Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common tech questions.
How long should a secure password be?
Passwords should be at least 8 characters long — 12 or more is even better. Include uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols, and avoid obvious words like your name or birthday.
Should I use the same password for everything?
No. If one site is breached, attackers try the same password everywhere else. Use a different password for each important account — a password manager (like iCloud Keychain on iPhone) makes this easy.
How often should I update my iPhone?
Install updates as soon as they're available. Updates fix security problems and bugs. Go to Settings → General → Software Update, or watch the Updating Your iPhone video.
What should I do before resetting my phone or PC?
- Back up your photos, contacts and files (iCloud, OneDrive or an external drive).
- Make sure you know your Apple ID or Microsoft account password.
- On iPhone, sign out of iCloud so the phone can be used by someone else.
Then follow the iPhone reset or PC reset video.
What is a local IP address?
It's the address your router gives your device on your home network (often something like 192.168.1.x). It's useful when setting up printers, game consoles or troubleshooting Wi-Fi. See How to Check Your Local IP Address.
Can I request a video?
Absolutely — send a message through the contact page describing what you're trying to do.
Stuck on something?
Tell me what you're trying to set up or fix. I read every message and your question might become the next video.