Technology
5 smart settings to make your phone work harder
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Sometimes it feels like our phones take up more of our time than they save. Between constant notifications, repetitive tasks and digital clutter, it’s easy to forget they’re supposed to make life easier.
But with a few simple setting tweaks, your phone can actually help you stay organized, reduce distractions and save time.
These built-in tools don’t require any extra apps or subscriptions, and once you set them up, they work quietly in the background so you don’t have to.
Join the FREE “CyberGuy Report”: Get my expert tech tips, critical security alerts and exclusive deals, plus instant access to my free “Ultimate Scam Survival Guide” when you sign up!
An iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
5 ways to make your phone work harder for you and save time
1. Use keyboard shortcuts to speed up typing on your phone
If you’re constantly typing your email address, home address or the same greeting, you can save time by using built-in text shortcuts.
On iPhone:
- Click Settings.
- Click General.
- Click Keyboard.
- Click Text Replacement (2nd row).
- Click the “+” button at the top.
- Enter a phrase and the associated shortcut.
- Click Save in the upper right-hand corner.
CLEAN UP YOUR PHONE: SPEED, STORAGE AND PRIVACY BOOST IN MINUTES
On Android:
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.
- Click Settings.
- Scroll to General management.
- Click Samsung Keyboard settings. If you have a different keyboard set as your default, head to Keyboard list and default to find Samsung Keyboard. For this trick to work, you’ll need Samsung Keyboard set as your default. You can do that at the top of this page. Then select “Samsung Keyboard” before the next step. Finally, select Text Replacement.
- Click More typing options, or on some devices you may not see this, and you can proceed to click Text shortcuts and then click the ADD/+ button in the upper right.
- Enter the shortcut and the expanded phrase and then click add.
A few of the shortcuts I use include “@@” for my email, “adr” for my address and “gm” for a quick “Good morning!” but I’ve also put together a full guide of my most useful keyboard shortcuts here.
Smartphones (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
HOW TO REMOVE YOUR PERSONAL INFO FROM PEOPLE-SEARCH SITES
2. Schedule Do Not Disturb mode to reduce phone interruptions
Instead of turning off notifications manually, let your phone do it for you based on a schedule or even your physical location.
On iPhone:
- Go to Settings.
- Click Focus.
- Here you’ll find different Focus modes, like Do Not Disturb, Work and Personal, and each can be customized with its own schedule, app filter and notification settings.
- Select the Focus mode you would like to set up and then click Add a Schedule.
- From there you can customize Time, Location and App.
For example, when you click Work, you can allow notifications from key apps like Outlook or Slack and silence the rest. You can also allow for notifications from important people, like your co-workers and family members. When you click Add a Schedule, you’ll be able to customize a Time for your phone to know exactly when to turn Work mode on and off. Or, if you work odd hours, you can even set up Location, so when you arrive to work, your phone does, too.
On Android:
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.
- Go to Settings.
- Click Focus.
- Then click Do Not Disturb.
- Tap Schedules to create custom rules by day, time or calendar event.
This feature helps reduce distractions while working, sleeping or commuting without needing to remember to toggle it on.
3. Set location-based reminders to never forget important tasks
Rather than setting reminders for a specific time, you can have them appear when you arrive or leave a location. This can be useful for reminders like “Pick up eggs” when you arrive at the store or “Bring laptop” when you leave home.
On iPhone:
- Open the Reminders app.
- Click New Reminder in the bottom left of the screen.
- Tap Details.
- Then toggle on Location.
- From here, select the Location where you would like to be reminded of your task.
On Android:
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.
- Open Google Keep and create a new note.
- Tap the reminder icon and then select Place.
- From here, select the Location where you would like to be reminded of your task.
Now, your phone works like a virtual assistant, reminding you of your tasks when you need them most.
A person holding a smartphone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
HOW TO INCREASE THE TEXT SIZE ON YOUR PHONE
4. Automatically delete old text messages to free up phone space
Instead of scrolling back through months or years of messages to clean up, you can set your phone to delete them automatically.
On iPhone:
- Go to Settings.
- Click Apps, then find and tap Messages.
- Scroll down and click Message History.
- From here, you’ll have the option to keep messages for 30 Days, 1 year or Forever.
On Android:
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.
- Open the Messages app.
- Go to Settings, then Message history.
- Look for an option to auto-delete old threads or limit stored messages.
This keeps your device from getting bogged down with old group chats or spam texts.
HOW SECURE IS MY PASSWORD? USE THIS TEST TO FIND OUT
5. Enable auto-updates for apps to keep your phone secure and updated
Make sure your apps stay up to date with the latest features and security fixes without needing to check manually.
On iPhone:
- Go to Settings.
- Click Apps.
- Then find and tap App Store.
- Toggle on App Updates.
On Android:
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.
- Open the Play Store.
- Tap your profile icon.
- Click Settings.
- Tap Network preferences.
- Click Auto-update apps.
- Choose whether to update over Wi-Fi or on any network.
Turning on auto-updates saves you time and helps keep your phone running smoothly and securely.
SUBSCRIBE TO KURT’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR QUICK VIDEO TIPS ON HOW TO WORK ALL OF YOUR TECH DEVICES
Kurt’s key takeaways
These five small automations can make a big difference in how you use your phone. Setting up text shortcuts helps you type faster. Scheduling Do Not Disturb cuts down on unwanted distractions. Location-based reminders take the mental load off your to-do list. Auto-deleting old messages keeps things tidy. And auto-updating apps ensures you always have the latest improvements without lifting a finger.
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.
Follow Kurt on his social channels:
Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:
New from Kurt:
Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
When Oregon resident Isabelle Reksopuro heard Google was gobbling up public land to fuel its data centers in her home state, she didn’t initially know what to believe. “There’s a lot of misinformation about data centers,” she said. “Google has denied taking that land.”
Technically, she explains, The Dalles, a city near the Washington state border, sought to reclaim that land, “and Google is just a big, unnamed power user.” The city had in fact asked for ownership of a 150-acre portion of Mount Hood National Forest, claiming it needs access to Mount Hood’s watershed to meet municipal needs as its population — 16,010 as of the 2020 census — grows. But critics, including environmentalists, say the city is trying to secure more water for Google, which has a sprawling data center campus in The Dalles that already consumes about one-third of the city’s water supply.
This controversy made Reksopuro curious about the backlash to data centers being built in other communities. So Reksopuro, a student at the University of Washington who studies the connections between tech and public policy, decided to map it out. Using information collected by Epoch AI and data scraped from legislation on data centers, she built an interactive map tracking AI policy around the world. She designed it to be simple enough for anyone to use. “I wanted it to be something that my younger sisters could play through and explore to understand what are the data centers in the area and what’s actually being done about it,” Reksopuro said. She hoped to shift their opinions that way, “instead of like, through TikTok.”
Four times a day, the map searches for new sources and checks them against the existing database Reksopuro built out. “Once it does that, it will write a new summary, add it to the news feed, and populate it on the sidebar,” she said. “I wanted it to be self-updating, since I’m also a student.”
Reksopuro isn’t against data centers, but she thinks tech giants benefit from a lack of transparency around data center policies. “Right now, it’s this really opaque thing — and all of a sudden, there’s a facility,” she said. “I think that if people knew about data centers beforehand, it would give them leverage. They would be able to negotiate: ask for job training programs, tax revenue, environmental monitoring, things to improve their community.”
UCF commencement speaker Gloria Caulfield (University of Central Florida via Storyful)
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.
IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:
– UCF graduates clobber commencement speaker with boos after she says AI is the ‘next Industrial Revolution’
– OPINION: DIRECTOR KASH PATEL: We brought the FBI out of the past and into the AI age
– OpenAI backs creation of global AI governance body led by the U.S. that would include China as a member
TOUGH CROWD: During a recent commencement ceremony at the University of Central Florida, a speaker was met with loud boos from the graduating class after declaring that artificial intelligence represents the next industrial revolution. Fox News Digital reporting captures this tense cultural moment, illustrating the mixed public sentiment and skepticism surrounding AI’s growing footprint in daily life.
A statue on the campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. (iStock)
BADGE MEETS BYTE: Reflecting on the modernization of national security in a Fox News op-ed, FBI Director Kash Patel explores how the bureau must adapt its strategies to address modern threats and advance beyond the artificial intelligence age.
TECH DIPLOMACY: OpenAI is throwing its support behind the establishment of a new global artificial intelligence governance organization that would be led by the United States while notably including China as a member. Fox News Digital reporting examines the geopolitical dynamics and regulatory implications of this proposed framework as global powers race to set the standards for AI development.
EQUITY ELEVATION: The massive wave of wealth generated by the explosive growth of ChatGPT and the broader AI industry is driving a sudden surge in the San Francisco Bay Area’s luxury real estate market. Fox News Digital reporting breaks down how the influx of new tech capital is reshaping local housing dynamics and fueling a high-end property frenzy.
FBI Director Kash Patel listened as Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke during a press conference at the Department of Justice on April 28, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
STRATEGY RESET: Tech giant Cisco is planning to eliminate thousands of jobs as the company shifts its primary focus to accelerate its artificial intelligence initiatives, a move that comes despite the company beating earnings expectations. Fox News Digital reporting details the corporate restructuring and broader economic trends pushing legacy tech firms to aggressively pivot toward AI.
ROAD HAZARD: Waymo is issuing a sweeping recall of its autonomous vehicle fleet following a concerning incident that highlighted significant safety issues with the self-driving technology. Fox News Digital reporting outlines the specifics of the recall, the nature of the safety flaw, and what this setback means for the future of fully autonomous transportation on public roads.
BOTS IN THE BAY: A newly developed, artificial intelligence-powered robot has been engineered to seamlessly change and balance vehicle tires without human intervention. Fox News Digital reporting showcases this latest innovation, exploring how automation and AI mechanics could soon revolutionize the automotive service and repair industry.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks during the 2026 Infrastructure Summit in Washington, D.C., on March 11, 2026. (Kylie Cooper/Reuters)
FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
YouTube
SIGN UP FOR OUR OTHER NEWSLETTERS
Fox News First
Fox News Opinion
Fox News Lifestyle
Fox News Health
DOWNLOAD OUR APPS
Fox News
FOX Business
Fox Weather
Fox Sports
Tubi
WATCH FOX NEWS ONLINE
Fox News Go
STREAM FOX NATION
Fox Nation
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox News here.
Microsoft Edge is adding a new feature that will allow its Copilot AI chatbot to gather information from all of your open tabs. When you start a conversation with Copilot, you can ask the chatbot questions about what’s in your tabs, compare the products you’re looking at, summarize your open articles, and more.
In its announcement, Microsoft says you can “select which experiences you want or leave off the ones you don’t.” The company is retiring Copilot Mode as well, which could similarly draw information from your tabs but offered some agentic features, like the ability to book a reservation on your behalf. Microsoft has since folded these agentic capabilities into its “Browse with Copilot” tool.
Several other AI features are coming to Edge, including an AI-powered “Study and Learn” mode that can turn the article you’re looking at into a study session or interactive quiz. There’s a new tool that turns your tabs into AI-powered podcasts as well, similar to what you’d find on NotebookLM, and an AI writing assistant that will pop up when you start entering text on a webpage.
You can also give Copilot permission to access your browsing history to provide more “relevant, high-quality answers,” according to Microsoft. Copilot in Edge on desktop and mobile will come with “long-term memory” as well, which can tailor its responses based on your previous conversations. And, when you open up a new tab, you’ll see a redesigned page that combines chat, search, and web navigation, along with the Journeys feature, which uses AI to organize your browsing history into categories that you can revisit.
Meanwhile, an update to Edge’s mobile app will allow you to share your screen with Copilot and talk through the questions about what you’re seeing. Microsoft says you’ll see “clear visual cues” when Copilot is active, “so you know when it’s taking an action, helping, listening, or viewing.”
-
New York45 minutes agoMystery Grows Around Representative Thomas Kean Jr.’s Absence
-
Los Angeles, Ca51 minutes agoMillions of dollars worth of counterfeit luxury goods found in downtown L.A. bust
-
Detroit, MI1 hour ago3 things to love about Lions 2026 schedule
-
San Francisco, CA1 hour agoTrump derangement syndrome: San Francisco can’t let baseball be baseball
-
Dallas, TX2 hours ago2026 Dallas Cowboys schedule officially announced
-
Miami, FL2 hours agoTua Tagovailoa will return to Miami for preseason contest against Dolphins
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoWeekend Happenings: Panda Fest and more
-
Denver, CO2 hours ago
‘Thursday Night Football’ vs. Seahawks, Christmas Day vs. Bills highlight Broncos’ standalone matchups in 2026
