Last updated on 15th September, 2023
A life hack is an approach, technique, strategy, trick or shortcut which might assist make life simpler by increasing efficiency, enhancing productivity, and even minimizing inconvenience with a simple trick. That’s the closest thing to a dictionary definition you’ll find.
Life hacks, whether you like them or not, have become so embedded in our online lives that there are websites and movies promoting them.
We’d like to share some of our favorite tech life hacks with you in this compilation. You may have heard of some of these, particularly when it comes to keyboard shortcuts and useful internet tools and websites, but it never hurts to know more.
#1
To quickly change the case of text (upper vs. lower) in Microsoft Word, highlight the sentence and press Shift + F3. Changes go from all lowercase to first letter capitalized to all uppercase (in this order).
#2
To re-open an accidentally closed browser tab, use Ctrl + Shift + T.
#3
To proofread a lengthy essay, paste it into Google Translate and listen to it. This makes it easy to detect errors. Google Translate can also assist you in detecting minor typos.
Google translate
After typing into or pasting into Google translate, Click on Listen.
#4
When you save your Powerpoint presentation as .PPS rather than .PPT, the file opens in slideshow mode.
#5
Hitting the Spacebar scrolls down a web page; the Spacebar + Shift enables you to scroll back up.
#6
Google.com is not your ideal search engine for tertiary (polytechnic / college /university) assignments. Instead, go to scholar.google.com. To locate downloadable files, try adding “PDF.”
#7
For cheaper pricing when booking flights or hotels online, clear cookies first or shop in Incognito mode.
#8
SelfControl is a simple macOS app that helps you stay focused online by blocking sites that you spend much too much time on. SelfControl can be used to temporarily block social media platforms. its a Cool application with a humorous name.
#9
Saving an Excel file as an .XLSB reduces its size by half, or 75%.
#10
Someone’s alarm keeps going off all the time, but the owner refuses to wake up and turn it off? Call the phone and get it turned off immediately.
#11
Search “site:edu [subject] exam” in your search engine to obtain sample exams for an upcoming exam.
#12
Are you stuck on a math problem? Download the PhotoMath app and scan the math problem with your phone to get it solved for you.
#13
Can’t watch age-restricted YouTube videos because you don’t want to sign in? Remove the “watch?v=” and replace it with “v/” in the URL.
#14
The easiest way to avoid ads when playing a mobile game is to use Airplane Mode.
#15
WolframAlpha.com provides smarter search results. Use the power of Wolfram’s computational intelligence to answer your questions from Chemistry to Complex Mathematics. Wolfram|Alpha is the world’s definitive source for instant expert knowledge and computation.
#16
PDFEscape.com allows you to view, edit, and annotate PDF documents online.
#17
Marker.to allows you to highlight portions of a webpage with a “yellow marker,” then share the annotated page with friends through a link.
You can use the mouse to highlight text on the webpages. Identify relevant information and use the special link to share the highlighted pages with others on Twitter and Facebook.
#18
In Gmail search, enter has: attachment to find all emails with attachments.
#19
Save Time by Speaking Instead of Writing
MS Word
If you’re short on time or unable to type due to an injury, just utilize the voice typing feature. It is accessible in Microsoft Word as well as Google Docs.
A. Simply select the dictation option from the Home menu or press Windows key + H to bring up the dictation toolbar in Microsoft Word.
You can then activate the mic by clicking on it and begin dictating the text. To use punctuation, speak it out loud.
B. The same stands for Google Docs. Select the Voice Typing option from the Tools menu. After that, simply click on the microphone and you’re ready to get started.
#20
Turn e-books into audiobooks
If you have an iPhone or iPad, you can enable the Speak Screen accessibility feature (Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content > Speak Screen). With this capability enabled, swipe down with two fingers from the very top of the screen on any page, and the device will recite/read the on-screen text to you.
Similarly, you may convert e-books into audiobooks and listen to them while driving, cleaning the home, or going for a stroll. Speak Screen may also read any written material on your smartphone, such as articles, notes, or emails.
#21
Use Youtube Keyboard Commands
Keys 0 through 9 skip through the video. Press 5 for 50%, 7 for 70%, etc. The J, K, and L keys also have useful functions. Press J to rewind, K to pause, and L to fast forward. These keys only work in this manner when the video is paused.
#22
Texting Hack
When you finish a sentence, just tap the space bar twice. It will automatically add a period and capitalize the next letter for you.
