Computer Tricks and Secrets

Short answer: the simplest way to never lose WhatsApp photos is to turn on WhatsApp's built-in cloud backup (Google Drive on Android, iCloud on iPhone) and let your gallery sync to Google Photos as well. That gives you two independent copies automatically. Here is how to set it up and the extra options for saving specific media. Option 1: WhatsApp's built-in cloud backup WhatsApp can back up your chats and media to the cloud on a schedule: Android: WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat backup > back up to Google Drive, choose a frequency and include videos. iPhone: WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > iCloud. This restores your media if you switch or reset your phone. Note it counts against your Drive/iCloud storage. Option 2: Auto-save photos to your gallery, then to the cloud By default WhatsApp saves received photos to your phone's gallery. Make sure media auto-download is on (Settings > Storage and data), then let Google Pho...

Short answer: to find your biggest Google Drive files, go to the storage-management page, which sorts everything by size in one click. But remember your 15 GB free quota is shared across Drive, Gmail and Google Photos, so the real space hogs are often huge email attachments and photos, not Drive files. Here is how to clear space fast. Step 1: Sort Drive files by size instantly Go to drive.google.com/drive/quota (the storage page). It lists your files sorted largest-first automatically. Review the top items, delete what you no longer need, and empty the Trash (deleted files still count until Trash is emptied). Step 2: Remember storage is shared across Google This is the part people miss. Your free 15 GB is split across three services: Service Common space hog Drive Large videos, old backups Gmail Emails with big attachments Photos Full-resolution photos and videos Step 3: Clear big Gmail attachments In Gmail, search has:attachment larger:10M to find emails with...

Short answer: to let people send you files without giving them access to your other files, use an upload-only link, Dropbox File Requests is the cleanest, and Google Drive plus Google Forms works too. Recipients can add files but cannot see or download anything else in your storage. Here is how to set it up safely. The safest option: Dropbox File Requests Dropbox File Requests are purpose-built for this: In Dropbox, go to File requests and create a new request. Name it and choose (or create) the folder uploads should go to. Share the link. Anyone with it can upload files to that folder. They cannot see the folder's contents or anything else in your Dropbox, upload-only. Perfect for collecting documents, photos or homework from many people. Google Drive options Google Forms with a file-upload question: create a form, add a "File upload" question, and share it. Responses land in a Drive folder only you control. Great for collecting files with some struct...

Short answer: Use the Dropbox File Requests feature. Create a request, share the link, and anyone can upload files straight into a folder you choose without needing a Dropbox account. Everything they send lands in your Dropbox and you get notified. I run into this problem constantly. A teacher needs students to hand in homework, a designer needs mockups from clients, an event organizer wants photos from attendees. Email chokes on large files and turns your inbox into a mess. The cleaner solution is a folder that other people can drop files into but not browse or delete from. Dropbox File Requests does exactly that, and I will walk through the setup below plus a free Google Drive alternative. What is a Dropbox File Request? A File Request is a special upload link tied to one folder in your Dropbox. People who open it see a simple upload page. They can add files but they cannot see anything already in the folder, cannot see other people's uploads, and cannot delete anything. The...