Category: Technologies

We live in a connected world. These days, losing your cellphone signal doesn’t just mean you can’t check Instagram — it could be a matter of life and death. Regardless of which type of phone you have or which cellular service provider you use, it’s inevitable that you’ll run into service disruptions, either from bad weather or remote areas that can weaken your phone signal.

As travel ramps up for Thanksgiving this week and the upcoming winter holidays, losing your cellphone signal can get you into a real jam. If you want to avoid losing signal when navigating, dropping important calls with friends and family or even missing crucial travel updates and advisories this holiday travel season, there are several tips and tricks you can use to improve your cellphone signal.

The tried-and-true approach of turning on Airplane mode, waiting a few seconds and then turning it off again can definitely help with reception. But when that doesn’t work, you might need to take more drastic steps, like removing your SIM card or resetting your network settings.

Before you dive into your phone’s settings, take a few minutes to perform some basic troubleshooting steps that could get your phone working at peak performance.

Note: Although software across different iPhone models is relatively the same, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel and other Android devices may have different software versions, and so certain settings and where they are located might differ from device to device.

To improve your cellphone service, try these steps first

The settings on your phone can help you get better cell service, but there are other tricks for improving your reception without even touching your phone’s software.

• Move yourself so that there are no obstructions between your phone and any cell towers outside. That might involve stepping away from metal objects or concrete walls, which both kill reception. Instead, get to a window or go outside if possible.
• Remove your phone case. It doesn’t hurt to remove whatever case you have on your phone, especially if it’s thick, so that the phone’s antenna isn’t blocked by anything and can get a better signal.
• Make sure your phone is charged. Searching for and connecting to a stronger signal drains power, so if your phone battery is already low on charge, you may have a difficult time getting good service.

Always start by turning Airplane mode on and off

Turning your phone’s connection off and then back on is the quickest and easiest way to try and fix your signal woes. If you’re moving around from one location to another, toggling Airplane mode restarts the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and cellular network modems, which forces them to find the best signal in the area.

Android: Swipe down from the top of your screen — to access the Quick Settings panel — and then tap the Airplane mode icon. Wait for your phone to completely disconnect from its Wi-Fi and cellular connections. It doesn’t happen instantly, so give it a good 15 seconds before you tap on the Airplane mode icon again.

iPhone: On the iPhone, you can access Airplane mode from the Control Center, but that varies depending on which iPhone model you have. On the iPhone X and later, swipe down from the top-right corner to access the Control Center. On older iPhone models, swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Then tap the Airplane mode icon, which will turn orange when it’s enabled. Again, wait up to 15 seconds before turning it off.

If airplane mode doesn’t work, restart your phone

Our phones are miniature computers, and just like computers, sometimes you can fix issues like network connection by simply restarting them.

Android: Hold down the power button, or the power button and the volume down key (depending on your Android phone), until the on-screen menu shows up, and then tap Restart. If your phone doesn’t offer a restart option, you can simply tap Power Off to shut down your device, and then boot it back up with the power button.

iPhone: On the iPhone X and older models, hold down the sleep/wake button and either one of the volume buttons and then swipe right on the power slider to turn off the device. Wait until it fully turns off, then press down on the sleep/wake button to turn it back on.

Alternatively, you can do a force reset on your iPhone: Press the volume up button, followed by the volume down button and then press and hold the side button. Keep holding it in, after your phone’s screen goes black and until you see the Apple logo appear again.

If your iPhone has a home button, hold down the sleep/wake button until the power slider is displayed and then drag the slider to the right. Once the device is turned off, press and hold the sleep/wake button until you see the Apple logo.

Take your SIM card out of your phone

Another troubleshooting step that might help is to remove your SIM card, if your phone has one, and then place it back in with the phone turned on. If the SIM card is dirty, clean it. If it has any physical defects, you may need to replace it.

You’ll need a SIM card tool — usually included in your phone’s box — or an unfolded paper clip or sewing needle to get the SIM tray out of your phone.

All phones: Remove the SIM card, check to see if it’s damaged and positioned in the SIM tray correctly, then put it back in your phone.

eSIM: For phones with an eSIM — that is, an embedded electronic SIM in your phone — there’s nothing for you to remove. The best you can do is restart your phone.

Check your carrier settings (and update your software)

Mobile carriers frequently send out carrier settings updates to help improve connectivity for calls, data and messages on their network. Although this feature is available on all iPhone models, it’s not universal on Android, so you might not find carrier settings if you don’t have a supported phone.

iPhone: Carrier updates should just appear, and you can update from the pop-up message that appears. To force your iPhone to check for a carrier settings update, go to Settings > General > About on your phone. If an update is available, you’ll be prompted to install it.

Android: As mentioned before, not all Android phones have carrier settings, so you’ll have to open the Settings app and type in “carrier settings” to find any possible updates. On supported Pixels, go to Settings > Network & internet > Internet, tap the gear next to your carrier name and then tap Carrier settings versions.

Reset your phone’s network settings

Sometimes all you need is a clean slate to fix an annoying connectivity issue. Refreshing your phone’s network settings is one way to do that. But be forewarned, resetting your network settings will also reset any saved Wi-Fi passwords, VPN connections and custom APN settings for those on carriers that require additional setup.

Android: In the Settings app, search for “reset” or more specifically “reset network settings” and tap on the setting. On the Pixel 6 Pro running Android 13, the setting is called Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth. After you reset your network settings, remember to reconnect your phone to your home and work Wi-Fi networks.

iPhone: Go to Settings > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network settings. The next page will warn you that resetting your network settings will reset your settings for Wi-Fi, mobile data and Bluetooth. Tap Reset Network Settings and your phone will restart.

Contact your phone carrier

Sometimes unexpected signal issues can be traced back to problems with your wireless carrier. A cell tower could be down, or the tower’s fiber optic cable could have been cut, causing an outage.

For consistent problems connecting to or staying connected to a cellular or data network, it’s possible your carrier’s coverage doesn’t extend well into your neighborhood. To help, some carriers will offer a network extender — a device that acts as a small wireless tower that relies on your internet connection, such as AT&T’s MicroCell or T-Mobile’s Personal CellSpot.

Other times, a newfound signal issue can be due to a defect with your phone or a SIM card that’s gone bad. Contacting your carrier to begin troubleshooting after you’ve tried these fixes is the next best step to resolving your spotty signal.

If all else fails, try a signal booster to improve cell reception

If after going through all of our troubleshooting steps, including talking to your carrier to go over your options, you’re still struggling to keep a good signal — try a booster. A signal booster receives the same cellular signal your carrier uses, then amplifies it just enough to provide coverage in a room or your entire house.

The big downside here is the cost. Wilson has three different boosters designed for home use, ranging in price from $349 for single room coverage to $999 to cover your entire home. To be clear, we haven’t specifically tested these models. Wilson offers a 30-day money back guarantee and a two-year warranty should you have any trouble with its products.

With your signal issues resolved, using your phone as a mobile hotspot for a backup connection is easy, but there are some things you need to know. If you’re looking for iPhone-specific tips and tricks, check out our guide to hidden features on iOS 16. And for Android fans, we have some hidden features for Android 12 as well.

Whether you’re installing the iOS 17 update or getting a new iPhone 15 or 15 Plus (or even the iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max), it’s probably wise to back up your current iPhone. Taking a few minutes to safeguard valuable memories like photos, videos and text messages can spare you a future regret. Even better, there’s several ways you can do it.

The easiest way to back up your iPhone is through iCloud, but Apple’s online service does have its limits. You might see the dreaded “not enough iCloud storage” error message, which won’t allow you to back up, but don’t fret.

I’ll also walk you through backing up your iPhone to iCloud to both Mac and Windows, which don’t require cloud storage. And I’ll even show you how to troubleshoot and work around some of iCloud’s limits.

Read more: Best iPhone for 2023

For more, check out this checklist of things you should do before updating to iOS 17 before it drops today. (Spoiler: Backing up is definitely one of them.)

iCloud: When everything works like it’s supposed to

iCloud is a free service (more on that later) that’s tied to your Apple ID and that you can use to back up your iPhone. However, it doesn’t back up everything on your phone. Things you buy with your Apple ID, such as apps or music, won’t back up because Apple has a receipt that you already bought them so you can download them again for free. Email, contacts and calendars are usually synced with your email account like Gmail, but in some cases, you might also sync these things with iCloud.

You can double-check all this by going to Settings and then going into either Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Notes or Reminders. In any of these settings, you can tap Accounts to view your various accounts. Under each account, you can see what’s being synced: mail, contacts, calendars and so on.

To start a backup to iCloud, connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi and then go to Settings and tap the Apple ID/iCloud tab at the top, which also has your name. If you’re not signed in, take a moment to do so and then tap iCloud. On the next page, scroll down and tap iCloud Backup, enable iCloud Backup, and then tap Back Up Now to start.

Depending on how much data you have, or if this is your first time backing up to iCloud, the backup process could take a few minutes or an hour. Check below the Back Up Now button to see the exact time and date your phone was last backed up. Now, any time your iPhone is connected to power, locked and on Wi-Fi, it will automatically back up whatever new data you have to iCloud.

‘This iPhone cannot be backed up because there is not enough iCloud storage’

If that iCloud backup worked just fine, then great, you’re done. But I realize a lot of people won’t be able to back up to iCloud without a little work. You might see this message on your iOS device: “This iPhone cannot be backed up because there is not enough iCloud storage available.”

Every iCloud account gets 5GB for free. But most people have more than 5GB of data on their phone — or they have more than one iOS device that needs backing up. Hence, 5GB just isn’t enough space. And maybe one day Apple will change its free tier to give us more data and make backing up easier for everyone. But until then, we need to do some calculations to optimize our iCloud accounts.

Figure out iCloud backup size

As I mentioned earlier, iCloud doesn’t back up every last thing on your phone. Instead, it takes a smart approach and won’t back up things that are synced with your internet accounts or that you’ve purchased with your iTunes Apple ID. To figure out exactly how much iCloud space your backup file will take, go to Settings, tap on your Apple ID and then go to iCloud > Manage Account Storage > Backups. There’s a list of devices that are backing up or trying to back up with your account.

By the way, if you see multiple backups of the same phone, take a look at how old each one is. You might have an older iPhone backup that you can delete to open up iCloud space. Once you’re done purging this list, tap on the name of the device you’re currently using.

Give your phone a few moments to figure things out, then look at the top of the screen. You should see the following details: Last Backup, Backup Size and Next Backup Size. If you haven’t backed up your iPhone to iCloud before or in a long time, the Next Backup Size will be a pretty large amount of data. Obviously, if it’s more than 5GB, you must either buy more storage or adjust what you’re backing up.

Change what gets backed up to iCloud

Lower on the screen under Next Backup Size is a list where you can Choose Data to Back Up. This list will have apps and how much data each has to back up. The list goes from what takes up the most space to the least. If you just need a slightly smaller backup file, uncheck larger data items from the list if you don’t mind whether or not they’re backed up.

If all you wanted to back up was your camera roll, the only setting you’d need to toggle would be iCloud Photos. Besides Photos, there is a list of every other iCloud-enabled app on your iPhone, starting with Apple’s own apps. Besides Photos, the two biggest data hogs using your iCloud storage tend to be Mail and Messages. If you turn off the iCloud backup settings for these two apps however, old messages won’t be restored in case you get a new phone.

Buy more iCloud storage with iCloud Plus

This is the part no one likes to do, but Apple does offer four price tiers for storage: the free 5GB, $1-per-month 50GB, $3-per-month 200GB or $10-per-month 2TB plans. For even more space, iCloud Plus is getting two more options that gives you the option to buy 6TB or 12TB storage plans for $30 per month and $60 per month, respectively. (Note, Apple doesn’t have annual pricing.)

I realize that the idea of paying Apple more money on top of what we already spend on devices, accessories and AppleCare may not sit well. But if you lost your iPhone and were told you could download a backup of all of the data from your lost phone for just $36, you’d probably say yes. And that’s how much the 200GB extra storage plan on iCloud costs for a year. (If you need more space than that, well, it does get a bit spendier.)

Use your Mac

A few years ago, with the release of MacOS Catalina, Apple replaced and fragmented iTunes, which used to be how you backed up your iPhone. Now, you must use Finder, but the process to back up your phone is still as simple as ever.

On your Mac, open a Finder window from the Dock. Next, select your device from the sidebar under Devices. Then on the right-hand side click on the General tab. Finally, click Back Up Now. Depending on how much data you have, this could take a while.

Use your Windows

If you’re on Windows, good ol’ iTunes is still alive and kicking (you can download it here), and you can use it to back up your iPhone. According to Apple, all you have to do is plug your iPhone into your computer, give your devices permission to talk to each other and then click on the small iPhone icon on the top left side of the iTunes window.

Click Summary and then scroll down to the Backup section, and under the Backup section click Back Up now. After some time, your computer will have a backup file of your iPhone. To double-check the file, go to the iTunes menu, select Edits, then Preferences and then choose the Devices tab. From there, you can see a list of any iPhone backups that you’ve made via iTunes.

Keep in mind that your backup is only as current as the last time you ran the process. Also, your backup file is only as safe as your computer is.

For more, here’s how to preorder the iPhone 15 and how to preorder the Apple Watch Series 9.

Getting a wearable that can keep you connected on the go and keep track of a multitude of health metrics can be a major convenience, but top-notch models tend to cost a pretty penny. If you’re considering buying a smartwatch at Black Friday prices, you won’t want to miss this deal. Walmart is set to drop the 44mm version of the second-generation Apple Watch SE down to just $209. That saves you $70 on its usual list price and brings the watch to a new all-time low.

There’s just one catch — this deal isn’t available yet. Walmart’s next Black Friday sale officially kicks off on Wednesday, Nov. 22, at noon PT (3 p.m. ET), which is when this offer will go live. So if you missed Walmart’s first Black Friday sale, you still have a chance to cash in on some big bargains on tech, home goods and other must-have items, including this incredible deal. And Walmart Plus members can take advantage of early access to the sale starting at 9 a.m. PT (noon ET).

The Apple Watch SE 2 offers all the features you expect from an Apple smartwatch, including sleep and fitness tracking, on-wrist notifications, Apple Pay on the go and more — but this option offers the best value, coming in at a more affordable price than the rest of the current lineup. In fact, it won an Editors’ Choice Award and landed in our roundup of the best smartwatches you can buy.

This model has the larger 44mm always-on retina OLED display, making it a little easier to read from your wrist than the more compact 41mm version. Plus, this second-generation SE also offers some upgrades over the previous model, including added safety features like crash detection and an upgraded processor that delivers faster performance. There’s even a low-power mode to extend your battery life when you’re out of juice. At just $209, this is a solid deal.

Blowout Black Friday bargains on big-ticket items tend to steal the headlines, but there are a ton of great deals right now worth grabbing that come in at under $100. We’ve found deep discounts on popular items like smart speakers, security cameras, headphones, small kitchen appliances, deep tissue massagers and more already available ahead of the big day.

It can be overwhelming to sort through the offers to find the best deals, but CNET has over a dozen dedicated deal experts currently spending more than 515 hours a week rounding up and bringing you the top sales worth checking out. We’ve highlighted some of the best Black Friday deals currently available for under $100 below, including big bargains on products that CNET has reviewed and recommended. And for those looking for even more affordable budget-friendly buys, we have also rounded up Black Friday deals under $25 as well.

Our absolute favorite Black Friday deals under $100

Black Friday deals under $100 on tech and smart home

• HyperX Cloud Alpha gaming set: $71 (save $29)
• Govee RGBIC floor lamp: $60 (save $40 with coupon)
• Echo Show 8 (2nd-gen): $55 (save $75)
• Soundcore Motion 300: $64 (save $16)
• Echo Buds (2nd-gen): $65 (save $55)
• Insignia 24-inch F20 Fire TV: $65 (save $55)
• Edifier W820NB Plus ANC headphones: $65 (save $25 with coupon)
• Tile Sticker (4-pack): $66 (save $44)
• Amazon Eero Pro Mesh Wi-Fi router: $70 (save $90)
• Hyperice Hypersphere Mini: $70 (save $29)
• Blink Outdoor (4th-gen) security camera: $72 (save $48)
• Blue Yeti USB microphone: $81 (save $19)
• Soundcore Motion Plus Bluetooth speaker: $80 (save $20 with coupon)
• Blink Outdoor 4 floodlight camera: $80 (save $80)
• JLab Studio Pro ANC headphones: $80 (save $19)
• Logitech G502 Lightspeed wireless gaming mouse: $90
• Logitech MX Keys wireless keyboard: $93 (save $27)
• Amazon Smart Thermostat + C-wire adapter: $95 (save $10)
• Apple AirTags (4-pack): $86 (save $13)
• Apple HomePod Mini: $95 (save $5)
• Bose SoundLink Micro portable Bluetooth speaker: $95 (save $24)
• Amazon Fire TV soundbar: $100 (save $20)
• Beats Studio Buds: $100 (save $50)
• Victrola 50’s Retro Bluetooth record player: $100 (save $70)

Black Friday deals under $100 on kitchen and home goods

• Keurig K-Select coffee maker: $70 (save $80)
• Bella Pro Series digital dual-basket air fryer: $70 (save $110)
• Instant Pot Duo Plus pressure cooker: $80 (save $50)
• NutriBullet blender: $82 (save $28)
• Eureka WhirlWind bagless canister vacuum: $56 (save $24)
• Cuisinart Ice Cream maker: $80 (save $20 with coupon)
• Caraway 10.5-inch non-stick ceramic frying pan: $86 (save $9)
• Ninja Foodi smoothie bowl maker and nutrient extractor: $80 (save $40)
• Brooklinen Luxe Sateen starter sheet set (queen): $95 (save $24)
• Keurig K-Iced coffee maker: $70 (save $30)
• SodaStream E-Terra sparkling water maker: $90 (save $70)
• NutriBullet Centrifugal Juicer Pro: $100 (save $50)
• De’Longhi Stilosa 15 bar pump espresso machine: $100 (save $20)
• Shark Navigator Lift-Away deluxe vacuum: $100 (save $100)

Black Friday deal under $100 on health, beauty and self-care

• Oral-B iO Series 4 electric toothbrush: $80 (save $20)
• PMD Beauty facial cleaner: $59 (save $40)
• Omron Evolv wireless blood pressure monitor: $77 (save $33)
• Panasonic electric hair trimmer: $80 (save $30)
• Sharper Image Powerboost massager: $80 (save $20)
• Osea bodycare set: $52 (save $26)
• Manscaped Refined Package 4.0: $80 (save $20)
• Beurer MP84 rechargeable nail drill: $70 (save $10)
• Philips Norelco Series 900 beard trimmer: $80 (save $20)
• Soundcore Sleep A10 earbuds: $90 (save $40)
• Hyperice Hypervolt Go 2: $99 (save $30)
• Sharper Image Shiatsu foot massager: $100 (save $50)

What are the best Black Friday deals under $100?

Black Friday brings with it a ton of deals on big ticket items, but if you’re looking to snag must-have items for under $100 your best bet will be looking at Black Friday deals on air fryers and other small kitchen appliances There are a ton of deals that bring items that normally sell for over $100 below that price point right now at various retailers. In addition to Amazon’s Black Friday sale, the Best Buy Black Friday sale has a ton of items marked down to under $100 right now.

Should I go for the lowest price or slurge?

There are plenty of mega-deals around during Black Friday, but the old adage is true — you tend to get what you pay for, especially with big-ticket items. That’s why it’s a good idea to look at reviews and go with brand names and retailers that are trustworthy and have a solid return policy. We’ve been gathering the best deals on phones, tablets, TVs, vacuums and more, so be sure to check out all the best deals in our Black Friday roundup.

Dead batteries are a real buzzkill, but portable power banks allow you to boost your devices on the go. If you’ve been considering investing in one for yourself (or someone you love), you won’t want to miss this Black Friday deal. QVC has marked the TotalBoost Mini from Limitless down to just $60 right now. This deal expires tonight (Sunday, Nov. 18), so be sure to get your order in soon if you want to score one at this price.

This power bank has a 5,000-mAh battery that should give your devices some juice even without a plug nearby. Plus, it’s lightweight and compact, making it easy to take with you on the go and has a digital battery level indicator so you know how much power is left. There are plenty of power banks out there, but the TotalBoost Mini comes with three interchangeable tips for micro-USB, Lightning and USB-C, making this power bank universally compatible with nearly any recent phone or other electronic device. And your purchase includes a convenient carrying case to keep it all together — all for just $60.

For more savings on top tech, be sure to check out the Best Black Friday Deals Under $100. And if you’re ready to upgrade your phone, we’ve rounded up some stellar Black Friday phone deals available ahead of the big event.

Black Friday isn’t until Nov. 24, but there are already lots of great deals on Bluetooth speakers — from tiny micro speakers like the JBL Go 3 to jumbo Bluetooth boom boxes. Here’s a look at 13 of the best deals we’ve spotted on Bluetooth speakers (all of which we’ve fully tested). I’ll update this list as more deals hit, and if you’re looking for a broader list of sales, check out our collection of the latest best Black Friday deals.

Read more: Best Bluetooth Speakers of 2023

Best Black Friday 2023 deals on Bluetooth speakers

Nomad Goods is offering huge discounts during its early Black Friday sale. Nomad is known for its luxury leather accessories but the company also has a great line of chargers. From now until Nov. 27, everything on the website is on sale — you don’t even need a special promo code to activate the savings.

You can’t go wrong with buying from Nomad. They make quality products at reasonable prices, and those prices have just gotten better. One of the brand’s bestsellers, the Base One Max, is currently on sale for just $95. It’s a three-in-one MagSafe charger that’ll let you charge your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods all at the same time. This typically retails for $150. One thing to note though, you’ll need a 30-watt adapter and you can grab one for 30% off as well. If you’re sticking to Lightning cables, those are available at up to 50% off. There are also tons of additional savings across the site, including options to bundle and save even more.

There are also other great discounts on tech and tech accessories floating around. We’ve rounded up the best Black Friday tech sales here.