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You should always mess with your iPhone‘s settings, especially if you just got a new one — maybe even as a gift this Christmas. There’s always something you can toggle on or off to make your iPhone work better for you, you just need to know where to look. If you’re burning through battery, you might always turn on low-power mode. If you working out is your thing, you might set up a shortcut to automatically turn on your workout playlist when you walk into the gym.

No matter what you need, you’re bound to find some cool customization options — some that you know and others that you might have never heard of — in your settings. Want to declutter your home screen? Use your battery a little less throughout the day? You can do all of that and more with these 22 iOS settings.

And if you want to take a look at some hidden iOS features, check out how to unlock your iPhone’s hidden trackpad and the best hidden features on iOS 16. Also, if you’re looking to upgrade to the latest phone, check out the best deals on the iPhone 14 right now.

A Pro iPhone Battery Tip

No matter how many settings you toggle off and on, battery life will always be an issue, especially if you’re traveling and don’t always have access to your fast charger. If you’re constantly on-the-go and need some juice, you should consider getting this affordable and slim MagSafe charger that can charge your iPhone from zero to 50% in just 30 minutes.

$40 at Amazon

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1. Stop apps from tracking your exact location

Apps like Doordash, Postmates, Google Maps and Waze all require your exact location to deliver food to the right location or direct you to where you want to go. But not all apps need to know precisely where you are at every moment.

You can easily prevent any app from tracking your exact location. In the Settings app, choose an application (like Instagram, for example), tap Location and then toggle off Precise Location. Any app with Precise Location off will only know your approximate location, within a few miles.

Read more: Why You May Want to Revoke Precise Location Permissions From Instagram

2. Turn the back of your iPhone into a button

The back of your iPhone can be used as a secret button to activate certain actions, like take a screenshot or enable low power mode, and run shortcuts that can automatically play music when you arrive at the gym or turn on your smart lights when you get home. However, the option is hidden deep in your settings — here’s how to find it.

In the Settings app, go to Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap and choose one of the two tapping options (double or triple tap). You should see a list of actions you can run by tapping the back of your iPhone, like opening your camera, turning on the flashlight, scrolling up and down and more. Tap on on action or shortcut to set it for double or triple tap.

3. Bring back full-screen incoming call alerts

If your iPhone is unlocked and you receive a phone call, a banner-style notification will appear at the top of your screen, with a photo and name of the person calling, and the options to pick up or deny the call. But this banner wasn’t always there.

Before iOS 14, the incoming call screen would take over your entire display when your iPhone was unlocked and in use. It was disruptive, sure, but it also got the job done.

When the banner appeared, it was a welcome change for many, because it’s more discreet and allows you to still use your phone while receiving a call. However, if for any reason you’re not a big fan of the banner and want to revert to the more attention-grabbing full-screen alert, go to Settings > Phone > Incoming Calls and tap Full Screen.

4. Turn off 5G coverage you don’t want or have

Apple touts a Smart Data feature that’s specific to its 5G phones (iPhone 12 and iPhone 13) that will automatically switch between 4G LTE and 5G networks based on how you’re using your device.

However, you may find that your iPhone’s battery drains faster than it did before. If you don’t want to sacrifice battery life for faster 5G speeds, shut it down. You can always turn 5G back on when you want it, or when service in your area improves.

To turn off 5G on your iPhone 12 or iPhone 13, forcing it to always use 4G LTE even if you have 5G coverage, open the Settings app, then go to Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Voice & Data and tap LTE.

Alternatively, if you want your iPhone to exclusively use a 5G connection when available, you can select 5G On.

Read more: AirPods 3 vs. AirPods Pro: Comparing Apple’s Latest Earbuds

5. Fine-tune how much data is used by a 5G connection

If you’re happy with your 5G performance, here’s a network-related setting you should check out. Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Data Mode, where you’ll find three different options: Allow more data on 5G, Standard and Low Data Mode.

Even though there are brief descriptions below the three different settings, they don’t paint a complete picture for the first option. According to an Apple support document, allowing more data on 5G will give you high-quality video and FaceTime calls. It also enables your phone to download software updates and stream high-definition Apple TV and Apple Music content, and it allows third-party developers to also improve their respective apps.

The default setting on this page will depend on your carrier and your data plan, so it’s a good idea to check your iPhone and make sure it’s correctly set to your preference.

6. Stop apps from cluttering up your home screen

The App Library is a place where you can quickly find and access all of your applications. And while apps are housed here, all newly downloaded apps also appear on your home screen. This may not be a problem if you download apps sparingly, but if you’re installing new apps on a consistent basis, they can quickly clutter up your home screen.

To stop downloaded apps from appearing on your home screen, go to Settings > Home Screen and select App Library Only. If you want to find the app, you’ll have to swipe left on your home screen until you reach the App Library.

7. Unlock your phone while wearing a face mask

One of the frustrating aspects of wearing a face covering has been the inability to unlock an iPhone with Apple’s Face ID technology. Because half of your face is covered, Face ID just doesn’t work. And while entering your passcode to unlock your phone works, it’s not as convenient.

With iOS, you now have the option to turn on a face unlock feature that makes it easy to unlock your iPhone when you’re wearing a face mask. Before the update, you could only unlock your iPhone if you owned an Apple Watch.

To unlock your iPhone with your Apple Watch, open the Settings app on your iPhone and then open the Face ID & Passcode option. Scroll down until you find the Unlock with Apple Watch section (you must be connected to an Apple Watch for the setting to appear), where you can turn on the feature for any watches linked to your iPhone.

If you have an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 that runs iOS 15.4 or later, you can unlock your iPhone while wearing a mask without an Apple Watch. Go to the Settings app and open Face ID & Passcode. From there, you can toggle Face ID With a Mask and choose the Face ID With a Mask option. It’s pretty awesome.

8. Put the address bar in Safari back on top

The address in Safari migrated to the bottom of the screen with the introduction of iOS 15 — a welcome addition for those with smaller hands who had difficulty reaching it with one hand at the top. While this move might feel more natural, since it’s closer to the keyboard and where you typically place your thumbs, it can be off-putting since many people are used to seeing the URL bar near the top of the screen.

If you want to put the address bar back at the top of the screen, go to Settings, tap Safari and choose the Single Tab option under the Tabs subheading.

9. Add features that can be used when your iPhone is locked

There are times when you might want to have certain info handy even when your phone is locked. That’s why Apple allows you to enable some features without having to unlock your device, such as the notification center, Control Center, the ability to reply to messages and the Wallet app.

To customize the features you’d like to access on the lock screen, launch the Settings menu, tap Face ID & Passcode and enter your passcode when prompted. Scroll down until you see the Allow Access When Locked section, and toggle the sliders based on your preferences.

10. Make your favorite email app or web browser your default

It was a long time coming, but 2020’s iOS 14 update finally brought the ability to choose your own default apps — at least for email and web browsing. That means that when you tap a link or an email send button, your iPhone will automatically launch the web browser or email provider of your choosing rather than Safari or Mail.

To get started, open the Settings menu and select the app you’d like to set as a default (such as Google Chrome or Outlook). You should then see a button that says Default Mail App or Default Browser App. Tap that option and select the app of your choosing instead of Safari or Mail.

Read more: If You Care About Your Privacy, You Need to Change These Browser Settings

11. Get full notifications on your lock screen

The first time you experience Apple’s Face ID tech, you’ll notice that you can’t see the content of new alerts and notifications on the lock screen. For example, instead of seeing who sent you a text message and what it says, you’ll only see a generic Messages alert.

By default, all iPhones with Apple’s Face ID tech will hide the content of an alert until you pick up your phone and unlock it. It’s a privacy feature that I rather enjoy, but I also understand how it could be annoying (I’ve heard a few complaints from readers and family members alike).

You can change how notifications appear on your lock screen by going to Settings > Notifications > Show Previews and selecting Always. Conversely, you can select Never if you want to keep the content of your notifications always hidden from the lock screen.

12. Turn off (or on) HDR video for sharing videos

Phones in the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineups can record high dynamic range (HDR) video with Dolby Vision. That means your videos will be brighter with more accurate colors and improved contrast. Sounds awesome, right? It is. But there’s a problem — not every app or service will work with HDR video.

Developers will need to update their apps in order to accept HDR video, but even then, the person viewing the video will need a capable device to see the difference in quality. For Apple devices, those include the iPhone 8 or newer, the 2020 iPad Air, the second-generation iPad Pro and some Macs.

So, what can you do to share videos universally? Well, you have a few options:

• You can turn off HDR video by going to Settings > Camera > Record video and turning the switch next to HDR Video to the Off position. Going forward, all videos will be captured in standard dynamic range, and you shouldn’t have any issues sharing or editing it.
• Leave HDR Video turned on, but when you want to share the video, with Facebook for example, use the Photos app instead of going into the Facebook app and uploading it. When you use the Photos app, your iPhone will automatically convert the video to SDR and upload it. When you send the video to another iPhone user, Apple will detect if their iPhone, iPad or Mac is compatible with HDR Dolby Vision. If it’s not, Apple will convert the video automatically.
• If you leave HDR Video on and need to edit your video, you can use Apple’s iMovie app or the Photos app that’s built into your iPhone. You can even use iMovie to export the video as SDR if needed.

13. Customize your home screen with fancy wallpaper

Another home screen tweak you should make involves your wallpaper or background. Apple has added some new wallpapers of its own, with a pretty cool twist.

Open the Settings app on your iPhone and select Wallpaper from the list. Make sure the switch labeled “Dark Appearance Dims Wallpaper,” which you’ll see below the two thumbnail previews of your wallpaper, is turned on. Now, tap Choose a new wallpaper and select either Stills or Live. See the circle near the bottom of each wallpaper? It’s half black, half white.

That circle means that the wallpaper has both light and dark mode versions and will change automatically based on the system status of your phone.

You can also set live wallpapers as your background if you’re not sold on dark and light mode.

14. Turn on dark mode to save your battery

Speaking of dark mode, if you don’t want to have to repeatedly adjust your screen’s brightness, you can use your phone’s dedicated dark mode. Dark mode converts all of the white backgrounds in apps to, more often than not, a black background. In turn, your phone is able to save battery power thanks to the darker colors.

Turn it on by going to Settings > Display & Brightness and selecting the Dark option at the top of the screen.

Apple’s apps will automatically switch to a dark color scheme, and most third-party apps have also adopted the feature.

15. Manage your notifications with Focus Mode

We get a lot of notifications every day, but not all of them are relevant all the time. With iOS 15, Apple introduced a feature called Focus Mode. Think of it as a custom Do Not Disturb feature that’s tailored to specific circumstances.

Focus Mode blocks less relevant alerts, while allowing notifications from important people and apps to come through so that you don’t miss anything. You can set up different types of Focus Modes for specific circumstances.

Apple currently offers options for Do Not Disturb, personal, sleep, work, driving, fitness, gaming, mindfulness and reading, but you can also create your own custom mode. You can schedule Focus Modes so that they turn on automatically when needed, and display your status in apps so that others know you have notifications silenced.

To get started, open the Settings menu, tap Focus and choose one of the available options to set up your notification preferences. Tap the plus (+) symbol in the top right corner to add a new Focus.

16. Make your screen text bigger or smaller

With a couple of taps on your iPhone’s screen, you can adjust the font size to make it easier to read. Open Settings and go to Display & Brightness > Text Size where you can use the slider until you’re happy with the font size.

For a little added oomph, you can turn on Bold Text (it’s just below the Text Size button).

17. Add an alternate appearance to Face ID

Apple’s facial recognition feature — Face ID — constantly learns different aspects of your face with each scan. If you’re struggling to get Face ID to consistently recognize you, try the Alternate Appearance option.

Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > enter your PIN > Set Up An Alternate Appearance and go through the process of enrolling your face again.

18. Disable auto brightness for longer battery charge

Your iPhone’s screen brightness level can have a big impact on battery life. By default, iOS will automatically adjust the display’s brightness based on how much light its ambient sensor detects. But if you want to take complete control, you can disable auto-brightness, meaning the brightness level will stay where you set it until you adjust it again.

Open Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size and at the bottom of the page, you’ll find a switch to turn off Auto-Brightness.

Now, whenever you want to adjust your screen, you can do so by opening Control Center with a swipe up from the bottom of the screen on a device with a home button, or a swipe down from the top-right corner on newer iPhones.

19. Triage your privacy settings

The first time you set up an iPhone with all of your apps, you’re bombarded with prompts asking for permissions to access personal information ranging from tracking your location to your Apple Health information or your camera roll.

It’s far too easy to get in the habit of approving everything just so you can use the app, but take a few minutes and go through your privacy settings to tailor what each app can and can’t see. We walk you through the whole privacy process in two quick steps.

20. Use Control Center to access apps with a swipe or tap

The iPhone’s Control Center is a convenient spot to quickly change songs, turn on airplane mode, connect to Wi-Fi or start a timer, but there’s so much more to it than that. You can quickly turn your flashlight on, check on a timer or start recording your screen with a quick swipe and tap.

Customize which apps and features are available in Control Center by opening Settings > Control Center. Remove an option with a tap on the red minus button or add an option by selecting the green addition button. Drag features up or down using the three-line icon on the right side of the screen.

Personally, I like having quick access to the Wallet app and toggles for low-power mode and dark mode.

As a reminder, if you have an iPhone with a home button, like the iPhone SE, you can swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open Control Center. If you have an iPhone with Face ID, you’ll need to swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen where the battery icon is.

21. Organize alerts with Notification Summary

Apple wants to help you manage your notifications in iOS, starting with the Notification Summary feature. Rather than letting notifications pile up on your home screen, you can schedule alerts that aren’t urgent to arrive in a bundle at a specific time of day.

Important notifications like calls, direct messages and other time-sensitive alerts (like the status of your Uber or Lyft ride, for example) will still appear immediately.

To try this out, open Settings, press Notifications and tap Scheduled Summary.

22. Change Siri’s voice

If you’ve recently set up a new iPhone, you may have noticed that Siri no longer defaults to a female voice. Instead, you’ll be asked which Siri voice you want to use, including several more recent options. Once you’ve made your selection, Apple will change Siri’s voice across all of the devices linked to your Apple ID.

You can check out the voice options by going to Settings > Siri & Search > Siri Voice. To learn more, check out our complete guide to changing Siri’s sound. Apple also added a gender-neutral Siri voice option for English speakers.

For more, here’s how to set up your new iPhone and how to transfer your data from your old iPhone. Plus, this iOS trick gives you more iCloud storage for free.

There are a bunch of great games for the Nintendo Switch, and tons of family favorites. But there are also ones that cost nothing. Good ones, too. Free-to-play games are a growing subset of the console world now: Fall Guys, Rocket League and Knockout City are must-plays. Nintendo has a couple of its own, but my favorite is still Tetris 99.

While these games all feature ways to buy upgrades, mostly for in-game currency, you don’t need to buy these extras to enjoy playing the games. I’d generally recommend skipping the extras, in fact.

None of these games require Nintendo Switch Online to play, except for Tetris 99.

Read more: The 40 Absolute Best Games on Nintendo Switch

Mediatonic

Fall Guys

You’re a cuddly little character trying to survive in a series of elimination games in this absurd Battle Royale-style platformer. Several game modes keep things unexpected, and there are lots of goals and achievements to unlock. The Switch port has some frame rate slowdown, but it’s still a lot of fun.

See at Nintendo

Nintendo

Tetris 99

This is, perhaps, the best reinvention of Battle Royale gaming ever made. You’ll try to survive playing Tetris against 99 other players, and you’ll fail. A lot. And love it. Optional in-game purchases offer offline modes and extra challenges, which I bought because I just love this game to pieces. One downside: You need a Switch Online subscription to play this one, which costs $20 a year. (Switch Online is needed to play most online games, though, so it’s worth it.)

See at Nintendo

James Martin/CNET

Fortnite

Playing Fortnite on iOS may not be easy as it used to be, but Fortnite on the Switch is still pretty good. Fortnite may look better on the PS5, Xbox Series X, and even the PS4 and Xbox One, but the Switch version of this endlessly evolving game is still great for being both TV-connected and portable. It’s crossplay, too, so you can play friends on other platforms.

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Nintendo

Sky: Children of the Light

Made by the same developer as the indie classic Journey, this beautiful and meditative explorational game sends you flying to magic realms, adding storytelling with minimal touches. The game has online play where you interact with others in supportive ways, but not through chatting.

See at Nintendo

Nintendo

Rocket League

This soccer-with-race-cars game has been brilliant for years, but since moving to a free-to-play model it’s still worth playing. Competition remains extremely addictive and extremely hard to master. It’s well worth trying if you haven’t already.

See at Nintendo

EA/Velan Studios

Knockout City

Splatoon, but with dodgeballs. This charming game from EA won us over the moment it was released, but it also moved to free-to-play recently. Competitions in 3D arenas can get intense, but the Switch controls are excellently conceived. There’s an upgraded version you can buy, but the free version is more than enough to play for casual fun.

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Nintendo

Deltarune Chapters 1 and 2

Toby Fox, creator of the indie masterpiece Undertale, has since been working on an episodic RPG called Deltarune. It looks like a long-lost 8-bit game, is super weird, and it’s extremely worth playing if you love RPGs or indie games. Future chapters won’t be free, but enjoy these while they’re here.

See at Nintendo

FAQs

An iPhone is the kind of gift that keeps on giving, letting you browse through page after page of information online. Whether you’re looking for holiday deals, movie recommendations or just the latest corporate shenanigans, your iPhone is there to help. But even behemoths like the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max can get bogged down if you’re not keeping them optimized. One of the simplest pieces of upkeep is clearing your iPhone cache every month.

You probably got gifts for your friends and family, maybe even a gift for yourself. But this Christmas, give your iPhone the gift of a clear cache.

Whether you’re browsing in Chrome, Safari or elsewhere on your iPhone, your cache builds up digital clutter over time. Clearing your cache gives your browser a new start, which can speed up your browsing whether you’re using iOS 15 or iOS 16. (And if you’re trying to get your phone to run faster, try managing your iPhone’s storage.)

Think of your browser cache like a digital refrigerator. It helps you store leftovers like website data so those pages can load faster the next time you visit them. The problem, though, is that those leftovers eventually go bad, in the sense they no longer match the data the sites actually need to load. That’s the equivalent of your fridge being full of stale or outright moldy food. At that point, pages will actually load slower and formatting might look wrong.

That’s why clearing your cache can help: It gives sites a fresh start in your browser and frees up some space in your storage. Note that clearing your cache will sign you out of sites you’re currently logged into. Still, it’s generally worth that mild inconvenience every month or so to keep things moving quickly.

Here are step-by-step guides on how to clear your cache on your iPhone based on the browser you use.

How to clear your iPhone cache in Safari

Safari is the default browser on iPhones, and you can clear your Safari cache in a few short steps. Starting with iOS 11, following this process will affect all devices signed in to your iCloud account. As a result all your devices’ caches will be cleared, and you’ll need to sign in to everything the next time you use them. Here’s what to do.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

2. Select Safari from the list of apps.

3. Go to Advanced > Website Data.

4. Scroll down and select Remove All Website Data.

5. Choose Remove Now in the pop-up box.

Then you’re set!

Read more: Best iPhone for 2022

How to clear your iPhone cache in Chrome

Chrome is another popular browser for iPhone users. The overall process for clearing your Chrome cache requires a few more steps, and you’ll need to do things through the Chrome browser itself. Here’s how.

1. Open the Chrome app.

2. Select the three dots in the bottom right to open more options.

3. Scroll across the top and select Settings.

4. Select Privacy and Security in the next menu.

5. Then select Clear Browsing Data to open up one last menu.

6. Select the intended time range at the top of the menu (anywhere from Last Hour to All Time).

7. Make sure that Cookies, Site Data is selected, along with Cached Images and Files. Finally, hit Clear Browsing Data at the bottom of the screen.

Read more: This iPhone Setting Stops Ads From Following You Across the Web

How to clear your iPhone cache in Firefox

If you’re a Firefox devotee, don’t worry. Clearing the cache on your iPhone is pretty straightforward. Just follow these steps.

1. Click the hamburger menu in the bottom right corner to open up options.

2. Choose Settings at the bottom of the menu.

3. Select Data Management in the Privacy section.

4. You can select Website Data to clear data for individual sites, or select Clear Private Data at the bottom of the screen to clear data from all selected fields.

Read more: Experiencing Slow Wi-Fi? It Could Be Caused by Internet Throttling. Here’s How to Tell

What happens when you clear the cache?

Clearing your cache removes the website data your phone stored locally to prevent having to download that data upon each new visit. The data in your cache builds over time and can end up slowing things down if it becomes too bulky or out of date. (My phone had about 150MB of data stored in Chrome when I checked.) Clearing that data gives sites a fresh start, which may fix some loading errors and speed up your browser. However, clearing your cache also signs you out of pages, so be prepared to sign in to everything again.

How often do I need to clear my cache?

Most people only need to clear their caches once every month or two. That’s generally the point when your browser will build up a cache large enough to start slowing things down. If you frequent a large number of sites, you should err on the side of clearing your cache more often.

For more, check out how to download iOS 16 today, the best new iOS 16 features and some hidden iOS 16 features. You can also take a look at how each new iPhone 14 model compares to the others.

You can find a microphone in pretty much every pair of wireless earbuds or headphones these days — and the better ones often have multiple beam-forming mics — making it easy to switch between listening to music and making phone calls. With so many different options available on the market, how do we determine the best pair of headphones or earbuds for making phone calls? Well, we test them vigorously in the streets of one of the busiest and loudest cities in the world: New York.

The best headphones and earbuds for calls will help reduce background noise so people can hear your voice loud and clear as you chat. They also allow you to hear callers well within loud spaces, which is why we tend to recommend noise-isolating earbuds for phone calls, although we do have a few open earbuds on the list for those who prefer that style of earbuds.

In addition to having a quality mic, features like sidetone, which allows you to hear your own voice in headphones and earbuds as you talk (so you don’t shout), and multipoint Bluetooth pairing, which allows you to pair your headphones or earbuds with two devices at the same time, are also noteworthy.

We also have a list of the best headphones for working from home, but this one is a little different. That list includes more “work” or “business” headphones that you’re more likely to use with both a phone and a computer. Check out our picks for the best earbuds for phone calls you can get right now, below. This list prioritizes consumer wireless Bluetooth headsets that work well for making calls on the go, so you can have clear phone calls wherever you go.

David Carnoy/CNET

Apple AirPods Pro 2

Even better Apple noise-canceling wireless earbuds

Battery Life

Rated up to 6 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Wireless earbuds

Water-Resistant

Yes (IPX4 — splash-proof)

The new AirPods Pro (2nd generation) are powered by Apple’s new H2 chip, which delivers more processing power while being more energy efficient, according to Apple. The new chip, combined with new low-distortion drivers, allows for improved sound that offers better clarity and depth. The noise canceling is also improved — Apple says the new AirPods have “double” the noise canceling of the original AirPods Pro.

The voice-calling performance for the original AirPods Pro was very good and now it’s even better, as Apple has upgraded the microphones and changed their positioning on the buds. Additionally, the AirPods Pro 2 add an extra hour of battery life, up from five to six hours with noise canceling on. Plus, there’s now a speaker in the case that emits a sound that helps locate your buds via Find My should they decide to hide from you.

Read our Apple AirPods Pro 2 review.

$249 at Apple

$200 at Amazon

$200 at Best Buy

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David Carnoy/CNET

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

Best Samsung wireless earbuds

Battery Life

Rated Up to 8 Hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Wireless Earbuds

Water-Resistant

Yes (IP57 – Can Be Submerged for 30 Minutes Up to 1 Meter)

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro offer improved noise canceling along with very good sound and voice-calling performance, plus support for high-resolution wireless audio streaming if you’re a Galaxy device owner with the right setup. That said, their biggest upgrade may be their new design and smaller size, which make them a better fit for more ears. Aside from their somewhat high price tag, their only drawback is that some of their key features only work with Samsung Galaxy devices. They’re fully waterproof with an IPX7 rating.

Read our Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review.

$180 at Samsung

$180 at Amazon

$180 at Best Buy

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Earfun

Earfun Air S

Best budget noise-canceling earbuds

Battery Life

Rated up to 6 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

Yes

Headphone Type

Wireless earbuds

Water-Resistant

Yes (IPX5 — protection against low-pressure water streams)

In the past, we’ve recommended Earfun’s AirPro SV and Air Pro 2 as excellent budget noise-canceling earbuds choices (they’re still good values). But the new-for-2022 Earfun Air S may be the best of the trio, with multipoint Bluetooth pairing, and the latest Qualcomm QCC3046 chip with the aptX audio codec for Android and other devices that support it. They have the same 10mm wool drivers as the AirPro SV and features surprisingly impressive sound for its modest price point. They also work well as a headset for making calls with decent background noise reduction.

The buds have an IPX5 water-resistance rating, which means they’re splash-proof and can withstand a sustained spray of water.

Note that the earbuds cost as low as $49 when you apply the CNET-exclusive discount code EFAIRS07 at checkout at Amazon or the code E4AH201 at Earfun’s online store (at Amazon you have to clip the instant 10% coupon, then apply EFAIRS07 to get an additional 20% off).

$69 at Amazon

$70 at Earfun

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David Carnoy/CNET

Sony WH-1000XM5

Best new noise-canceling headphones

Battery Life

Rated up to 32 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

Yes

Headphone Type

Over-ear wireless headphones

Water-Resistant

No IP rating

When you have a product that a lot of people love, change can be risky. Such is the case for Sony’s WH-1000XM5, the fifth generation of the 1000X series headphones, which were first released in 2016 as the MDR-1000X Wireless and have become increasingly popular as they’ve improved with each generation. Over the years, Sony has made some tweaks to the design, but nothing as dramatic as what it’s done with the WH-1000XM5. Other than the higher $400 price tag ($50 more than the WH-1000XM4), most of those changes are good, and Sony’s made some dramatic improvements with voice-calling performance as well as even better noise canceling and more refined sound.

Read our Sony WH-1000XM5 review.

$348 at Amazon

$350 at Best Buy

$350 at Target

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JBL Live Pro 2

Best AirPods Pro alternative

Battery Life

Rated up to 10 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (Adaptive)

Multipoint

Yes

Headphone Type

Wireless earbuds

Water-Resistant

Yes (IPX5 — protection against low-pressure water streams)

Over the years, JBL has put out some decent true-wireless earbuds, but nothing that really got me too excited. That’s finally changed with the arrival of the Samsung-owned brand’s new Live Pro 2 and Live Free 2 buds. Both sets of buds — the Live Pro 2 have stems while the Live Free 2 have a pill-shaped design — offer a comfortable fit along with strong noise canceling, very good sound quality and voice-calling performance, plus a robust set of features, including multipoint Bluetooth pairing, an IPX5 splash-proof rating and wireless charging.

The Live Pro 2 and Live Free 2 are equipped with the same 11mm drivers, six microphones, oval tubes and oval silicon tips. Aside from the design, the biggest difference between the two buds is battery life; the stemless Live Free 2 is rated for up to seven hours, while the Live Pro 2 is rated for 10 hours. The Live Pro 2 is available in four color options.

Read our JBL Live Pro 2 first take.

$75 at Crutchfield

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Google Pixel Buds Pro

Excellent wireless earbuds for Android users

The Pixel Buds Pro are Google’s first earbuds to feature active noise canceling. While it’s nice that they finally have a feature that a lot of true-wireless earbuds have had for a while, what ultimately sets the Pixel Buds Pro apart and makes them worth considering — particularly for Android users — is their distinct design and winning fit. That helps enhance their performance on both the sound quality and noise-canceling fronts. While not quite elite for voice-calling, they did perform well as a headset for making calls. A couple of features were missing at launch — spatial audio and a five-band equalizer — but the equalizer has now been added with a firmware update. We’re now just waiting for spatial audio. They’re IPX4 splash-proof.

Read our Google Pixel Buds review.

$186 at Amazon

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Bose QuietComfort 45

Best QuietComfort over-ear headphones from Bose

Battery Life

Rated up to 25 hours

Multipoint

Yes

Headphone Type

Over-ear wireless headphones

Water-Resistant

No IP rating

The QuietComfort 45 has virtually the same design as its predecessor, the QuietComfort QC35 II. It has the same drivers, according to Bose, and the buttons are in the same place. However, there are small but notable changes. First off, these thankfully have USB-C instead of micro-USB.

Secondly, the microphone configuration is different. Not only have the mics been shifted on the headphones, but there’s now an extra external mic for voice pick-up, which means the QC45 has a total of six microphones, four of which are beamforming and used for voice. By contrast, the QC35 II has a total of four, two of which are used for voice. (The Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 also have six microphones total.)

The result is that these are excellent for making calls and offer good microphone quality. They’re very close to the Bose’s Headphones 700 in that regard and also feature top-notch noise cancellation, as well as multipoint Bluetooth pairing so you can connect these with a PC and your smartphone simultaneously. Read our Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones review.

$329 at Bose

$249 at Amazon

$249 at Best Buy

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Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2

Best noise-canceling with top-notch sound

Battery Life

Rated Up to 6 Hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Wireless Earbuds

Water-Resistant

Yes (IPX4 — Splash-Proof

Bose’s second-generation QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are not only about 30% smaller than their predecessors, but their case is about 40% smaller and truly pocketable. They feature best-in-class noise canceling and improved sound, thanks to Bose’s new CustomTune sound calibration system that customizes the sound for your ears. Voice-calling performance is also much better than that of the original QuietComfort Earbuds with excellent noise reduction during calls.

The other big change is to the ear tips. Bose has ditched its one-piece StayEar wing tips for a two-piece Fit Kit system that features separate ear tips and “stability bands” in three size options, giving you more flexibility to get a secure fit and tight seal.

The buds initially ship in the Triple Black Color with the Sandstone color to follow later in the year. They’re IPX4 splash-proof.

Read our Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 review.

$299 at Bose

$249 at Amazon

$249 at Best Buy

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Soundpeats T3

Best under $40 earbuds for phone calls

The Soundpeats T3 buds have two things going for them aside from their modest price tag: They sound decent and work well for making calls with very good noise reduction. They’re also comfortable to wear and have both active noise canceling and transparency mode. However, the noise canceling is only OK, not great (same goes for the transparency mode). But you can’t expect everything for such a low price.

Equipped with Bluetooth 5.2, they’re IPX4 splash-proof and have a battery-life rating of up to 5.5 hours on a single charge at moderate volume levels.

They have relatively smooth, balanced sound and ample bass. They’re not going to wow you with clarity or dynamic sound, but they’re pleasant to listen to, which is all you can ask for in a budget set of earbuds.

Callers said that my voice sounded clearer when I was using the AirPods Pro but the Soundpeats actually reduced more background noise that the AirPods Pro. I was able to have conversations on the noisy streets of New York without a problem.

$30 at Amazon

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Jabra

Jabra Elite 45h

Best budget on-ear headphones

Battery Life

Rated up to 50 hours

Noise Canceling

No

Multipoint

Yes

Headphone Type

On-ear wireless headphones

Water-Resistant

No IP rating

Released in mid-2020, the Jabra Elite 45h was essentially billed as the best on-ear headphone for the money. While there’s nothing terribly fancy about these Bluetooth headphones, they are one of the best on-ear headphone values right now, with good sound quality, a sturdy design and comfortable fit (for on-ear headphones, anyway). Additionally, they perform well as a headset for making calls and includes a sidetone feature that allows you to hear your voice in the headphones so you don’t talk too loudly. Battery life is also good and it has multipoint Bluetooth pairing so you can connect to both your computer and your smartphone at the same time and easily switch between the two should a call come in on your phone (it mostly works).

Available in multiple color options, it lists for $100 but sometimes gets discounted to as low as $60.

Note that the $274 Evolve2 65, which has an integrated boom microphone, is essentially the souped-up office version of these headphones.

$70 at Amazon

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AirPods 3rd Generation

Best Apple open earbuds

Battery Life

Rated up to 6 hours

Noise Canceling

No

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Wireless earbuds

Water-Resistant

Yes (IPX4 — splash-proof)

Take one look at the new design of the third-gen AirPods, and the first thing you’ll probably think is: “Those look like the AirPods Pro without ear tips.” You wouldn’t be wrong. While they’re more fraternal than identical twins, the AirPods 3rd Generation are shaped like the AirPods Pro, with the same shorter stems and same pinch controls as those of the Pro. Aside from the design change, which should fit most ears better than the AirPods 2nd Generation (though not very small ears), the biggest change is to the sound quality: It’s much improved. Also, battery life is better, and the AirPods 3 are officially water-resistant and support Apple’s spatial audio virtual surround feature (for Apple users only).

Like AirPods Pro, the AirPods are top-notch for making voice calls. Callers said they could hear me clearly even with a lot of background noise in the streets of New York City. The only issue is that since they are open earbuds, they let sound in, so you may not be able to hear callers as well as they can hear you in noisier environments.

Read our Apple AirPods 3 review.

$179 at Best Buy

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Samsung Galaxy Buds 2

Best affordable Wireless Earbuds from Samsung

Battery Life

Rated up to 8 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Wireless earbuds

Water-Resistant

Yes (IPX7 — can be submerged for 30 minutes up to 1 meter)

Available in four color options, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 hew more closely to the newer Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy Buds Live, both of which have eye-catching glossy curved designs and the same compact charging case as this new model. In fact, it’s the Buds 2’s design and fit — they’re 15% smaller and 20% lighter than the Buds Plus — that make them a potentially more likable alternative to the slightly better-sounding Buds Pro.

Like the Buds Pro, the Buds 2 are equipped with active noise canceling. That means all the latest Galaxy Buds models now feature some form of active noise canceling, though it’s slight with the Buds Live, which have an open design sans ear tips. While the Buds 2 look more like shrunken versions of the Buds Pro, I found them more akin to the Buds Live in that they barely stick out of your ears and are fairly discreet. Because they sit more flush with your ears — and have that curved design — they also pick up less wind noise.

I found the Buds 2 to be very good for voice calling, with excellent noise reduction during calls. While they don’t have pipes sticking out of them like the AirPods Pro, their microphones manage to pick up your voice well. They’re IPX2 sweat-resistant.

Read our Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 review.

$109 at Amazon

$110 at Best Buy

$110 at Target

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Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3

Best Sennheiser true-wireless

Featuring excellent sound, improved noise canceling and voice-calling performance as well a smaller, more refined design that includes stabilizing fins (so the earbuds stay in your ears more securely), the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 are among the best new true-wireless earbuds for 2022. They’re also one of the best true-wireless earbuds overall, giving the Sony WF-1000XM4 a run for their money.

Read our Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 review.

$198 at Amazon

$200 at Best Buy

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Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

Excellent sounding wireless earbuds buds with stems

Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay EX buds are the company’s best true-wireless earbuds yet. They feature a comfortable, secure fit (except perhaps for those with really smaller ears), top-notch build quality, great sound, good noise canceling and improved voice-calling performance over B&O’s EQ buds, with three microphones in each earbud they help with reducing background noise while picking up your voice. While they’re out of most people’s price range, they’re arguably the best earbuds out there with stems and offer superior sound to the AirPods Pro with better clarity, deeper more powerful bass and richer, more accurate sound.

Battery life is rated at 6 hours at moderate volume levels with noise canceling on and there’s an extra 14 hours of juice in the brushed aluminum charging case (wireless charging is supported). The buds have an IP57 water-resistance rating, which makes them waterproof and dust-resistant. They feature Bluetooth 5.2 and multipoint Bluetooth pairing so you can connect to two devices at the same time, such as a computer and smartphone. You can use a single bud independently and the earbuds have ear-detection sensors so your music pauses when you remove them from your ears.

The buds support aptX Adaptive for devices like Android smartphones that support Bluetooth streaming with the aptX HD audio codec (AAC is also supported). They’re available in the gold tone pictured as well as a graphite color.

$399 at Amazon

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Shokz

Shokz OpenRun Pro

Best bone-conduction headphones

AfterShokz has changed its name to Shokz and released new ninth-gen bone-conduction headphones that offer slightly improved bass performance compared to the company’s earlier flagship model, the Aeropex (now called the Shokz OpenRun). That makes the OpenRun Pro the best bone-conduction headphones you can get right now, although they still can’t match the sound quality of traditional headphones.

Bone conduction wireless headphones don’t go on your ears — they actually deliver sound to your ear through your cheekbones. The big benefit of this technology as a safety feature for running is that, thanks to its open design, you can hear what’s going on around you — traffic noise in particular — while listening to music or having a phone conversation (yes, they perform well for voice calls). Also, some race coordinators don’t allow runners to wear anything in their ears, which is where headphones like this come in handy.

Like the Aeropex, the OpenRun Pro have a lightweight, wraparound titanium frame and are rated for up to 10 hours of music playback and you can get 1.5 hours of battery life from a 5-minute charge (they have a proprietary charging cable instead of USB-C, which is unfortunate). I found them comfortable to wear but you may occasionally have to adjust them on your head to relieve potential pressure points. While they do offer a bit fuller sound with more bass — it’s an incremental improvement, not a huge leap forward — like other bone-conduction headphones these are strongest in the midrange where voices live so they’re good for podcasts, talk radio, newscasts and audiobooks. A hard carrying case is included.

Note that Shokz makes other, more affordable bone-conduction headphones, including the OpenRun, if you don’t want to drop $180 on its current flagship model. Also, for around the same price AfterShokz has the OpenComm, which adds a boom microphone.

$144 at Amazon

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AirPods 2nd Generation

Best older-gen AirPods

Battery Life

Rated up to 5 hours

Noise Canceling

No

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Wireless earbuds

Water-Resistant

Yes (IPX4 — splash-proof)

The third-gen AirPods are a nice upgrade over the second generation. That said, the AirPods 2, which came out in 2019, are now selling for around $100 and sometimes a little less. While they don’t sound as good as the AirPods 3 and have a longer stem, they fit some people’s ears better (those with smaller ears may prefer these older AirPods due to their slightly smaller design). As for voice calling, they remain in the upper echelon for earbuds.

Read our Apple AirPods 2019 review.

$129 at Apple

$147 at Amazon

$100 at Best Buy

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More headphone buying advice

• Best Headphones of 2022
• Best Open Wireless Earbuds that Aren’t AirPods
• Best True Wireless Earbuds of 2022
• Best Noise-Canceling Headphones of 2022
• Protect Your AirPods: 5 Cases Under $20

• Best AirPod Pro Alternatives That Cost Less
• Best Headphones for Running in 2022
• Best AirPods Accessories in 2022
• Best Over-Ear Headphones of 2022

• Best Cheap Headphones in 2022

• Best Apple AirPods Max Alternatives for Less: Sony, Bose, AirPods Pro and More

With the new year just around the corner, it’s a great time to clean up your MacBook and get it running at its best. Or maybe you’ve got a pristine new MacBook and want to explore all it has to offer. Either way, no laptop comes straight out of the box optimized for maximum performance — even one with an Apple logo.

No matter if you have a new MacBook like the M2 MacBook Air or an M2 MacBook Pro, own an earlier M1 MacBook Air or Pro, or you have an older Intel-based MacBook, there are things you can do to improve the experience. A handful of tweaks, tips and fixes you should do on Day 1 or Day 101 that go beyond your default MacBook settings. I’ve put together some of my personal favorites here that will make your device easier to use.

So, after you’ve jumped through the initial screens from the Mac Setup Assistant that had you log in with your Apple ID, connect to a network and so on, consider changing these settings, or at least check them out, on your MacBook. This list is sure to grow, too, now that Apple’s latest desktop OS, MacOS Ventura, has arrived.

Read more: The Quickest Way to Transfer Your Files, Apps and More From Your Old MacBook

Check for updates

Has Apple released an update to MacOS since it built your MacBook? Find out by clicking the Apple button in the upper-left corner of your screen and then clicking About This Mac. You should be staring at the General tab of the About This Mac window. If so, click the Software Update button, which will launch the System Preferences to check for updates.

Optimize battery charging

If your MacBook is going to spend most of its time plugged in, you’ll definitely want to change this setting. MacOS can learn your charging habits to reduce battery aging. Click on the battery icon on the menu bar at the top of your display and select Battery Preferences from the drop-down menu. (If you don’t see a battery icon, go to System Preferences > Energy Saver and check the box for Show battery status in menu bar.) At the bottom of the list of options, select Optimized battery charging. This will slow down your charging once the battery hits 80%.

Read more: Best iPhone 14 Fast Chargers at the Lowest Prices We Can Find

Set up Siri

Siri should be enabled by default, but if you would prefer to use Siri only on your iPhone, then you can disable Siri by going to System Preferences > Siri and unchecking the box for Enable Ask Siri. If you plan on using Siri frequently, then you can use this Siri window to choose Siri’s voice, language and a keyboard shortcut.

Customize the Touch Bar

If you have one of the last remaining Intel-based MacBook Pro or 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro models with the Touch Bar, then head to System Preferences > Keyboard and click the Customize Touch Bar button and then simply drag the buttons you want to show up on the default view of the Touch Bar to the Touch Bar below the display. Don’t worry, they’ll make the leap from your display across the hinge and to the Touch Bar.

Sync folders via iCloud

I find it incredibly useful to sync the Desktop and Documents folders between my two Macs and my iOS devices. To sync these two folders, go to System Preferences > Apple ID and click iCloud in the left column and check the box next to iCloud Drive. Click Options next to iCloud Drive and select Desktop and Documents folders.

Choose default browser

Even though it uses more system resources than Safari, I use Chrome instead of Safari because the favicons help me keep track of all of my open tabs. To set a default browser, go to System Preferences > General and make a selection other than Safari for Default web browser.

Read more: Best MacBook Air M2 Charger: Which One Should I Get?

Set scrolling direction

A MacBook’s “natural” scrolling direction doesn’t feel natural to me. If you want the two-finger swipe gesture to scroll vertically in the opposite way, head to System Preferences > Trackpad and click on the Scroll & Zoom tab. Next, uncheck the box for Scroll direction: Natural.

Add and remove items from Dock

Apple throws a number of stock apps into the Dock at the bottom of the screen. You can make room for the apps you use most frequently by removing others you don’t need in the Dock. To remove an app from the Dock, simply click on its icon in the Dock and drag it to the desktop until you see Remove appear above the icon and then let go. Poof, it’s gone! To add an app to the Dock, open it and then right-click on its icon in the Dock and mouse over the Option line in the menu and click Keep in Dock.

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Move the Dock

The Dock sits at the bottom of your screen, but on a widescreen MacBook display, you might find it better to have it on the side. To move the Dock, go to System Preferences > Dock & Menu Bar and choose either Left or Right for Position on Screen. While you’re there, you can also drag a slider to adjust the size of the Dock. You can also make it disappear from view when you aren’t using it by checking the box for Automatically hide and show the Dock.

Show battery percentage

Like an iPhone, a MacBook displays a small battery icon at the top of the display to show how much battery power remains. It’s more helpful if next to this icon the percentage of battery you have left is also displayed. To show the percentage, go to System Preferences > Dock & Menu Bar and choose Battery from the left column. Check the box next to Show Percentage and it should instantly appear next to the battery icon on the Menu Bar.

Pro MacBook tip!

A spare laptop charger comes in really handy but Apple sells its MacBook adapters at a premium. However, you don’t have to use an Apple adapter to power up your MacBook via one of its USB-C ports. Instead, go with a less expensive third-party charger and keep one in your laptop bag and one at home. Just be sure to get an adapter that puts out at least the same amount of power as the one included with your MacBook.

$39 at RAVpower

Stop auto-play videos

Safari now combats two of the bigger internet annoyances: autoplay videos and ad trackers. Ad tracking is stopped by default, but there is a global setting for stopping autoplay videos that you’ll want to enable. Open Safari’s Preferences and click on the Websites tab. Choose Auto-Play from the left panel and for When visiting other websites at the bottom of the window, select Never Auto-Play or Stop Media with Sound (if you are OK with muted videos playing) and sit back and rejoice in the silence.

Work the Night Shift

Staring at a blue-light screen before bed can shift your body’s natural clock and make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. With Apple’s Night Shift feature, the colors of your display are shifted to the warmer end of the spectrum during the evening hours. Head to System Preferences > Displays and click the Night Shift tab. You can set Night Shift to come on from sunset to sunrise, or you can select a custom time period. Use the slider to adjust the color temperature of the effect between less warm and more. Once you start using Night Shift, you’ll wonder how you ever sat in front of a cold, blue screen in the evening hours.

Make your desktop dynamic

With MacOS Mojave, Apple introduced a dynamic wallpaper that slowly changes its lighting throughout the day, going from a bright, sunny desert scene during the day and transitioning to a cool, dark screen at night. You can find it by going to System Preferences > Desktop & Screen Saver. While Mojave started out with just two dynamic wallpapers — Mojave and Solar Gradients — there are now several to choose from and sites where you can download more.

Try out dark mode

MacOS Mojave also delivered an honest-to-goodness dark mode for Macs. Go to System Preferences > General and you’ll see the Light and Dark options at the top for Appearance. On most apps, dark mode turns the background black and text white. Want to use both Light and Dark options? Select Auto and buttons, menus and windows will change throughout the day.

Set hours for Do Not Disturb

Along with overly blue screens, notifications have no place in my home after a certain hour. As with iOS, MacOS lets you disable notifications in the evening so you aren’t disturbed while watching Netflix or sleeping. Go to System Preferences > Notifications and check the box Turn on Do Not Disturb. By default, it’s set for the hours of 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. but you can set your own Do Not Disturb Window. There are options to enable the feature when your MacBook’s display is sleeping or when you are mirroring the display to a TV or projector (and presumably watching a movie or show or video). You can also let calls come through (if you use your MacBook to answer calls) or just repeated calls, which might mean there is an emergency or something urgent to which you may need to respond.

Set app download tolerance level

If you want to download apps from the web at large and not just from the Mac App Store, you’ll need to tell MacOS to loosen up on the reins a bit. Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy, click the General tab and then click the lock in the lower-left corner and enter your password to make changes. Next, for Allow apps downloaded from, choose App Store and identified developers.

More from 12 Days of Tips

• You Should Be Using These iPad Features
• Change These Settings to Make Your Apple Watch Work Even Better
• AirPods Tips And Tricks That Every Owner Should Know About

Choose how quickly your MacBook locks

While on the Security & Privacy page, you can set the length of time your MacBook can sit idle before the screen locks. It’s more convenient to set a longer time but also less secure. The time period to set here doesn’t start ticking until the screen saver begins, so you also need to set the length of time before your screen saver kicks in. Go to System Preferences > Desktop & Screen Saver and you can select the style of your screen saver and also the time by using the drop-down menu at the top of the window.

You can play most PlayStation 4 games on the PlayStation 5 thanks to the Sony console’s excellent backward compatibility feature. But a few publishers allow you to upgrade PS4 games to the PS5 versions for free. This lets you play with 4K dynamic resolution at 60 frames per second and delivers shorter loading times, making for a smoother gaming experience with less waiting around.

The most recent major title to get the upgrade treatment is the classic 2015 role-playing game The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt, which added ray tracing and 60 frames per second performance modes (it’s also available for the Xbox Series X|S and PC versions). This came after developer CD Projekt Red announced a remake of the first game, and before TV prequel spinoff Blood Origin is due to hit Netflix on Dec. 25.

The developer’s other major game, Cyberpunk 2077, got its next-gen update earlier this year after stirring up controversy when it was released in 2020, due to major performance issues.

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$34 at Amazon

Getting to next-gen

The PS5 has been going in and out of stock at retailers since it launched in 2020. The digital-only model costs $400, and the one with a disc drive is $500.

Your game upgrades won’t happen automatically or through a typical game update, so it’s easy to accidentally keep playing the PS4 version of a game on your new PS5. You have to go to the game page on the PlayStation Network and choose to upgrade to the PS5 version. That’ll download the extra data needed for the next-gen features.

Read more: PS5 restocks: When to expect the console to appear

You can also upgrade to PS5 versions if you have a physical PS4 game, as long as you bought the PS5 with a disc drive. You’ll always need to use the PS4 disc to play the PS5 version; upgrading doesn’t get you a free digital copy of the game. You’ll still download the PS5 update from the PSN, but you won’t need a PS5-specific disc — your PS4 one will become an authenticator.

If you opted for the digital-only PS5 and have a disc, you’re out of luck. There are a few more limitations and caveats:

• Some PS5 versions of current PS4 games aren’t out yet.
• Next-gen versions will be bigger files, so they’ll take up more precious memory on the console’s SSD.
• You’ll end up with a fresh list of trophies (each version’s list is separate).
• A few games’ saves won’t transfer, and some require you to upload your save manually from the PS4 version before you can access it on PS5.
• Some game upgrades are available only in cross-gen bundles or special editions.

First-party policy change

Sony initially said 2022 exclusive Horizon Forbidden West wouldn’t let you upgrade from the PS4 to the PS5 version for free unless you bought the more expensive Digital Deluxe, Collector’s or Regalla Edition. It later reversed course, saying anyone who bought the PS4 version would be entitled to a free PS5 upgrade.

However, PlayStation boss Jim Ryan also confirmed that upgrading future first-party games will come at a price.

“Moving forward, PlayStation first-party exclusive cross-gen titles (newly releasing on PS4 & PS5)-both digital and physical*-will offer a $10 digital upgrade option from PS4 to PS5,” he wrote a blog post. “This will apply to the next God of War and Gran Turismo 7, and any other exclusive cross-gen PS4 & PS5 title published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.”

Free upgrades you can get now

• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
• Atelier Ryza 2

• Borderlands 3
• Bugsnax
• Cyberpunk 2077 (PS4 save doesn’t transfer)

• Dead by Daylight
• Destiny 2

• DIRT 5
• Doom Eternal (save doesn’t transfer)

• Far Cry 6

• FIFA 21
• Final Fantasy 7 Remake
• Fortnite
• Ghostrunner

• Guilty Gear Strive

• Hitman 3 (digital version only)
• Horizon Forbidden West

• Immortals Fenyx Rising

• Kena: Bridge of Spirits

• King Oddball
• Little Nightmares 2

• Madden NFL 21

• Maneater
• Marvel’s Avengers

• Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
• Metro Exodus

• Mortal Kombat 11
• Nioh
• No Man’s Sky
• Outriders

• Planet Coaster
• Praey for the Gods

• Resident Evil 2
• Resident Evil 3
• Resident Evil 7
• Resident Evil Village
• RIDE 4

• Riders Republic

• Sackboy: A Big Adventure
• Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order

• The Pathless
• The Elder Scrolls Online

• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege

• Watch Dogs Legion
• WRC 9
• Yakuza: Like a Dragon

Some upgrades will require you to pay or buy a specific (more expensive) version of the game:

• Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is upgradable only if you buy the $70 cross-gen bundle or the $90 Ultimate Edition. The PS5 version costs $70; the PS4 version is $60.
• Death Stranding Director’s Cut costs $10 if you upgrade from the PS4 version.

• Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut costs $30 if you upgrade from the original PS4 version.
• Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered is available only with the $70 Miles Morales Ultimate Edition. It’s not technically an upgrade, but you’ll be able to transfer your save from the PS4 version.

Having clinched the NFC West for the first time since 2019, the San Francisco 49ers will be looking to extend their seven-game winning streak as they take on the Washington Commanders in this Christmas Eve clash. Quarterback Brock Purdy has been in unstoppable form, but comes into this game nursing a rib injury sustained in his side’s 13-21 victory over the Seahawks last Thursday.

Purdy and company now face a Commanders side that is still hopeful of reaching the playoffs despite struggling on offense. They were left ruing a succession of blown chances in the red zone against the Giants last Sunday, with the pressure now very much on quarterback Taylor Heinicke to deliver. Kickoff in Santa Clara is set for 4.05 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT) on CBS.

The game will be shown on TV in the San Francisco and Washington areas (according to 506 Sports) on live TV streaming services, but there may be cases where you’re blocked because of an internet location glitch or just want an added layer of privacy for streaming. There’s an option that won’t require you to subscribe to something like NFL Sunday Ticket or NFL Plus, or search the internet for a sketchy website: a virtual private network, or VPN.

Here’s how you can watch the game from anywhere in the US with a VPN.

Read more: NFL 2022: How to Watch, Livestream Every Game Live Without Cable

Commanders vs. 49ers game today: When and where?

For Week 16 of the NFL season, the 49ers are hosting the Commanders at 4.05 p.m. ET (1.05 p.m. PT) on CBS. The game is set to take place in California at Levi’s Stadium.

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How to watch the Commanders vs. 49ers game online from anywhere using a VPN

If you find yourself unable to view the game locally due to incorrectly applied blackout restrictions, you may need a different way to watch the game and that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, plus it’s a great idea for when you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.

With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, nonblackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.

Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US and Canada, as long as you’ve got a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.

Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.

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ExpressVPN

Best VPN for streaming

ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $13 per month, and you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 49% plus get three months of access for free — the equivalent of $6.67 per month — if you get an annual subscription.

Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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Livestream the Commanders vs. 49ers game in the US

This week’s Commanders-49ers game is on CBS, so in addition to a VPN you’ll need a live TV streaming service that carries a local CBS affiliate that’s broadcasting the game. The least expensive such service is Paramount Plus. You’ll need to be subscribed to Paramount Plus’ Essential or Premium plans to be able to watch the game (or an older “limited commercials” plan).

Paramount Plus

Watch the NFL on CBS for $5 per month

Paramount Plus has two main options: Essential for $5 per month ($50 per year if paying annually) and Premium for $10 per month ($100 per year if paying annually). Both offer live NFL games, though the cheaper Essential option lacks live CBS feeds, ad-free content for on-demand streaming or the ability to download shows to watch offline later.

Since either option works for the NFL games, if all you want is football, the cheaper Essential option would be the way to go.

Read our Paramount Plus review.

See at Paramount Plus

Numerous other live TV streaming services carry local CBS stations as well, namely YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, DirecTV Stream and FuboTV. They all cost more than Paramount Plus, but they also carry more channels, including football-specific channels like Fox, ESPN, NFL Network and/or RedZone. Check out our live TV streaming channel guide for details.

Quick tips for streaming Commanders vs. 49ers game using a VPN

• With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — experience and success may vary.
• We tested the game successfully using an ExpressVPN server in San Francisco, so that’s one location you could choose to watch the game.
• If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
• If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
• All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
• And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.

How we test VPN streaming for Saturday NFL games

For every game, we use a combination of ExpressVPN and either Paramount Plus (for CBS games) or Sling TV Blue (for Fox games). Using the maps on 506 Sports, we determine which servers are nearby and connect to one, then launch the streaming service and tune to the local CBS or Fox affiliate. If the channel comes through, it’s successful and we report the results above. We also screenshot the relevant program guide listing (see above) on either the local CBS affiliate’s website or Sling TV.

Every year, Apple’s new iPhones become more and more advanced, yet they still don’t include everything you need in the box. Apple has removed mobile accessories from the box little by little over the years, and nowadays, you pretty much just get a cable and that’s it — how long until you don’t even get that? That’s why you should invest in a high-quality fast charger that you can keep and continue to use as you upgrade your phone.

Apple’s 20-watt USB-C power adapter sells for $18, which is about $11 less than its overpriced and discontinued 18-watt USB-C power adapter. But several attractive alternatives can be considered among the best iPhone chargers. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite Apple device chargers to give a boost to your battery life. A few quick ground rules before we start:

• You’ll need a charger with a USB-C port, or you’ll need to get a USB-A-to-USB-C adapter. At the prices below, you might as well just get a new charger for your Apple product.
• Chargers with USB-C or PD (power delivery) support can generally charge devices faster than chargers with USB-A ports.
• Two ports are always better than one, allowing you to charge two phones at once, or a phone and an accessory like wireless headphones.
• Higher wattage is better up to a point. But getting 18 watts or better will allow you to charge tablets and even a Nintendo Switch. Get 65 watts or more and you can charge most newer laptops, too.
• Many of these new chargers use a new, fast semiconductor material called gallium nitride, aka GaN, that is replacing the old, slow, silicon chip. Chargers with “GaNFast” have a charging speed up to three times faster than traditional chargers — and they’rehalf the size and weight. They’re compatible with everything in today’s Apple range, from AirPods and iPhones all the way to the big 16-inch MacBook Pro. They might not be optimal for models older than the iPhone 12, though.
• Every charger here can also juice up an Android phone (so long as you supply a compatible charging cord or USB cable) as well as a Nintendo Switch.

While there are a plethora of charging brands available, including some generic ones on Amazon that offer 20-watt USB-C chargers for as low as $13 for a three-pack, we can broadly recommend three phone-charger brands: Anker, Aukey and RAVPower. All three have similar offerings at similar wattage, and prices fluctuate almost daily. Our latest Apple iPhone favorites are below, including some power bank (battery), wireless, charging stand and car options. We’ve used all of these over the past few months (or their direct predecessors).

None of these incorporate the new Apple MagSafe charger technology — an upgrade from the Lightning connector. That’s brand-new and will have a price premium for the foreseeable future — don’t expect to pay less than $37.

We’ve tested most, but not all, of these chargers with the previous-generation iPhone 12 and iPhone 13. We’ll update this periodically with more current picks for the new iPhone 14 so you can find a great deal on one of the best iPhone charger options you can grab to stay powered up.

Note that in May and June, most RAVPower, Aukey and Mpow products disappeared from Amazon amid reports that the retailer was cracking down on fake reviews. Many of those products remain available at ravpower.com and aukey.com, but their prices tended to be a little lower on Amazon.

Read more: Best iPhone 14 Cases So Far

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Anker Nano II 30W

Latest and greatest micro charger

The Anker Nano II 30W is a next-generation fast charger powered by gallium nitride (GaN II) technology. It’s about the same size as the original 20W Nano charger but delivers more fast charging power. The Nano II will not only charge your phone but a MacBook Air, iPad, and other Apple devices. Anker also sells 45- and 65-watt chargers. Read our first take on Anker Nano II chargers.

$34 at Walmart

$34 at Amazon

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Anker Nano (PowerPort III)

Tiny 20W USB-C PD charger

Anker’s Nano is literally the size of old Apple’s 5-watt USB charger that used to ship with iPhones but offers 20-watt charging. Featuring Anker’s PowerIQ 3.0 technology, it charges more than 2.5x faster than that 5-watt charger (with a USB-C-to-Lightning cable). It was recently upgraded from 18 to 20 watts.

$31 at Walmart

$19 at Amazon

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Spigen ArcStation Pro

Micro 20W charger with foldable plug

A GaNFast charger, Spigen’s 20-watt ArcStation Pro is one of the smallest fast-charging USB-C chargers you’ll find. While the Anker Nano is a bit smaller, it doesn’t have a foldable plug like this model. Using a USB-C-to-Lightning cable, it charges close to three times faster than Apple’s standard 5-watt USB charger.

$18 at Amazon

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RAVPower 30W 2-Port USB-C Fast Charger (with USB-A)

Value dual-port charger with USB-C to Lightning cable

This 30-watt, dual-port charger delivers the full 30 watts of juice if used alone and 18 watts if used while charging a second device via the USB-A port, which delivers 12 watts of charging. It’s a GaNFast charger, and it includes a USB-C to Lightning cable. It’s on sale for $26, and you can save an extra 30% when you use the promo code NL144 at checkout.

$31 at RAVPower

Amazon

Anker 30W PowerPort Atom III Slim USB-C Charger

Ultraslim USB-C charger

This svelte Anker 30-watt charger with foldable plugs is pocket friendly and can charge your iPhone impressively fast with a USB-C-to-Lighting cable. Like many other compact chargers, this uses gallium nitride (or GaN) technology.

$24 at Walmart

$20 at Amazon

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Ainope Mini Fast USB Car Charger

Best cheap car charger

I originally had an Aukey cigarette-lighter power adapter on this list, but it’s out of stock and this low-profile Ainope mini fast USB Car Charger offers even faster charging (up 24 watts) and costs less. It has both a USB-C and USB-A port so you can charge two devices at the same time, but to get 15-watt wireless charging, you’re going to be better off charging one device.

$17 at Amazon

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Baseus 100W GaN II Fast Charger

Compact 100W USB-C charger

Yes, a 100-watt charger is overkill for charging your phone. But if you want a charger that can charge any USB-C laptop, including the 16-inch MacBook Pro (which happens to be my work computer), the new Baseus 100W GaN II Fast Charger with Qualcomm Quick Charge 5.0 is the latest and greatest high-wattage fast charging USB-C charger. As its name implies, it features GaN II technology. It’s both significantly smaller than earlier 100-watt chargers and more energy efficient, so it doesn’t heat up as much. It adapts to whatever device you’re charging, delivering the highest charging speed that the device is capable of.

$53 at Amazon

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Nimble Wally Mini

Best environmentally friendly charger

Nimble is all about making its products from recycled plastics, and not having any plastic in its packaging. Its Wally Mini is a dual-port 20-watt PD charger with fast-charging capabilities. You can charge two devices at once, but to get to top charging speed for your iPhone you’ll need to connect it using a USB-C-to-Lightning cable (to the USB-C port) without having any other devices connected to the USB-A port.

It has retractable prongs, is quite compact and also feels pretty light. If you didn’t know it was made out of recycled plastic, you might not guess that it was. But since I did know, I did think, “Yes, this feels like recycled plastic.” Not that it feels bad, but it does look and feel a little different.

Nimble also includes a bag in the box for your e-waste items. If your old electronics product is on Nimble’s list of approved electronics for recycling, you can print out a free shipping label to send in your gear for recycling.

$25 at Nimble

Amazon

RAVPower Fast Wireless Charger

Best cheap fast wireless charging pad

No, this isn’t a fancy new MagSafe charger — but it doesn’t cost $60, either. I like this RAVPower charging pad because it’s relatively inexpensive and comes with a power adapter that allows you to get the faster 10-watt wireless charging speeds (some top out at 7.5 watts, and a lot of cheap wireless charging pads don’t include a power adapter).

$33 at RAVPower

Amazon

RAVPower 65W PD Charger

Solid all-around charger

Another good choice in the best all-around wall charger category is RAVPower’s 65-watt dual-port charger. It’s very similar to the Aukey and often costs within a few bucks of the same price. This is also a GaNFast charger.

$40 at RAVPower

Amazon

Aukey Omnia 65W Dual Port

Good charge-anything charger

Another GaNFast charge, this compact 65-watt USB-C charger will not only charge your iPhone at maximum speed (if you spring for a USB-C-to-Lightning cable), it also charges most USB-C charging laptops. Additionally, you can charge a second device via the USB-A port.

$40 at Aukey

Amazon

Aukey Wireless Power Bank with 18W PD

Power bank wireless portable charger

This Power Bank from Aukey has both wired and wireless charging options. If you use the USB-C port, you can get 18 watts of charging. Go wireless and lay your phone on the charging dock battery and it will wirelessly charge at 10 watts, which is where the iPhone currently maxes out for wireless charging. You’re paying a premium, but this phone charger unit has a massive battery (20,000 mAh), a built-in kickstand and a digital readout listing the remaining charge. It comes with a USB-A-to-USB-C cable, but you’ll need to supply an adapter to charge it.

$50 at Aukey

Amazon

Aukey mini chargers

Budget USB-C charger under $15

Looking for a compact single-port fast-charger? Aukey has a number of options that won’t put a dent in your bank account.

See at Aukey

Amazon

Anker PowerCore Fusion III 5K PD (Update: Currently unavailable)

Best wall charger that doubles as a power bank

Why carry around both a power adapter and a portable battery when you can have both in one device? We loved the earlier version of this model, and now it’s back with both USB-A and USB-C ports, with power up to 18 watts. Yes, it’s bigger and heavier than most of the power adapters on this list, because it does have that integrated battery.

$42 at Amazon

More iPhone recommendations

• Best Cases for All iPhone 13 Models
• Best Eco-Friendly iPhone 12 and 12 Pro Cases
• Best iPhone in 2022: Which of Apple’s Phones is Right for You?

Having unboxed and set up many MacBooks over many years, there’s one setting that drives me up the wall. So if you’re buying a new MacBook or got a new model for the holidays, you should always try clicking a few boxes in the System Preferences menu.

This trick will work in everything from the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro to the new M2 13-inch MacBook Pro and M2 MacBook Air, as well as older MacBooks.

M2 MacBook Air

$1,164 at Amazon

One of the best things about MacBooks has always been the huge glass trackpad, which always felt more responsive and offered more surface area than the touchpad on most Windows laptops. The difference has narrowed over the years, but it’s still hard to beat a Mac trackpad. However, it makes me nuts to see (and hear) people clicking down on their touchpads to do anything. Guess what? These touchpads haven’t physically depressed when clicked on for years. Instead a clever bit of haptic feedback makes it feel like you’ve clicked down.

Windows laptops have long been set up for tap-to-click, which means a simple tap of your finger works the same way as a left mouse button (or ancient touchpad button) click would. A two-finger tap is the equivalent of a right mouse button click.

But every time I set up a new Mac, I spend several moments tapping on things with no effect, because MacOS has tap-to-click turned off by default. Why? I’m assuming it’s just to make my life more difficult. Fortunately, it’s easy to fix. And if you’re a determined clicker and have no intention of becoming a tapper, that’s OK — change these settings and you can still click away, but now the tapping will work, too.

As a bonus, while we’re doing this we’re going to turn on both Exposé, which is a useful multifinger gesture, and tap-and-drag, which is a much easier way to move things like folders around on the screen.

Fix Apple’s dumb default touchpad settings

• System Preferences > Trackpad > Point & Click > Check the checkbox for Tap to click (which is unchecked by default).
• System Preferences > Trackpad > More Gestures > Check the checkbox for App Exposé (fifth checkbox from the top).
• System Preferences > Accessibility > Pointer Control > Trackpad Options > Check the checkbox for Enable dragging (without drag lock).

The instructions above work if you’re using MacOS Monterey or earlier OS versions. If you’re using the new MacOS Ventura system, expected to be widely available in the fall of 2022, the instructions are mostly the same, but you’ll be accessing the new System Settings menu, rather than the older System Preferences menu.

That’s it, your MacBook is now set up in a logical way.

We’re just a day away from Christmas, so if you’re reading this you’re probably trying to find a thoughtful gift you can send to someone easily. Fortunately, there are a ton of digital gifts that won’t compromise quality and will still make someone happy on Christmas day. With a little bit of know-how, you can pick up one or two gifts for your family and friends without them knowing that you shopped last-minute.

To make your shopping experience easier, we have a roundup of gifts you can deliver digitally from subscriptions to gift cards for just about anyone on your list.

Atlas Coffee Club

Atlas Coffee Club subscription

When you enjoy drinking coffee, there is nothing better than the flavor of it in the morning. Give that coffee drinker in your life the tastiest cup of coffee with an Atlas Coffee Club subscription. Three-, six- or 12-month subscriptions are available, with the six-month option being the most popular at $99. Customize this subscription with options for whole bean, ground and Keurig pods as well as the roast type and bags per shipment.

See at Atlas Coffee Club

Fresh n’ Lean

Fresh N Lean gift card

Meal kits are all the rage. If you want the best meal kit service we’ve ever tried check out Fresh N Lean. You’ll get pre-made meals that are portioned and fit with a number of food needs. Give your friends and family access to Fresh N Lean, with a gift card for as low as $100 and up to $200 that they can use towards meal plans or a la carte.

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Bokksu gift card

While you can’t send a subscription box to a friend, you can get them the next best thing, a gift card they can use to buy their own subscription box. Values start at $50 and go up to $500. With this gift card, your loved one can get curated Japanese snacks for a taste of Japan each month.

See at Bokksu

Harry’s

Harry’s gift card

Grooming habits for men are just as important as they are for women. For the man who loves perfectly coiffed hair and using high-quality razors, this is the gift for them. You can enter increments of 20 (starting at $20) or a custom price and send it via email or text message.

See at Harry’s

Atlas

Atlas Tea Club subscription

Know someone who prefers tea instead of coffee? If so, Atlas Tea Club has them covered with three-, six- and 12-month subscriptions that serve up sampler, herbal, black or green tea to suit any tastes. (The six-month option is the most popular.) If you want to get more bang for your buck, get the six-month subscription for $99.

See at Atlas Tea Club

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Masterclass subscription

If there is someone in your life who loves learning something new, pick up a Masterclass subscription for them. Right now, you can get two memberships for the price of one. That’s literally a free subscription (instead of $15 a month for each individual membership) to learn from experts and celebrities in the industry.

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Disney+

Disney Plus subscription

Provide a family member the gift of nostalgia and wonder with a Disney Plus bundle subscription. With this bundle, they’ll have access to Disney originals such as Andor all for $110.

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Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone lifetime subscription

Learning a language can be done online and at your own time these days. If you know someone who wants to learn a new language in 2023, give them lifetime access to all 25 languages for $179.

See at Rosetta Stone

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Amazon Prime subscription

Didn’t think you could give someone an Amazon Prime membership did you? Well, you can! With an Amazon Prime membership, your favorite person will have access to millions of items and products from shopping to award-winning shows. You can choose to give a three month subscription for $45 or the 12-month subscription for $139.

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Sephora

Sephora gift card

People love skin care, hair care and other essentials for self-care. Splurge a little and get them a gift card that gives them the option to shop hundreds of beauty products to support their beauty routines.

See at Sephora

Microsoft

Game subscriptions

Getting access to Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus or Nintendo Switch Online will give your friends and family the opportunity to play games online, get special perks and day of releases. Pick up one of these gift cards so they can buy the subscription orgames easily.

$30 at Target

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Sam’s Club

Sam’s Club membership

This $20 one-year membership has so many perks. Not only does this membership work for an additional person, but there’s savings on pharmacy, optical, tires and more. Plus, there are bonus offers on dining and subscriptions outside of Sam’s club.

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Headspace subscription

Learning how to relax your mind is a hard thing to do for a lot of people. Using Headspace, that can get a lot easier with mindfulness tools and guided meditation. Right now, you can get these gifts for 25% off.

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Uncommon Goods

Uncommon Experiences classes

Sometimes you come across someone who has everything. This is when you should turn to more creative gifts such as learning mixology, crafting and even mastering knife skills. With Uncommon Good’s Uncommon Experiences, you can surprise a loved one with something new at an affordable price.

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Apple

Apple gift card

Give this gift card to an Apple fan so they can spend it all on Apple products. You can get this gift card starting at $15, but you can spend up to $200 too. Whoever gets this card can spend it on anything, including Apple gear and music.

$25 at Best Buy

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Starbucks gift card

There are plenty of people who can’t live without their favorite Starbucks drinks. Help them out by giving them a gift card starting at $15. You also have the option to purchase the gift card for $25, $50 and $100 if you choose.

See at Target