Home Office Setup & Equipment

Microsoft has released its April 2025 Patch Tuesday update, which fixes 134 malicious bugs across its systems—including one zero-day exploit. Windows and Microsoft users should ensure their devices are up to date with the latest patches. Patch Tuesday updates for April 2025One of the vulnerabilities fixed this month was a zero-day, which is a flaw that is exploited or publicly disclosed before an official patch is released by developers. The active exploit—labeled CVE-2025-29824—is an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Common Log File System (CLFS) Driver. The flaw, which was identified by the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center, allowed attackers to g…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Even though the residential burglary rate has been dropping steadily in recent years (down 26% between 2019 and 2023), many of us still worry about being robbed or experiencing a home invasion. Alarm systems and other high-tech security are really effective—a study once found that 83% of criminals check for an alarm before selecting a house to rob—but they don’t actually stop someone from breaking into your home. If you want to prevent a determined criminal from getting inside in the first place, you don’t need to spend a fortune turning your house into some sort of smart home fortress—there are plenty of cheap, low-tech s…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Amazon's Big Spring Sale is almost over, but there are still deals you can take advantage of, including Lifehacker Associate Tech editor Michelle Ehrhardt's favorite tech deals. One deal you can take advantage of right now is the Dangbei Freedo, a portable projector with an official Netflix license and a 1080p resolution. You can get it for $399 (originally $549), the lowest price it has ever been, according to price-tracking tools. Dangbei Freedo 1080p reso…

YouTube Music is a decent Spotify alternative, especially if you're already paying for YouTube Premium to remove the ads. There's a big downside, though: Google doesn't offer a desktop app for YouTube Music, meaning you have to run the application in a browser. It also means you can't really customize YouTube Music the way you can with Spotify. That's why YouTube Music Desktop App—a free application not made by Google, to be clear—exists. The app, compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux puts YouTube Music in its own window, outside of your browser, while also adding extensions for things like downloading songs, skipping the non-music parts of videos, and blocking ads. …

If you get a text or voice message from someone claiming to be a U.S. government official, they probably aren't who they say they are. The FBI is warning the public about an ongoing campaign in which scammers are using AI-generated voice messages to impersonate senior government staff in an attempt to gain access to personal accounts and, by extension, sensitive information or money. Many of those targeted have been other current and former government officials—both federal and state—and their contacts, but that doesn't mean this scam or something like it won't land in your inbox or on your phone sooner or later. Here's how these AI-powered attacks work, and how to avoid…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The Elgato Stream Deck sits on the desk of your favorite Twitch and YouTube streamers, just off camera. It's there, trust me. I know, because using its customizable LCD buttons is one of the easiest ways to launch and manage apps without disrupting what you're doing. In other words, what makes the Stream Deck useful for streamers also makes it a powerful productivity tool. I've been advocating using gaming peripherals for productivity for—is it already almost a decade?—and the Stream Deck takes that advice to the next level. It's is much more customizable than your typical gaming keyboard, allowing you to assign common tas…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you're looking to upgrade your home gym or fitness gear without breaking the bank, look toward Amazon's Fitness Memorial Day sale. I know Memorial Day isn't for another week, but naturally, the retail giant is kicking off the festivities early. Especially with summer right around the corner, now is the time to buy all the equipment you need to keep you motivated through the dog days. I know I've personally got my eye on massage guns and foam rollers to help me survive my upcoming marathon training. So, with Amazon's Memorial Day Sale is in full s…

Amazon hasn't yet released a full list of what's coming to Prime Video in June, but we do know what original titles are slated to premiere throughout the month. Prime original action comedy Deep Cover (June 12) has a stacked cast that includes Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed, and Sean Bean. In the film, Howard plays an improv comedy teacher who recruits two of her students (played by Bloom and Mohammed) to infiltrate London's gangs by pretending to be criminals. Countdown (June 25) is a new crime thriller series from Chicago Fire showrunner Derek Haas. An LAPD detective is recruited to a secret task force to investigate the murder of a Departm…

The Shortcuts app comes preloaded on the iPhone and can be used to set up quick automations; you can set up shortcuts that can execute multiple options at the same time. For example, you can connect to your HomePod and play instrumental music while dimming your smart lights, all at once, with a tap. If you're new to the Shortcuts app, start here with seven recommended automations. Strangely, Apple never offered a shortcut action for simply opening an iMessage thread. In iOS 18.4, though, Apple is fixing that mistake. And because Shortcuts is so well integrated across the entire iOS software, you can then add this shortcut to the Lock Screen, the Control Center, and even t…

With macOS Sequoia 15.4, Apple fully rolled out all of its new Apple Intelligence features to the Mail app. As such, when you open Mail after updating to the latest OS, the app will look quite different. You'll see new "Mail Categories," a Priority Messages box, and email summaries, the latter two of which are powered by AI. It's not something many asked for, and you might be longing for the Mail app you're used to. But there's good news here: If you don't like these features, you can easily disable or customize them to suit your needs. How to disable Mail Categories on Mac …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The reality of home gardening is that you rarely have as much space as you’d like. For many people, all they have is one raised 4x8 foot bed. While that doesn’t feel like a lot of space, you can fit a whole lot of plants into 32 square feet. With a smaller space, you just have to find new and inventive ways to get more variety in your beds. Around where I live, we call this "cramscaping. " Take advantage of plant timing and growth patternsEvery vegetable and fruit out there has recommended spacing (for instance, tomatoes should be 18 inches apart), and in an ideal world, you’d accommodate them perfectly. However, you can p…

Disney isn't bringing a lot of new content to its streaming platform in June, but there a few original and exclusive titles on the lineup. Season five of Disney Channel's animated comedy series Phineas and Ferb (June 6) will premiere with 10 episodes, returning for the first time since 2015. The show follows two stepbrothers trying to fill their time during the 104 days of summer vacation. Disney+ Original Ironheart will launch with a three-episode premiere at 6 p.m. PT on June 24. The Marvel Television miniseries is set after the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and tells the origin story of Ironheart—MIT student and inventor Riri Williams (played by Dominique T…

I like Apple Maps. I want to love it, but I can't. Despite the obvious integrations with iOS, and the generally pleasing aesthetic, Google Maps simply does some things better. One of those things is particularly key: finding somewhere to eat. Searching for a restaurant on Apple Maps and Google Maps is the same on the surface: You make your query, scan the map for a name that jumps out, then tap that restaurant to learn more. Apple Maps serves up Yelp reviews, which you can see previews of, but if you tap any of them for more details, you're taken to the Yelp app. If you don't have the Yelp app, you're taken to the App Store to download the Yelp app. Google Maps, on the ot…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. As Lifehacker's resident marathon runner and senior finance writer, there is one perfect point where my worlds intersect: buying sneakers. When it comes to investing in—and maybe even splurging on—running gear, nothing affects your running experience more than your shoes. Finding the perfect running shoes is about much more than style or brand preference. Proper footwear can be the difference between achieving your running goals and suffering through preventable injuries. Why proper shoe fit mattersMany runners unknowingly wear the wrong shoes for years. According to Jessica Lyons-Quirk, director of footwear merchandising…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. A surprisingly endearing sitcom about an American football coach moving to the U.K. to coach the other kind of football, Ted Lasso was Apple TV+'s first breakout hit, but it's long over by this point. While few of their other shows have commanded even a fraction of the zeitgeist, over the past few years Apple's streaming service has built a small but solid library of other original series that are at least interesting or pretty good, and occasionally more. Apple's offerings still can’t quite compare to what you’ll find on Netflix or Hulu, at least in terms of volume, but there’s enough money in the tech company's bank acc…

AI tools are suddenly everywhere, and you've probably tried out using an AI program to generate text and images, or perhaps even audio and video. But AI isn't just coming for media you passively experience: Companies are also using interactive entertainment, including video games. We've seen examples of this over the past year or so. Google's Genie model, for example, aims to generate playable video game environments from user prompts. Earlier this year, Microsoft unveiled a similar AI model, called Muse, and that model's first mainstream experience is now here: The company is offering an experimental version of Quake II, a game originally released in 1997, that is power…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. There are plenty of places worth investing your money for long-term growth. But what about short-term savings? Shouldn’t you be able to earn a little something extra on that, too? A high-yield savings account functions like a traditional savings account but offers significantly higher interest rates. More specifically, the average interest rate on savings accounts is currently 0.41% per the FDIC. Compared to those meager returns on a traditional savings account, high-yield alternatives can deliver more than 4.50% APY—turning a potential $50 annual return on $10,000 into $450 or more. These accounts are typically offered b…

While it may not have the high profile of Spotify or Apple Music, YouTube Music has its own band of loyal users—not least because of the wealth of audio material you can find across YouTube as well as the designated YouTube Music library. The service integrates neatly with other Google services of course, and is available across a multitude of devices. Despite the rather functional and basic appearance of the YouTube Music apps, there's plenty going on behind the scenes, from the option to upload your own MP3s to your library, to the opportunity to collaborate on playlists with other people. Add videos to playlistsYouTube Music gives you something you don't get with any o…

Mac users can put any widget on their desktop. Windows puts widgets into a dedicated area that's not really customizable and curates headlines from the absolute worst places on the web. What if you just want a few simple pieces of information to show up over your wallpaper? A free application called BeWidgets lets you do just that. This free application lets you set up widgets featuring the weather, date, time, stock prices, and app shortcuts. It also lets you customize them to look however you want. To get started, install the application; you can add a widget immediately. Give it a name, just so you can keep track of it, then choose what information you'd like the widg…

When you're planning a trip with friends, there's a good chance your group chat will be full of links to and screenshots of places you want to visit or cafés you want to hit. To help you keep track of all that, Google is now rolling out a new feature to add multiple locations to a Google Maps list for you using screenshots. This feature scans your phone and uses Gemini AI to work out the places mentioned in your screenshots. It's starting out first first on iPhones (which is odd for Google), and it's limited to the US for now. However, Android and global releases are planned for the future. How to automatically add places to Google Maps using screenshots …

In an ideal world, you'd lead a long and happy life only ever shutting down and restarting your PC via the Start menu. Click the power icon, choose your option, and you're done. However, life doesn't always work out like we plan it, and sometimes you may need to trigger a restart or shutdown from the command prompt instead. Maybe something is stopping the Start menu from working, or perhaps you find yourself on a screen where the Start menu isn't available. One of the scenarios where I use the command prompt to shut down Windows is when I'm in the initial setup phase for the operating system and don't want to complete it right away. …

Sometimes, you need to make a couple of quick edits before you send off a photo on WhatsApp or Gmail. Perhaps you need to crop out something in the background, or enhance an image to make it clearer. If you're on Android 14 or higher, Google's new Quick Edits feature is here to help. It works kind of like editing screenshots before sharing them, but for everything in your Google Photos library. How to quickly edit photos before sharing them Credit: Khamosh Pathak To use Quick Edits, first update the Google Photos app on your An…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Most seeds are grown in seed trays or blocks, but at some point, these seedlings will outgrow their cell or block and require more soil for their roots to grow. In some cases, the weather aligns and you can transplant your seedlings from the tray directly to the garden. But in most cases, your seedlings will need more time inside, protected, before the weather is warm enough, and that means you’ll need to take your seedlings out of the tray and give them a larger container where they can chill out and grow some more before going into the ground. This process is called "up-potting," and while the process itself is simple, t…

The old turn-it-off-and-on-again adage has helped successfully troubleshoot computers for years, but there's more than one way to restart your hardware and software—including a lesser known option on Windows that may well be new to you. Having spent many years writing about tech, it isn't often that I come across something I didn't already know about. So when I stumbled across this old BetaNews article about an emergency restart feature in Windows, I was taken aback. It showed a screen and a keystroke combination I had genuinely never heard of before. A bit more digging revealed that this has been in Windows for decades, making it even stranger that I'd never come across …

Discord's overlay is one of its most useful features, and earlier this year, it got a huge revamp. Now, you can respond to notifications, watch your friends' streams, and have video chats all without leaving your game. All the new functionality comes with a couple new quirks, so let's break down how it all works. If you're not familiar, the Discord overlay is a part of the desktop application that can draw on top of the games you play. Its most common use is to see who's on and speaking in the team chat, by showing small profile icons in the top left of your screen. Due to the change in how the overlay works, you might've noticed this disappear, or be replaced by a new pr…