iPhone iCloud
How to Back Up Your iPhone
A backup is a copy of everything on your phone, photos, contacts, messages, and settings. Here's how to set up iCloud Backup so your data is always safe, even if your phone is lost or breaks.
By Joe
The Hebden Tech Blog
Practical advice, local relevance. No jargon, no upsells. Just useful things to know about technology.
iPhone iCloud
How to Back Up Your Photos Using iCloud
Worried about losing all your photos if your phone breaks? iCloud Photos solves that, here's exactly how to turn it on and make sure it's working.
By Joe
iPhone App Store
How to Download an App on Your iPhone
Apps are programmes you download to your phone to do specific things, from reading the news to video calling. Here's how to find, install, and remove apps using the App Store.
By Joe
iPhone FaceTime
How to Make a FaceTime Call on Your iPhone
FaceTime is Apple's free app for video and audio calls, and it's simpler to use than most people expect. Here's everything you need to know, step by step.
By Joe
iPhone battery
How to Keep Your iPhone Battery Healthy
iPhone batteries degrade over time, but good habits slow the process significantly. Here's how to check your battery health, make it last longer each day, and know when it's time for a replacement.
By Joe
iPhone storage
How to Manage Storage on Your iPhone
Running low on storage? Here's how to see what's using space on your iPhone, delete what you don't need, and set up automatic offloading so it doesn't happen again.
By Joe
email inbox
How to Manage Your Email Inbox
An overflowing inbox is stressful, but it doesn't have to stay that way. Here's how to delete, unsubscribe, use folders, and keep on top of your email without it taking over your day.
By Joe
online safety scams
How to Protect Yourself From Online Scams
Scams are more convincing than ever, but once you know what to look for, they're surprisingly easy to spot. Here's how to recognise phishing, avoid suspicious links, and what to do if something goes wrong.
By Joe
Google search
How to Search the Web
Knowing how to search well makes the whole internet more useful. Here's how to use Google effectively, better search terms, image search, and how to spot trustworthy results.
By Joe
iPhone voicemail
How to Set Up and Check Your Voicemail on an iPhone
Voicemail on iPhone is easier than you might expect, especially if you use Visual Voicemail, which shows your messages as a list you can play in any order. Here's how to set it up and use it.
By Joe
iPhone email
How to Set Up Your Email on an iPhone
Whether you use Gmail, Outlook, or another email provider, you can read and send emails directly from the Mail app on your iPhone. Here's how to get it set up in a few minutes.
By Joe
safety scams
How to Stay Safe Online
The internet is mostly safe if you know what to watch out for. Here are the most common online threats, scams, phishing, and dodgy links, and simple habits that keep you protected.
By Joe
iPhone Face ID
How to Use Face ID and Touch ID on Your iPhone
Face ID and Touch ID let you unlock your iPhone and confirm purchases without typing a password. Here's how to set them up and get the most out of them.
By Joe
iPhone Google Maps
How to Use Google Maps on Your iPhone
Google Maps is one of the most useful apps on your phone, it gives you directions, helps you find local businesses, and tells you how long your journey will take. Here's how to get started.
By Joe
iPhone iMessage
How to Use iMessage and SMS on Your iPhone
Why are some messages blue and some green? What's the difference between iMessage and a text? Here's a plain English guide to messaging on iPhone.
By Joe
WhatsApp messaging
How to Use WhatsApp
WhatsApp is one of the most popular apps in the UK, it lets you send free messages, photos, and voice notes, and make free calls. Here's everything you need to get started.
By Joe
iPhone camera
How to Use Your iPhone Camera
Your iPhone has one of the best cameras you can carry. Here's how to take good photos, use Portrait mode, organise your pictures, and share them easily.
By Joe
iPhone travel
How to Use Your iPhone When You're Abroad
Roaming charges, offline maps, Wi-Fi calling, here's what you actually need to know before taking your iPhone abroad, whether you're going to France or Florida.
By Joe
iPhone catch-up TV
How to Watch Catch-Up TV on Your iPhone
Missed something? All the major UK TV channels have free apps that let you watch programmes after they've aired, BBC iPlayer, ITVX, All 4, and My5. Here's how to get started.
By Joe
iPhone accessibility
How to Make the Text Bigger on Your iPhone
If the text on your iPhone is too small to read comfortably, you can change it, in about ten seconds. Here's how, with options for every level of adjustment.
By Joe
browser Chrome
What Is a Web Browser, and How Do I Use It?
A web browser is the app you use to visit websites. Whether you use Chrome, Safari, or something else, this guide explains the basics, tabs, bookmarks, and how to find what you're looking for.
By Joe
WhatsApp messaging
What Is WhatsApp and How Do I Use It?
WhatsApp is one of the most popular free messaging apps in the world, and it's much simpler than people expect. Here's a friendly guide to getting started.
By Joe
iPhone iOS
5 iPhone Accessibility Features Worth Knowing
Apple has built some genuinely useful tools into every iPhone, most people have never found them. Here are five worth turning on today.
By Joe
photos backup
How to Back Up Your Photos
Your photos are irreplaceable. Here's how to make sure they're safe, on iPhone, Android, and Windows, with the simplest methods that actually work.
By Joe
iPhone battery
How to Keep Your iPhone Battery Lasting Longer
Battery anxiety is one of the most common tech worries for iPhone users. Here are five practical things you can do today to get more out of each charge.
By Joe
iPhone notifications
How to Manage Notifications on Your iPhone
Your phone doesn't have to interrupt you constantly. Here's how to take control of notifications, turning them off for specific apps, setting quiet time, and finding the settings that suit you.
By Joe
iPhone iOS
How to Organise Your iPhone Home Screen
Your iPhone's Home Screen is the first thing you see every time you unlock it. Here's how to move apps, create folders, and keep things tidy so you can find what you need straight away.
By Joe
email Gmail
How to Set Up a New Email Address
Whether you want to move on from an old Hotmail address or just get started with email, here's how to create a new one, step by step.
By Joe
iPhone iOS
How to Set Up Medical ID on Your iPhone
Medical ID lets paramedics see your health information and emergency contacts without unlocking your phone. Here's how to set it up, it takes about five minutes.
By Joe
security email
How to Spot a Scam Email
Scam emails look convincing, but they share tell-tale signs. Here's what to look for, what to do if you've clicked something, and how to report it.
By Joe
iPhone iOS
How to Take a Screenshot on Your iPhone
A screenshot saves a picture of whatever is on your screen at that moment. Here's how to take one on any iPhone, where to find it afterwards, and how to share it.
By Joe
iPhone FaceTime
How to Make a Video Call on Your iPhone
Video calling lets you see the people you're talking to, wherever they are. Here's how to get started with FaceTime and WhatsApp, step by step, in plain English.
By Joe
iPhone iOS
iOS Focus: Take Back Control of Your Notifications
iPhone's Focus feature lets you decide who can reach you and when, here's how to set it up and why it might be the most useful thing on your phone.
By Joe
iPhone iPad
iPad vs iPhone: Which One Is Right for You?
Not a spec sheet, a practical guide to which Apple device actually suits your life, based on how you use technology day to day.
By Joe
iPhone accessibility
How to Use Your iPhone When You Can't See the Screen Clearly
Struggling to read your iPhone screen? These built-in settings can make a real difference, larger text, a zoom feature, reduced blue light, and more.
By Joe
privacy browser
What Are Cookies and Should I Accept Them?
Every website seems to ask about cookies now. Here's what they actually are, what happens when you accept or decline, and what you should do.
By Joe
iPhone iPad
What Is iCloud and Do I Need It?
iCloud confuses a lot of iPhone users, especially when it starts asking for money. Here's a plain English explanation of what it actually does and whether you need it.
By Joe
passwords security
What to Do If You Forget Your Password
Forgetting a password is one of the most common tech panics, but it almost always has a fix. Here's what to do, step by step.
By Joe
troubleshooting Windows
What to Do When Your Computer Won't Turn On
A black screen and no response is one of the most alarming things a computer can do. Here's a calm, step-by-step guide to working out what's happening, and fixing it.
By Joe
troubleshooting Windows
Why Is My Computer So Slow?
A sluggish computer is one of the most common frustrations in digital life. Here are the most likely causes, and the fixes that actually work.
By Joe
Windows security
Windows 10 is Retiring Soon
Windows 10 reaches end of life in October 2025. Here's what that means, what your options are, and how to decide what to do next.
By Joe
privacy security
Taking Control of Your Online Privacy with Brave Browser
Brave Browser blocks ads and trackers by default, loads pages faster, and is free to use. Here's what it is, why it matters, and how to switch.
By Joe
digital wellbeing mindfulness
Finding Peace in a World of Pings: How to Use Technology Without It Using You
Constant notifications, endless scrolling, the pressure to always be available, technology can feel relentless. Here's how to reclaim calm in a world of pings.
By Joe
community repair cafe
Free Tech Support: Repair Cafés Explained and Upcoming Dates
Free tech support at local repair cafés across Hebden Bridge and the Calder Valley, what they are, what happens there, and when you can find us.
By Mike
digital confidence mental health
From Tech Stress to Digital Confidence: A Practical Guide for Everyone
Feeling overwhelmed by technology? You're not alone. Here's what's really causing tech stress and five practical strategies to build genuine digital confidence.
By Joe