design.

While smart glasses are selling, I'm still skeptical they'll take off in the same way smartphones did. There are benefits to having a hands-free smart device in glasses form, but smartphones offer far more functionality—at least, at this time. Until we get to a point where AR technology makes heads-up displays for glasses as easy to use as an iPhone, I'm not sure people will adopt this technology en masse.

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The unlocked Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra with 512GB of storage has dropped to $1,299 (originally $1,499), its lowest price so far, according to price-trackers. It is still a premium buy, but it is built for people who want one device to handle everything (for example, storing large photo libraries, recording video often, or using their phone for work tasks).

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The phone runs Android 16 and uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor, so performance is not a concern. Apps open fast, games hold steady frame rates, and multitasking feels smooth even with heavier workloads, notes this PCMag review. The 6.9-inch display is sharp and gets bright enough for outdoor use, though reflections can be noticeable in direct light. It also includes the S Pen, which is useful for quick notes, photo edits, or marking up documents in a way most phones can’t match, though it does not sit completely flush, making it easier to knock loose.

The camera system is the main reason to consider it. It uses a 200MP primary sensor, backed by multiple telephoto and ultrawide lenses, which gives you flexibility for everything from close-ups to long zoom shots. Photos come out detailed and consistent, even in mixed lighting. Video is just as reliable, which makes it a good option if you shoot often and don’t want to carry a separate camera. There are also a few AI tools built in, like automatic edits and smarter search in photos, which save time without getting in the way. That said, the phone’s large camera module causes it to wobble on flat surfaces.

The new Privacy Display is the most noticeable change, and it is both useful and limiting—it makes the screen hard to read from the side, which helps in public places when handling sensitive information, but it also reduces brightness and color when active; and even with it turned off, viewing angles are reportedly weaker than other phones in this price range.

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Home security gear tends to get expensive fast, which is why this Blink bundle stands out on price alone. The Blink Video Doorbell + Outdoor 4 XR bundle has dropped to $64.99 (from $174.98), a 64% discount and the lowest price tracked so far, according to price trackers. In the box, you get a second-generation video doorbell, one Outdoor 4 camera, and the Sync Module XR that ties everything together. It’s a simple starter setup for anyone who wants to monitor both the front door and a second outdoor spot without piecing together separate components. Setup is designed to be straightforward, and the system runs on AA lithium batteries instead of a wired connection. Blink says you can get up to two years of battery life with the included Energizer cells, but real-life mileage depends on usage.

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The doorbell offers a head-to-toe HD view, so you can see packages on the ground as well as people at the door. As for the Outdoor 4 camera, it streams in 1080p and adds infrared night vision and two-way audio, so you can check in after dark or speak through the app when you’re away. Motion alerts come through quickly thanks to dual-zone detection, though the more advanced alerts, like person detection, are locked behind a Blink subscription after the 30-day trial ends. Without that plan, you still get live view and basic motion clips, but less context around what triggered the alert. The Sync Module XR also helps if you need to place the outdoor camera farther from the house, reaching up to 400 feet in ideal conditions, though you may see some drop in video quality at that range (the doorbell doesn’t benefit from that extended range). Also, while its video quality is solid for casual monitoring, it is not as sharp or detailed as higher-end wired systems.

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In the smart glasses era, the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer is known as one of the most natural-looking options—they blend into your daily style with ease, looking and feeling like normal glasses. They’re also the ultimate hands-free assistance with built-in AI. Plus, they reduce the need for phone dependence, which is a major convenience. Right now, the first-generation Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Smart Glasses are 25% off on Amazon, bringing them down to their lowest price ever of $224.25 (originally $299.00)

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Available in clear and green-tinted lenses, these AI glasses combine chic eyewear with open-ear headphones and a built-in camera. They let you capture photos and videos for social, listen to music, or take calls. Compared to their predecessor, the Ray-Ban Stories, they have a sharper 12MP camera, louder speakers, and an additional mic for a total of five. They’re also water-resistant, making them ideal for workouts or rainy days. 

The 12MP camera shoots video footage at 1080p resolution and frames both photos and videos vertically for a social-friendly format. That said, if you want to shoot horizontally, this may be a downside. Glasses are set up via the Meta View app on Android and iOS and sync easily with social media. According to PCMag, the frames hold around four hours of battery life with an additional eight charges in the case for a total of 36 hours. At 15%, users get an audible low charge warning. It’s worth noting that you can’t shoot video with less than 15% of a charge.  

If you want a natural way to take photos, record video, or answer calls without fumbling for your phone, the Meta Ray-Bans are a reliable option. While you can do some by tapping the button near your temple, you can take photos or record using the built-in AI voice assistant, which also translates text and identifies surroundings. One potential pitfall is that if you have longer hair, it may partially cover the lens during shots. They also don’t offer zoom or manual focus controls, so photography enthusiasts may want something more advanced. 

That said, if you want a general combination of useful features, the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Smart Glasses are the perfect choice for travelers and social media users, or anyone looking to be a bit less reliant on their phone. While they’re not built for serious photography, they’re a stylish and convenient upgrade that makes it easier to capture moments and stay connected while going hands-free.

You spend a lot of time using the software keyboard on your phone, so it makes sense to make sure it's a keyboard you're comfortable with—one that suits both your aesthetic taste and your typing requirements.

I've previously covered the best alternative keyboards if you want a change from the default one that comes with your phone, but if you're a Samsung Galaxy owner, there's another option to be aware of: You can create your own keyboard, too.

This comes via the Keys Cafe app, part of the Good Lock utilities suite that Samsung develops to accompany One UI. It lets you build keyboards exactly to your needs—from the keys on show, to the animations that appear when you press them.

Getting started with Keys Cafe

You can access Keys Cafe by downloading Good Lock from the Google Play Store or the Samsung Galaxy Store. While Good Lock doesn't come preinstalled on One UI, it is an official Samsung add-on, and there's a lot to explore: There are tools here for tweaking volume settings, making 3D animated wallpapers, and adding extra processing options to the phone camera, for example.

To design your own keyboards, find Keys Cafe on the Plugins screen. Tap the download icon to the right of the utility name to get it on your phone, and when the download is complete, tap on Keys Cafe at the top of the list to launch it. Keys Cafe will also be added as an app on your home screen and in the app drawer.

Keys Cafe is part of Good Lock. Credit: Lifehacker

Keys Cafe isn't just about creating keyboards. It will give you some interesting stats about your typing—including your typing speed for the day—and there are games you can play to improve your typing speed. If you don't want to make your own keyboard, there are a variety of preset themes you can apply.

When you're ready to get creative with your own keyboard design, open the Keyboard tab and tap Make. You'll be given a selection of basic templates to start off with, based on the keyboards that are currently installed: Tap on the thumbnail you want to use as a starting point, then choose Edit to get to the creation screen.

How to make your own keyboard

I've never made my own phone keyboard before, but Keys Cafe makes the process simple and fun. The main editing screen shows a grid of all the available characters you've got to work with, and these can be dragged down to the keyboard design at the bottom. You can add keys for the special characters you use most often, for example, or for your favorite emojis.

Tapping on keys that are already part of the keyboard lets you edit them in more detail. You're able to change the height and the width of each key individually (the others will shift around as needed)—so if you need a much wider space bar, go for it. Press and hold to select and edit multiple keys at the same time.

Adjusting key height and width. Credit: Lifehacker

The arrow-and-blocks icon just above the keyboard lets you add rows (if no keys are selected) and remove rows (if one or more keys are selected) There's also a green reset button in the top right corner if you need to go back to the beginning, as well as an undo button to take one step back. When you're happy, tap the purple check icon (top right) to save your new keyboard layout.

To change colors and animations, you need to head to the Design part of the Keyboard tab in Keys Cafe, and tap the + (plus) button near the top right: The appearance of the keyboard is handled separately from the layout, so it's possible to create several different combinations of both, if you'd like to.

Picking colors and styles. Credit: Lifehacker

When you get into the design editor, there are three main sections: the main keyboard, the individual letter keys, and the animations that are overlaid on top (for swipe typing, for example). You can switch between these sections using the icons up in the top right corner, then make changes underneath—so for the individual keys, you can pick separate colors for the characters, the backgrounds, and the borders.

On the main keyboard screen, you can change the background color and the keypress effects—there are several different animations to pick from, which can be customized as needed. There's also a Sound tab here to change the sound you hear when keys are tapped. Select Save, and your new keyboard theme is saved on top of the layout you've made, and the keyboard is ready to be used.

Welcome to our trip inside the culture of young people. This week, we've got the usual slang definitions of phrases like "you the birthday," and "catch a fade," and we're also talking about AI. You might be about to lose your job to artificial intelligence, but younger generations are in danger of losing their reality to it. From viral "AI or animals" memes to the rise of AI detectives, the youth are engaged in a high-stakes game of "Spot the Bot" just to feel like they still have a grip on the truth.

The meaning of "you the birthday"

A new slang metaphor is blowing up TikTok this week. People are saying "you the birthday," a phrase that means "you're awesome" or "you're great" in the way a birthday is great: fun, exciting, extra, etc. It's usually meant in positive way, but it could be applied negatively to someone who is doing too much or trying to hard, like, "sure, you the birthday."

The phrase seems to have originated in a song called "Birthday Girl" by Huncho. The song doesn't actually include the phrase, "you the birthday," but Huncho sings, "She eat, she the birthday—girl" and the pause was long enough that people started just saying, "you the birthday."

"You the birthday" is inspiring a subgenre of birthday-related spin-off slang too. If you're dressed funny, you the birthday clown. If you have a point, you the birthday hat. If you're ugly, you the halloween. You get the idea.

What "catch a fade" means

To young people, "fade" means fight. To "catch a fade" means to have a fight. (If you'd like more definitions of slang words that kids use, check out Lifehacker's Gen Z and Gen A slang glossary.)

Trend: fake Pizza Movie clips

Last week, I predicted Hulu's Pizza Movie will be Generation Z's defining druggie-comedy movie. There's more evidence this week in the form of a growing trend online of making videos with random footage and labeling it "Pizza Movie (2026)." The joke is that the scenes presented in Pizza Movie's trailer are so without context and so strange that you can put any bizarre clips together and they might be from Pizza Movie.

Here are a couple of examples:

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What does "that's AI" mean?

"That's AI" is rapidly emerging as a way of saying "I don't believe you" or "I doubt it" to members of Generations Alpha and Z. They obviously heard the phrase a lot in connection with videos and pictures online, so it only makes sense to apply it to anything.

Jeremy Carrasco: AI detective

Speaking of "that's AI..." Bespectacled 30-something filmmaker Jeremy Carrasco is an unlikely hero to the teens and tweens of TikTok, but the videos he posts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok regularly rack up millions of views. Carrasco's calling is identifying synthetic media; he's an AI detective, and dude is great at separating the real from the phony. He calls out AI-generated influencers:

View this post on Instagram

discusses the difference between real and AI videos of animals on trampolines:

explains the difference between "deep fakes" and "AI videos":

and points out videos that people think are AI, but are actually real:

The popularity of Carrasco's content speaks to young people's desperation to just know what's real—a challenge that no other generation has ever faced. Carrasco presents some great tools for spotting slop, but sadly, it's a Sisyphean task: AI content generation is only getting better, and the "tells" more subtle.

Viral videos of the week: AI or animals?

You might not be aware of the debate about AI going on among younger people online, because it's being conducted largely through "Animal or AI" meme videos. Videos dramatizing this choice have tens of millions of views on TikTok. Here's how they work: Over a music bed from Hamilton, these videos present competing clips of AI and animals, leading to an eventual conclusion where one is chosen over the other.

Animal choosers are in the majority by huge numbers, both among the videos' creators and the commenters. The irony is that many of the clips that illustrate that animals are better seem to have actually been generated by AI.

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Google has packed its flagship Pixel phones with a long list of useful features for everything from privacy to productivity, and rolls out more with its frequent Pixel Drop updates. It can be hard to keep up with all that's available—plus, many of the best features are disabled by default. If you have one of Google's smartphones, here are 10 ways to maximize everything your Pixel has to offer.

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Use App Pinning to keep people from snooping on your phone

Before you hand your Pixel over to someone else—whether you're letting a stranger make a call or showing photos to a friend—enable app pinning to prevent that person from navigating around your device. This privacy feature keeps users in the pinned app so they can't open your messages, snoop your search history, or find other personal information. The only way to escape a pinned app is with your PIN, pattern, or password. To pin an app, go to Settings > Security or Security & location > Advanced > App pinning and toggle on Use app pinning and Ask for PIN before unpinning. Then, open the app you want to pin, swipe and hold to open your Overview, tap the app's icon, and tap "Pin."

Use "Private Space" to hide sensitive data

Another way to keep your personal information away from prying eyes is by placing it in a Private Space—a hidden section of your Pixel that requires separate authentication to open. Private Space holds sensitive apps (akin to having a separate phone within your phone) and hides them from quick search, launcher, and recent views. Private Space also disables foreground and background activities, including notifications.

To set up Private Space, go to Settings > Security & privacy > Private space and either authenticate with your device screen lock PIN or set up a new PIN if you don't have one. Tap Set up > Got it and follow the prompts to set up a new lock for the space. You can either add apps when Private Space is open (tap Install) or touch and hold an app then tap Install app in Private space.

Use Circle to Search for live translation while you scroll

Android's AI-powered Circle to Search tool lets you search within an app simply by circling, highlighting, or tapping an image, text, or video. It can also translate text on websites and social media posts continuously as you scroll down a page or between posts without any additional input or having to relaunch the feature. To activate translation, long press the home button or navigation bar to launch Circle to Search, then tap the Translate icon > Scroll and translate.

Use Hold for Me for customer service calls

Don't waste hours of your life on hold with customer service when your Pixel can do it for you. With Hold for Me, Call Assist will hang out with the elevator music, detect when a representative is on the line, and alert you that it's time to pick up the call.

To enable Hold for Me, open your Phone app and go to More > Settings > Hold for Me. You'll also have to turn the feature on for each call—when you're placed on hold, tap Hold for me > Start. When the "Someone's waiting to talk to you" prompt appears, tap Return to call. Note that Hold for Me is available for users in Australia, Canada, Japan, the UK, and the U.S.

Use "Take a Message" for real-time missed call transcripts

Your Pixel can also help manage your missed and declined calls with Take a Message, a voicemail alternative that shows you a real-time transcript on your home screen. This allows you to screen the call and decide whether to pick up before the message is complete—you can join the call in progress at any time. The feature also creates AI-generated call notes and next steps (such as reminders or a single click to return the call). According to Android Authority, custom Take a Message greetings for individual callers may also be in the works.

To enable this feature, open your Phone app and tap More > Settings > Take a Message and toggle the setting on. Take a Message is supported on Pixel 6 and higher in Australia, Canada, Ireland, the UK, and the U.S.

Use Quick Tap to turn the back of your Pixel into a button

There is a whole host of gestures you can set up on your Pixel to check notifications, find and open apps, or activate Google Assistant. Quick Tap is one such option that turns the back of your phone into a "button" that can be customized to run a number of different actions with a double tap. Taking a screenshot and activating the flashlight are common ones, but people also use Quick Tap to launch things like Google Lens, Wallet, or Snapchat.

Connect your Pixel to an external monitor with desktop mode

Google recently rolled out a feature for all users on Pixel 8 and newer that allows you to connect your device to an external monitor, essentially turning it into a desktop PC. Simply plug your phone in via USB-C, and you'll get apps in moveable windows plus an onscreen dock. You'll likely want to add a few PC peripherals (Bluetooth keyboard and mouse) to your arsenal if you don't already have them to maximize the desktop experience.

Use your Pixel as a webcam

When plugged into your computer (or TV, tablet, or laptop with USB Video Class support), your Pixel also doubles as a webcam. All you need is a data-supported USB cable. Tap the notification labeled Charging this device through USB and select "Webcam" under the Use USB for menu. You can still use your phone as normal when in webcam mode, though the stream will pause if you get a video call or open an app that uses the camera. Note that Pixels cannot be used as webcams for other Pixels.

Enable advanced voice typing for seamless voice-to-text

Standard voice-to-text features get the job done when you need to talk instead of type, but Pixel's on-device AI takes voice typing up a notch, capturing speech (including grammar and punctuation) quickly and accurately. Gboard on Pixel is "context aware," meaning it can understand voice commands and corrections, place punctuation based on natural speech patterns, and even insert emojis. You must enable advanced voice typing (available on Pixel 6 and up) in any app you can type with. Tap where you enter text, then select Settings > Voice typing at the top of the keyboard. Then, toggle Advanced voice typing features on.

Optimize battery life with adaptive preferences

Getting your phone's battery to last as long as possible requires some adjustments. Pixel has a handful of adaptive settings that use AI to identify your usage patterns and minimize power requirements accordingly. Adaptive Battery (under Settings > Battery > Battery Saver) reduces background power to apps you use less, while Adaptive Brightness (Settings > Display > Adaptive Brightness) automatically adjusts screen brightness based on context. Finally, Adaptive Connectivity will switch between 5G networks, which require more power, and 4G LTE depending on whether you're streaming or just enough speed for basic functions.

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Apple Maps may not be everyone's top choice for navigation—even those committed to the Apple ecosystem—but the app has come a long way since it's initial rocky rollout, and has plenty of features that make it worth using. Beyond the basics, you'll also want to consider some of its lesser-known settings to get the most out of Apple Maps on both mobile and desktop.

Enable "Visited Places" to save locations (even if you didn't use Maps to get there)

"Visited Places" is a new feature with iOS 26 that passively tracks your location and stores places you go—even if you don't use Maps to get there. If you want to keep tabs on your previous pit stops, you can view them later in the "Places" menu (tap Places > Visited Places when you open Maps). The data is stored on your synced devices and is encrypted end to end, so even though your device is technically tracking you, you're the only one who can access the information. If you prefer that it didn't, you can toggle the feature off and on under Settings > Apps > Maps > Location. You can also delete locations by tapping Clear History in the Visited Places list.

Download offline maps for when you’re out of service

Offline maps are critical for navigation when you don't have a cellular or wifi connection. Apple introduced support for offline maps with iOS 17, which lets you download a map section complete with place cards, turn-by-turn directions for multiple transit types, and estimated time of arrival. To save a map for offline use, touch and hold on the map until a pin marker appears, then tap "Download." Select the area, then tap "Download again." To access it later, tap your profile photo or initials and open the Offline Maps menu. You can also edit the name and area or delete saved maps.

Add and organize places of interest in a shareable guide

Apple Maps has a built-in planning feature that allows you to save locations to a collection for future reference. You can share these guides with others, too. For example, you could put together lists of favorite places or sightseeing itineraries for a group trip. To start a guide, open "Your Guides" (there will already be a "Favorites" collection) and tap the "plus" sign to create a new collection. You can add locations from place cards by tapping the three horizontal dots > Add to Guides and share using the Share icon.

Save your parking location so you never lose your car

If you tend to forget where you leave your car in big and busy parking lots, Apple Maps can save the location for you. The app drops a pin when you disconnect your device from your car's Bluetooth or CarPlay, but you'll have to set it up first. You'll need to have Location Services and Significant Locations turned on (under Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services) and enable "Show Parked Location" under Settings > Apps > Maps. When you need to get back to your vehicle, choose "Parked Car" below Siri Suggestions in Maps.

Plan hikes in parks and on trails

Maps isn't the best app out there for outdoor adventuring, but it does have topographical maps and detailed hiking routes for U.S. national parks, and you can even download them for offline use. Simply search a national park and scroll down to the "Hikes" section on the info card to browse, or type “hikes in [national park name]” to bring up a list you can filter by length, route type, and elevation gain. When you select a hike, tap "Add to Routes" and toggle "Download Route" on.

Create custom walking and hiking routes

You can also make your own routes on roads, paths, and trails and save them to Apple Maps to return to later. To start a custom route, such as a city tour or road run, drop a pin on the map, then tap the three horizontal dots followed by "Create a Custom Route." Tap other points on the map to connect them, then select whether to complete your trip by going in reverse or closing the loop. Finally, tap "Save Route," and you'll have a custom path to follow whenever you'd like.

Send directions from your Mac to your iPhone

Some things are easier to do on desktop, like creating a multi-stop route and selecting the best turn-by-turn directions. But what happens when you want to use those directions on your iPhone? Maps actually has two options for sending directions from your Mac to your iPhone. The first is to share directly; the other is to use Continuity, which allows you to start on one device and pick up on the other.

Either way, you'll need to search a location and click "Directions," then choose your preferred route from the suggestions. You can adjust your mode of transportation and starting and ending points as needed. Click the "Info" icon, then tap "Share" below the turn-by-turn list. Now, select "Send to iPhone," which will deliver a notification to your device. Tap this, and Apple Maps will launch on your iPhone with the directions loaded. Note that you'll need to have time-sensitive notifications and badge alerts on your Lock Screen enabled for this to work.

With Continuity, you can load directions on Maps on your Mac, then open the app switcher on your iPhone and tap the Apple Maps link at the bottom. To make sure this works for you, both your Mac and iPhone should be signed into iCloud with the same Apple Account, wifi and Bluetooth should be enabled on both, and "Handoff" should be turned on—though Apple says it is by default.

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Use this setting to change your preferred mode of transportation

If you always use Apple Maps for one transportation type, you can change your preferences so the app will show routes and estimated travel times for that method first. For example, if you don't own a car, you probably don't need to see driving directions by default—you can choose walking, cycling, or public transit as alternatives. Change this under Settings > Maps > Preferred Type of Travel.

Use this setting to avoid highways, hills, and stairs

Maps may give you the turn-by-turn directions it deems the best, but that doesn't mean it's the best route for you. You can tell the app to avoid certain types of roads or obstacles along your route, such as highways, toll roads, and busy streets. For cycling directions, you can try to avoid hills, and for walking, stairs. On the Directions pane, tap "Avoid" and toggle these features on or off.

Compare ride-share pricing from Lyft and Uber without leaving the app

Maps has integrations with ride-sharing apps like Lyft and Uber, so you can check for available rides to your destination and compare prices without leaving the app. (You can't book in Maps, though. You'll be redirected to the ride-share app once you select your ride.) After searching for a location, tap Directions and select the ride-share icon on the far right. Note that you must be logged into ride-share services on your device for the integration to work.

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If you’re grossed out by the idea that you might be bitten by a tick this year (chances are good, to be honest), now is the time to get yourself a bottle of permethrin spray. Permethrin-treating your shoes and pants is one of the simplest ways to set up a barrier between hungry ticks and your delicious, blood-filled flesh.

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Ticks need to spend time in dirt or leaf litter to avoid drying out, so they hang out close to the ground. They find us by climbing a stalk of grass and reaching out with their little legs when we walk by. (They'll settle for a deer, rabbit, or mouse instead of a person—they're not picky.) Once they find a warm body, they crawl upwards.

So if you want to avoid tick bites, the most important places to protect yourself are roughly from the knees down. You probably only have one or two pairs of shoes that you tend to wear in tall grass (hiking boots, sneakers, maybe work boots), so applying a long-lasting layer of permethrin to your shoes will go a long way toward protecting you all summer.

You can add to that protection by using permethrin on your socks, pants, and other clothing and gear—like tents and backpacks, if you go camping. Bug spray for your skin (containing an effective active ingredient like DEET) is a separate item, but it’s a good defense, too. Bonus: Permethrin and DEET also protect against mosquitoes.

What is permethrin and how does it work?

Permethrin is an insecticide that was originally derived from the chrysanthemum flower, but the stuff you can buy today is a synthetic version. It’s safe for people and pets unless you somehow manage to ingest, inhale, or absorb a large amount of it. Please note that permethrin spray is intended for use on clothing and objects, and not on skin. It can irritate skin, and our skin can actually break down the chemicals in the repellent, rendering it useless.

But on shoes and clothing, permethrin is great. When ticks are exposed to it, even for a very short time, they have difficulty walking and moving, and are probably unable to bite. Lab tests show that ticks, normally good climbers, tend to fall off of permethrin-treated clothing. Mosquitoes, similarly, can be killed or incapacitated by permethrin on clothing.

Permethrin shouldn’t be your only defense against ticks (or mosquitoes); a repellent spray on your skin is an important second layer of protection. But it’s a huge help, especially for those times you’re just stepping out into the backyard, or when you forget the bug spray until you’re already deep in the woods.

How to apply permethrin to your shoes, clothes, and camping gear

One of permethrin’s most convenient features is that it can stick to clothing for weeks or even months, despite multiple washings. You can also buy clothes that are already treated with permethrin; just check camping gear suppliers.

But you can also do it yourself. Buy a bottle of permethrin spray that contains 0.5% permethrin. This is an EPA-registered pesticide, and it will come with detailed instructions on the label. Here are a few options:

• If you just need to treat a pair or two of shoes: Repel permethrin clothing & gear spray, 6.5 ounce aerosol spray can

• If you’ve got a ton of camping gear to treat: Sawyer Premium permethrin insect repellent, 24 ounces with a trigger spray

• To save you some spraying: BugsAway permethrin-treated hiking socks (the protection lasts for 70 washes)

Basically, you’ll want to go outdoors (or into a well-ventilated area) and lay your clothing out flat. For shoes, remove the laces and open the shoes up as much as possible. Then spray enough of the permethrin to get the fabric visibly wet, and allow it to fully dry before you wear it. Besides shoes and clothes, you can also treat tents, backpacks, hats, and other items.

Pay attention to how long the protection will last. The label may say something like six weeks or six washings, whichever comes first. Don’t forget to reapply when time is up.