From the Editor

One of the ironies of software design is

Will Google force you to give up passwords?

It will have no choice if older people keep ignoring passkeys

WATCH OUT FOR... HMRC scams following huge data leak

Scams and threats to avoid, plus new security tools

New tools

Malwarebytes Scam Guard

Scam Watch Readers warn readers

NatWest’s ‘sleek new design’ Somebody impersonating NatWest sent

Letters

Tell us what’s on your mind

Do I have to pay to return shoes to China?

We stand up for your legal rights

Plusnet finally refunds reader for 2024 broadband failure

Plusnet has finally compensated reader Gerald Razey for

Virgin is overcharging me – should I cancel direct debit?

Q Virgin Media totally messed up my billing

Should AMD have told me chip won’t work with Windows 11?

Q In 2019, I bought an AMD Ryzen

Do I have to pay to insure delivery of goods?

Q I thought any insurance for goods bought

Mesh helped me upgrade my PC to Windows 11 Pro

Four years ago, I purchased a computer running

Grow Your Family Tree

Search for online parish clerks

WiseX 1.01

AI ASSISTANT

Patch My PC Home Updater 5.2.3

www.snipca.com/55261 What you need: Windows 10 or

Macrorit Disk Scanner Pro

Choose the right version of software

CrystalDiskMark

www.snipca.com/55262 What you need: Windows 7,

What should I download?

We advise you which software and apps to use

Named & Shamed

Keumars Afifi-Sabet puts the boot into tech villains, jargon-spouting companies and software trying to trick you

Buy It

Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award

What’s All the Fuss About...

The Gentle Singularity

BEST FREE SOFTWARE

You’ll master in minutes

Stop AI stealing your face

AI tools are fantastic, but you must use them privately. Jonathan Parkyn explains how to stop them collecting personal data such as your photos and what you type

10 PC MISTAKES WE’VE FINALLY STOPPED MAKING

Even experienced PC users fall into bad habits. Here, four Computeractive writers confess to errors they used to make and what they now do to avoid them

Problems Solved

Our experts solve all your tech problems

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

Jargon Buster

Test the safety of extensions

Worried that something nasty might be lurking in his web browser, Robert Irvine tries to…

Sign into Facebook on phones without passwords

Y ou’ll soon be able to log into

You’ll like this…

You can now customise subtitles in Google Meet

But not this…

A OneDrive user lost 30 years’ of files

WhatsApp starts showing ads – breaking years-old promise

W hatsApp has started showing adverts, breaking a

ChatGPT loses at chess to 1977 Atari console

C hatGPT has been humiliated in a game

OLD TP-LINK ROUTERS ARE BEING HACKED

Security experts have warned about a “high priority”

SAMSUNG TO AXE ACCOUNTS ON 31 JULY

Samsung will soon start deleting accounts that haven’t

TOMORROW’S WORLD

Next time you’re worried about being enslaved by

SEARCH GIFs FROM THE EARLY INTERNET

The Internet Archive has improved the results of

UPDATE PIXEL 6a PHONE TO STOP OVERHEATING

Google is releasing an update for a “subset”

THE WORLD’S GONE MAD!

Someone should tell this moron there are only

Write and edit PDFs on your iPad with Preview app

A pple is adding its Preview app to

BT says AI might lead to more job cuts in the company than first thought

B T’s boss has said the rise of

Amazon doubles Prime Video adverts to six minutes an hour

A mazon has quietly doubled the time dedicated

‘Yuck!’ Wikipedia axes AI summaries after editor backlash

W ikipedia has paused a trial that involved

VODAFONE LAUNCHES NEW TRAVEL eSIMS

Vodafone has launched a new eSIM service for

FREELY COMES TO ROKU SMART TVS

Streaming service Freely is now available on some

RENT EPSON PRINTERS FOR £6.99 A MONTH

You can now rent Epson printers for £6.99

Reviews

New products tested by our experts

HOW TO...

Back up your two-factor authentication codes

Workshop

Replace VLC Media Player with Screenbox

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

Make Office Better

Top tips for the best office programs

Track who has opened your emails

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