New Tricks Daily

 is a useful companion read. A Note on Sensitive Documents Scans of ID cards, bank papers, and certificates are sensitive. Share them only with trusted people and organisations. Avoid posting them on social media or in public groups, and delete them from Drive and downloads when you no longer need them. What do you scan most often — bills, school forms, or office papers? Tell us in the comments, and share this guide with anyone who still runs to a shop just to scan a single page.

Do you reuse the same password for almost every account? You are not alone — but one leaked password can unlock many of your accounts at once. The solution is not to memorise dozens of passwords. It is to let a password manager remember them for you. If you use Android or Chrome, you already have Google Password Manager, free. It saves your passwords securely, fills them in automatically, and creates strong passwords when you need a new one.   Google Password Manager remembers strong passwords so you do not have to. What Is Google Password Manager? Google Password Manager is built into Android and Chrome, and it is tied to your Google account. When you sign in to a website or app, it offers to save your password. Next time, after you unlock your phone, it fills it in for you. Your saved passwords are encrypted and synced to your other devices on the same Google account. It is free, needs no extra app, and is far safer than a notebook or reusing one password everywhere. How to Find ...

Does your phone take forever to open an app? Does it freeze while you type, or lag when you switch between apps? You are not alone — almost every Android phone slows down over time. The good news is that you usually do not need a new phone. A few simple habits can make your old phone feel fast again. Before you download any "phone booster" app (most of them do more harm than good), try these seven real fixes. They are free, safe, and they actually work. A slow phone is usually a fixable problem, not a reason to buy a new one. 1. Restart Your Phone Once a Week This is the simplest fix, and the one most people skip. Restarting clears temporary files from memory and stops apps that got stuck in the background. Hold the power button, tap Restart, and wait. If your phone feels slow, try this first — it takes one minute and often helps immediately. 2. Close Apps You Are Not Using Every app left open uses a little memory. On most phones, tap the square (recent apps) button and swipe...

Your WiFi works but your mobile data does not, or nothing works at all. Before you blame your provider, try these simple fixes. Most mobile data problems are a small phone setting, not a network outage. Work through the list in order, and check after each step.   Mobile data problems are often a small phone setting, not a network outage. 1. Check That Mobile Data Is Actually On Swipe down twice to open Quick Settings. Make sure Mobile Data is on, and check that Airplane Mode is not on. 2. Toggle Airplane Mode On and Off Turn Airplane Mode on, wait ten seconds, then turn it off. This forces your phone to reconnect to the nearest tower.   Toggling airplane mode forces a fresh connection to the mobile tower. 3. Restart Your Phone A restart clears temporary network errors and reloads the SIM connection. 4. Check Your Data Limit and Plan Go to Settings, then Network and internet, then SIMs (or Mobile network). Check your data usage and whether a warning or limit is set. Also confir...

Your WhatsApp account is linked to your phone number, and that makes it a target. In a SIM swap scam, someone could try to register your number on another phone and take over your account. Two-step verification stops that. Once it is on, WhatsApp also asks for a 6-digit PIN that only you know. It takes about two minutes to set up, and it is one of the simplest ways to protect your account. Two-step verification adds a PIN lock to your WhatsApp account. What Is Two-Step Verification? Normally, WhatsApp verifies you with an SMS code when you register your number. Two-step verification adds another layer: a 6-digit PIN that only you know. After you turn it on, WhatsApp will sometimes ask for this PIN when you open the app, to make sure you remember it. If someone tries to register your number on another phone, they will also need this PIN, even if they get your SMS code. You can add an email address too, so you can reset the PIN if you forget it. Note that this PIN is not your phone lock ...

Every app on your Android phone asks for permissions, but do you really know what each app can access? A simple torch app does not need your contacts, and a photo editor does not need your location all the time. Checking permissions takes only a few minutes, and it is one of the easiest ways to protect your privacy. Illustration: App permissions control what each app can access, from camera and location to contacts and microphone. What Are App Permissions? Permissions are the doors you open for an app. Camera, microphone, location, contacts, photos, files and notifications are all permissions. When you grant one, the app can use that feature while you use it, or in the background if you allow it. Android now lets you give access only while using the app, only this time, or all the time, so you can be much more precise than before. How to Check App Permissions — Step by Step Follow these steps on your Android phone: Open Settings, then tap Apps or Apps and notifications. Tap an app to o...

If your WiFi suddenly feels slow, or the lights on your router blink furiously late at night, it is natural to wonder who else might be connected. The good news is that most routers let you see every connected device in a few taps, and you do not need any special app or technical skill to do it. Illustration: Your router's device list shows every phone, laptop and smart device using your WiFi. Why Your WiFi May Feel Slow or Busy Before you assume someone is stealing your WiFi, remember that your own home can be busy too. Phones, laptops, smart TVs, speakers, cameras and game consoles all share the same connection, and many of them download updates in the background. Still, if the slowdown is sudden or happens at odd hours, checking the device list is a sensible first step. How to Check Connected Devices on Your Router — Step by Step Follow these steps on a phone connected to your own WiFi: Open your phone's browser and go to your router's login page, usually printed on a st...

Not every story is meant for everyone who follows you. Some moments are for your best friends, your family, or a small circle you trust. That is exactly what Instagram Close Friends is for: a private list of people who can see selected stories, while everyone else simply does not see them at all. Illustration: Close Friends lets you share stories with only a small, trusted circle. What Is Instagram Close Friends? Close Friends is a list you create inside Instagram. When you share a story with Close Friends, only the people on that list can view it. Other followers will not see the story, and they will not be told that a Close Friends story exists. The people on your list will know they are on it, because your story will show a green ring around your profile picture instead of the usual pink and orange one. How to Create Your Close Friends List — Step by Step Follow these steps in the Instagram app: Open Instagram and go to your profile. Tap the three-line menu in the top-right corner. ...

Your WhatsApp chats hold years of memories, family photos, work messages and important contacts. If you lose your phone or switch to a new one without a backup, all of it can be gone in a moment. The good news is that WhatsApp on Android can back up your chats to Google Drive automatically, so restoring them later takes just a few taps. Illustration: Backing up WhatsApp to Google Drive keeps your chats safe if you lose or change your phone. What You Need Before You Back Up Before you start, make sure you have a Google account signed in on your phone, enough free space in Google Drive, and a stable Wi-Fi connection. Backups over mobile data can be slow and can eat into your data plan, so Wi-Fi is the safer choice. Also check that WhatsApp is updated to the latest version from the Play Store. How to Back Up WhatsApp to Google Drive — Step by Step Follow these steps on your Android phone: Open WhatsApp and tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner. Tap Settings, then Chats, then Chat...

Losing your phone is a horrible feeling. One minute it is in your pocket, the next minute it is gone — and with it your photos, contacts, messages and bank apps. The good news is that most Android phones already have a free tool built in that can help you find it: Google Find My Device. The best part? You do not need to install anything new or pay anything. You only need to set it up once, before the phone goes missing. Let us walk through everything in simple steps.   Illustration: Find My Device can locate, ring, lock or erase a lost Android phone. What Find My Device Needs Beforehand Find My Device only works if a few things are already switched on. Take two minutes to check them today, while your phone is safe in your hand: Your phone must be signed into a Google account. Almost every Android phone already is, because you need a Google account to use the Play Store. If you are not sure, go to Settings and check the Google account shown at the top. Location must be turned on. Go...

A call comes in claiming your bank account will be blocked, or that a UPI payment has failed and you must act now. The voice sounds official, the pressure feels real, and that urgency is exactly the trick. Most UPI fraud calls in India do not hack your phone — they trick you into giving away the one thing that protects your money. In this guide, you will learn how to spot a UPI fraud call, what to never share on a call, and how to report it on the national cybercrime helpline 1930. How UPI Fraud Calls Usually Work The caller may claim to be from your bank, a UPI app, a delivery company, or customer care. Common stories include a blocked account, a refund, a KYC update, a wrong transfer, or a prize you have won. The caller then asks you to share an OTP, enter a PIN, approve a collect request, install a screen-sharing app, or transfer a small amount to “verify” your account. Remember this simple rule: no bank, UPI app, or government agency will ever ask you for your UPI PIN, OTP, or full...

If your WiFi password is still the one printed on the router, or an old password half the neighbourhood knows, changing it is one of the simplest security upgrades you can make. You do not need a laptop or a computer for this — your phone and a browser are enough. In this guide, you will learn how to find your router's login page from your phone, change the WiFi password safely, and reconnect your devices without getting locked out. Before You Start: What You Need You need three things: your phone connected to the WiFi network you want to change, the router's admin username and password, and a new, strong password in mind. The admin password is not the same as the WiFi password — it is the one used to log in to the router's settings page, and it is often printed on a sticker on the router itself. If you have never changed the admin password either, do that too while you are in the settings, because the default admin passwords for popular routers are widely known. Find Your ...

Not every awkward Instagram interaction needs a dramatic unfollow. Sometimes you just want some quiet, sometimes you want a firm boundary, and sometimes you want someone gone for good. That is exactly what Mute, Restrict and Block are for — and choosing the wrong one can cause more drama than the problem itself. In this guide, you will learn what each option actually does, what the other person can and cannot see, and which one to use in real situations. What Is Mute on Instagram? Mute is the quietest option. When you mute someone, you stop seeing their posts, stories and notes, but you stay connected. They can still see your posts, message you, and they will not be told that you muted them. Use Mute when you like the person but not their content — for example, a friend who posts twenty stories a day, or a page that has become too noisy. Nothing changes for them, and nothing awkward happens for you. Illustration: Restricting an account limits what that person can see and do, without un...

Sometimes you want to share a photo for a quick moment — not keep it floating in someone's gallery forever. That's exactly what WhatsApp's View Once feature is for. It lets you send a photo or video that disappears the moment the receiver opens it. Let's look at how it works, how to send one, and — most importantly — the safety rules most people skip. What is View Once? View Once is a WhatsApp feature for sending photos and videos that vanish after being opened one time. The receiver taps the photo, looks at it, and when they close it, it's gone — not saved to their gallery, not stored in the chat. On your side, you'll see an "Opened" status once they've viewed it, so you know the photo was seen. This is different from a normal photo: a normal photo stays in the chat forever and the other person can save, forward, or share it anytime. A View Once photo gets exactly one view. How to send a View Once photo or video Sending one takes four taps: ...

That "Storage almost full" message always appears at the worst moment — right when you're trying to take a photo or install an update. The panic move is deleting photos and memories you'll miss later. You don't need to. Most of a full phone is junk you can clear safely, not your pictures. Here are 6 real ways to win back space. 1. Clear cached app data — free space without losing anything Apps store temporary files (cache) that pile up over weeks and months. Deleting them is completely safe. Go to Settings → Storage and tap Cached data to clear it in one go, or do it per app: Settings → Apps → pick an app → Storage → Clear cache . One important warning: on that same screen you'll also see Clear data . Do NOT tap that one — it logs you out of the app and deletes your saved files, downloads, and settings inside it. Clear cache only, and repeat it for your biggest apps (browsers, social media, and streaming apps are usually the worst). 2. Remove or offload...