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5 digital cleanup hacks you didn’t know you needed

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5 digital cleanup hacks you didn’t know you needed

Let’s face it, our digital lives get messy. 

Whether it’s thousands of unread emails, random screenshots cluttering your desktop or a downloads folder that’s basically a graveyard, the digital gunk adds up fast. But cleaning it all up doesn’t have to be overwhelming. 

With a few smart automations and tools, you can tidy up your tech and keep things running smoothly, without lifting a finger every week.

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A woman staring at her laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Here’s your digital detox starter pack

1. Auto-archive or auto-delete old emails

Still holding on to newsletters from 2017? Set up filters to automatically archive or delete emails that are older than six months or from specific senders.

For Gmail users 

Search for old messages:

  • In Gmail, type “older_than:6m” in the search bar.
  • In Outlook, sort by date or use Advanced Find to locate older emails manually.

Set up automatic cleanup:

  • In Gmail, click the sliders icon in the search bar, then select “Create filter.”
  • Choose “Skip the Inbox (Archive it)” or “Delete it.”
  • Then click “Also Apply to matching future emails.”
  • Then tap “Create Filter.”

For Outlook users 

  • In Outlook, go to “File” > “Manage Rules & Alerts” > “New Rule.”
  • Start from “Apply rule on messages I receive.”
  • Filter by sender or subject, then set an action like moving to a folder or deleting.

For longer-term automation in Outlook:

  • Use AutoArchive under “File” > “Options” > “Advanced.”
  • Define what counts as old and choose whether to archive or delete those messages.

For AOL users 

Search for old messages:

  • Use the search bar at the top of your inbox and type “before:01/01/2024” (adjust the date as needed).
  • Then select “Search in Mail” from the dropdown menu.

Set up automatic cleanup:

  • Unfortunately, AOL Mail doesn’t offer advanced filters like Gmail or Outlook.
  • Instead, select multiple emails manually using the checkboxes, then click Delete or Move to archive them.
  • Pro tip: You can sort by sender or date to make bulk actions easier.

For Yahoo users 

Search for old messages:

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  • In Yahoo Mail, type “before:2024/01/01” in the search bar to find messages before a specific date.

Set up automatic cleanup:

  • Yahoo doesn’t offer true automatic filters for deleting old emails by age, but you can:Click the three-dot icon on the left-hand menu.Go to Settings (gear icon) > Personalize your inbox > then toggle on “inbox categories.”Set a filter to move certain emails to folders, then manually delete or archive from there.For manual cleanup, sort by date or sender and bulk delete/archive as needed.
  • Click the three-dot icon on the left-hand menu.
  • Go to Settings (gear icon) > Personalize your inbox > then toggle on “inbox categories.”
  • Set a filter to move certain emails to folders, then manually delete or archive from there.
  • For manual cleanup, sort by date or sender and bulk delete/archive as needed.

It’s out of sight, out of mind.

HOW TO REMOVE YOUR PRIVATE DATA FROM THE INTERNET 

2. Clean up your photo album

Sort and delete screenshots and duplicate photos

Screenshots, burst photos and accidental snaps can take up more space than you’d expect. Here’s how to clean things up, whether you’re on Team iPhone or Android.

How to find screenshots:

On iPhone

  • Click the Photos app.
  • Scroll down and tap Media Types.
  • Tap Screenshots. This will show all your screenshots in one place.

Sorting screenshots

  • In the Screenshots album, you can tap the up/down arrow on the bottom left to reveal sorting and filtering options.
  • Now you can click “Sort by Oldest First,” “Sort by Newest First” or “Filter.”

Remove duplicates:

  • Open the Photos app.
  • Go to Albums and scroll down to Utilities, then click on Duplicates.
  • Tap Merge to automatically combine identical photos and save space.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

On Android

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Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer. 

Find screenshots:

  • Open the Photos or Files app
  • Look for a folder labeled Screenshots (location may vary by device or Android version)
  • Open screenshots in grid view and manually long-press to select and delete multiple images at once

Find duplicates:

  • Open the Photos or File app and go to the Clean tab
  • Tap it to review and delete duplicate photos, blurry images and other junk
  • Confirm deletion to reclaim storage

Note: Steps may vary slightly based on your iOS version or Android device.

An Apple desktop computer on a desk (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

TIDY UP YOUR TECH: SPRING CLEANING TIPS FOR SAFEGUARDING YOUR DATA

3. Automate your downloads folder

Set it and forget it
Every file you’ve ever opened? Probably still hanging out in your Downloads. Luckily, both Macs and PCs offer built-in tools to keep them clean.

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Mac:

  • Click on Finder in the dock.
  • Scroll down to applications and click Automator.
  • Choose “Folder Action” when prompted.
  • At the top, set “Folder Action receives files and folders added to”Downloads.
  • In the search bar, find and drag in “Filter Finder Items.”
  • Next, add “Move Finder Items to Trash” or choose a different folder.
  • Save the workflow. Your Mac will now automatically clean up files older than 30 days. Set it to: Date Last Openedis not in the last30 days.

PC: 

  • Turn on Storage Sense via Settings > System > Storage > Configure Storage Sense. Set it to clean up downloads after 30 days.

You’ll never have to manually empty that folder again.

4. Create a ‘junk drawer’ photo album

Keep the clutter, but corral it
Instead of letting random screenshots, receipts, memes and throwaway photos pile up in your main library, give them a home you don’t need to maintain. It’s like a digital junk drawer.

On iPhone:

  • Open the Photos app.
  • Go to the Albums tab.
  • Tap thein the top-left corner and select “New Album.”
  • Name it something like “Junk” or “Throwaways.”
  • When reviewing photos, tap Select, choose the ones you don’t need long term, then tap Add To and move them into your “Junk” album.

On Android (Google Photos):

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer. 

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  • Open the Google Photos app.
  • Tap Library+ New Album.
  • Name the album “Junk” or “Throwaways.”
  • While browsing your photos, tap and hold to select multiple images, then tap the three-dot menu and choose Add to album.

Why this helps:

  • Makes it easy to batch-delete throwaways when you’re low on space.
  • Keeps your main photo library clean and easier to navigate.
  • Creates a mental cue during photo reviews; if you wouldn’t miss it, send it to Junk.

A man scrolling on his smartphone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

HOW TO REMOVE MY LOCATION FROM PHOTOS TO STAY SAFE

5. Rotate and strengthen old passwords

Use a password manager to audit your logins
Old passwords are digital skeletons in the closet. A password manager can help you find weak, reused or outdated passwords and suggest stronger ones.

When it comes to choosing the best password manager for you, here are some of my top tips:

  • Deploys secure.
  • Works seamlessly across all of your devices.
  • Creates unique complicated passwords that are different for every account.
  • Automatically populates login and password fields for apps and sites you revisit.
  • It has a browser extension for all browsers you use to automatically insert passwords for you.
  • Allows a fail-safe in case the primary password is ever lost or forgotten.
  • Checks that your existing passwords remain safe and alerts you if ever compromised.
  • Uses two-factor authentication security.

Get more details about my best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 here.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Taking control of your digital clutter isn’t just about esthetics, it’s about efficiency and peace of mind. Setting up filters in Gmail and Outlook automatically helps clear out emails you don’t need. Renaming and organizing your screenshots keeps your folders from turning into chaos. Automating cleanup tasks in your Downloads folder saves you time and stress. Creating a “junk drawer” album for throwaway photos helps keep your camera roll clean. And rotating your passwords with the help of a password manager strengthens your security with minimal effort.

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Got a tip you’d like to share and/or what other everyday tech challenges would you like help solving? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.

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Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

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Technology

Bluesky is getting ‘communities’

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Bluesky is getting ‘communities’

Bluesky will be getting “communities,” which will function as smaller spaces where you can “go deeper and hang out with people who care about the same stuff” sometime this year, according to head of product Alex Benzer. They will be built on the decentralized AT Protocol that underpins Bluesky, with Benzer saying that “it’s a new structure for everyone” that’s part of the “Atmosphere” (a shorthand for the AT Protocol ecosystem).

Benzer listed out a “few ideas we have in mind so far” in a thread. “On Bluesky, you’ll be able to create communities, join them, post in them, and get updates,” Benzer says. “The core features on Bluesky stay simple. The magic comes from communities also existing on the open web. This means you can truly customize them and add features with other Atmospheric apps and tools.”

Communities will get a handle that “doubles as a URL,” and if you go to that URL, you’ll “land on a custom homepage for the community,” according to Benzer. “Builders can also host a completely custom experience there instead.” There will be three privacy levels for communities: public, invite-only, and private. And each community would have its own feed, Benzer says.

Benzer’s thread follows Bluesky COO Rose Wang saying last week that the company wanted to move away from being a “public square” and that it was “very inspired by companies like Reddit.” Meta’s Threads is currently testing a communities feature, while X announced in April that it would be shutting down its own take on communities.

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Do not click fake ‘account recovery’ Amazon email

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Do not click fake ‘account recovery’ Amazon email

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Amazon is getting ready for Prime Day, and you can bet scammers are, too. In fact, I received a fake Amazon email that looked like an account recovery warning. It claimed there was unusual activity on my account and pushed me to “Sign In to Verify.”

That kind of message can make anyone uneasy. It certainly did for me. After all, who wants to lose access to an account right before a major sale? Then came the part that really stood out: the email said I might need to upload a document to confirm my account.

That was the giveaway. A real deal can save you money. A fake Amazon email can cost you your login, your payment details and even your identity.

Here’s how this scam works, the red flags that exposed it and the steps you should take before clicking any Amazon account warning.

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  • Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
  • For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
  • Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.

A fake Amazon account recovery email is targeting shoppers ahead of Prime Day, using urgency and document requests to steal sensitive information. (Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

 

Fake Amazon email warning before Prime Day

The timing made this phishing email more convincing. With Prime Day coming up, many people are already watching for Amazon emails. They may be checking delivery updates, deal alerts and order confirmations. That creates the perfect opening for a fake account warning.

The email used the same tricks you see in many phishing scams. It claimed there was account trouble, used urgent language and pushed me toward a sign-in button. That is exactly what scammers want.

Screenshot of scam fake Amazon email (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

They want you to react before you inspect the message. They want you to sign in before you think through the request. And in this case, they wanted me to believe a document upload was part of a normal Amazon account check.

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Amazon phishing scam red flags

This fake Amazon email had several warning signs. First, it landed in my junk folder. That alone does not prove fraud, but it should make you cautious.

Second, the subject line sounded awkward. It said, “Account Recovery: Sign-in and Verify your Amazon account.” That wording felt stiff and a little off.

Third, the greeting was generic. The email said “Dear Customer” even though it claimed to be about my Amazon account. That alone does not prove the email is fake, but it adds to the concern.

Fourth, the message created urgency. It claimed the account was on hold and that orders or subscriptions had already been canceled.

Fifth, the sender display name said “Amazon,” while the address appeared as account_update@amazon.com. That may look official at first. Still, scammers can spoof sender names or make email addresses look convincing.

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Under the yellow “Sign In to Verify” button, the email also says, “Don’t share it with others.” That may sound protective, but in this context, it felt like another attempt to make the fake warning seem official.

The biggest warning sign came from the document request. The email said I would have the option to upload a document with the required information to verify the account.

That should stop you cold. Scammers may be after more than your Amazon password. They may also want your driver’s license, passport, address, phone number or payment details.

Screenshot of fake Amazon email sender address (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Why fake Amazon account emails fool shoppers

This scam works because it hits a very real fear. Most people do not want to lose access to an online shopping account. That concern grows when a big sale is about to start. If you are planning to buy something on Prime Day, an account warning can feel urgent.

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The email also borrowed Amazon’s familiar look. It used the Amazon name, a logo area and a yellow sign-in button. It also included a footer that appeared to show an Amazon.com link. That can make the message feel safer than it really is.

Here is the problem. The visible link text in an email can mislead you. A link can appear to point to Amazon while sending you somewhere else. It can also pass through tracking links, redirects or look-alike pages. That is why you should avoid signing in through any account warning email.

120,000 FAKE SITES FUEL AMAZON PRIME DAY SCAMS

Scammers are impersonating Amazon with convincing account alerts designed to capture login credentials, payment details and personal documents. (Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

What happens if you click a fake Amazon link

If you click the link, you may land on a fake Amazon sign-in page. It may look close enough to fool you. Once you enter your email and password, scammers can try to access your real Amazon account. They may check your saved payment methods, shipping addresses and order history.

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They may also try that same password on other websites. That becomes a bigger risk if you reuse passwords.

The document request adds another layer of danger. If a fake page asks for your ID, scammers could use that information for identity theft, account takeovers or other fraud. That is why one quick click can turn into a much bigger mess.

Ways to stay safe from fake Amazon emails

A fake Amazon email can look convincing at first, so the best move is to slow down and use these simple checks before you click, sign in or share anything.

1) Do not click the sign-in button

Skip buttons like “Sign In to Verify,” “View details” or “Restore access.” Open the Amazon app or type Amazon.com into your browser yourself.

2) Check Amazon’s Message Center

After signing in directly, go to Your Account > Message Center. If the alert is real, you should see a matching message there.

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3) Watch for pressure language

Scammers often say your account is locked, your orders were canceled, or you must act right away. That pressure is designed to make you click before thinking.

4) Never upload ID through an email link

If an email asks for a passport, driver’s license or other document, stop. Contact Amazon through the app or website before sending anything.

5) Use a password manager

A password manager can help you spot fake login pages. If the page is fake, your saved Amazon password usually will not autofill. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at CyberGuy.com.

6) Turn on two-step verification

7) Use strong antivirus software

Install strong antivirus software on your computer, phone and tablet. Good security software can help detect malicious links, phishing pages, malware and other threats before they do damage. This is especially important if you clicked a suspicious link or downloaded anything from a fake email. Security software should back up your smart habits, not replace them. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at CyberGuy.com.

8) Use a data removal service

Scammers often build more convincing attacks with information they find about you online. That can include your name, address, phone number, relatives, old usernames and other personal details from people-search sites and data brokers. A data removal service can help remove your personal information from many of those sites. That makes it harder for scammers to personalize phishing emails and identity theft attempts. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting CyberGuy.com.

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9) Report the suspicious email

Forward suspicious Amazon emails to reportascam@amazon.com. Then delete the message from your inbox or junk folder.

JANUARY SCAMS SURGE: WHY FRAUD SPIKES AT THE START OF THE YEAR

Cybersecurity experts warn consumers to avoid clicking links in Amazon account warning emails and verify alerts directly through Amazon. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Kurt’s key takeaways

Prime Day is a great time to find real deals, but it is also a busy season for fake Amazon emails. Scammers know shoppers are checking delivery updates, watching for discounts and hoping nothing gets in the way of a good buy. That is what made this email so sneaky. It used a familiar fear at the perfect moment: losing access to your account right before a major sale. The safest move is to slow down before you click. Do not trust the button. Do not trust the sender name alone. Open the Amazon app or type Amazon.com into your browser and check your account yourself.

Have you ever received an email that looked official enough to make you click, and what finally made you stop? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

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HOW TO DETECT FAKE AMAZON EMAILS AND AVOID IMPERSONATION SCAMS

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Claude Fable is too scared to teach you about the powerhouse of the cell

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Claude Fable is too scared to teach you about the powerhouse of the cell

Anthropic just released Claude Fable 5, calling it the most powerful AI model it has ever made widely available and praising its skills in biology, among others. But the model won’t answer basic biology questions — the kind you’d expect a high schooler to handle. Instead, it hands off the query to the former flagship model, Claude Opus 4.8.

It isn’t because Fable doesn’t know the answers. It’s because Anthropic won’t let it, by design.

Fable is a public-facing, Mythos-class model, a family so capable at cybersecurity tasks Anthropic said it was too dangerous to release publicly. But while Anthropic has spent much of the extended Mythos rollout warning about cybersecurity, it is biology where Fable’s guardrails are the most obvious — and most limiting.

When I tried the model, it refused to answer a range of basic biology questions, many that felt about as far away from any plausible safety risk as any question could be. It would not respond to “tell me about cell membranes” or answer “what are mitochondria,” that famous powerhouse of the cell. It refused to explain “what is a prion,” the proteinaceous particles behind mad cow disease, or “how mRNA vaccines work.”

“We made this tradeoff so customers could benefit from the model’s capabilities sooner without the risks.”

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The restrictions applied to ordinary and objectively rather harmless medical queries too. Fable would not answer “what causes hay fever,” explain how asthma medicine works, explain how antibiotic resistance arises, or tell me what Ebola is and how it spreads. Some of my basic queries occasionally got through, with Fable answering questions like “what is cancer” and “what is DNA.” When Fable refused, Opus 4.8 generally answered perfectly well.

Anthropic says the broad biology filters are an intentional choice and are deliberately conservative, with bioweapons the primary concern. “With the launch of Claude Fable 5, our first Mythos-class model, we believe models now have a greater ability to accomplish real-world scientific tasks and for malicious actors to potentially use our models for highly risky biological research,” spokesperson Paruul Maheshwary told The Verge. “We have always used classifiers to block our models from helping with bioweapons-related requests. To deploy Fable 5 safely, we believe it was necessary to be overly conservative with our safeguards so they block most queries tied to biology work.”

Anthropic has previously highlighted four key areas where it would throttle Fable’s responses for safety: chemistry, biology, cybersecurity, and distillation, a technique for training smaller AIs using the outputs of larger ones. The company has accused Chinese rivals like DeepSeek of using distillation on its models on an “industrial” scale.

While I could not meaningfully test distillation, Fable seemed more willing to answer questions about chemistry and cybersecurity. For example, it gave a basic overview of the explosive TNT, though withheld synthesis instructions “for obvious reasons.” It readily answered questions on the use of chlorine gas as a chemical weapon, common password threats, and nuclear fusion and fission, as well as explaining how to secure an iPhone from hackers. It still limits: Fable deferred to Opus when I asked it about sarin gas, a highly toxic nerve agent. Fable and Opus both refused the prompt “how to make anthrax,” and Claude paused the chat entirely. That made sense. The mitochondria prompt refusal seems like a false positive.

“We made this tradeoff so customers could benefit from the model’s capabilities sooner without the risks,” Maheshwary explained, adding that Anthropic is working hard to improve its detection and reduce the false positives. “We intend to make Mythos-class models available without these safeguards to the broader biology and life sciences community so these capabilities can be used to accelerate biomedical research and drug discovery.”

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Anthropic did not answer questions about whether this kind of restricted release will become the new norm for future models.

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