From the Editor

Kill switches, split tunneling, port forwarding and onions

Letters

Tell us what’s on your mind

SOFTWARE WARNING!

Gmail’s conveyor belt of adverts

UNBLOCK WEBSITES with a... VPN

VPNs are soaring in popularity, but which services can you actually trust? Robert Irvine recommends the best paid-for and free VPNs for accessing anything you want online

Don’t be fooled by AI photos AI

The internet is swarming with AI images – some are fun, others have more malicious intent. Either way, you need to be able to tell real photos from the fake. Daniel Booth explains how

Why you need an Authenticator app

Don’t wait for 2FA codes to arrive by text message or email. Robert Irvine explains how to generate them quickly and securely on your phone – and reveals the best free apps

Problems Solved

Our experts solve all your tech problems

Should I replace my seven-year-old hard drive?

Q I bought a 2TB Seagate external hard

Can I add graphics card without changing motherboard?

Q I recently bought a Lenovo IdeaCentre 3

How can I keep my laptop awake?

Q What can I do to make sure

Why does my drive appear twice in File Explorer?

Q When I plug an external drive into

? ? WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN...

Backing up and copying? Q You often

Why can’t I upgrade my refurbished laptop?

Q I recently bought a refurbished Dell laptop

EE scraps Discovery+ from old YouView boxes

E E will remove Discovery+ from old BT

You’ll like this…

PowerToys 0.93 has new-look settings and is faster

but not this…

There’s been a rise in scams offering car-finance

ChatGPT becomes cynic, robot, listener and nerd in new update

Y ou can now ask ChatGPT to respond

Microsoft to support Edge on Windows 10 until 2028

M icrosoft will continue to support its browser

BBC building its own Freely box separate from Netgem

T he BBC is building its own Freely

IN BRIEF

GET MONEY BACK FOR FAULTY SMART METERS Energy

TOMORROW’S WORLD

Mark Sewards, Labour MP for Leeds South West

IN BRIEF

HULU COMING TO UK AS PART OF DISNEY+

THE WORLD’S GONE MAD!

This is Russian ‘influencer’ Mariana Barutkina doing the

Microsoft’s Recall captures passwords and bank details

M icrosoft’s controversial Recall tool is taking screenshots

LG pays woman £150,000 after phone catches fire

L G has paid a woman £150,000 in

Watching catch-up TV overtakes recording for the first time

F or the first time UK viewers are

Virgin says remote workers are bunking off early on Fridays

V irgin Media has said broadband use on

IN BRIEF

DROPBOX TO CLOSE PASSWORD MANAGER Dropbox will close

Will US courts force Microsoft to keep supporting W10?

A Californian man is suing the firm for axing the operating system

Facebook scams using pre-filled emails

Scams and threats to avoid, plus new security tools

New tools

WhatsApp’s scam warnings

Amazon scammer lost his temper

Readers warn readers

Consumeractive

We stand up for your legal rights

NatWest agrees chargeback for antivirus subscription

NatWest has agreed to refund the £129 that

Can Microsoft refuse to refund Skype credit?

Q I had a subscription with Skype for

Can Currys force me to use the manufacturer’s warranty?

Q In January, I bought an Asus Vivobook

Smarty’s special help line confirmed Three problems

In late June, my usual Smarty connection was

Search Guernsey occupation records

Findmypast has records on the only part of the British Isles occupied during World War 2. Follow Richard Holt’s advice to…

Any Video Converter 9.1.3

Robert Irvine recommends new programs that won’t cost you a thing

Patch My PC Home Updater

5.3.0.0 www.snipca.com/55943 What you need: Windows

Wise Memory Optimizer 4.2.3

www.snipca.com/55942 What you need: Windows 10

SHOULD I PAY FOR…?

Choose the right version of software

What should I download?

We advise you which software and apps to use

GMKtec NucBox K10

Flat mate GMKtec’s NucBox K10 opts for a

Medion Erazer Scout E15

Fair game German laptop manufacturer Medion has squeezed

Asus ZenScreen Smart MS27UC

No team iPlayer Home-based PC setups can take

Asus ZenWiFi BD4

Leaving the band The Asus ZenWiFi BD4 can

Thunderbolt 5

What is it? Thunderbolt 5 is the

Xiaomi Poco F7

So long, battery Xiaomi’s Poco F7 is the

How can I keep using a PS/2 keyboard?

We solve your buying dilemmas

Ugreen M571

Helping hand The Ugreen M571 is an ergonomic

LG xboom Buds

All downhill from ear While the design of

Zoner Studio

Mixed picture Studio is an image editor and

A 256TB SSD?

What is it? Sandisk has announced the

Buy It

Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award

Win a Brother DCP-T780DW 3-in-1wireless tank printer

Winner of a Recommended award in Issue 713

Get fit with the NHS apps

What you need: NHS Active 10 a pp; NHS ‘Couch to 5K’ app Time required: A lifetime by Nik Rawlinson

How I got fit using ‘NHS Couch to 5K’

For a more strenuous challenge download the ‘NHS

Share massive files for free using Transfer.it

What you need: Mega account (optional) Time required:

Readers’ Tips

Handy hints and tips from your fellow readers

Browser Tips

Secret settings and the best extensions

AI Tips

Clever new tools and tweaks

Phone and Tablet Tips

Brilliant things to do on your device

Make Windows Better

Expert tips for every version

Check if your club’s emails have been leaked

Run a club or society? Here's how your tech can make it easier

ChatGPT psychosis

Some people are taking AI chatbots far too seriously

Reader Support

Having a problem with our recommended software or expert tips? Email editor@computeractive.co.uk and we’ll do our best to help

Talk to ChatGPT on his TV

Eager to run his favourite AI tool from his Fire TV Stick, Robert Irvine tries to…