Rick's Daily Tips

Tools that help content creators reach the right audience

Posted on January 20, 2026

Reaching the right audience on Instagram has become a practical challenge for content creators. Publishing frequently no longer guarantees visibility. The platform prioritizes relevance, interaction quality, and consistency, which makes audience growth more complex than before.

Consequently, more and more creators are leveraging online services that help them identify who sees their content and additionally, also identify how their profiles are discovering new audiences. Some services provide automated solutions while others focus on analytics or planning. By comparing individual tools side by side will better help clarify what each tool offers individually.

[Read more…]

Review: SentrySafe Black Fireproof and Waterproof Safe

Posted on January 19, 2026

Want to make sure you never miss one of my tips?

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

You probably know by now that I’m constantly driving home the importance of creating regular backups of your computer’s hard drive or SSD.

But truth be told, how you store your backup drive is just as important as creating backups in the first place because a backup that ends up getting destroyed in a fire or some other disaster cannot be used to recover your files onto a new computer. [Read more…]

Q&A: How can I prevent Windows 11 from hiding the scroll bars in Windows apps?

Posted on January 19, 2026

Like my tips? Click here to sign up for my free Daily Tech Tips Newsletter and you’ll never miss one!

Question from Tammy: Every time I load a Windows app on my Windows 11 laptop the scrollbar over on the right remains hidden until I move my mouse over it.

This happens every time I use any app I have downloaded from the Microsoft Store.

I have a health issue that makes it hard for me to control the placement of the mouse so I have trouble activating the scrollbar.

Can you tell me how to keep Windows from hiding the scrollbars? [Read more…]

Q&A: I lost my phone. Can I remotely sign out of Gmail using a different device?

Posted on January 18, 2026

Question from Carrie: I went to Costco this morning and when I got home my phone wasn’t in my purse.

I checked both my car and my apartment from one end to other and it just isn’t here.

Then I called Costco to see if anyone had found it and turned it in at the Service Desk, but they hadn’t.

I didn’t go anywhere else, just to Costco so that has to be where I lost it.

I’m not too concerned about the phone itself. It’s an older Straight Talk phone that I was planning to replace soon anyway.

The thing that worries me is my Gmail was open (I keep it that way, stupid me). I have a lot of sensitive info and photos in my emails that I really don’t want anyone else to see.

Is there a way to use my computer to remotely sign out of Gmail on the lost phone?

[Read more…]

Q&A: Does my iPhone need an antivirus app?

Posted on January 17, 2026

Want to get my easy to follow Tech Tips in your email?

Question from Lilly: Hello, Rick. I just have a very quick question.

Do I need to install an antivirus app on my iPhone? One friend says I do and another friend says I don’t.

I’d really like to know for sure so I can make sure my phone is protected. I just don’t want to install another app if I don’t need it. But if I do need to install one, which one would you recommend? [Read more…]