Gaurav Bidasaria, Author at Make Tech Easier

How to Change Spotify Username, Email, and Password

Gaurav Bidasaria — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 05:25:00 +0000

Spotify’s UI has undergone several changes in recent years but continues to be clunky and difficult to navigate around. Particularly confusing is how to change a Spotify account’s username or display name, email, password, profile picture, or payment plan. This tutorial shows you how to update this information in your Spotify account.

Change Spotify Username and Display Name

Your username on Spotify cannot be changed. It is assigned to you when you create an account for the first time and is permanent in... Read more

9 Best Discord Gaming Bots You Must Add to Your Server

Gaurav Bidasaria — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 05:25:00 +0000

Creating a Discord server is easy; however, maintaining its momentum is harder. One way to keep the spirits up and engagement high is to add gaming bots to your Discord server. It’s a good way to pass time, bond with community members, and stay connected.

Content

1. Wordle
2. Minesweeper Bot
3. Virtual Fisher
4. Trivia Bot
5. Soccer Guru
6. Naruto Botto
7. UltimateRPG
8. TacoShack
9. Cricket Guru
Frequently Asked Questions

1. Wordle

Wordle is all the rage these days – so much so that NYT decided it was a great idea to buy it. It’s a web-based word game where you get one new five-letter word every day. You get six tries to guess it, and the difficulty level increases each time.

The Truth Behind Private Browsing or Incognito Mode

Gaurav Bidasaria — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 01:25:00 +0000

Most browsers come with a private browsing mode that promises to safeguard your privacy. Chrome calls this feature “Incognito Mode.” But just how private is this feature? How does it work and how does it protect you? In what situations does it not protect you?

There are many misconceptions about Incognito Mode and private browsing that give users the illusion of privacy and even total anonymity. This article busts some myths and sheds more light on the reality that Incognito Mode and private browsing are not so private after all.

Content

How to Use Incognito Mode
What Does Incognito Mode Do?
Who Can Track You in Incognito Mode?
When to Use Incognito Mode
Better Alternatives to Incognito Mode
Frequently Asked Questions

Who Coined the Term “Incognito Mode”?

While Apple was the first to introduce the private... Read more

What Is Microsoft’s Pluton Security Processor and Why You Need It

Gaurav Bidasaria — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 16:25:00 +0000

Microsoft has been ramping up the security of its ecosystem one step at a time. Windows 11 set the tone by making the TPM 2.0 chip mandatory for upgrade and installation. Taking it to the next level, the PC giant has introduced the Pluton Security Processor. So what is PSP or Pluton Security Processor, do you need it, and how or where can you get it? Let’s find out.

Content

What Is a Pluton Security Processor?
Differences Between TPM and PSP
Pluton Protection Features
When Will PSP Be Available
Frequently Asked Questions

What Is a Pluton Security Processor?

Microsoft has partnered with popular chip makers like Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm to develop a new security chip named Pluton Security Processor. It... Read more

How to Hide Media in Google Photos Using Locked Folder

Gaurav Bidasaria — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 16:25:00 +0000

Google has released an update for Google Photos fulfilling one of the oldest user requests. You can now hide photos and videos in Google Photos in a folder called Locked Folder to keep them away from prying eyes. Let’s understand how it works, what you can do, and what you can’t.

Content

How Locked Folder Works in Google Photos
How to Add Media From Photos Library to Locked Folder
How to Add Media From Camera to Locked Folder
How to Move/Delete Media from Locked Folder in Photos
Frequently Asked Questions

How Locked Folder Works in Google Photos

First, you’ll need to update the Photos app to the latest version. Locked Folder is available on Android only, at the time of writing this article, and supports Android 6... Read more

How to Get Classic Volume Mixer Back in Windows 11

Gaurav Bidasaria — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 16:25:00 +0000

Windows 11 has a refreshed UI that has been well received, but there are certain changes that haven’t sat well with some users. One of them is the Volume Mixer that has been removed in favor of a unified sound menu. This guide shows you how to get the classic Volume Mixer back in Windows 11.

Why You Need the Volume Mixer

The primary benefit of the Volume Mixer is that it allows users to micromanage the sound of different apps. You can reduce the sound in your browser app while blasting the music app on full volume.

Accessing it is easy. The Volume Mixer flies out from the System Tray where it is always available – just a click away.

How to Use the New Volume Mixer in Windows 11

The Volume Mixer has a new... Read more

3 Ways to Find Out Who Unfriended or Blocked You on Facebook

Gaurav Bidasaria — Sat, 25 Dec 2021 01:25:00 +0000

It’s not healthy to obsess over your follower count or number of friends. However, every once in a while, you may want to know if someone special has unfriended you on Facebook. How do you know who unfriended you on Facebook?

Unfriend vs. Unfollow vs. Block

Usually, there are signs that someone has unfriended you, unfollowed you, or blocked you on Facebook, like not seeing updates or not being able to find his/her profile on Facebook. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that he/she has unfriended you. You could have been blocked or simply unfollowed. Learn the differences below:

Unfriend: when someone unfriends you on Facebook, you will be removed from their friend list, and they from yours. You should be able to see their profile (in limited capacity depending on their privacy settings) and... Read more

7 of the Best Metaverse Games You Can Play Right Now

Gaurav Bidasaria — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 01:25:00 +0000

The term metaverse was doing the rounds long before Facebook and Microsoft entered the fray. But the gaming industry working in the blockchain and crypto space is leading the forefront. Before we begin with some cool metaverse games, let’s understand what metaverse is, how it is different, and what to expect.

Content

What Is Metaverse?
1. Decentraland
2. Axie Infinity
3. The Sandbox
4. Yield Guild Games
5. Mines of Dalarnia
6. Chromia
7. Gala

What Is Metaverse?

Metaverse, simply put, is a virtual space that can represent either a real, physical space or a digital world. A good example would be the movie “Ready Player One,” but the concept was first popularized by Neal Stephenson in his book “Snow Crash”... Read more

11 Ways to Prevent Discord from Disconnecting and Reconnecting

Gaurav Bidasaria — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 22:25:00 +0000

Discord users are facing a weird issue when making calls where it keeps disconnecting and reconnecting automatically. This ruins the experience, as you miss out on what was said or shown during the call. Here are several troubleshooting tips to help resolve the issue.

Content

1. Change Server Region
2. Enable Quality of Service High Packet Priority
3. Restart/Reinstall Discord on PC/Mobile
4. Try Discord on a Different Platform/Browser
5. Check Whether Discord Servers Are Down
6. Check Active Downloads
7. Restart Your Router
8. Flush DNS
9. Disable VPN
10. Whitelist Discord in Firewall Settings
11. Update/Reinstall Network Drivers
Frequently Asked Questions

Discord Calls Disconnecting

Discord hasn’t addressed or identified the cause of this issue, and users have been experiencing this for a while... Read more

Why Encryption Is Not Working on Windows 11 Home, and How to Fix It

Gaurav Bidasaria — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 16:25:00 +0000

Windows 11 is here and has some new bells and whistles. One notable change was the focus on security and privacy. For example, the TPM 2.0 chip was made mandatory, and device-wide encryption was enabled by default. However, for some Windows 11 Home users, the Device Encryption option is completely missing in Settings. Why is that happening, and how do we fix it?

Content

Why Is Device Encryption Missing In Windows 11 Home?
How to Know If Device Encryption Is Missing on Your Windows 11 Home
Prerequisites for Encryption to Work on Windows 11
Alternative Ways to Encrypt Data on Windows 11 Home

Why Is Device Encryption Missing In Windows 11 Home?

In order to understand why Device Encryption is missing for some users, we first need to dig... Read more

8 Ways to Compress PDF Documents on Desktop and Mobile

Gaurav Bidasaria — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 22:25:00 +0000

The beauty of the PDF format is that you can open it on any platform, be it desktop or mobile. It is easy to create, send, share, read, and edit PDF documents and works everywhere. Unfortunately, some PDF files are too large. This poses problems that we will discuss below, along with a solution: compress PDF documents on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.

Content

Drawbacks of Large PDF Documents
Free PDF Compressor (Windows)
PDF Compressor (Windows)
How to Compress PDF Documents on macOS
Lightweight PDF (macOS)
PDF Shrink (macOS)
Ghostscript (Linux)
Densify (Linux)
Compress PDF File (Android)
Drawbacks of Compressing PDF Documents
Frequently Asked Questions

Drawbacks of Large PDF Documents

There are several issues that occur when you compress... Read more

How to Create and Insert a Watermark in Google Docs

Gaurav Bidasaria — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 16:25:00 +0000

Google Docs is a popular document editor for creating and editing documents. Earlier, there was no way to add a watermark to a Google Docs document directly, so savvy users found a workaround using Google Drawings. In a recent update, Google added a native way to insert a watermark in Google Docs. Here we will show how you can insert a watermark in Google Docs , as well as creating a watermark using a third-party app.

Where and How Watermarks Can Be Used

There are a few scenarios where you could consider using a watermark. It is mostly used to convey confidentiality or protect the owner’s rights. Some examples include:

Office documents where the nature of the document is top secret or confidential and you don’t want it lying around
Ebooks where the author wants to protect their digital rights
Images where a photographer or designer wants to make sure they get credit for the work shared by others on public domain
Marketing of free ebooks, images, etc. when distributed on social media or messaging apps to build brand awareness
Writers or editors wanting to enforce digital rights and pass instructions... Read more

Google Keep vs. Evernote vs. Apple Notes: Which Is the Best Note-Taking App?

Gaurav Bidasaria — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 22:25:00 +0000

There are currently plenty of note-taking apps. Evernote is as evergreen as it ever was and continues to evolve with time. Google Keep by the search engine giant is another feather in its cap. Apple Notes received a huge update with the recent release of iOS 15 bringing it on par with the rest of the pack. Here we examine Google Keep vs. Evernote vs. Apple Notes to see which one is better and why.

Content

User Interface (UI)
Creating and Formatting Notes
Categorize, Search, and Retrieve Notes
Sharing and Collaborating on Notes
Extra Features
The Winner Is ...

User Interface (UI)

Evernote received a much-needed update recently where the UI was redesigned to keep up with the note-taking industry. It’s much cleaner now with recent notes at the top, Scratch Pad for taking quick notes below, and the option to... Read more

Everything You Need to Know About Using “Shared with You” in iOS 15

Gaurav Bidasaria — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 00:25:00 +0000

iOS 15 has brought a new way to share images, videos, links, etc. universally: Shared with You. It works across apps like Safari, Photos, and Notes and allows users to share the files and information from those apps with others. This article takes a look at how to share photos and links using “Shared With You” share menu in iOS 15.

How “Share With You” Works in Safari

We share links to interesting web pages and articles with friends all the time. You read something like a new healthy recipe or some local news, and you want to share a link to it with someone you know.

In previous iOS versions, the recipient would have to open the Messages app, dig deep into the conversation to find the link shared, and tap on it to open it in Safari. Now,... Read more

10 of the Best Apple Notes Features You Need to Start Using

Gaurav Bidasaria — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 15:25:00 +0000

Apple Notes received an overhaul with the launch of iOS 15. Some old features received a minor boost, while some new features brought it closer to popular third-party note-taking apps like Evernote. Haven’t tried Apple Notes yet? It’s time you begin using Apple Notes and discover these 10 amazing features.

1. Collaborate Using @Mention

Sharing a note in Apple Notes is nothing new, but now you can also tag a person in the note. This will allow users to tag people with “@” to bring their attention to something important in the note.

This could be used to create a to-do list where different items need to be bought by different family members. It could also be used to delegate tasks or bring attention to... Read more

10 Useful Features of Brave You Didn’t Know Existed

Gaurav Bidasaria — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 21:25:00 +0000

The Brave browser has been gaining in both popularity and userbase for some time now and for good reason. The privacy-centric browser is full of nifty features that make it a top contender against Google Chrome. Let’s find out what these useful features are that make Brave a good alternative.

Content

1. Manage Ad Blocker
2. Block Social Media
3. Stream Torrent Files
4. Brave Talk
5. Earn and Tip with Brave Rewards
6. DuckDuckGo and TOR Integration
7. Brave Search
8. Brave Sync
9. Brave Shields
10. Crypto Wallet
Frequently Asked Questions

1. Manage Ad Blocker

The Brave browser already does an excellent job of blocking ads and trackers by default, but advanced users will appreciate more control over what is blocked and how.

For example, go to “Settings -> Brave Ad Block,” and you can enable additional filters as well as add your own filter at the bottom.

2. Block Social Media