Computer Tricks and Secrets

Short answer: Go to haveibeenpwned.com , type in your email address, and it tells you which known data breaches included your details. If you show up in any breach, change that password everywhere you reused it and switch on two-factor authentication today. I have lost count of how many times a friend has messaged me in a panic asking "is my email hacked?" after seeing a weird login alert. The honest truth is that most people have some data floating around from an old breach, and that is fine as long as you react properly. In this guide I walk through the exact checks I run and the cleanup I do afterwards. What "hacked" usually means When I say an account was compromised, I normally mean one of two things. Either your password leaked in a bulk data breach of a website you used, or someone guessed or phished it directly. The first case is far more common. Companies get breached, the stolen username and password lists get traded online, and attackers try those sa...

Short answer: securing home Wi-Fi comes down to a strong unique password with WPA3 (or WPA2) encryption, changing your router's default admin login, keeping its firmware updated, using a separate guest network, and turning off risky features like WPS. Do these and you shut out the vast majority of intruders. Here is the full checklist. 1. Use WPA3 (or WPA2) encryption In your router settings, set security to WPA3 if available, or WPA2 (AES) at minimum. Never use the old WEP or an open network, those are trivially broken. This encryption is the core of Wi-Fi security. 2. Set a strong, unique Wi-Fi password Use a long passphrase (three or four random words plus numbers is easy to type and hard to crack). Do not reuse a password from other accounts. Length beats complexity, a longer passphrase is stronger and easier to remember than a short cryptic one. 3. Change the router's default admin login This is the step most people skip. Your router's admin page (usually ...

Short answer: Go to haveibeenpwned.com , type in your email address, and it tells you exactly which data breaches exposed your details. If you get a hit, change that password everywhere you reused it and turn on two-factor authentication straight away. Almost everyone I know has wondered at some point whether their email got hacked. The good news is you no longer have to guess. There are trustworthy, free breach-checking services that let you find out in seconds, and I run this check on my own accounts a few times a year. How do I check if my email was in a data breach? The tool I trust and use myself is Have I Been Pwned, run by security researcher Troy Hunt. It aggregates data from thousands of real breaches so you can see if your address appears in any of them. Open haveibeenpwned.com . Type your email address into the search box and press the button. Read the result. Green means no known breach; red lists every breach your address appeared in, with dates and what data leak...

Short answer: Open an Incognito window in Chrome with Ctrl+Shift+N (Cmd+Shift+N on Mac) and it will not save your history, cookies, or form data once you close it. It is perfect for a shared or borrowed computer, but it does not make you anonymous online, so I pair it with a few extra settings. When you browse on a friend's PC or a cafe machine, the last thing you want is your history and passwords left behind. Chrome has a private browsing mode built for exactly this, and it is one of the simplest privacy wins there is. Here is how it works and where its limits are. How do I open Incognito mode in Chrome? There are two quick ways, and the keyboard shortcut is the one I use every time. Press Ctrl+Shift+N on Windows or Linux, or Cmd+Shift+N on Mac. Or click the three-dot menu at the top right of Chrome and choose New Incognito window . A dark window opens with a hat-and-glasses icon confirming you are private. Browse as normal, then close the window when you finish; ever...

Short answer: no, you cannot legitimately view someone's private Facebook photos, and every tool or "app" that claims to is a scam, a phishing trap, or malware. Private means private by design. What you can do is make sure your own photos are properly locked down. Here is the honest explanation and how to protect yourself. Why the "view private photos" tricks are fake Old posts pointed to Facebook "apps" or browser add-ons that promised to reveal private photos. They never worked, because Facebook's servers simply do not serve private content to people without permission. What those tools actually did was: Phish your login, stealing your own account in the process. Spam your friends or post on your behalf once you granted the app access. Install malware or bombard you with ads. The person seeking to snoop ends up being the victim. That is the pattern with every one of these. Trying to access someone's private content is also wro...

Short answer: you can find clues about an email sender's origin in Gmail by viewing the full email headers ("Show original"), which reveal the sending servers and sometimes an originating IP address you can look up for an approximate location. It is useful for spotting scams, but it only gives a rough, often server-level location, not the sender's home address. Here is how, and what it can and cannot tell you. How to view the full headers Open the email in Gmail. Click the three-dot menu (More) at the top right of the message. Choose Show original . A new tab shows the raw email with all headers: From, Received (the server hops), SPF/DKIM results, and more. What the headers tell you Received lines: trace the path the email took through mail servers, read from bottom to top for the origin. Originating IP: sometimes present near the earliest Received line; you can look it up in an IP geolocation tool for an approximate region. SPF/DKIM/DMARC: whether...

Short answer: to do a privacy check, look at yourself the way a stranger would, search your own name, use each platform's "View As public" tool, and check what shows up. You will usually find more exposed than you expected. Here is a step-by-step self-audit and how to lock down what you find. Step 1: Search yourself Search your full name (in quotes), plus your name with your city, school or employer, in Google and an image search. Do it in a private/incognito window so your own login does not skew results. Note every profile, photo, phone number or address that appears, that is what strangers see. Step 2: Use "View As Public" on your profiles Facebook: profile > three dots > View As to see your profile as the public does. Instagram / others: check whether your account is public and what a non-follower can see. LinkedIn: view your public profile and adjust what is visible. Anything you would not hand to a stranger, lock down. Step 3: Do a...

Short answer: the safest way to unblock a website is a reputable VPN, which encrypts your traffic and routes it through another location, bypassing most blocks while protecting your privacy. Changing your DNS also helps for simple blocks. But respect the rules of networks you do not own, and avoid sketchy free proxies. Here is how, safely. First, a word on rules and safety Bypassing blocks on a network you do not control (a school or workplace) may violate its policies, know the rules before you do. And whatever method you use, avoid random free "web proxy" sites: many log your data, inject ads, or steal credentials. Use reputable tools. Method 1: A reputable VPN (best and safest) A VPN encrypts all your traffic and sends it through a server elsewhere, so the local network cannot see or block the sites you visit, and your data stays private. Choose a well-reviewed paid VPN (free ones often log or sell data). This is the most reliable method and it protects you, not ju...

Short answer: Facebook shows you every device and location currently logged into your account under Settings, so you can spot a stranger's session, log it out remotely with one tap, change your password, and turn on two-factor authentication to keep them out. Here is exactly where to look and how to lock things down. Step 1: See where you are logged in On the app or facebook.com, go to Settings & privacy > Settings > Password and security > Where you're logged in . You will see a list of every active session: device type, approximate location, and last active time. Anything you do not recognise, a strange city, an unknown phone, is a red flag. Step 2: Log out the intruder remotely Tap any suspicious session and choose Log out . You can also select Log out of all sessions to boot every device at once, then log back in only on your own. This instantly kicks out anyone else, even if they are active right then. Step 3: Change your password immediately If yo...

Short answer: Facebook lets you download a complete copy of your own account, photos, posts, messages, friends list and more, through its official "Download Your Information" tool. It is the right way to back up your memories or move them elsewhere. (You can only download your own data, not anyone else's, that is by design and good for privacy.) Here is how. How to download your Facebook data Go to Settings & privacy > Settings . Find Your Facebook information (or "Your information and permissions"). Choose Download your information . Select what to include (photos, posts, messages, etc.), a date range, format (HTML to browse, or JSON for data), and media quality. Request the file. Facebook prepares it and notifies you when it is ready to download. What you can include Data Useful for Photos and videos Backing up memories Posts and comments Keeping your history Messages Conversation archive Friends and profile info Records / moving ...

Short answer: a popular Notepad batch script can hide and "lock" a folder behind a password for casual privacy. It is a fun trick that stops a nosy sibling or coworker, but it is NOT real security, the files are recoverable. For anything genuinely private, use encryption. Here is the trick and, more importantly, the safe alternative. The Notepad folder-lock script Open Notepad and paste this script (change YOURPASSWORD to your own): cls @ECHO OFF title Folder Locker if EXIST "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" goto UNLOCK if NOT EXIST Locker goto MDLOCKER :CONFIRM echo Lock the folder? (Y/N) set/p "cho=>" if %cho%==Y goto LOCK if %cho%==N goto END :LOCK ren Locker "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" attrib +h +s "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" echo Folder locked goto End :UNLOCK echo Enter password to unlock set/p "pass=>" if NOT %pass%==YOURPASSWORD g...

Short answer: the fastest way to lock Windows is the keyboard shortcut Windows key + L , it locks instantly, requiring your password/PIN to get back in. You can also make a desktop shortcut, or set the PC to auto-lock when idle. Here are all the quick ways to secure your screen when you step away. The instant shortcut: Windows + L Press the Windows key + L together and your PC locks immediately, going to the lock screen. Your programs keep running; anyone would need your password, PIN or fingerprint to get back in. This is the single most useful habit for privacy, use it every time you leave your desk. Make a desktop lock shortcut If you prefer a clickable icon: Right-click the desktop > New > Shortcut . For the location, enter: rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation Name it "Lock PC" and finish. Double-click it anytime to lock; you can even pin it to the taskbar. Auto-lock when you step away Method How Screen timeout + lock Settings > Accounts...

Short answer: Google+ shut down years ago, but your Google account is now the hub of far more useful tools. The tricks worth knowing today are about controlling your data and privacy, securing the account, and getting more out of Search, Photos and Drive. Here are the ones I actually use. Take control of your data See everything Google has: My Activity shows your searches, watched videos and more, and lets you delete it or set auto-delete. Auto-delete history: set Web, Location and YouTube history to auto-delete after 3 or 18 months. Download your data: Google Takeout exports everything from any Google service. Secure your account Turn on 2-Step Verification , the single most important account safety step. Run the Security Check-up to review devices and app access. Remove old third-party apps that still have access to your account. Hidden-gem Google tools Tool What it does Google Lens Search or copy text from any photo Google Keep Quick notes synced everyw...

Short answer: modded WhatsApp versions like GBWhatsApp are not safe. They can get your number banned, and because they are built by unknown third parties, they can read your supposedly private messages. WhatsApp is already free, so you gain nothing and risk a lot. Here is the full picture and how to get the features you want safely. The three real risks Bans: WhatsApp detects unofficial clients and bans accounts, sometimes permanently. Your number, tied to every contact and chat, is at stake. Privacy loss: official WhatsApp is end-to-end encrypted. A mod is built by a third party you cannot audit, and it can log everything you send, defeating the entire point of a private messenger. Malware and account theft: modded APKs are a common malware vector and can hijack your WhatsApp session. The features people want, done safely Most "mod-only" features already exist officially, or have safe equivalents: You want Safe way Hide read receipts Official Settings ...

Short answer: you can often learn who is behind an email address using legitimate methods, searching the address online, checking connected social and public profiles, and inspecting the email's details, but you cannot magically unmask an anonymous sender, and "people finder" sites that promise that are usually scams. Here is what actually works and how to handle a suspicious sender. Start with a simple search Paste the full email address into Google (in quotes). People reuse the same address across forums, social media, listings and profiles, so a search often surfaces a name, a business, or accounts linked to it. This free step identifies more senders than any paid tool. Check social and connected accounts Some platforms let you search by email to see if an account exists (though privacy settings increasingly limit this). Gravatar and similar services sometimes show a profile linked to an email. The name portion before the @ often hints at the real name. I...

Short answer: you can hide a drive in Windows so it stops appearing in File Explorer, either by removing its drive letter in Disk Management, or via a Group Policy / registry setting. It is a quick way to keep a drive out of sight, though it is light privacy, not real security. Here is how, and how to still access the hidden drive. Method 1: Remove the drive letter (Disk Management) Right-click the Start button and open Disk Management . Right-click the drive you want to hide and choose Change Drive Letter and Paths . Select the letter and click Remove . The drive disappears from File Explorer (its data is untouched). To bring it back, repeat and Add a drive letter again. Method 2: Hide via Group Policy or registry On Windows Pro, the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) has a "Hide these specified drives in My Computer" option under User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer. On Home editions, a registry value (NoDr...

Short answer: you can learn the general region and network of a mobile number from its prefix, and identify a caller with a reputable caller-ID app, but you cannot legitimately pinpoint a person's live location from their number, that requires the police and carrier. Most people really want to know "is this call safe?", so here is how to identify callers responsibly and spot scams. What a number's prefix tells you The starting digits of a mobile number indicate the telecom circle/region and the network operator it was originally issued in, useful for a rough sense of origin. But with number portability, people keep their number when they move or switch networks, so the prefix is only a loose hint, not a current location. What you cannot do There is no legitimate public way to GPS-track a person from their phone number. Websites and apps promising to "locate anyone live by number" are scams or privacy violations. Real location tracing is done only b...

Short answer: you can turn an ordinary USB drive into a physical key so your Windows PC locks the moment you unplug it and unlocks when you plug it back in. Free tools like Predator do this, and Windows has a built-in "Dynamic Lock" that does something similar with your phone. Here is how to set each up and which to choose. Method 1: USB-key lock with free software (Predator) Predator is a free tool that converts a USB flash drive into an access key: Install Predator and plug in the USB drive you want as your key. It writes a small key file to the drive (this does not erase your other files). Set a password as a backup, in case you lose the USB. Now, when you remove the drive, the screen goes dark and the keyboard and mouse are disabled; plug it back in and the PC unlocks. Any regular USB stick works as the key, you do not need a special device. Method 2: Windows built-in Dynamic Lock (uses your phone) If you would rather not use a USB, Windows can auto-lock w...