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Last month, Google announced the first developer preview of Android 14, with more app customization, new swipe gestures, app cloning for multiple accounts, support for the latest PS5 DualSense Edge controller and more. If you’re interested in testing out the latest Android software, you can download and install the second Android 14 Developer Preview right now.

Google plans to release these preview versions of Android 14 throughout much of 2023, with several developer previews in the winter, beta releases in the spring and summer and the final release sometime in the fall. While these prerelease versions of Android 14 are mainly intended for developers to try out upcoming features that are in the works, even if you’re not a developer, you can still get your hands on this version of Android 14 right now.

As long as you have a compatible phone — which currently means it has to be one of several Google Pixel phones — you can connect your device to your computer and use Google’s Android Flash Tool to download and install the Android 14 Developer Preview pretty easily.

It’s important to note that, like all prerelease software, the Android 14 Developer Preview may be unstable at times, so if you still want to install it, it’s preferable to do so on a backup phone if you have one available, and not on your primary device. There could be bugs and other issues that break functionality, so don’t try this on a phone you depend on.

If you’re OK with taking on that risk, here’s how to download and install the Android 14 Developer Preview on your phone.

In the market for a new Android phone? Check out the best deals on the Google Pixel and the Android phones you should purchase in 2023.

Note: If you already have Android 14 Developer Preview 1, just go to Settings > System > System Update and update over the air. If you don’t have Android 14, follow the steps below.

Which phones is the Android 14 Developer Preview available for?

Google is expected to release Android 14 this fall. At that time, it will be available on a wide variety of Android phones, but for now you can only install the Android 14 Developer Preview on compatible Pixel devices:

• Pixel 4A 5G
• Pixel 5
• Pixel 5A
• Pixel 6
• Pixel 6 Pro
• Pixel 6A
• Pixel 7
• Pixel 7 Pro

If your device is not on this list, you’ll have to wait for later releases of Android 14, whether it’s the public beta or the public release. It’s also possible that other phones will get access to the developer preview or a beta release at a later date.

Back up your Android device first

If you have a compatible Android device, you’ll now need to back up your phone. By default, your Pixel should back up automatically whenever you’re connected to Wi-Fi and your phone has been idle and charging for 2 hours, but you can also do it manually. Depending on the size of your phone backup, you may need a paid version of Google One for this method, but if not, Google Drive should be fine.

To back up your Pixel, go to Settings > Google > Backup and tap Back up now. Depending on the last backup and how many apps and files need to be backed up, this process can take up to several minutes. Once you’re backed up, you’re ready to begin the process of downloading and installing Android 14.

Now you’ll need to enable USB debugging and OEM unlocking

To install Android 14 on your Pixel, you’ll need to connect the phone to a computer via USB, and that requires that your Pixel be unlocked and have USB debugging enabled. Although unlocking your phone is easy enough, to enable USB debugging you’ll need to first unlock Developer options.

1. To unlock Developer options, go to Settings > About phone and then tap Build number seven times. Enter your password when prompted, and a new Developer options menu will appear in your System settings.

2. Now, enable USB debugging. Go to Settings > System > Developer options and toggle on USB debugging. In the notification that appears, which briefly describes what USB debugging is meant for, tap OK.

3. While you’re still in Developer options, toggle on OEM unlocking. This unlocks your device’s bootloader, which is what loads the operating system. Once unlocked, you’ll be able to choose a different operating system to boot up, in this case Android 14.

Flash your device using Android Flash Tool in Chrome

You have two ways to flash the Android 14 Developer Preview system image on your Pixel using your computer, but for the sake of simplicity, we’ll be using the Android Flash Tool, which works only with certain web browsers, including Chrome. Also, your computer must have 10GB of available storage for this to work.

If everything is good, connect your Pixel to your computer via USB, unlock your device and go to the Android Flash Tool website in Chrome and do the following:

1. First, click Get Started at the bottom of the website.

2. Next, click Allow ADB access in the pop-up that appears (if there are any ad blockers, turn them off).

3. Now click Add new device, choose your device from the list and hit Connect.

4. On your Pixel, check the box next to Always allow from this computer and then tap Allow to give Android Flash Tool access to your phone.

5. Back on your computer, click Developer Preview 2 under Popular builds.

6. Click Install build and then click Confirm.

The pop-up will warn you that installing Android 14 will factory-reset your phone, but that’s not an issue if you backed up your Pixel. If you haven’t done that, back up now. Also, make sure not to touch your phone or disconnect it from the computer during this process, or else it could brick the phone (make it unresponsive and useless). If you receive another pop-up on your computer that mentions accepting the Android 14 build, do so to continue the process.

Now do the following:

1. Hit Start on the pop-up that appears on your computer.

2. Back on your Pixel, use the volume keys to choose Unlock the bootloader and then hit the side key, which will cause your phone to restart.

3. The software will begin to download, which can take a few minutes, depending on your internet connection.

4. Once the installation process is complete, click Start in the pop-up that appears on your computer.

5. Again, back on your Pixel, use the volume keys to switch to Lock the bootloader and then hit the side key.

6. And finally, on your computer, hit Done and your phone will restart like normal.

The Android 14 Developer Preview should now be installed on your phone. You can safely disconnect your Pixel from your computer.

You can now use Android 14 on your Pixel

Once your Pixel boots back up, you’ll see a notification that says you’re now running the Android 14 Developer Preview. Hit OK and then set up your phone just as you would a brand-new phone, which means connecting to Wi-Fi, copying over apps and data from your latest backup via Google, agreeing to terms and conditions, setting up a password and so on.

Have an older Android? Check out five tips to make your Android phone feel like new again.

Multitasking is essential when using your computer, which is why there are so many productivity features built into your Mac. Hot corners make it easy to quickly run system actions with your mouse, while keyboard shortcuts do the same, but with your keyboard, of course.

There are always new productivity features to discover on MacOS — and there’s one in Safari you should know about.

Picture-in-Picture mode allows you to shrink any video you’re watching in Safari, whether it’s on YouTube or Twitch, and create a floating window you can move around your screen. That way, you can visit other websites and use other applications, while you continue to watch.

There are several ways to enable PiP, which I’ll show you below.

PiP is one of the more underrated features on the Mac. Want to learn more about others? Check out these Command keyboard shortcuts on MacOS and the hidden Hello screensaver. You should also read about 10 Mac tips and tricks you probably didn’t know about.

Safari’s PiP button is hidden in the address bar

If a video is playing in Safari, go to the address bar at the top of the window, right-click the blue audio button on the right of the website address and click Enter Picture in Picture. The video will then automatically move to a floating window.

The floating window playing the video will appear above all other open applications, including Safari, and will snap into any of the four corners of your desktop. You can adjust the size by hovering the mouse over the window’s borders and corners and then clicking and dragging to make it bigger or smaller.

The window also has two buttons: One to pause/play the video and the other to snap the floating window back into the web browser. You can also just close the floating window with the X button on the top left.

There are two other ways to enable Picture in Picture on MacOS

If you don’t see the blue audio button in the address bar or have multiple videos playing in Safari, there are two other ways to use Picture in Picture.

The first is by clicking the PiP button in the video’s playback controls. Not every video player will have the PiP button, so you’re limited in use. The PiP button appears as two rectangles with an arrow pointing from one to the other, but you can also just hover your mouse over the various buttons to find the Open Picture in Picture mode option.

If you don’t see a PiP button, you can right-click the video and see if you get an Enter Picture in Picture option. On YouTube, you have to right-click twice to get the correct menu, but you may only need to right-click once on other websites to find the PiP setting.

The last few years have seen a revival of handheld game consoles, thanks to the convenience of on-the-go gaming and streaming technology, and no doubt in part due to the success of the Nintendo Switch in 2017. There are tons of options now: the Switch and Steam Deck, indie consoles like the Panic Playdate and Analogue Pocket, and mobile streaming devices like the Razer Edge and Logitech G Cloud. Here are the best dedicated handheld game console options, and why they’re worth considering.

Phones and tablets already do a fine job of playing tons of great games, or streaming games from consoles or the cloud. Dedicated devices can provide unique features, exclusive games or extra power to do things your phone can’t. It almost feels like a return to the mid-2010s era of the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita.

The Nintendo Switch has been the best and most affordable portable game system for years, and continues to be CNET’s clear top pick. At $300 (or $350 for our favorite model), it can play a huge variety of Nintendo games and indie games, it can dock with a TV and can even play some fitness games. But Valve’s Steam Deck offers a unique proposition for those with deeper pockets: It’s large, and it can double as a full gaming PC. A year later, it’s still great (and arguably even better than before).

For those who miss retro game handhelds like the Game Boy, you might consider putting yourself on the waiting list to order the Analogue Pocket or Panic Playdate, too, but both of those systems are more niche — and more indie/retro targeted — than the Switch and Steam Deck.

We’ll explain below.

Scott Stein/CNET

Nintendo Switch

Best handheld, but which one to choose?

2019

The Nintendo Switch is over five years old now, but Nintendo has indicated that no true successor is coming right now. A Pro model has been rumored for a while, but in the meantime the existing Switch remains extremely capable, full of great games (including lots of indie offerings), and pretty affordable considering its handheld/TV-connected dual function. The Switch has also become a fantastic source of retro games (Game Boy, NES, SNES, Genesis, N64 and more) via the subscription-based Switch Online service.

The OLED-screened Switch, which was released in October 2021, is the best Switch and our recommended pick. The more vivid and larger display looks fantastic, its rear kickstand works better for tabletop gaming, and both of these upgrades are worth the extra $50. The original Switch (or the V2 version), at $300, works similarly and is also still fine, and occasionally comes in special editions and holiday game bundles. The smaller, handheld-only Switch Lite is a great value pick at $200 for anyone who just wants a basic portable game system, but it lacks any ability to connect to a TV, and its controllers don’t detach. This makes it less versatile for families, and means you can’t replace the controllers if they break.

Read our Nintendo Switch review.

$314 at Amazon

$285 at Walmart

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Steam Deck

Best PC handheld

Valve’s big and powerful Steam Deck is a marvel. It can play a wide variety of PC games surprisingly well, and is the dream portable for any hardcore Steam fan, or anyone who has a big library of PC games. The Steam Deck can get expensive for the larger storage tiers, but for what it’s capable of, it’s not a bad deal. The ability to play PC games or stream cloud-based games, and to connect to a monitor, keyboard or other accessories, puts the Steam Deck in a class of its own. A year later, it’s still fantastic and worth getting right now (we don’t know when a second-gen Steam Deck will be announced, though).

Read our Steam Deck review.

$399 at Valve

Scott Stein/CNET

Analogue Pocket

Best handheld for collectors of old games

The Pocket looks like a totally remade Game Boy, and it is, in a sense. Analogue’s gorgeous handheld can play original Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance cartridges perfectly, and can even play Sega Game Gear games using an adapter (Atari Lynx, Neo Geo Pocket and Turbografx-16 adapters are supposed to be coming soon). It has a high-res color screen and USB-C charging, and there’s a separately sold dock for TV play. One of the most exciting updates to the Pocket is its support for FPGA cores that can replicate classic game hardware and play ROMs. There’s no game store for buying games: Pocket is a system to play classic cartridges or other games in amazing quality, if you want to tinker around with FPGA. There’s also a growing library of Pocket-compatible software in indie gaming channels like itch.io that can be sideloaded to a microSD card, too.

Read our Analogue Pocket review.

$220 at Analogue

Panic Playdate

Best super-small indie novelty system

The tiny, yellow, black-and-white-screened Panic Playdate looks like a weird Game Boy with a mechanical crank sprouting from its side. But this system, made by the indie game company that developed Untitled Goose Game, plays its own tiny season of 24 indie-developed games, which come included with the purchase and appear over time like weekly presents. The Playdate has Wi-Fi and can download games or sideload other indie-developed titles from sites like itch.io, but you’ll have to learn to love the experiences you discover. We’ve loved playing on it so far, but alas, the Playdate doesn’t have any backlighting — you’ll have to find a lamp instead. A recent update has added a new on-device app catalog where games can be purchased separately, but the price of the Playdate is also going up to $199: for the same price, you can also get a Switch Lite.

Read our Panic Playdate review.

$179 at Panic

Lori Grunin/CNET

Should I just use my phone or iPad instead?

Tablets and phones are extremely valid game consoles: The iPad has tons of games on the App Store, and hundreds more on Apple’s subscription-based Apple Arcade. The iPad can pair with Bluetooth game controllers, too. iPhones and Android phones have tons of games as well, obviously, and a number of great game controller cases are available, including the Backbone and the Razer Kishi.

Phones and tablets also offer other advantages, including an ability to cloud-stream games on a growing number of services including Microsoft Game Pass Ultimate and PlayStation Plus.

The handhelds listed above have other advantages: unique game libraries, a chance to connect to a TV and play with others, and the capability to play higher-end PC games or classic game cartridges.

Grammarly, which offers a real-time spelling and grammar checking tool, is expanding its artificial intelligence resources with a new generative AI tool called GrammarlyGo that the company says is intended to improve communication. Most Grammarly users will be able to use it starting in April.

“Poor communication erodes relationships, stifles business growth and results, and slows feedback loops that devour our time, just to name a few effects,” Rahul Roy-Chowdhury, Grammarly’s global head of product, wrote in a blog post. “In research we conducted with The Harris Poll last year, we established that poor communication costs US businesses up to $1.2 trillion annually — or $12,506 per employee.” You can read the full report here.

According to Grammarly, GrammarlyGo will use personal, organizational and situational context to help craft messages for email, social media and long-form communication. That means if you use GrammarlyGo to write an interoffice message to your work team, the tool could help make your message sound more professional.

GrammarlyGo will give you prompts to improve, simplify or shorten a message, as well as a prompt to adjust the message’s tone for different scenarios. You’ll also be able to enter your own prompt to fit your needs.

GrammarlyGo can also be used to generate outlines or ideas, which can be added to messages or used as references. The tool will also have one-click prompts to help you get over writer’s block.

“By embracing new technologies like generative AI, we can advance our vision of supporting the entire process — from conception to comprehension,” Roy-Chowdhury wrote.

Grammarly is the latest tech company to announce an AI tool in the wake of OpenAI’s ChatGPT bursting onto the scene at the end of 2022. Other companies, like Microsoft, Google and Snapchat, have announced AI chatbot tools that a person can seemingly carry on a conversation with and that are poised to remake internet search and other familiar online activities, from writing essays to planning a week’s vacation to a new destination. These tools can also generate messages and ideas but don’t appear to take context into account when generating content.

GrammarlyGo’s ability to understand context and tone to a limited degree implies this AI tool is not only a generative AI but a very basic contextual AI, as well.

According to Techopedia, generative AI is an umbrella term that can apply to any type of AI that can be used to create things like text, images, video, audio and code. The technology company Symbl.ai writes that contextual AI can analyze cultural, historical and situational aspects of data to make the best decision.

According to Grammalry, GrammarlyGo can understand situational context enough to create tailored communication for different scenarios. You still need to input certain data, like the level of formality and tone, into GrammarlyGo in order for it to create the right message. Although the tool may not intuitively be able to respond appropriately, it can differentiate between crafting a casual and formal response if it’s given the data.

GrammarlyGo will be available across other Grammarly products, like Grammarly Premium, Business, Education and Grammarly for Developers. Some Grammarly Free users in select markets will also be able to access GrammarlyGo.

For more, check out what to know about Google’s AI chatbot Bard, Microsoft’s AI-powered Bing and Snapchat’s MyAI.

Editors’ note: CNET is using an AI engine to create some personal finance explainers that are edited and fact-checked by our editors. For more, see this post.

Now playing:Watch this:Microsoft Bing vs. Google Bard: Watch the AI Reveals

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Drones have increased in popularity as innovation has brought better video quality and competition has made these nifty gadgets more affordable than ever. DJI continually impresses us with quality drones, which is why the brand has six models that earned a place on our best drones for 2023 roundup. You can snag the DJI Mini 3 for just $469 right now — that’s a $90 savings on the usual price.

This drone lives up to the name — it’s small, coming in at just under 249g, and it’s foldable, too. Not only does that make it easy to throw it in your bag when you’re traveling, but it means you can avoid the hassle of registering your drone in most areas. (However, you should check the laws of whatever area you plan to fly your drone in before you do, just in case.)

It shoots 4K HDR video at 30 frames per second with a 12-megapixel 1/1.3-inch sensor and dual native ISO technology. It also has f/1.7 aperture for better performance in low lighting conditions, so you can shoot both day and night. And it can perform true vertical shooting, large-angle camera tilt and other dynamic angles with QuickShots, which can make it easy to record and post what you capture to social media.

The Mini 3 also transmits up to 10 kilometers and can get up to 38 minutes of battery life per charge, but keep in mind that flight conditions like wind may drain the battery faster. However, it does have 38kph wind resistance (level 5), which means your drone should be able to fly and shoot in winds up to 24 miles per hour. And if you really want a long battery life, you can buy the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus (sold separately) that can extend that flight time to up to 51 minutes.

Professional content creators may want to opt for the DJI Mini 3 Pro, which does offer a higher megapixel camera and more frames per second (as well as a few other bonus features), but those additions bring the cost to $759, which is a $290 difference. This regular Mini 3 model should be more than enough for the average user.

Streaming services may be your kids’ go-to source of TV entertainment aside from YouTube or Cartoon Network. Streamers such as Disney Plus and Netflix can offer something for the entire family to watch and are often the sole home of franchises you can’t find on YouTube.

But as a parent, you probably want to keep an eye on their viewing habits, ensuring the content is fun and age-appropriate, whether it’s educational or entertainment. Fortunately, there’s more than one streamer that offers a mix of family-friendly content and parental controls.

Each streaming service on this list is packed with great TV shows and films, with some acting as headquarters for your kids’ favorite characters. Here’s a guide for choosing which kids streaming service may be the best fit for your family.

Disney

Disney Plus

Exclusives like Hocus Pocus 2, Bluey and Lightyear

$8 at Disney Plus

Where do we begin? With a wealth of content rated PG-13 and below, Disney Plus has a large catalog of kid-friendly series and films. In addition to carrying Disney Junior, Disney Channel and everything else with the Disney stamp, you’ll find Pixar, National Geographic, Marvel and Star Wars titles on the platform.

Keep toddlers occupied with animated and live-action versions of Disney classics, or binge on every title starring Bluey, Tinkerbell or all their other favorite characters. Tweens and teens can enjoy The Proud Family, Gravity Falls, Turning Red and Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, and movies from the Disney Channel or the company’s blockbuster lineup are a click away.

To navigate Disney Plus’s library, you can click on a designated tile for Pixar, Marvel, etc., or search by title, character, or genre. Kids and parents can scroll through the platform’s special collections, musicals, movies, and exclusive originals and shows from every decade of Disney.

Parental controls allow you to add a four-digit PIN and set ratings limits for each regular profile. But creating a kid’s profile automatically curates content that’s appropriate for all ages. To add an extra layer of security, toggle the Kid-Proof exit feature that prevents kids from switching profiles. If you opt for the $7 ad-supported version of Disney Plus, note that many kids’ titles contain commercials. But you can stream Disney Plus entirely ad-free for $8 a month.

Paramount Pictures

Paramount Plus

SpongeBob, iCarly and Rugrats live here

$5 at Paramount Plus

Paramount Plus has its nice collection of iconic characters and series. It’s basically Nickelodeon central. SpongeBob, iCarly, Rugrats, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig and other Nick superstars sit beside Paramount Plus originals Big Nate and Star Trek: Prodigy on the platform.

You’ll find a kids’ section on the menus for the shows or movies tabs, but you can also search for Noggin, Nick Jr. or other branded content on Paramount Plus. Additionally, there are five live channels that run content 24/7 for kids, including dedicated hubs for SpongeBob, Paw Patrol and “Kids and Family Fun.”

Paramount Plus enables parents to create kids’ profiles by activating “Kids Mode.” Choose an avatar and specify whether it’s for older kids or younger kids, and the content will adjust ratings based on your selection. Subscriptions cost $5 for the ad-supported Essential version and $10 for ad-free Premium.

Netflix

Netflix

Movies and shows for all ages like The Sea Beast, Super Monsters

$7 at Netflix

Netflix offers a range of kids’ titles in the realm of music, education and entertainment and the platform caters to every age and stage in your child’s life. Popular series include CoComelon, Octonauts and Ask the Storybots. The streamer routinely drops new originals including The Sea Beast and My Dad the Bounty Hunter, but there are plenty of Dreamworks titles on Netflix, too, such as Camp Cretaceous.

Netflix’s search function allows you to drill for niche content like kiddo-friendly movie adaptations, cooking stuff or coming-of-age stories. Type in a specific term or a “hidden” code and you’re likely to find a match.

Where the streamer stands out is with its kids’ profile. While you can set up parental controls on each profile with ratings restrictions, the Netflix Kids Experience comes with a bright logo and a ready-made batch of content. No need to handpick shows and movies for young ones, because the streamer does it for you. If you select titles outside the ratings limits for Kids Experience, the logo is removed and the profile type is automatically changed.

To cap it off, the platform showcases a Top 10 row for kids’ programming and sends out biweekly emails to parents with recommendations and other child-centric tools. Last year, Netflix introduced a “Mystery Box” feature on kids’ profiles, which surprises them with a new title to check out. Go ad-free for $10 per month or try the ad-based plan at $7 a month.

WarnerMedia/HBO Max

HBO Max

Carries DC cartoons, Amazing World of Gumball, family movies

$10 at HBO Max

Don’t sleep on HBO Max. Not only is it the place to stream Cartoon Network favorites like We Bare Bears and Adventure Time, but also Sesame Street, Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, and animated DC superheroes. That includes the OG Teen Titans.

HBO Max allows you to select Kids & Family from its menu and then you’ll be taken to its dedicated page. To make it easy to find content, you can click on a character’s icon — like Elmo, Scooby Doo and Batman — for a program lineup featuring said characters.

Prefer to search a different way? HBO Max divides content into categories for kiddos ages 2-5, 6-9, 10-12, and 13 and up. You can also browse titles from A-Z or search specifically for series or movies. The streamer also announced the addition of Lellobee City Farm, Blippi and Vlad & Niki for its preschool Cartoonito audience. But don’t forget there are plenty of movies available for teens who need a break from animation.

While you can watch TV with your children, you can also just give them their own kid profile on HBO Max. The service requires adults to log a four-digit PIN in order to create it, and then provide birthdate information so the system can customize age-appropriate content. Subscribe to HBO Max for $10 a month with ads or $16 for the ad-free version.

PBS

PBS Kids

Free educational shows like Super Why!, Daniel Tiger, Arthur

See at PBS Kids

For decades, PBS Kids has been the destination for Sesame Street and other childhood favorites. Elmo, Arthur, Daniel the Tiger and Curious George are among the characters who entertain while teaching lessons. While SpongeBob and Disney get a lot of love, it’s noteworthy that Arthur was the longest-running animated kids’ show in history. The 8-year-old aardvark is a PBS rock star. And though Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO own Sesame Street, new episodes are still available to watch on PBS Kids.

PBS Kids is available to Prime Video subscribers for free, and kids can access it 24/7 on The Roku Channel. But parents, you can also download the stand-alone PBS Kids video app for free on your mobile device or TV. That means your children can stream Elmo or Wild Kratts when you’re on a road trip or visiting family.

A Parent Media Co. Inc.

Kidoodle TV

Free content that’s handpicked and vetted

See at KidoodleTV

Like PBS Kids, Kidoodle TV offers free entertainment that’s geared toward younger children up to age 12. Some of the content is educational, and some is purely recreational. The app features licensed TV shows and movies from properties such as Lego, My Little Pony, SpongeBob, Pokemon and Baby Shark.

But there are also videos from the Dodo about nature and animals, game-themed content with Mario, Minecraft and Roblox, and a host of crafting tutorials. YouTube favorites like Ryan’s World are nestled in with picks that focus on learning. Kidoodle also has a set of originals that launched in 2020, including StoryRaps from Wes Tank. Another plus is that parents can choose videos from Little Pim that teach five different foreign languages: French, German, Spanish, Russian and Mandarin.

You can watch for free as a guest on Kidoodle without registering. But if you sign up, you’re able to create accounts for kid or parent users. Everything on the app is age-appropriate, vetted by Kidoodle parents and staff. The Freemium account includes family-friendly ads, but if you want to skip the commercials, you can get the Premium version for $5 per month.

PIN-enabled parental controls enable you to set screen time limits, choose titles or set curfews with the option to automatically turn the app off. And the analytics feature gives you a glimpse at viewing habits. Kidoodle is available on Roku, FireTV, smart TVs and other devices.

Kids streaming services FAQ

Ever since Facebook bought Instagram for $1 billion back in 2012, the two sites have been awkwardly dancing around integration.

Back in 2014, users were surprised to see their Instagram “likes” showing up as Facebook posts, and in 2020, Facebook Messenger took over direct messages on Instagram.

One of the latest attempts by Facebook and Instagram owner Meta at synergy between the sites is a prompt to encourage automatic cross-posting from Instagram to Facebook. Unfortunately, some users don’t know they’ve allowed the cross-posting and are surprised to see their Instagram photos showing up on their Facebook profiles.

Learn how and why you may’ve accidentally enabled photo sharing between Instagram and Facebook, and how to turn it off using the Instagram mobile app or the website. For more tech tips, learn how to access your Google files when you’re offline, and check out the best privacy settings for kids on TikTok.

Why are my Instagram photos posting to my Facebook profile?

Last year, Instagram started prompting users to share photos automatically to Facebook. The prompt features a big blue button to opt in and a smaller link without a button to opt out — an interface-design practice sometimes called a “dark pattern.”

Many Instagram users, taking the path of least resistance, click the blue button to close the prompt as quickly as possible, according to a report in The New York Times. After they do, some are later surprised to see their Instagram photos becoming Facebook posts.

Whether you accidentally opted in to Facebook sharing or did it on purpose, it’s easy to turn it off.

How do I stop my Instagram photos automatically cross-posting to Facebook?

If you’re using the Instagram app, you can customize the sharing settings for each photo individually when posting, but it’s easy to turn off automatic sharing to Facebook completely. I’ll show you how to do it on both the mobile apps for iOS and Android and in a web browser.

In either the iPhone or Android mobile app, go to your Instagram profile page, tap the hamburger, or three-line, icon in the top right corner, and then tap Settings at the top of the menu. From the Settings menu, tap Account, tap Sharing to other apps, and then tap Facebook.

After you’ve accessed the Facebook sharing settings, you’ll be able to customize automatic cross-posting for Instagram stories, posts and reels. Simply switch the blue sliders off if you don’t want to automatically share anything to Facebook.

To disable automatic photo sharing to Facebook using the Instagram website, you’re going to need to use a new Meta feature called the Accounts Center.

How do I turn off automatic sharing from Instagram to Facebook using the Accounts Center?

You can turn off automatic sharing of Instagram posts with Facebook via the Meta Accounts Center feature on either site or app. The Accounts Center is the only way to turn off automatic sharing using a web browser, and new messaging on the mobile settings page indicates it’ll soon be the only way to do it on the apps too.

A link to the Accounts Center is available at the bottom of the Instagram settings page on both the mobile apps and the website. Once you’re in the Accounts Center, you can change your sharing settings by clicking Sharing across profiles.

Under Share from, select your Instagram account, and you’ll see Facebook listed if you’re automatically sharing content. Those familiar blue sliders will let you turn on and off automatic sharing of posts, stories and reels to Facebook.

You can also make these sharing changes using the Accounts Center on Facebook, which is designed identically.

The only difference between the Accounts Center on the Instagram website and the mobile apps is that the apps let you control automatic sharing for Instagram reels, while the website only contains settings for sharing stories and posts, not reels.

For more tech tips, check out how to use your iPhone to send secret messages and how to avoid ads when using Safari.

Even if you have a large Mac screen, it may not always be enough. Many people invest in a second monitor to get some breathing room when they’re gaming, streaming and multitasking. However, if you don’t want to spend money on another device that takes up space, you may not have to — with an iPad, you can get dual displays for free.

As long as you have a Mac and iPad that are compatible, you can quickly and easily connect the two Apple devices and use the iPad as an extra display for your Mac computer. Using Sidecar, which comes built-in to supported devices, you can either extend your MacOS desktop or just mirror it onto your iPad, equipped with touchscreen controls to seamlessly use the two devices together. Here’s what you need to know.

In the market for an iPad? Here is a list of the best iPad choices for 2023 and the best deals on iPads.

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Requirements to use your iPad as a second display

As mentioned above, both of your devices need to support Sidecar, which is the feature that allows you to use your iPad as a second monitor for your Mac. For your Mac, you must be running MacOS Catalina or later and it has to be one of the following models:

• MacBook Pro (2016 or later)
• MacBook (2016 or later)
• MacBook Air (2018 or later)
• iMac (2017 or later and Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015)
• iMac Pro
• Mac Mini (2018 or later)
• Mac Pro (2019 or later)
• Mac Studio

And for your iPad, it must be running iPadOS 13 or later and be one of the following models:

• iPad Pro
• iPad (6th generation or later)
• iPad Mini (5th generation or later)
• iPad Air (3rd generation or later)

It’s best to update your devices to the latest software available to avoid any issues. Also, both devices must be logged in to the same Apple ID account, using two-factor authentication.

If you plan on going wireless, the two devices must be within 30 feet of one another. You can also use your USB to connect the two devices, with the advantage of being able to also charge your iPad while it’s in use as a second monitor.

Share your entire Mac desktop to your iPad

Depending on what software update you have on your computer, sharing your computer desktop to your tablet may vary. If you’re running MacOS Big Sur or later, click the Display icon in the menu bar at the top right. In the menu that appears, choose your iPad.

If you’re on MacOS Catalina, you’ll instead click on the AirPlay icon in the menu bar and then select your iPad. If for some reason you don’t see the AirPlay icon, click the Apple menu in the top right and go to System Preferences > Displays and check Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available.

Once your Mac and iPad are connected, you have several options to choose from that appear in the Display/AirPlay menu:

• Mirror Built-in Retina Display: Mirror your exact desktop to your iPad. This will shift your computer desktop to look more like your iPad.
• Use As Separate Display: Use the iPad as an extension to your desktop. To use your iPad display, drag any window or files from your Mac computer to the right of your screen, which will take you to the tablet. To go back to your computer, simply drag your cursor back to where you came from.

Share only one Mac window to your iPad

Alternatively, you can quickly share a window instead of dragging it over to your iPad. For example, you could share your web browser in Safari or what you’ve jotted down in your Notes. To do this, simply hover your mouse cursor over the green full-screen button that appears on the top left of most windows. After a second of hovering, you should see an option that says “Move to iPad,” which will share that window to your tablet. You can share multiple windows, in succession, to your iPad.

Using the sidebar controls, gestures and Touch Bar on your iPad

Once your screen is shared over to your iPad, a set of controls will appear on the left side of your iPad, which are sidebar controls you’ll commonly see on your Mac. That includes, from top to bottom:

• Menu bar: Show or hide menu bar when in full-screen
• Dock: Show or hide dock
• Command: Double-tap to lock key
• Option: Double-tap to lock key
• Control: Double-tap to lock key
• Shift: Double-tap to lock key
• Undo: Undo last action
• Keyboard: Show or hide keyboard
• Disconnect: Disconnect iPad from Mac

In addition to these Mac controls, you can also use a number of swipe gestures to control certain things on the second monitor (you won’t be able to use the touchscreen as usual though). That includes swiping with two fingers to scroll, pinching in with three fingers to copy, swiping left with three fingers to undo and more.

And finally, you may also be able to use the Touch Bar, if the application on your iPad is compatible. For instance, if you move Safari over to the iPad, you’ll see Touch Bar controls to go back and forward, use the search bar, flip between tabs and open a new tab. In Messages, you would see controls to create a new text, send an emoji and predictive text. The Touch Bar may not appear for every app you use on your iPad.

If you don’t want to use the Sidebar or Touch Bar controls, you can also get rid of them. On your Mac, click on the Display icon in the menu bar, and underneath your connected iPad, you should see Hide SideBar and Hide Touch Bar. Click on either or both options to hide the controls from your iPad.

Using your iPad while connected to your Mac

Even if you’re using your iPad as a second monitor, you can still swipe up to exit the Sidecar application and use your iPad as usual. In your dock, you’ll see a blue icon with two monitors on it — this is Sidecar. To go back to using your iPad as a second monitor, tap on the Sidecar app icon in the dock.

If you’re interested in learning more about what your iPad is capable of, check out how to declutter your iPad dock by removing this annoying feature and nine things to do immediately after you get a new iPad.

Spotify is revamping its home screen to make it easier to find new content, adding video and audio previews for music, podcasts and audiobooks.

The app’s layout is also moving away from a grid of album covers, in favor of an infinite scroll akin to a TikTok feed.

“You’ll see Spotify, I think, come alive,” Spotify founder Daniel Ek told CBS. “You’re gonna see a lot more interactive content.”

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The company announced the makeover on Wednesday at its Stream On event, along with new tools for podcasters and ways for musicians to further interact with their fans.

The Spotify home screen will now offer a stream of previews of music, shows, podcasts, audiobooks and other content that users can save, share or explore, as well as new video feeds for discovery in the Search section.

In addition, the Enhance tool has been rebranded as “Smart Shuffle” and will reorder user-generated playlists and suggest related tracks.

“The most important thing we, at Spotify, can do for creators is to reduce the distance between their art and the people who love it — or who would love it as soon as they discovered it,” Spotify co-president Gustav Söderström said in a release.

Some of the new features are already live on the Spotify app, the company said, while others will roll out in the coming months.

In February, Spotify beta-launched DJ, an AI-driven music guide made available to premium users in the US and Canada.

Spotify also announced on Wednesday that it had passed 500 million active users a month.

iOS 16.3, first released in January, brings a number of small but significant updates to Apple’s iOS 16 iPhone software, including security keys for iCloud and new wallpaper options. A smaller iOS 16.3.1 update in February threw in a few bug fixes and security updates as well. These updates continue to add onto Apple’s iOS 16, which first came out in September for anyone with a compatible iPhone. Installing the operating system software on your iPhone gives you new features and settings, such as a more customizable lock screen, a way to edit sent messages and a magic photo editing tool. Plus, iOS 16 brings back the battery percentage icon.

iOS 16 was announced last spring at Apple’s WWDC conference prior to its public launch alongside the iPhone 14. If you’re curious about what else iOS 16 offers, read on as we break down the 11 best new features on your iPhone. Just make sure you’ve already completed these three steps first, and check out the lesser-known features lurking in iOS 16, too.

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See at Cnet

The ability to edit and ‘unsend’ messages

“Embarrassing typos are a thing of the past,” Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, said at WWDC as he introduced three of the most requested features for the Messages app.

First, in iOS 16 you’ll be able to edit sent messages. So if you notice a typo after a message, you’ll be able to edit the message after the fact. A tiny “edited” appears in the status under the message.

Next, and this might be my favorite new feature, you can immediately recall a sent message. If you accidentally send an unfinished message, you can use the Undo Send tool to prevent it from being read and hopefully look less chaotic to your friends and family.

Last, you can mark messages and threads as unread. This could be an excellent tool for when you don’t have time to respond to a message in the moment, but want to make sure you come back to it later.

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A new customizable lock screen

One of the things you look at the most on your iPhone is the lock screen, especially if you have a Face ID-equipped iPhone. iOS 16 brings the most substantial update to the iPhone’s lock screen yet. Press and hold to edit your lock screen. You can swipe to try out several different styles. Each style changes the color filter for the background photo and the font on the lock screen so everything complements each other. This feels a bit like Apple’s take on Google’s Material You, which launched with Android 12.

You can also customize the fonts for the time and date, and add lock screen widgets like temperature, activity rings and a calendar. The widgets are akin to complications on the Apple Watch lock screen.

You can even set up multiple customized lock screens with different widgets and easily swipe to switch between them. There’s also a photo shuffle option that automatically changes the pictures on your lock screen.

One feature we’d been hoping to see Apple add was an always-on display. It’s something nearly all Android phones have; even the Apple Watch does. Well, with the new iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, the always-on display has finally arrived.

Notifications and live activities

Sometimes notifications can cover up your lock screen’s photo, so iOS 16 moves notifications to the bottom of your display. As you receive them, instead of being compiled into a list, they appear like a vertical carousel. This not only looks better but should be a big help for one-handed use of your iPhone.

iOS 16 also aims to solve another notification problem. Sometimes you get a bunch of notifications in a row from one app, like the score of a basketball game. A new tool for developers called Live Activities makes it easier to stay on top of things happening in real time from your lock screen, instead of getting a series of interruptions.

Live Activities should make it easier to follow sporting events, workouts or even the progress of an Uber ride.

Skip CAPTCHAs using Private Access Tokens

The CAPTCHA — which stands for Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart — has been a necessary evil across the internet. CAPTCHAs are designed to make sure that a person is accessing a website or service, and not a bot. I find them annoying, as they often involve reading strangely written letters or having to find all the images that have a truck. With iOS 16, Apple plans to start replacing these awkward interactions with Private Access Tokens.

According to a video on Apple’s website demonstrating Private Access Tokens, websites that support the token will essentially log in and authenticate that you are indeed a human without your having to play any of the usual CAPTCHA games. Apple says in the video that the company is working with other companies to roll out support for this feature, so we can’t say the CAPTCHA will be dead after iOS 16 rolls out to the public. But the concept could provide some relief if it gets adopted.

Wallet and Apple Pay Later

ID cards from more states will be available in your Wallet app along with more security and privacy features. In iOS 16 you can also protect your identity and age. So rather than showing your exact birth date, the Wallet app will display your ID and that you’re over 21.

iOS 16 makes sharing keys easier with apps like Mail and Messages. When your friend receives the key, they can add it to the Wallet app on their iPhone. Apple said it’s working to make sure that shared keys are an industry standard and free for others.

Apple Pay will support new types of payments and adds a new feature called Apple Pay Later, a Klarna-like service that lets you split the cost of an Apple Pay purchase into four equal payments spread over six weeks, with zero interest and no fees. Upcoming payments are managed through the Wallet app, making it easy to keep track of dates and payments.

But Apple Pay doesn’t stop there. A new feature will also help you track Apple Pay orders and lets merchants deliver detailed receipts and tracking information. This should make it easier to stay up to date on the status of all your orders.

Visual Look Up’s tap and drag for photos

In iOS 15, Visual Look Up analyzes your photos and can identify objects like plants, landmarks and pets. iOS 16 takes this to the next level. When you touch a photo’s subject like the dog in the image above, you can lift it away from the background and add it to apps like Messages. Essentially it’s a tap-and-hold tool that removes a photo’s background.

Apple sometimes overuses the word “magic,” but this feature truly seems like it.

SharePlay comes to Messages

SharePlay, which debuted in iOS 15, lets you have a shared experience while connecting with someone over FaceTime. You can watch TV shows, listen to music in sync and other things. iOS 16 adds the ability to discover more apps that support SharePlay from within FaceTime.

But perhaps one of the coolest things Apple did for SharePlay was to make it work within the Messages app. Apple said that this was one of the biggest requests from app developers. Now when you want to share a movie on Disney Plus, you can start SharePlay together with a friend while chatting in Messages.

Safety Check aims to help people in abusive relationships

Safety Check is a new feature intended to be helpful for people in abusive relationships. It lets you review and reset who has access to location information as well as passwords, messages and other apps on an iPhone.

Focus mode updates and Focus filters

Focus mode gets several updates. The first applies Focus behaviors to widgets and lock screen looks. So you could have one lock screen set for when your Work Focus is enabled and another for workouts.

Apple added specific Focus filters that apply your iPhone’s Focus mode within apps. For example, in Safari, you can limit what tabs are shown depending on what Focus mode you have active.

Apple Maps adds transit fare cards

Maps gets several updates. You’ll be able to plan trips with up to 15 different stops along the way. If you start planning a trip with the Maps app on your Mac, you’ll be able to share that to your iPhone.

And in something similar to what Google announced for Google Wallet in Android 13, you’ll be able to see transit fare estimates as well as add more money to a fare card from within Apple Maps.

iCloud family checklist

iCloud gets several new features. One of the more interesting ones is the option to quickly set up a new device for your child. When Quick Start appears, you have the option to pick a user for the new device and use all the existing parental controls you’ve previously selected and configured. However, this is not what many of us still want: the ability to set up separate users for the same device.

There’s a new family checklist with tips for updating settings for your kids as they get older, like a reminder to check location-sharing settings or share your iCloud Plus subscriptions.

For more, check out everything Apple announced at its Sept. 7 “Far Out” event. Plus, here’s how to download iOS 16.