Author: Admin

The first Apple-approved third-party app store, Altstore PAL, is available now for download in the EU. In the wake of the EU’s Digital Markets Act, Apple is required to allow users to install rival app stores on their iPhones. After a lengthy process, including implementing various security checks, Altstore went live on Wednesday.

Altstore is priced at 1.50 euro (plus tax) per month, to offset the new Apple tax on third-party app stores. Installation is easy enough, although a report from The Verge notes that Apple tries to dissuade users numerous times from choosing to install the competing app store.

Once installed, users will find two apps. The first is Clip, a clipboard manager for iOS that runs in the background and saves your clips for future use. The app requires a monthly Patreon pledge of 1 euro per month.

Altstore’s other app, Delta, is a Nintendo console emulator that can emulate a few different consoles, including the NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, a few different Game Boys and the Nintendo DS. Delta is available free of charge as a thank-you to users who paid to use Altstore. The emulator was also released on the regular Apple App Store. Unlike iGBA, which received the boot from Apple a couple of days ago, Delta is legitimate and should stay on the App Store for the long term.

Read more: Apple Boots the First Emulator to Launch on the App Store in a Decade

Altstore is aimed at indie developers

Riley Testut, developer of Altstore and the two apps, wants Altstore to be the top destination for indie developers. The store is aimed at developers who are making apps that would otherwise be unable to make it into the App Store. Clip, one of the first two apps, would never be approved on the Apple App Store thanks to the workarounds it uses to run in the background at all times.

Altstore uses Apple’s new Web Distribution, which allows developers to more easily distribute apps to users in the EU. End users will be able to add “sources” to Altstore, giving them a larger number of apps to browse and install. “Sources” refers to developers hosting apps on their own servers. Users can add a source to Altstore and then will have more apps to download, similar to adding an RSS feed to a newsreader.

Read more:Apple Lays Out Security Plan for Third-Party App Stores on the iPhone

Altstore will allow paid apps

Altstore will lean on Patreon, the monetization platform that lets users pay for original content from their favorite creators. Developers will be encouraged to use the platform primarily to offset Apple’s core technology fee, or CTF. That fee requires developers to pay 0.50 euro for the first installation per user. That user can then download the app an unlimited number of times per year. When the next year starts, the first app update, user installation or reinstallation will generate another 0.50 euro charge to the app developer.

Since Altstore is marketed primarily at indie developers, Patreon allows developers to consistently communicate with their users. The store is set up to allow developers to offer different tiers of payment. End users might pay 0.50 euro for a base installation and then pay a higher price for the premium version of the app at a later date. App developers can also charge one subscription for access to all of their apps, something that the Apple App Store doesn’t allow.

Those not in the EU can still use the store, but it requires some extra steps, including the installation of AltServer. Altstore’s website has instructions for installation.

Today’s Wordle answer may not be the most frequently used word, but all the letters are pretty common. But if you need help, read on.

Every day, we’ll post hints and then the answer for the current day’s Wordle, just in case you need it.

Today’s Wordle hints for April 18

Warning: If you keep reading, you’ll see the Wordle answer for Thursday, April 18, puzzle No. 134. That could be a devastating spoiler for some players. But if you just need the answer — maybe you’re on your last guess and just don’t want to see an 800-game streak go poof — keep reading.

Wordle hint No. 1: No repeats

None of the letters in today’s answer are repeated.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

There are two vowels in today’s answer.

Wordle hint No. 3: Starting letter

Today’s answer starts with F.

Wordle hint No. 4: Ending letter

Today’s answer ends with T.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s answer refers to one side of something that’s many sided, and is often used to refer to gems.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER FOR APRIL 18

Here comes the spoiler: Today’s Wordle answer is FACET, as in one part of something that has many parts, often used to refer to jewelry.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s answer, #1033, was TITHE.

Past Wordle answers

April 13, No. 1029 STEEL
April 14, No. 1030 BLIMP
April 15, No. 1031 EQUIP
April 16, No. 1032 SHANK

Everyday Wordle tips

I’ve written a lot about Wordle — from covering its 1,000th word to my list of the best starter words to a helpful two-step strategy to news about controversial word changes. I’ve even rounded up what I learned playing the hit online word puzzle for a full year. So if you’re rethinking your need for the actual answer, you might try tips from one of those stories.

Still need a starter word? One person told me they just look around and choose a five-letter object that they’ve spotted to use as their starter word — such as COUCH or CHAIR. I tend to stick to starter words that have the most popular letters used in English words. I like TRAIN as a starter, though I have a friend who uses TRAIL. I’ve read that people use the financial term ROATE, but I like to use words I actually know.

What is Wordle?

If you read this far, you know how to play. You have six chances to guess a five-letter word, and the game gives you feedback as to whether the letters you’ve guessed are in the puzzle, and if they’re in the same spot where you guessed they are. The New York Times bought the game from creator Josh Wardle for seven figures in 2022. Wardle famously created the game for his partner, and let her narrow down the 12,000 five-letter words in the English language to just 2,500, creating the database of answers. It was convenient, too, that he has a name that plays off “word.”

A Times spokesperson told me it lists the very first Wordle as appearing on June 19, 2021, and the paper celebrated the game’s 1000th word on March 15. Spoiler: That 1000th word was ERUPT. As in, “Dad will erupt if the Wordle is so tough he loses his streak.”

There are other fun games in the Times Games stable. My latest addiction is Connections, which I think is trickier than Wordle. This is the game where you look at a grid of 16 words and try to put them into four groups of related words. Sometimes the relationships between the words are pretty out there — like the time when it was four words that all began with rock bands, such as “Rushmore” and “journeyman.” (Connections got a little sassy on April Fools’ Day with an all-emoji puzzle. Some gamers did NOT find that funny.)

Spelling Bee is a popular Times game too. And there’s a new game that’s still in beta, Strands, which I’m trying to master.

Taylor Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department, releasing in multiple formats on April 19, is about to put the singer back in the headlines again — not that she’s ever far from making news these days. She’s also making news in another way: Swift and TikTok have rekindled their love story. The singer, who owns the rights to many of her recordings, has agreed to allow some of her songs back on the app. The return comes after a dispute between TikTok and Universal Music Group led to a massive music removal in early February. UMG distributes Swift’s work, as well as that of major acts such as The Beatles, Bad Bunny and Billie Eilish.

It’s more than a smart marketing move for Swift. Taking her tracks back to TikTok shows she can go toe-to-toe with the biggest music distributor on the planet. The change doesn’t affect other UMG artists, who don’t have the same rights to their music as Swift does, and whose songs are are still not back on TikTok.

Read more: The Great TikTok-UMG Music Purge: Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Others Are Gone From Site

Bad blood with UMG

According to The New York Times, UMG started to pull songs from TikTok on Feb. 1, one day after its licensing contract with the app expired. Users who’d included any of the company’s songs in their videos suddenly encountered silence and the option to replace the now-missing soundtrack with a song or sound not owned by UMG.

On Jan. 30, the company posted an open letter to explain why UMG needed to “call time out on TikTok.” The letter highlighted three issues: “appropriate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of AI, and online safety for TikTok’s users.”

“Ultimately,” the letter said, “TikTok is trying to build a music-based business, without paying fair value for the music.”

TikTok pushed back that same week, with a company rep writing in an emailed press statement that TikTok had “been able to reach ‘artist-first’ agreements with every other label and publisher. Clearly, Universal’s self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters and fans.”

UMG disagreed.

“TikTok still argues that artists should be grateful for the ‘free promotion’ and that music companies are ‘greedy’ for expecting them to simply compensate artists and songwriters appropriately, and on similar levels as other social media platforms currently do,” a representative for UMG said in an emailed statement sent back in February. “TikTok didn’t even attempt to address the other issues we raised regarding harmful AI and platform safety.”

The time out is still in effect, though there may yet be some other UMG-related artists who, like Swift, have the ownership to work directly with TikTok and work out an arrangement.

Read more: Taylor Swift’s New Album: Nabbing All the Bonus Tracks Will Cost You

Which Swift tracks are back?

Variety spotted several popular Swift songs back on TikTok as of April 12, including Cruel Summer, You Belong With Me, Lover, and the Taylor’s Version variations of Fearless, Style, and Is It Over Now? TikTok users may use these tracks in their videos.

There are no songs from her upcoming album on TikTok as of this writing, but that may change on April 19, when The Tortured Poets Department is released.

Read more: I’m a Swiftie, but I’m Not Streaming Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Movie. Here’s Why

Still on tour

Swift will spend the rest of 2024 taking her in-demand Eras Tour around the world. After taking a break from the road to release The Tortured Poets Department, she’ll resume the Eras Tour on May 9 in Paris and travel across Europe and Canada. The last scheduled date as of this writing is on Dec. 8 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Season 10 of Overwatch 2 brings back the best part of Overwatch 1 (free heroes!), alongside the usual suite of seasonal goodies, plus a few extras. It’s a strong showing after the significant changes in season 9, which changed health pools for all heroes and added size changes for all damage projectiles. The new season launched on Tuesday, April 16, and while it’s a little light on balance changes, there’s plenty for new and returning players to like.

Here’s your guide to Overwatch 2 Season 10.

New Hero: Venture

The first new damage hero since Sojourn joined the roster at launch, Venture is a dynamic addition to the game. Their excavation drill quickly grinds down enemies at close range, and both of their abilities offer neat mobility options. Venture’s ultimate ability blasts powerful shockwaves in a conical pattern, and enemies who get hit take major damage and are launched several feet into the air

I played Venture a few weeks ago during the trial weekend and had a blast. When playing the damage role, I typically prefer sniper heroes like Ashe and Widowmaker, but I really enjoyed how fluid and dynamic Venture’s kit was. Unlike previous hero releases, Overwatch 2 has made Venture immediately available in competitive mode.

New heroes freed from battle pass jail

One of the biggest complaints about Overwatch 2 when it launched was that new heroes were stuck behind battle passes. Players could unlock them at tier 45 on the free battle pass, or buy the premium battle pass for $10 that season to get immediate access. This was a drastic change from Overwatch 1, where every new hero was released to everyone for free.

In a developer update last month, Overwatch 2 Game Director Aaron Keller announced that new heroes would be immediately available to all players starting in season 10, no battle pass required. This is an enormous improvement for the game, removing a point of friction for returning players and giving new players the opportunity to jump in if a new hero piques their interest. This is the best change the game has made since it launched in October 2022.

More ways to unlock mythic skins

Mythic skins are among the coolest features Overwatch 2 added to the game, allowing players to customize the look of their heroes and enjoy unique voice lines, visual effects and sound effects — like the lightning bolts that strike players when Zeus Junker Queen lands a knife toss on them. In past seasons, the premium battle pass allowed players to unlock only the mythic skin introduced that season. But starting in Season 10, players can earn mythic prisms, which can be used to unlock mythic skins from any season, including this season’s Vengeance Mercy. Players can earn mythic prisms in the premium battle pass or purchase them separately from the store. If you’re not a fan of this season’s mythic and you missed out on an earlier mythic, you now have the ability to save up and pull something from the vault.

New game mode trial: Clash

For the first two weeks of the season, you can try out an upcoming game mode called Clash. As Blizzard describes it in its Season 10 blog post: “This ultimate tug-of-war challenges teams to capture points along a linear path. With five capture points strategically placed on a mirrored map, teams must deftly maneuver to capture and defend points to clinch victory.”

Clash feels like a cross between the Flashpoint and Push game modes, where you’re fighting over capture points, but the areas you’re fighting over change location as you or your opponents successfully take control. My early experience is that it’s fast and frantic with less downtime than other game modes. Clash will be available until April 29 and will formally enter the map rotation in a future season.

Mirrorwatch swaps the forces of good and evil

I haven’t been this excited about a seasonal event and battle pass theme since season 4’s space opera theme. Season 10 introduces Mirrorwatch, an alternate universe where the heroes of Overwatch and the villains of Talon have switched sides — with Doomfist, Sombra and Widowmaker leading Overwatch against villainous versions of Ana, Reinhardt and Mercy. Some skins are available in the battle pass, while others can be purchased in the shop. (I can’t tell you whether the Arch-Commandant Ana skin is worth $40 for the ultimate battle pass, but I personally could not resist.)

Mirrorwatch will also have a limited-time event starting next week, where heroes have twists on their usual abilities, like Doomfist’s Power Block providing a shield for his team. The Mirrorwatch event pits the twisted versions of Overwatch and Talon against each other on the Watchpoint Gibraltar map and will be available from April 23 to May 13.

Grouping changes in competitive

Overwatch is answering a long-requested change by allowing players to queue for competitive matches regardless of their ranks. No more getting left behind by your grandmaster friend while the rest of you languish in plat, or leaving your silver friends behind when you hit diamond. Now, competitive groups are classified as either narrow (players are close in ranks) or wide (players are uncommonly far apart in rank, or are queuing in the grandmaster or champion ranks regardless of rank disparity).

Wide groups will face longer queue times and lower rank gains the larger the gaps are between the ranks of your team members. If you’re in a wide group, the system will notify you before you queue up for a game. According to a developer blog post, the matchmaker will attempt to match wide groups against wide groups and narrow groups against narrow groups, which means wide groups of four players are not allowed (thus sparing solo players from being thrown into a game with a wide group of strangers). Good news, solo players: You’re now queuing exclusively against other solo players and narrow groups.

Overwatch 2 is free to play on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5 and Xbox One and Series X/S.

There are tons of great TVs on the market, but none of them are quite as interesting as Samsung’s The Frame. Ignoring the somewhat odd name for a moment, this TV is notable because it looks like a painting when not in use. That’s pretty sweet, but not as sweet as the current prices on offer at Amazon. All sizes of The Frame are discounted right now, with the sweet-spot 50-incher priced at just $898 for a limited time only. Options from 32 inches to a whopping 85 inches are available.

The Frame’s claim to fame is the fact that it can be hung on a wall and display art when it isn’t in use. That art can be your own photos, or you can choose to use Samsung’s Art Store to get professional images instead. The whole thing has an antireflective matte finish, and the outside of the TV looks like a photo frame to really sell the look, too.

This TV can also be a great TV, though, and things get even more interesting when you turn it on. The QLED 4K display sports quantum dot technology and HDR support, so you can expect a top-notch picture whether you’re watching shows or playing games. It’s also a smart TV, powered by Tizen, so all of your favorite apps and streaming services are just a button click away.

Prices start at just $548 for the smallest 32-inch version, but it’s important to remember that we don’t yet know when these deals will expire. That means that it could happen at any moment. Already missed out? Our list of the best TV deals should have something to offer instead.

Apple released the second iOS 17.5 beta to public beta testers on Wednesday, a day after the company released the beta to developers and more than a month after the release of iOS 17.4. The latest beta brings a handful of new features, like more ways for people in the European Union to download apps, to the iPhones of some developers and beta testers.

We recommend downloading a beta only on something other than your primary device. Because this isn’t the final version of iOS 17.5, these features might be buggy and battery life may be short, and it’s best to keep those troubles on a secondary device.

If you’re a developer or public beta tester, here are some of the new features you might find in iOS 17.5 beta 1. Note that the beta is not the final version of iOS 17.5, so there could be more features landing on your iPhone when iOS 17.5 is released. There’s no word on when Apple will release iOS 17.5 to the public yet.

Read more: You Should Really Download iOS 17.4.1 Right Now

More ways for people in the EU to download apps

With iOS 17.5 beta 2, Apple now allows people in the EU to download apps from a developer’s website. Apple posted an online guide that could help developers distribute their apps over the web.

“In eligible regions, you can distribute approved, non-marketplace apps from your website,” Apple writes. “To distribute your app, fill out a webform that outlines the qualifications, and if approved, Apple enables you to download a framework that facilitates the secure installation of your app from your website.”

This guide also says developers need to use iOS 17.5 beta 2 or later to enable web distribution of their apps.

Developers also have to opt into new App Store business terms for the EU and pay a 0.50 euro Core Technology Fee for every first-time app installation over 1 million in the past 12 months. But Apple gives developers the first 1 million first-time app installations for free.

“Membership in the Apple Developer Program includes one million first annual installs per year for free for apps distributed from the App Store, Web Distribution, and/or alternative marketplaces,” Apple writes.

Apple announced this capability on March 12, alongside other EU-specific developer features, like the ability to choose the design of in-app promotions.

This is the latest EU-specific feature to come to the iPhone. When Apple released iOS 17.4 in March, a big part of that update was allowing people in the EU to download alternate app stores in order to comply with the region’s Digital Markets Act.

Podcast widget changes color

With iOS 17.5 beta 1, your Podcast widget will change color depending on the artwork of whatever podcast you’re listening to at the moment. So if the podcast you’re listening to has red artwork, the widget will turn red.

This aesthetic feature was in some early iOS 17.4 betas, but Apple removed it from that update’s public release. In iOS 17.4, Apple also brought transcripts to podcasts, which makes the audio media more accessible for more people.

Books app counter tool

It appears iOS 17.5 beta 1 also wants to help people achieve their reading goals. With the update, the Books app gets a counter in the top right corner of the app’s homepage. If you tap this counter, the app takes you to your Reading Goals menu. This menu shows you how much time you’ve spent reading today. There’s also a button here that reads Explore the Book Store which opens the Book Store.

At first, Books sets your daily reading goal for five minutes a day, but you can change this goal to anywhere between 1 minute or the absurd 1,440 minutes (24 hours) a day — I like to read, but that feels a little aggressive.

New puzzle game Quartiles for Apple News Plus subscribers

Apple’s iOS 17.5 beta 1 also introduces a new puzzle game to the News app for Apple News Plus subscribers, called Quartiles. At the start of each puzzle, you are given a grid of 20 tiles that have parts of words on them, like “te” and “tra”. You then have to combine these tiles to form different words. Words can be between one and four tiles long, but each grid can be made into five four-tile words — you get the most points by combining the tiles this way.

If you subscribe to Apple News, which costs $13 ( 13, AU$20) a month, you can find Quartiles by going to News > Following > Puzzles and swiping the carousel at the top of the screen. You can also scroll down the Puzzles page to find Quartiles below the Crossword Minis.

Read more: How to Play Daily Crossword Puzzles in Your iPhone’s News App

Those are a few of the new features some developers and beta testers will see in the first iOS 17.5 beta. That doesn’t mean these are the only features coming to the next iOS update, or that these changes will stick when iOS 17.5 is released to the public. As of now, there’s no word on when Apple will release iOS 17.5.

For more on iOS 17, here’s what to know about iOS 17.4.1. You can also check out what was included in iOS 17.4 and our iOS 17 cheat sheet.

One of the easiest ways to upgrade your home theater setup is to ditch the in-TV speakers and splash out on a new soundbar. But buying a great soundbar normally means spending a lot of money, especially if you’d previously looked at something like the Hardman Kardon Citation MultiBeam 700. That soundbar would normally sell for around $1,000, but today you can get an incredible 80% off that price. That means that you’ll pay just $200 for this product, and you won’t have to lift a finger to do it. That means that there are no codes or coupons here. Do note that the price will show $230 until you add your new soundbar to the cart though, at which point it’ll be reduced even further.

Despite the $200 asking price, this soundbar is still available in black or white, so make sure to pick the one you prefer before adding it to your cart. They’re both the same on the inside, offering room-filling surround sound without the need for more speakers and wires. That’s be the MultiBeam technology at work, and it’s designed to create a wider soundstage no matter what you’re watching or playing.

Setting your new soundbar up is quick and easy thanks to support for Google Home, while wireless options include Apple AirPlay as well as access to more than 300 music streaming services. What’s more, the MultiBeam 700 supports HDMI ARC so you can integrate it with almost any TV including all the very best, too.

This could well be one of the best soundbar deals around right now, so don’t sleep on it. Any delay does mean that you risk missing out — we’re told the deal will end at the end of the month.

If you’re in the market for a new iPhone or Apple Watch, you’ve probably already taken a good hard look at those prices. Nobody ever accused either product line of being cheap, and that’s why taking advantage of an iPhone deal when it comes up is vital. The same goes for Apple Watch deals for that matter, but sometimes buying a refurbished model is the way to go. Woot is currently offering a number of refurbished iPhones and Apple Watches with prices starting from just $140, but not for long — these deals end on April 24. It’s also possible that individual deals could come to an end sooner if stocks run dry, too.

There are so many different deals here that we can’t possibly get into all of them, but there are still some that are worth pointing out. Those looking to spend the very least will note the Apple Watch SE for just $140 and the iPhone X for $180, but there are plenty of options further up the food chain as well.

The still-excellent iPhone 14 starts at $475 with multiple colors and storage capacity options available, while an Apple Watch Series 7 costs just $185 right now. There are, of course, plenty of options in between as well, so be sure to peruse the full list before you plan any orders.

Woot says that these products have been inspected, and, in the case of Grade-A items, are guaranteed to have minimal cosmetic damage. Batteries have also been tested to ensure they’re fit for purpose as well. You can’t always say that when you buy a refurbished device from a local reseller, can you?

Heineken is the latest company attempting to take us back to a time before the smartphone. The beer-maker, in collaboration with fashion brand Bodega and device-maker HMD, is launching the Boring Phone, a transparent flip phone designed primarily for making calls and sending text messages — just like in the old days.

Based on Heineken’s press release, it’s unclear exactly what the phone can and can’t do (some modern flip phones can download versions of smartphone apps). But it does say the phone “is unable to download social media or other apps that take away from being present.” The phone will debut at Milan Design Week on April 18, and an app for modern smartphones that makes them “boring” is also slated for a June launch.

The Boring Phone is the latest effort to capitalize on two trends that have been in the spotlight recently: vintage tech and “digital detoxing,” a term used to describe disconnecting or scaling back from smartphones and technology. At Mobile World Congress in February, for example, HMD, which makes Nokia-branded phones, also teamed up with Mattel on a Barbie-inspired flip phone, a nostalgia-baiting product that hearkened back to simpler days.

So far, it seems like HMD’s commitment to flip phones has been paying off. Sales of HMD phones with basic call and texting functionality increased in 2022, according to Euronews, showing that there is demand for simpler devices. The Light Phone, a tiny, minimalist device that lacks modern features like a web browser, email, camera and social media, also helped bring so-called “dumb phones” into the spotlight in recent years.

The Boring Phone is brimming with nostalgia, from its transparent design to its simplistic keypad and classic green screen. If you grew up in the 1990s and 2000s, this flip phone may bring back memories of the Atomic Purple Gameboy Color or vintage iMacs. It should last for a week in standby mode on a single charge and provides 20 hours of talk time, according to the press release.

While it’s undoubtedly a marketing ploy, the Boring Phone’s launch also comes as there has been more attention paid to the effects of excessive screen time and social media. A report from Reviews.org, for example, found that Americans check their phones 144 times per day, and 60% sleep with their phones at night.

Following the announcement that hackers had stolen the personal information of 73 million current and former AT&T customers, the telecommunications giant is now notifying 7.6 million current customers that they can sign up for one free year of credit monitoring and identity theft detection.

The stolen data, including Social Security numbers, appears to be from 2019 or earlier, AT&T said in a statement, and includes account information for approximately 65.4 million former customers and 7.6 million current account holders.

The leak first came to light in 2021, when hackers claimed they’d stolen customer data from AT&T and would put the information up for sale. Fast-forward to March 2024, the stolen personal information was discovered on the dark web, according to Troy Hunt, creator of Have I Been Pwned.

In response, AT&T said it has contacted the 7.6 million current customers and has reset their passcodes. Whether you’re in the smaller set of current customers or the larger group of former account holders who think their data has been stolen in the breach, you can take steps to potentially lessen the damage of the breach. Read on for what you can do. AT&T didn’t immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment.

For more, here’s our picks for the best identity theft protection and monitoring services and how Consumer Report’s permission slip can help you take control of your online data.

What to know about the AT&T data leak

AT&T on March 30 said that personal information of 73 million current and former customers was leaked in mid-March to the dark web. The company said the stolen information appears to be from 2019 or earlier, and it does not know if the information came from AT&T or one of its vendors.

What personal information was stolen in the AT&T breach?

According to AT&T, which customer and account data was stolen may vary by account, but thieves had access to customers’ full name, email address, mailing address, phone number, Social Security number, date of birth, AT&T account number and passcode. AT&T said the information doesn’t appear to contain personal financial information or call history.

What’s AT&T doing for customers whose data was stolen?

In addition to resetting passcodes, AT&T said it is providing the 7.6 million customers whose accounts were breached identity-theft and credit-monitoring services through Experian’s IdentityWorks for one year for free.

What is an AT&T passcode?

A customer’s passcode is essentially a numerical PIN and is usually four digits. A passcode is different from a password and is required to complete an AT&T installation, perform personal account functions by phone or contact technical support by phone, AT&T said.

How to reset your AT&T passcode

AT&T said it has already reset the passcodes for those active accounts where data was stolen but recommends if you haven’t changed your passcode in the past year, you should change yours as a precaution. Here’s how to change your AT&T passcode.

1. Head to your myAT&T Profile. Sign in, if asked. (If you have extra security enabled and can’t sign in, AT&T says, choose Get a new passcode)
2. Scroll to My linked accounts
3. Select Edit for the passcode you want to update
4. Follow the prompts to finish up

Where can you check if you are part of the AT&T breach

AT&T said it will email or mail a letter to the 7.6 million current customers whose data was stolen, explaining the incident, what information was compromised and what it is doing in response. The company said it has reset passcodes for affected current customers. The company said it is also communicating with the 65.4 million former account holders whose data was stolen.

You don’t have to wait for AT&T to contact you, however. Using Have I Been Pwned, you can check whether your data has been leaked. If you store your password information in a Google account, the company’s Password Checkup tool can alert you if your account information has been exposed. And the premium version of our favorite password manager, Bitwarden, can check for stolen passwords on the web.

Changing your passcode and password, if AT&T hasn’t contacted you, can help secure your account.

How to monitor your credit report for fraud

If you think your personal information was part of the AT&T breach, you can watch your credit reports for signs of potential fraud.

Monitor your credit reports. You get one free credit report a year from the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. On your report, look for unusual or unfamiliar activity, such as the appearance of new accounts you didn’t open. And watch your credit card accounts and bank statements for unexpected charges and payments.

Sign up for a credit monitoring service. Pick a credit monitoring service that constantly monitors your credit report on major credit bureaus and alerts when it detects unusual activity. To help with the monitoring, you can set fraud alerts that notify you if someone is trying to use your identity to create credit. A credit-reporting service like LifeLock can start at $7.50 a month — or you could use a free service like the one from Credit Karma.

What to do if you suspect you’re a victim of fraud or identity theft

As soon as you suspect your personal information has been stolen, take action to stop unauthorized charges and start to recover your identity.

Place a fraud alert. If you suspect fraud, place a fraud alert with each of the credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. The alert notifies creditors that you have been a victim of fraud and lets them know to verify with you new credit requests in your name. You can place an initial fraud alert, which stays on your credit report for 90 days, or an extended fraud alert, which stays on your credit report for sevenyears. Placing a fraud alert won’t affect your credit score.

Contact fraud departments. For each business and credit card company where you think an account was opened or charged without your knowledge, contact its fraud department. While you’re not responsible for fraudulent charges to an account, you need to report the suspicious activity promptly.

Freeze your credit. If you want to stop anyone from opening credit and requesting loans and services in your name without your permission, you can freeze your credit. You will need to request a freeze with each of the three credit reporting companies, which again are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. To apply for new credit, you need to unfreeze your credit, again, through each of the credit reporting companies. You can either request a temporary lift of the freeze or unfreeze it permanently.

Create a recovery plan. The Federal Trade Commission has a valuable tool that helps you report identity theft and recover your identity through a personal recovery plan and Identity Theft Report, which you can use to dispute charges.

Document everything. Keep copies of all documents and expenses and records of your conversations about the theft.

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