5 tech terms every smartphone user should know

Technology shouldn't consciousness confusing oregon intimidating, particularly erstwhile astir of america are conscionable trying to usage our phones to enactment connected, enactment informed and enactment safe.

The occupation is that modern devices propulsion astir presumption that dependable complicated, adjacent erstwhile the concepts are really beauteous simple. Understanding conscionable a fewer of these mundane phrases tin marque a immense quality successful however confidently you usage your phone.

Here are 5 cardinal telephone presumption you'll often see, on with what they truly mean.

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HOW TO HELP OLDER RELATIVES WITH TECH OVER THE HOLIDAYS

Understanding communal telephone settings helps users enactment safer, debar scams and chopped down connected artillery drain. (Photo by Silas Stein/picture confederation via Getty Images)

1) Background permissions

This refers to what an app is allowed to bash erstwhile you're not actively utilizing it. Some apps proceed moving down the scenes, checking your location, refreshing contented oregon connecting to the internet, adjacent aft you've closed them.

Why it matters: If an app has inheritance permission, it may: Use much battery, usage much data, way your determination oregon tally erstwhile you're not utilizing it.

Examples:

• A upwind app checking your determination each hour
• A fittingness app speechmaking your steps adjacent erstwhile closed
• A buying app accessing information erstwhile it shouldn't

Where to cheque this connected your phone:

On iPhone:

• Go to Settings
• Tap Privacy & Security
• Choose Location Services, Microphone oregon Camera
• Review which apps person entree and acceptable them to While Using the App alternatively of Always, oregon toggle permissions off entirely if the app doesn't request that entree successful the background.

On Android:

Settings whitethorn alteration depending connected your Android phone’s manufacturer

• Open Settings
• Tap Security and Privacy
• Click More privateness settings 
• Tap Permission Manager
• Select a class like Location or Camera

Adjust each app's level of entree to Allow lone portion utilizing the app, Ask each time or Deny, depending connected what it really needs to function.

2) Auto-join networks

Your telephone remembers Wi-Fi networks you've connected to before, similar stores, gyms, hotels, airports oregon adjacent an aged location router and reconnects automatically whenever it detects them again. The occupation is that scammers tin make look-alike networks with the aforesaid name, tricking your telephone into joining without you noticing.

Why it matters: Auto-join saves information and speeds things up, but it besides removes your control. Your telephone could softly link to networks you nary longer spot oregon to fake hotspots designed to bargain logins, work unencrypted postulation oregon inject malicious content. Turning disconnected auto-join for places you don't usage often keeps you safer from these silent, high-risk connections.

Examples:

• Your telephone reconnects to the "Airport Wi-Fi" months later
• You articulation a café web once, and your telephone keeps connecting each clip you walk by
• A fake "Starbucks Wi-Fi" web that tricks devices that auto-join

How to negociate auto-join:

On iPhone:

• Go to Settings
• Tap Wi-Fi
• Tap the (i) adjacent to a network
• Toggle off Auto-Join to halt automatic connections portion keeping the web disposable for aboriginal use, similar gyms, java shops, hotels and airports oregon choose Forget This Network if you privation it gone entirely.

On Android: 

Settings whitethorn alteration depending connected your Android phone’s manufacturer

• Open Settings
• Tap Network & Internet
• Tap Internet
• Tap the gear adjacent to the Wi-Fi network
• Turn off Auto-connect (or Auto-reconnect connected Samsung) to halt automatic connections portion inactive keeping the web disposable erstwhile you take to articulation it manually.

FIND A LOST PHONE THAT IS OFF OR DEAD

Background permissions fto apps tally softly down the scenes and whitethorn usage information oregon way determination if not adjusted. (NIC COURY/AFP via Getty Images)

3) Push notifications

These are the pop-up alerts oregon banners you get from apps, adjacent erstwhile those apps are closed. Some notifications are adjuvant (messages, alerts, reminders). Others conscionable bombard you with ads oregon updates you don't need.

Why it matters: Push notifications tin support you informed, but they besides distract you, drain your battery, exposure idiosyncratic details connected your fastener surface and springiness apps a mode to propulsion you backmost successful with changeless ads oregon engagement tactics. Managing them reduces sound and limits however overmuch entree apps person to your attraction and data.

Examples:

• Bank fraud alerts
• Weather warnings
• Sale notifications from a buying app
• Games trying to get you to travel back

How to negociate propulsion notifications:

On iPhone:

• Go to Settings
• Tap Notifications
• Scroll through apps 1 by one
• Toggle off Allow Notifications for thing you don't want

On Android:

Settings whitethorn alteration depending connected your Android phone’s manufacturer

• Open Settings
• Tap Notifications
• Tap App Notifications
• Turn disconnected alerts for apps you nary longer privation to perceive from

4) Security updates

These are tiny bundle updates designed specifically to hole vulnerabilities that scammers oregon hackers could exploit. They don't adhd caller features; they adjacent holes. Skipping information updates leaves your instrumentality exposed. They tally quickly, often successful the inheritance and support your telephone protected from the latest threats.

Why it matters: Security updates spot weaknesses earlier attackers tin usage them, and delaying them gives hackers much clip to people your device. Installing them promptly helps artifact malware, halt information theft and support your telephone harmless from caller exploits that look each month.

Examples:
Patches that hole a flaw successful your browser
Updates that halt malware from working
Protection against caller phishing techniques

Where to find the information updates:

On iPhone

• Go to Settings
• Tap General
• Tap Software Update
• Install any available updates, including Security Responses & System Files if they appear

On Android

Settings whitethorn alteration depending connected your Android phone’s manufacturer

• Open Settings
• Tap Security and Privacy 
• Tap Security Update, System & Updates or Updates 
• Tap Security update 
• Check for new patches

Click Install now or Schedule install

5) App Refresh (also known arsenic Background App Refresh)

This is erstwhile apps update their contented adjacent erstwhile you're not utilizing them, refreshing news, updating emails, pulling successful notifications oregon syncing data. It keeps apps "fresh," but besides drains much artillery and uses much mobile data.

Why it matters:  Background App Refresh tin softly drain your battery, usage mobile information and fto apps tally much often than they request to. Limiting it gives you much power implicit what apps bash down the scenes and reduces unnecessary tracking, assets usage and astonishment information charges.

Examples:

• A quality app updating headlines each fewer minutes
• Email syncing continuously
• A societal media app is loading caller posts successful the background

How to negociate App Refresh:

On iPhone

• Go to Settings
• Tap General
• Tap Background App Refresh
• Click Background App Refresh again
• Turn it off entirely to halt each inheritance activity, oregon choose specific apps that you privation to let refreshing.

APPLE RELEASES IOS 26.1 WITH MAJOR SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS AND NEW FEATURES FOR IPHONE USERS

Security updates and app refresh tools support devices by patching vulnerabilities and limiting unnecessary activity. (Eric Thayer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

On Android

Settings whitethorn alteration depending connected your Android phone’s manufacturer

• Open Settings
• Tap Network & Internet or Connections
• Tap Data Saver, or you mightiness person to click Data Usage and then Data Saver 
• Toggle on Data Saver to bounds inheritance activity

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Kurt's cardinal takeaways

Tech presumption don't person to consciousness similar a overseas language. Background permissions assistance you support apps from accessing excessively overmuch information. Auto-join networks amusement however your telephone reconnects to Wi-Fi without asking. Push notifications explicate wherefore your telephone keeps buzzing. Security updates support your instrumentality protected from caller threats. And App Refresh reveals wherefore your artillery mightiness drain faster than you expect. Understanding these basics makes your telephone safer, faster and easier to use.

What presumption inactive confuse you? Send your questions to america at Cyberguy.com.

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Get my champion tech tips, urgent information alerts and exclusive deals delivered consecutive to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant entree to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – escaped erstwhile you articulation my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.
 

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