Here are 30 hacks, tricks, and hidden features that you are going to wish you had learned sooner. We cannot believe number 19.
1. Dishwasher And Laundry Machine Have Filters
Did you know that your dishwasher and laundry machine both have filters that should be cleaned regularly? We were ‘today years old’ when we found out.
2. A Fitness Genre On Netflix
Netflix has a Fitness or Exercise genre where you can watch and work out alongside videos. This sounds so much healthier than binge-watching and indulging in your favourite dessert.
3. Barilla Pasta Has A Spotify List
Each specific song has a duration to match the relevant pasta’s cook time. The Italian multinational food company was founded in 1877, and it is the world’s largest pasta producer.
4. Febreze’s Odor Remover
A lot of people think that Febreze just covers up odors with perfume. It’s actually an excellent odor remover, and there’s an unscented version that works extremely well and leaves no smell behind.
5. Lifetime Warranties On Consumer Goods
Lifetime warranties on consumer goods. Like Columbia jackets and Jansport backpacks. If your zipper fails or the material separates or is no longer repelling water, file a claim online and pay for shipping to the factories.
6. Toasters’ Crumb Trays
Toasters have crumb trays in the bottom that you can and SHOULD remove and clean. It’s recommended that the crumb tray be emptied after each use.
7. Holding Your Car Key Can Open Your Windows
We recently found out that if we press and hold the car key to unlock the car, all the windows open automatically. Not so impressive, but some people might try it out.
8. This Helps Clean Your Pins And Needles
The little pepper-looking thing that hangs off of most pin cushions is filled with emery powder to help clean/sharpen your pins and needles. Impressive.
9. Bottle Openers On Manual Can Openers
Manual can openers have bottle openers on them. We remembered this a couple of weeks ago when we needed to open a bottle and didn’t have a bottle opener in my apartment, but we have a can opener.
10. Low Power And Defrost Settings
We think that the least and best used features in a Microwave are actually the low power and defrost settings. Pretty useful when you are in a rush.
11. The Nub On The Edge Of A Tape Dispenser
The nub on the edge of a tape dispenser (the red one for moving boxes) is meant to find the edge of the tape. Press it down and move the tape around, and it’ll peel it up.
12. You Can Program Your Phone
We did not know that you can program your phone to send texts at later times, depending on the software. You hold the send button and see if any prompts come up.
13. You Can Turn Your Brightness Lower
You can turn your brightness lower than the lowest brightness setting: settings —> accessibility —> display & text size —> reduce white point. You’re welcome.
14. You Can Translate Those Laundry Symbols
Apple camera comes pre-installed with a feature that translates those laundry symbols. Now, you won’t need Mom anymore. But make sure you call her today anyway.
15. Notes App on Your iPhone As A Scanner
You can use the Notes app on your iPhone as a scanner. Start a note, hit the camera icon, and it will give you the option to scan a document. You can do single or batch, and if you share the note or email it to yourself, it will come through as a PDF.
16. A Full Scientific Calculator On Your Phone
Turning your phone sideways in calculator mode gives you a full scientific calculator. Holding letters down on your phone’s keyboard brings up a selection of alternate forms.
17. The Gas Pump Trick
The second button down on the left on a gas pump will often mute the sound coming from it. Magic.
18. Binoculars Can Go A Long Way
A regular pair of binoculars pointed at Jupiter will reveal four of Jupiter’s moons! Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
19. Moving the Cursor
If you want to move the cursor on the text you just typed on the phone, just slide your finger to the left or right of the spacebar. No more annoying “tap tap tap oh no! I accidentally deleted it”
20. Stanley Knives Have A Hidden Feature
Those disposable Stanley knives with blades that snap off to refresh the edge have a thing that comes off at the bottom that you can snap said blade with. You don’t have to use your fingers and risk cutting yourself….
21. Google Maps Is Pretty Helpful
With Google Maps on your phone, when traveling to someone, you can let them know exactly where you are so they can track your progress. Open maps, tap your account icon at the top right, tap location sharing, and you have the option to share your location for a set amount of time (like an hour). You can then tap to send this location sharing directly to a person or to send it through a text message.
22. Another Great Windows Command
On a Windows computer, WinKey + Tab brings up a virtual desktop switcher. At the top of the screen, hit the plus (+) icon to make a second desktop. You can then use Ctrl + WinKey + L/R arrow to switch back and forth quickly.
23. E-readers and TTS Are Not Incompatible Tools
E-readers and TTS are on everyone’s phone. We’re blind, and y’all have no clue how many times a day people ask us “How are you reading and talking online?”
24. An HD Antenna Is Way Cheaper
Even though it’s only been a couple of decades, I feel like people forget that you can just buy an HD antenna and watch local channels instead of needing cable/satellite. So much cheaper.
25. Cell Phone Insurance
Mastercard and Visa both offer cell phone insurance on some of their credit cards if you pay your phone bill with their card. This can cover theft and damage to your cell phone.
26. KwikSet Locks Can Be Easily Rekeyed
KwikSet locks can be easily rekeyed in about 30 seconds. Buying the rekey kit online comes with four new keys that are cheaper than duplicating a new key.
27. A Panic Button Function On Your Phone
Most new phones (at least Samsung) have a panic button function that will work even if your phone is dead (this depends on the phone). You can put in your distress contacts, and when activated, they will receive a text, call, and a live map to your location.
28. Creating A New Google Doc
For a new Google doc, in the browser bar, you can just type “doc.new” Works for sheet.new and slide.new too.
29. All iPhones Sold Outside Of China Allow eSIMs
All iPhones sold outside of China allow eSIMs. But, the feature that few may be aware of is “Wi-Fi calling over cellular data”. All iPhones after XS are capable of this. So if you are an iPhone user who travels abroad, unless you are using a very, very old iPhone.
30. Silent Microwaves
Most microwaves can be muted. You can call an iPhone to stop its alarm. Priceless. Do you know any other interesting but unknown features?
