Introduction to Hidden Tech Hacks
Did you know that there’s a hack to find free Wi-Fi, fake a computer update at work, grow an extra earn on your phone, and even get you out of danger? Things are about to get crazy with some of my most hidden tech hacks that are so useful you’d wish you knew them sooner.
Turn Your Old Phone Into a Security Camera
How to Set Up Alfred Home Security Camera
Okay, so this is a crazy useful hack, and you can do it with any old phone you might have lying around somewhere, whether it’s an Android or an iPhone. On that old phone, all you got to do is head to the Play Store or the App Store and download an app called Alfred Home Security Camera. Once you’ve opened it up, just log in using your Gmail. Then, over here in the top left corner, change it from viewer to camera. It’ll prompt you to use this old device as a camera. You just click okay, then go and get your current phone you’re using and make sure you also have the Alfred app on here too. Log in using the same Gmail account, and as soon as you’ve done that, you’ll see your old phone’s camera feed on your current phone. Now you’ve just turned your old phone into a security camera. I mean, that is so cool! All you got to do is plug that phone into permanent charge so that you can keep your eye on everything going on around you.
Grow an Extra Ear on Your Phone
Using Your Phone as a Listening Device
But now, let me show you how you can grow an ear on your phone.
Okay, now for this next tech hack, you can do this again on either an iPhone or Samsung, and it’s going to get really sneaky. So, let’s start off with the Samsung. All you got to do is connect a pair of buds to it. Once you’ve done that, then go into settings all the way down to accessibility. In here, under hearing enhancement, you’ll see amplify ambient sound. If you toggle this on, then swipe down on the notification panel and press this play button. What this will do is whatever your phone’s microphones pick up, you’ll hear through your earphones. Then, before I show you why that’s so cool for the iPhone, also just connect a pair of AirPods to it. Then, once they’re connected, head into the control center, tap on this little ear icon, and toggle on live listen, which will do the exact same thing as the Samsung and let you listen in on whatever your iPhone is hearing, but through your AirPods.
Listen In on Conversations with Ease
The Power of Hidden Listening Modes
Now, this is where it gets sneaky because, basically, wherever you leave your phone, you’ll hear what it hears through your buds. So, like, let’s just say, uh, whoops, you left your phone by a friend that was on a phone call or in the lounge by your parents. You can now use your buds kind of like a third ear to listen in on everything being said, which is very, very sneaky. Maybe a little too sneaky, but it is good to know because if someone leaves their phone by you and has their earphones in, they might be a little bit suspicious, so just keep that in mind.
Instantly Connect to Free Wi-Fi
Hack Your Way Into Wi-Fi
Okay, now everyone needs to know this next hack, ’cause it’ll make life so much easier and it’s actually got to do with Wi-Fi. ‘Cause I bet you didn’t know that you can log into any Wi-Fi in a couple of seconds, no matter how long the password is. It’s actually very simple. All you got to do is, on your phone, head into your main Wi-Fi settings. Then, under the Wi-Fi you connected to, you’ll see you can generate a QR code for it. You can also do this with an iPhone by going into the new passwords application. Then tap on Wi-Fi and select the Wi-Fi you’re connected to, and right over here, show QR code. Now, all you’re going to do is take a screenshot of that QR code, quickly print it out, and stick it up near your front door or main entrance. Now, whenever you have guests or someone that needs to use your Wi-Fi, just tell them to scan that QR code and bam, they will instantly log in. No password needed. Just simple and easy. I personally think that hotels and coffee shops need to start doing this because, I don’t know about you guys, but they have like the longest passwords. Anyway, this next hack is going to blow your mind.
How to Use Your Phone to Draw Like a Pro
The Secret to Projecting Images for Tracing
So, you guys might not believe it, but your phone’s camera can actually make you draw like a freaking pro. So, for this hack, all you got to do is download an app called Da Vinci iArt Projector. Once you open it up, you tap this draw icon and choose the image you want to actually draw. Then select AR mode, and it’ll prompt you to make an anchor. Now, this is where it might seem super random, but your anchor is actually an x cm piece of paper with a giant scribble on it. There is literally no rhyme or reason; you just got to scribble. Then, you’ll have to take a picture, crop it out, and pop in your dimensions.
Projecting Your Artwork
Now, stick with me here because this is where the real fun begins. All you got to do is place your phone on a stand (or it could even be a glass jar like this). Then, put your anchor down on a piece of paper, and voila! Your image is perfectly projected. As you move the paper around or maybe zoom in, the image stays precisely in place, thanks to that anchor you made. Then, you can just take your time and trace that image and even put Leonardo da Vinci to shame. Bam, you can create anything. I mean, this app is draw-dropping.
Fake a Computer Update for a Quick Escape
How to Use Fake Update Screens
Okay, now I’m pretty sure all of us need this hack for a Monday morning. To do it, you’ll have to go to a website called wi-screen.online. Straight off the bat, it doesn’t look like much, but here’s the trick. As you scroll down, you’ll find these prank screens. But if you scroll down some more, you’ll find these update screens. There’s a few different window update screens and even a Mac one, but basically, you just pick an update screen based on your computer version. Then, over here, you can set how long it needs to update for (like, minutes, enough time for a good coffee break). And over here, you can set the start percentage. Now, just expand it to fill the screen, and there you have it! A perfect excuse to pump the brakes while your PC installs its very important fake update.
Color Code Your Earbuds and Cables
Simple Hack for Easy Identification
Now, this hack is going to surprise you, ’cause it is so simple. We’ve all been there before where we mix up the left or right earbud of our earphones, and the simple hack to fix that is to just change the color of the ear tip. So, I like to color code them: the “R” in right stands for red, and the “L” in blue stands for left. That way, I can quick and easily see exactly which is which. I got these from Amazon, but you could actually swap out a tip with a friend who has a different color. Just pop that on yours, and now you know which one’s right and which one’s left. Just make sure you clean it first.
Quick Fix for USB and Cable Frustrations
Easy Cable Identification Hack
The cool thing about this color-coding hack is you can basically do it with anything, like USB-A type cables that always go in the wrong way. Just put a colored sticker or mark on the same two sides that connect, and now you can quick and easily plug it into your charger, wall adapter, heck, even your TV, without painstakingly trying to constantly put it in the right way. I mean, that’s just such an easy hack.
Discover Free Wi-Fi Around You
Using the Wi-Fi Map App
Earlier, I showed you how you can instantly connect to Wi-Fi, but what if I told you there’s free Wi-Fi all around you? So, yeah, I’m actually not joking, ’cause if you download this app called Wi-Fi Map on your phone, as soon as you open it up, you’ll see this map with every single location that has free Wi-Fi around you. It’s absolutely nuts! So, if you’re in a pinch and about to run out of data, just tap on one of these Wi-Fi spots. It’ll give you the location’s name, and you’ll see right over here that it has free public Wi-Fi. You can even do this on a laptop. You just do it through the Wi-Fi Maps website. Nice.
Send Files from Your Phone to Your Laptop Instantly
Air Link for Quick File Transfers
And speaking of laptops, sending files from your phone to your laptop has always been a pain in the neck. But not if you know this next hack. All right, this laptop I’m using from LG has this awesome app called Air Link. Where, if you open the app, you’ll see your computer, and if you select it, you can head into the gallery, choose a picture, and instantly send it to your computer. It is so unbelievably simple! And the cool thing is you can send files from your phone to your laptop or vice versa. LG’s definitely nailed it with this one.
Conclusion: Hidden Tech Hacks to Change Your Life
So, there you have it: a bunch of awesome tech hacks that will change the way you interact with your devices. From transforming old phones into security cameras to finding free Wi-Fi and even faking updates at work, these tricks are going to make life a lot easier. Keep them in your back pocket for when you need them most. Trust me, you’ll be glad you know these!