Lifehacker

Currently, I type these words to the sounds of tiny little caterpillar poops dropping to the floor of the butterfly enclosure sitting on my desk. Plink, plink, plink. These swollen, wriggling Anise swallowtail caterpillars, striped with yellow, green, and black, are housing dill leaves and pooping nearly just as…Read more...

I’ve had pretty good instincts about timing this year, I think. I ordered a barbell and some bumper plates in March, the day before my county announced that gyms would be closing. I told you at the end of March that this whole thing isn’t going to end soon. And two weeks ago, just before cases began to really spike, I…Read more...

Nothing causes me anxiety quiet like the thought of losing my passport while I’m traveling. Losing anything when you’re traveling is frustrating, but your passport is really your lifeline to ensure a bit of safety, confirm your identity, and get you back home so you’re not stranded. No one wants to miss flights or…Read more...

People die of the flu sometimes. People die of COVID-19 sometimes. People die of suicide and drug overdoses and heart disease and a lot of other things. So if there haven’t been many COVID-19 deaths in your community yet, maybe you’ve convinced yourself that the coronavirus is about as deadly as other things you don’t…Read more...

After many months in quarantine, we’ve all learned that when every aspect of life—working, parenting, schooling, cooking, eating, sleeping—occurs within the four walls of your home, it’s nearly impossible to draw clear boundaries around any of them. Working from home also means no commute—and if that was the only time…Read more...

Not everyone wants to spend $10 on a grande mocha latte or chamomile tea from Starbucks, Dunkin’, or anywhere else that may serve it in the airport. We all know that airports hike prices up because, well, people are still going to spend the money regardless. But, if you’re like me (cheap), you’re only spending money…Read more...

I don’t generally recommend putting off system updates for too long, but there are good reasons why you might want to be wary of major feature updates for Windows 10. Microsoft’s track record at delivering flawless updates that won’t bork your system is spotty (to put it nicely), and it’s worth giving major Windows…Read more...

You wish the kids could go to summer camp. They just want to be on YouTube all day. Well it turns out that, in Pandemic Times, both things are possible. And it’s all thanks to “Camp YouTube.”

When travel first slowly began to open up, airlines confirmed they would put social distancing measures in place: blocking out middle seat assignments and not packing the planes to full capacity. However, United and American Airlines have now both opted out and are lifting social distancing measures on their flights,…Read more...

As states across the country begin reopening amid another surge of coronavirus cases, small business owners find themselves at a crossroads. In the video above, we speak with a number of independent business owners to find out how their customers and communities can help them survive this pandemic.Read more...

No single ingredient ignites recipe culture wars quite like mayonnaise. As someone who happily licks it off the spoon, my “too much mayo” threshold is all but nonexistent—but the vast majority of people feel quite differently, especially when it comes to potato salad.Read more...

In the pivotal second season finale of the early aughts TV series Alias, Jennifer Garner’s super spy Sidney Bristow figures out her roommate Francie has been replaced by an evil doppelgänger when Francie chows down on a pint of coffee ice cream, because “Francie doesn’t like coffee ice cream.” But if you ask me,…Read more...

Every parent has their particular point of contention: a thing that should be simple—and is simple for other parents—yet it never comes easily for them. A kid that’s never tired at bedtime. A child who flat-out hates the car seat from day one. The toddler who refuses to sit in a stroller, No Matter What. And, of…Read more...

If you’re one of the people out there bemoaning the fact that you “can’t even compliment someone at work these days without them taking it the wrong way,” take note: Clever Twitter user Marissa Lingen has found a solution. She suggests using the word “snazzy” when remarking on your colleagues’ outfits—that is to say, …Read more...

Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer | $120 | Amazon

The Android 11 Beta was initially slated to launch in tandem with Google’s annual developer’s event, but the world had different plans for this year’s software update. Despite the lack of fanfare, Google has now released the first public beta for Pixel users, leaving enough time to get the kinks worked out before it…Read more...

Leftover spaghetti stands with the best of leftovers. In the fridge overnight, the flavors of the sauce meld and soak into the noodles, permeating them. An ex-boyfriend of mine loves leftover spaghetti so much, he eats it cold, straight from the refrigerator, and this is fine. I don’t know that there’s a bad way to…Read more...

The emails started rolling in to me around the same time the government started sending out coronavirus relief payments in April.Read more...

When it comes to doing things we don’t want to do, we’re in a constant battle between our current selves and our future selves. We could either, let’s say, do our taxes that are due very soon, or continue to read this book we’re really into right now and leave the tax prep to our future selves. Sure, Current You loves…Read more...

Google has removed 25 malicious apps from the Google Play Store after the French cybersecurity firm Evina discovered they contained Facebook-hacking malware. That means it’s time once again to check your Android device to make sure you didn’t foolishly (or accidentally) install a crappy app.

Last week I asked Lifehacker readers to share their most pressing questions about about moving abroad. More than a few of you wondered: What the heck are you supposed to do with your stuff if you want to move abroad?

I love a high-tech kitchen toy as much as the next sous-vide-er, but I am far more dependent on my favorite spoons and spatulas than I am any countertop appliance. Beyond functionality, I like the look and feel of spoons and spatulas. (Spoons are my favorite souvenir to pick up while traveling; I love them so much.)…Read more...

Masks protect us. That shouldn’t be a surprise at this point, but since there’s been so much confusion about what masks do, and there are a lot of myths floating around about them, it’s time for a little refresher.Read more...

For months we’ve all been stuck at home taking pictures of our cats, dinners and other noteworthy objects, and we’ve apparently been using a lot of bandwidth when backing them all up to Google Photos. As a result, Google announced today that it is limiting what Google Photos will automatically back up on your Android…Read more...

Most parents are probably burnt out right now on reviewing math facts and vocabulary words. I, personally, have been mostly focused on making sure my nine-year-old continues to read consistently and gets outdoors enough; beyond that, fine, play Minecraft. But one way we could be taking advantage of this summer is by…Read more...

As both domestic and international travel begin to fully reopen, travelers will see more travel operations follow suit. The first to begin phasing back in were passport services. Now, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency has announced that Global Entry enrollment will return on July 6th.

Parents everywhere are holding their breath this summer, waiting to see what school in the fall might look like. Sending kids into school every day seems so risky for everyone involved; and yet, the thought of more weeks or months of remote learning is also emotionally daunting. The American Academy of Pediatrics…Read more...

I’m a tab junkie, but what keeps my Android version of Chrome neat and clean is the fact that switching between different websites I’ve opened up is an annoying, ugly affair. Instead of a lovely-looking tab, you must click on an ugly box that then dumps out all of your open pages like a staggered stack of cards in…Read more...

A recent Twitter viral video introduced us to an unfortunate motorist who was unable to figure out how to properly line up her gas tank with the pump, to the amusement of a couple of onlookers in the parking lot nearby.Read more...

If you’re making a McMuffin-type breakfast sandwich, a circular sausage patty makes sense. But say you want your breakfast sandwich on toast—what then? A sausage circle leaves the corners un-sausaged, and I don’t think anyone here wants to start their day with un-sausaged corners. (Plus, some of those pre-shaped…Read more...

With the delayed tax filing deadline coming at us fast—it’s July 15, don’t forget!—we’d like to take this opportunity to remind you that TurboTax, the digital tax prep software that pitches itself as a free-and-easy way to do your taxes, is in fact not so free or easy. Actually, it sucks—enough that it inspired…Read more...

If you have a barbell but not quite enough plates, you’ve probably spent this quarantine hanging things off it in extremely sketchy ways. On social media I’ve seen people put weights in tote bags, hang water bottles off their barbell, and more. A lot of these DIY solutions are injuries waiting to happen, but recently…Read more...

Though many people were first introduced to Christian Cooper via his now-viral video of a woman calling the police on him while he was birdwatching in Central Park, he has been a fixture of the birding community for years. Not only did that racist confrontation on May 25, 2020 make news, but it has also prompted more…Read more...

Getting our kids to read consistently can be a challenge. But given how the end of the school year just went down, you may be especially worried that you need to help them step up their reading game, at least so they don’t slip backward in the months leading up to whatever fall will bring. We’ve written quite a bit…Read more...

Whether it’s the pulsating pain of a migraine or the behind-the-eyes pressure of sinus congestion, nobody likes a headache. And if you suffer from them, you may need to cycle through a dozen different treatments to find one that works. The thing is, headaches—and their causes—are all different. With that in mind,…Read more...

Remember when COVID-19 really started making waves, we were all sent home to quarantine, and all these internet service providers suddenly came out of the woodwork to graciously offer everyone unlimited data? I was as floored as you; who would have ever thought that they had so much room in their magical internet…Read more...

$200 Gift Card w/ Samsung Galaxy A51 Purchase | $408 | VisibleRead more...

In some ways, the pandemic has forced us to be less wasteful and more environmentally friendly. We’re driving less, we’re using less public transportation, we’re supporting more local business. But now that we’re in the heat of the summer, home all day in the most stifling of temps and still trying to look presentable…Read more...

One of the best Amazon Prime perks is its rotating selection of free games on offer each month through the Twitch.tv “Twitch Prime” service. Even better, Amazon now has a new Amazon Games launcher that makes it far easier to claim, download and play these games on a PC—but installing the app in the first place is a…Read more...

Recently I’ve seen a few recipes for frozen strawberry cocktails (both daiquiris and margaritas) that somehow don’t call for syrup or sweetener of any kind. “Good strawberries are so sweet, you don’t need any sugar!” they say.Read more...

If you’re tired of making quarantine coffee at home or simply need a regular iced coffee fix to combat the summer heat—and if you have a Panera nearby—sign up right now for a free three-month MyPanera Coffee+ subscription.

Well, here we are. We’re knocking on July’s door and COVID-19 is still running rampant through many of our communities. Maybe you’ve added some socially distanced playdates into the mix by now, or maybe you’re starting to figure out how to safely venture out to a playground or a friend’s pool. If you haven’t run out…Read more...

If you accidentally delete a file, all hope isn’t lost. However, assuming you can’t just drag it back out of the Windows Recycle Bin—especially true if you, like me, tend to default to the more permanent Shift + Delete instead of just “delete”—you’re going to have to roll up your sleeves and try a slightly more…Read more...

Facebook’s iOS app is finally getting an official dark mode. Just like the dark modes in Facebook’s other apps—Messenger, Instagram and Whatsapp—turning on dark mode swaps the iOS app’s default white and blue interface with a black and grey theme. And it looks great, and should please those of you who haven’t already…Read more...

So you’re running dangerously low on hand soap in the middle of a global pandemic, and refills are hard to come by thanks to supply chain issues and ongoing panic buying. Or maybe you can’t venture out to the store to buy more until well after you’ve run out. You still need to wash your hands frequently—what to do?

My first day at Lifehacker was March 23, 2020—a bit over three months or three years ago. I received my employment offer on March 5, exactly one week before my wife and I pulled our kids out of New York City schools, rode the subway for the last time, and basically stopped going outside.Read more...

If you were a kid in the 1980s or ‘90s, you may remember reading predominantly in order to earn free Pizza Hut personal pan pizzas. Launched in 1984, Pizza Hut’s BOOK IT! program is built on the premise that the promise of cheesy, deep-dish goodness would be an effective enough motivator to get kids to read more…Read more...

When I think of lemonade, I always picture a pitcher—it’s just the most acceptable scale to envision. But an entire pitcher of lemonade requires many lemons, and sometimes I only have one. That’s okay, though; a single lemon is all that you need to make a perfect glass of lemonade.Read more...

Masks can be uncomfortable to wear, it’s true. And as most of us in the U.S. are not used to wearing them, so they’re also an uncomfortable reminder of how the pandemic has changed our lives. But if you’re looking for an excuse not to wear one, please leave the ADA and your fake medical condition out of this.…Read more...

This week, we’re finding the humor in our woes with help from John Moe, host of The Hilarious World of Depression podcast. John helps us understand what is funny—and sometimes even good—about depression, how we can recognize depression within ourselves and others and what to do about it when we find ourselves…Read more...