How to Post On Instagram From Your Desktop: In 9 Easy Steps [Video]

We would like to show you how to post on Instagram from your Desktop because out of over 500 million daily users on Instagram, most people only posting from their mobile phones and we think this will make you more effecient than majority of the people on the platform.

For most people, Instagram looks more appealing when accessed with a PC; hence they use their desktops most times when using Instagram. But it was not until recently that Instagram started allowing users to post directly from their Mac and PC.

Yet not every user has caught wind of it or understood how to do this yet. So, if you are looking to upgrade your experience and create Feed posts directly from your PC or Mac, then this guide will teach you everything you need to know on how to post on Instagram from your Desktop.

And as a bonus, we will teach you the best things to post, the best pictures, and the best filters to use on Instagram.

How to Post On Instagram From Your Desktop

How to Post On Instagram From Your Desktop
How to Post On Instagram From Your Desktop

Before we get into the steps, we would like to mention that Instagram is mostly available as the web version and not an App on desktops. And as such, posting on Instagram from your Desktop may restrict you to posting only images and videos to your Feed.

This means that you may not be able to post other Instagram content such as Instagram Stories, IGTV posts, Reels, and Live videos.

But we don’t think these matters greatly, as people who post using their PC often only want to post images and videos, especially for their organization.

This is because, in a corporate setting, most files are often available on/ or can be easily accessed via desktops.

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So if you want to post for your company, your best bet is to use a desktop, and because you will most likely be posting to your Feed, it wouldn’t matter much.

Step 1: Open your preferred browser

Open your preferred browser on your Desktop. This could be Chrome or Safari, depending on whether you are using a PC or Mac.

However, there are tons of other browsers that different people use. This will not affect the general process or the outcome.

Step 2: Go to Instagram

As we said, Instagram can only be accessed through the web and not the App on desktops. So type “Iinstagram.com” on your browser to open the web version.

Step 3: Sign in to your account

The next step is to log in to your Instagram account using your email/phone number/username and password.

Alternatively, you could log in via Facebook. Please note that the details you will use depend on the account you wish to post on.

For instance, most people have multiple Instagram accounts, so you may want to make sure you are logging in to the correct one.

Also, if you are posting for your brand or company, then you want to be sure you are logging into the business account.

Step 4: Click on the “+” sign to post

Once you are logged in, look to the top right corner to where your Direct Messages icon sits, and beside it, you will find the “+” icon; click on it to add a post.

Step 5: Follow the pop-up.

Once you hit the “+” sign, a pop-up will appear next. On that pop-up, click on “Select from computer” to proceed.

This will open up all the files on your Desktop, and you can continue to scroll around until you find exactly what you want to post.

Step 6: Choose image/video

Browse the content of your Desktop until you find what you intend to post, then click on it to select it.

You can pick an image or a video. Then zoom in, edit, or add more files if it is an image. If it is a video, you can also crop and edit to make the post even better.

Step 7: Choose a filter (optional)

Instagram provides a wide array of filters to choose from, with each one designed to represent a particular mood. You will need to select the one that brings out the best without overshadowing the entire post.

Step 8: Add a caption

Once you are satisfied with the editing and filters, go ahead to add an appropriate caption. The caption is often a text that gives more idea about the post. When done right, it amplifies the post and makes it more sensible, but it can make ruin the whole point if done wrongly.

So before you learn how to post on Instagram from your Desktop, maybe it won’t be such a bad idea to learn how to craft compelling captions.

Once you have the best caption in place, you may also proceed to tag people or add a location. The people you tag could be those that appear in the post or those you want to engage with first.

Step 9: Click “Share”

Once you have gotten all the above steps right, you can scroll through the post again and check your caption to ensure no errors.

And once you are satisfied with yourself, you can hit “Share” to finish. Your post will be shared almost immediately, and you can view it on your Feed.

What Are The Best Things To Post On Instagram?

How to Post On Instagram From Your Desktop
How to Post On Instagram From Your Desktop

Now that you have learned how to post on Instagram from your Desktop, this section will teach you the best things to post on Instagram.

This ensures that you post only quality content that brings engagement to your post and paints a professional picture about you or your brand.

People love Instagram and often prefer it to similar social media because it allows users to post anything that reflects their experience and pleases others aesthetically.

To this end, you can find anything from beautiful pictures of flowers and trees to posts about racism and world issues.

This inclusivity is important to allow everyone to post the content they feel comfortable with. However, this does not mean all posts perform equally on Instagram.

Some posts can generate millions of likes and constant engagement, and some barely get to a few people.

So if you want to post what catches everyone’s attention, then you have got to make sure it is the best thing you are posting. And this is what we are about to show you below.

Product in Use

Nothing gets people’s attention like some fictional subject appearing applicable in real life. Humans are visual creatures and, as such, like to do a lot of imagining.

And people like to think of a thing as abstract until they can imagine themselves using it. The best way to spark such imagination is to show somebody else using it.

Hence, one of the best things to post on Instagram is a product being used by someone else. This product could be something your brand manufactures or sells.

Creative Selfies

Selfies are simply pictures taken by an individual using the front camera of their phones. They tell a story, especially when done creatively and with intriguing details and background.

They have been around for a while, and most people are still doing it, and we believe they are still around after all this time because they are one of the best things to post.

Behind The Scene

Another thing that people adore is a great story that seems to be both personal and relatable. And you can get a lot of engagement for letting people see what they wouldn’t see under normal circumstances.

Brands like to appear all shiny and quintessential. Hence when you do something different by showing the audience things that go behind the scenes, it gives a sense of specialness and can perform very well.

The behind-the-scene could be centered on your company and its activities or things that occurred before an interview or meeting.

Social Causes

People also find matters that concern an entire group of people or affect society quite engaging.

This is because we all believe in things that are bigger than ourselves. Hence, sharing societal causes is sure to get people’s attention and keep them engaging.

Just be sure you share the truth and keep it as positive as possible. While people like to engage, they also want to hope for some change, and it is always best, to tell the truth.

Videos

If a picture is worth a thousand words, you can only imagine how many words a video would be worth.

You can post a 3-60 seconds video on Instagram and get enough engagement. The goal here is to be very creative and make the video-capable of interrupting the user’s desire to scroll further even after just 3 seconds.

Quotes

Quotes perform well on all social media platforms and not just Instagram. They can be short, simple words geared towards catching attention or putting a smile on the reader’s face.

They can also be inspirational or motivational or cause the reader to take a second to think about them.

No matter the route your quotes take, they are sure to generate engagement if they fulfill a particular need in the reader’s mind.

Funny Photos

These could also be memes and have become very popular for generating laughter even without too much effort.

Funny pictures help lighten the mood and inspire laughter, and because everybody loves a good laugh, this type of post continues to perform well today.

Sneak Peeks

One of the best ways to get people drooling all over a post is to show them a glimpse of something new or a little taste of a unique experience.

If you are releasing a new product or service, making a brief video to show the world what you are about to unleash can cause excitement while spreading excitement simultaneously.

Perhaps, this is why movie trailers get so much reception and engagement.

How-to’s

Some Instagram users are quite curious and want to learn new things as often as possible, and the best way to catch this group of people is to make how-to videos.

These videos are short and teach the viewer how to make or do something they have never done before or mastered.

Monthly Challenge

Everybody loves a good story and more so likes to follow the story and its process. This can be used to get their attention and keep it.

So if you want to catch attention and keep it for an entire month, the best thing to do is do a monthly challenge.

This will keep the user coming every day to follow up or catch up with the progress.

What Is The Best Picture To Post On Instagram?

How to Post On Instagram From Your Desktop
How to Post On Instagram From Your Desktop

Now that we have seen ten of the best things to post on Instagram let us look at something else.

If you want to focus more on posting pictures or want to improve the performance of the photos you post, below are the best photos that perform well on Instagram.

  1. Landscape and panoramic images that focus on natural beauty or catch animals in action
  2. Aerial and architectural images that capture the world from high-above and give a flattering description of its details
  3. Sports and event photography that aims to capture that one perfect moment in a game
  4. Portrait photos that center on catching natural beauty from different angles
  5. Abstract photography that is done to mesmerize and give optical illusions

What Are The Best Instagram Filters?

How to Post On Instagram From Your Desktop
How to Post On Instagram From Your Desktop

If you now know the best pictures to post on Instagram and how to post on Instagram from your Desktop, the best filters to use with these pictures is the last thing to know.

Instagram allows you to choose from a wide variety of filters, but this can easily lead to confusion about which filter to use.

Below, you will see the best filter to use and the different occasions to use them for.

  1. Clarendon

This can suffice for any image and gives the skin tone a warm and normal appearance. It is considered the best filter on Instagram.

  1. Sutro

This is a strong vignette filter that can suffice for images that affect the mood. They can be used to add drama to dark photography, like when you try to portray a storm or cloud in the image’s background.

  1. Renegade

This works in contrast to the above filter and adds some light or sunniness to an image.

  1. Hefe

This filter is to best for making photos clearer. The saturation and darker shadows allowed by this filter can make the image appear out of this world.

  1. Stories from the Movies 7

This filter is best for making images appear vintage. But it can also work for videos. Aside from adding style to your post, it can also introduce some dramatic effects to the mix.

Conclusion

It is more common for people to post on Instagram from their mobile devices than from their computers.

However, to use Instagram like a pro, you need also to learn how to post on Instagram from your Desktop. That way, you can comfortably post on Instagram regardless of the device before you.

 

Top 7 Best Instant Cameras For Kids In 2022: A Simple Guide [Video]

If you have a kid who loves photography, you need to learn the top 7 best instant cameras for kids in 2022. This will provide you with adequate knowledge to select the best for your child.

Whether an instant film or instant digital camera, these tools eliminate the unnecessary need for settings and allow your kid to focus on capturing and creating magic and are popularly divided between Instax and Polaroid.

Today, well-known makers like Canon, Fujifilm, and Kodak have ventured into this line of photography that can allow images to be developed right in front of your eyes.

This style of creating images was invented in the 1940s and has witnessed sustained popularity that seems to last until this very day, with everyone from adults to kids using it make one of the purest forms of photography.

We call it one of the purest forms of photography because these cameras offer a particular way of capturing images that is simply hard to find in other types of cameras.

So rare is the photography type that even the Instagram filter created to emulate it doesn’t quite produce the same result.

Therefore, there is no doubt that your child will love this at first peep, but before you go ahead to order for one, learn the top 7 best instant cameras for kids to help you choose the best.

Top 7 Best Instant Cameras For Kids 1n 2022

Top 7 Best Instant Cameras For Kids In 2022
Top 7 Best Instant Cameras For Kids In 2022

Instant cameras, by design, allow you to print out physical images quickly and almost instantly, and while the quality of images produced may be nowhere near the best digital camera such as DSLRs, the convenience and magic of instant cameras are unprecedented.

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Below is our list of the top 7 best instant cameras for kids for your reading pleasure:

Fujifilm Instax Mini 9

Everything about this instant camera screams simplicity, from how to use it to how the film is loaded.

The camera is also cute and portable in size, making it even more appealing for your kids. It also has a macro lens that allows it to take great pictures from a distance of 35 to 50cm.

The Instax Mini 9 also allows for easy brightness adjustment and can be used indoors or under the sun.

However, there is one downside to this instant camera: how expensive the cartridges can be. Yet, the joy of watching your kids create magic with this lightweight camera makes that almost insignificant.

Canon IVY CLIQ+ Instant Camera Printer

This instant camera is both lightweight and compact and can be carried around easily by your ward. It is also cute and easy to use, making it an ideal choice for kids.

However, it brings some technological features to the mix. For instance, this camera can be linked to an app you can download on Play Store. This will allow you to view pictures your kids take even before printing them.

The significance of this is that you can visualize what has been captured before printing, which most instant cameras do not offer.

Additionally, you can edit the captured images however you like. Once your child is satisfied with the editing, you can print to get your pictures instantly using a camera printer that comes with it.

This single uniqueness makes using this camera an absolute delight and glosses over its one downside: it takes only modest pictures.

Other features include the selfie mirror that allows the child to capture a broad background. The camera also comes with a ring light to brighten the pictures taken with the selfie mirror.

Fujifilm Instax Minion

The Instax Minion is also very easy to use, and your kids can start taking great pictures just after holding this camera for a few hours as it offers a point-and-shoot feature that makes photography look like second nature.

It is also portable and beautiful to carry about and will not trouble to become a favorite gadget for your wards.

Once you insert batteries into this camera, your kid can go ahead and create magic even without knowing what image exposure is, as the camera features an automatic exposure measurement that does most of the heavy lifting.

This camera features two specific advantages that may be hard to find in other instant cameras. First, it is one of the cheapest instant cameras for kids, with both the camera and new films for replacement being easily affordable.

Secondly, it allows images to both snapped in both vertical and horizontal positions so that your kids can take perfect landscape and portrait pictures with them.

However, it does have a little disadvantage as it doesn’t do well with black and white backgrounds. For instance, the pictures will not be as perfect if a subject wears black or white colors.

INKPOT Instant Print Camera

Do your kids love to color just as they love to take pictures; then this instant camera would be the right fit for them?

Aside from being lightweight like most instant cameras for kids, it is also highly durable, making it tougher to break if your kid accidentally drops it against a hard surface.

The batteries are rechargeable and can last very long so that your kids can capture as many pictures with the camera once the batteries have been fully charged.

The images captured are usually in black and white, and your kids can draw on them or color over them with the markers that come with them.

Aside from the above, another major advantage of this camera over its competition is the large storage capacity. It comes with a massive 32GB memory card for saving photos.

The camera comes with a limited instruction manual, and while many may want to look at this as a demerit, we believe that the ease with which your kids can learn and use this camera makes this insignificant.

Zink Polaroid Snap Instant Digital Camera

This would not have made it to our list of top 7 best instant cameras for kids in 2022 since we also see adults use it as wedding cameras, but it comes with such a comfortable feel that we feel any kid would love to own one.

It is easy to use and can be used to capture amazing memories in both sepia and black and white images.

Amongst the many things the camera comes with are a photo booth option that allows the user to print four images in one printout, a micro SD card for storing captured pictures, a 10-second timer feature that allows for more convenience, and an internal rechargeable battery.

One of the things this camera doesn’t have is an LCD screen to preview images before taking them. However, it does come with an optical viewfinder that can pop up when needed and easily retract when not in use.

A downside you should note here is the price of this instant camera, as it can be a little pricey to purchase.

Dragon Touch Instant Camera

This is another sturdy instant camera that your kids can rarely damage, which makes it a worthwhile investment.

But more importantly, it is as easy as other instant cameras and allows your kids to draw or color overprinted images.

As expected for this instant camera, the images are usually printed in black and white, making them ideal for coloring.

Aside from taking quality photos, your kids can also record videos with this instant camera with extra features, including selfies, photo timers, and auto power off.

The pictures, as we said, come out in black and white, which should easily be a disadvantage, but this is not so as the black and white pictures are easier to paint over. A more appropriate burden for this camera would be the missing micro SD card, making it only suitable for printing only 750 photos.

Polaroid Originals Now I-Type

This instant camera offers the most beautiful vintage appearance amongst the top 7 best instant cameras for kids in 2022.

It is an absolute vintage to behold, and this doesn’t make it difficult or more complicated to use. On the contrary, the Polaroid Originals Now I-Type is easy to use as any other camera on this list.

The instruction manual also contains a ton of information should anything confuse you or your kid while starting with this camera.

It features a double exposure that helps the user take some professional-looking shots and a self-timer that allows for more convenience.

The camera also features an auto-focus, but some users have reported that this doesn’t quite do the job for them.

Are Instant Cameras Safe?

Top 7 Best Instant Cameras For Kids In 2022
Top 7 Best Instant Cameras For Kids In 2022

While looking for the top 7 best instant cameras for kids in 2022, we have also seen parents worry whether these cameras are safe for use by kids.

This worry is valid considering that some of these cameras use “Polaroid ink,” and we all know that inks generally contain some level of toxicity.

Luckily, these instant cameras for kids are safe as they do not use inks to create images. Instead, they use chemicals known as reagents to react with certain film parts to make images.

The chemicals include a mixture of Alkali, Opacifiers, and White pigment, and the mechanism by which they work is as simple as this; the reagent often sits at the edge of the film slide near the border of the picture frame, and once a click is made, the slide passes between a pair of rollers with the reagent spreading over the film sheet.

Each reagent component reacts with a separate part of s chemical layer, resulting in color or black and white images (depending on the instant camera being used).

How To Use Instant Camera

Top 7 Best Instant Cameras For Kids In 2022
Top 7 Best Instant Cameras For Kids In 2022

We thought that aside from listing the top 7 best instant cameras for kids, we should provide a brief description of how to use these cameras.

This knowledge will provide you with all the preliminary things you need to do even without opening the instruction manual and is especially useful if you get a camera with no manual or only limited instructions in the manual.

Step 1: Load and prepare the camera

Open the bottom flap of the camera and insert the cartridge in the slot with the dark side facing up and the metal contacts facing down. Then close the flap and wait for a dark slide to emerge from the camera – this tells you that the camera is ready for use.

You can also put in the batteries if you got a camera with removable batteries before moving to the next step.

Step 2: Turn on the camera.

Turning on the camera should be as easy as flipping a switch or pressing a button. Either way, the controller or button is usually found near the camera’s top.

There is always some form of indication to allow you to know that your camera has been turned on in most cases.

Once your camera is on, you can play around with the exposure to test for brightness before getting to work.

Step 3: Find the right distance and frame.

This 2-in-1 step will help you or your kid take the best pictures. Start by moving away gradually from the subject to find the right distance, and once you have gotten the perfect one, test it to find the best frame.

The best frame is often the one that captures just the right amount of background with the subject. It is important to find the most suitable one because doing otherwise would result in unappealing pictures.

Step 4: Take the shot and wait

Once you are satisfied with the distance and frame quality, the next step is to take great shots and create unforgettable memories.

Push the button to take a shot, then protect the camera and film from light exposure while waiting for the image to develop.

Image development often takes about 10 to 60 minutes, depending on the instant camera you are using, and this is often how long you will need to protect the film.

How Does Instant Camera Work?

Top 7 Best Instant Cameras For Kids In 2022
Top 7 Best Instant Cameras For Kids In 2022

And to give you a well-rounded knowledge, let us consider the working principle of instant cameras in a more detailed way.

Most instant cameras work by employing an internal development mechanism that allows for films to be developed inside without any interference.

On the inside are both the chemicals that form the reagent with the files that contain the images that have been captured.

Once you shoot, the film rolls over a specialized roller, and the pod containing the chemicals breaks open to spread the reagent over the rolling film.

An image appears on the sheet at the camera’s opening about some minutes. And it is this immediacy that makes these cameras popular.

Conclusion

Any of the top 7 best instant cameras for kids described above will enable your child to take very iconic images while exploring and growing their creativity.

Some are more expensive than others, but they are all exquisite devices to buy for that one child that enjoys capturing fleeting moments.

How To Hide Apps On iPhone: In 3 Easy Methods [Video]

Learning how to hide apps on iPhone is a vital skill for every iPhone user as it can be used to foster privacy and execute some type of self-discipline.

Hiding apps on iPhones is important if you have someone who regularly snoops through your device, and you would like to put an end to that. When you hide an app, it becomes harder for others to access the hidden App readily.

Then, there is self-discipline; if you have become addicted to a particular game or can’t go an hour without checking your social media, learning how to hide apps on iPhone can also help you deal with these issues.

Of course, it would be much easier for you to find your hidden apps than others, but hiding them puts in extra work as you cannot simply access them on your home screen.

The difficulty of finding the App will depend on the method you used in hiding the App. Still, when apps are hidden, it generally adds extra work to using such apps, and because most people hate extra work, this can help put those addictions in check to some extent.

How To Hide Apps On iPhone

How To Hide Apps On iPhone
How To Hide Apps On iPhone

There are different ways to hide apps on iPhone, but in this section, we will focus on the most important 3:

Hiding Apps On Your iPhone

Step 1: Press and hold down the App

The apps installed on your phone are often scattered across your home screen and arranged in the order in which they were installed, with the last App to be installed being the last App you will find as you scroll right.

The first thing you need to do is press and hold the App you intend to hide, bringing out a short menu.

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Step 2: Choose the right option

On the menu that appears after step 1 above, you will be given the following options, “Remove App,” “Share App,” and “Edit Home Screen.”

The goal is to hide the App so that you will select “Remove App.:

Step 3: Select the middle option

The next menu will contain a prompt message asking whether you want to permanently delete the App or remove it from the Home Screen.

You want to hide the App, for now, so you will select “Remove from Home Screen.” This will hide the App completely from other apps and make it more difficult to find it. The only way to find it is to know how to find hidden apps and what you are looking for.

How to Find Hidden Apps in App Library

However, we will teach you how to find an app you have hidden using the method above to ensure you leave here well-grounded in these matters.

Step 1: Scroll right on your screen.

Use a finger to keep scrolling right until you arrive at the end of all the App. The more apps you have on the phone, the longer you need to scroll.

Step 2: Search on the “App Library” icon.

You will find all your apps arranged in different folders once you arrive at the end of all the apps; ignore those.

At the top of the screen, you will find a search bar with “App Library” written inside. Type in the name of the App you have just hidden to find it. The App will immediately appear under the search results.

Step 3: Press and hold the App

Once the App is found, you will need to press and hold it down to see the option. In the menu, you will be asked to “Add to Home Screen,” “Share App,” or “Delete App.”

Click on the first option, and your App will be immediately added to your home screen and reunited with the other unhidden apps.

Hiding Pages of App on Your iPhone

Step 1: Press and hold down on an empty portion of your screen

Go to any page of apps you intend to hide or clean and hold down any space between the apps; this will leave the apps shaking with a little minus (-) sign above each App.

Clicking on that sign will bring out the options as in the first method above.

Step 2: Click on the (-) sign to hide apps.

You will need to do it one after the other and click on the minus sign for each App you intend to hide. Again, the method is similar to the first method described above. The difference here is you are trying to hide multiple apps.

Restoring the apps can also be done using the method we described under the first method.

Hiding App in a Folder on Your iPhone

Step 1: Tap and hold an app

This method allows you to easily hide apps inside a folder that can be accessed whenever you need to.

The first step is to press and hold down the App you want to hide, then click on “Edit Home Screen” to proceed.

Step 2: Drag the App to create a folder

Once you have clicked on “Edit Home Screen,” you will be able to drag the App across different areas.

But to make a folder, drag that App towards another app you want to be included in the new folder and let it go once it is on top of that App.

This will create a folder that can be automatically named, but you will need to change the name to something you can easily remember because you are trying to hide them.

Step 3: Drag other apps into that folder

Since you are trying to hide multiple apps within a folder, you can now drag other apps you want to hide into the newly created folder one after the other.

Once you are satisfied with the apps you have moved into the folder, you can move the folder.

Step 4: Move the folder

Next, hold down the folder and start dragging it across the screen to where you wish to stack it. Your best bet is to keep moving right to the end of the screen and then to leave the folder at the utmost right end of the screen.

While the folder will not be exactly hidden, it makes it harder to access them as you need to scroll to the last part of your screen every time you want to use any app in that folder.

The apps contained in the folder will also still be visible on the home page. However, they will be tinier than usual, making them less likely to be seen often or clicked on.

You can move the folder back into the home screen if you ever decide to stop hiding the apps contained inside.

How Do You Find Hidden Text Messages on iPhone?

How To Hide Apps On iPhone
How To Hide Apps On iPhone

Now that we have learned how to hide apps on iPhone let us discuss another issue that occurs almost too often; hidden messages.

While most people may want to hide for privacy and security reasons, there are times when an iPhone user accidentally sends a text message to hidden, making it harder to read them.

Text messages are not exactly hidden on iPhone in the real sense of the word “hidden,” but they can be hard to find or access directly.

In this section, we will teach you to find hidden text messages and how to unhide them so you can access them directly.

How to Find Hidden Text Messages on iPhone

Step 1: Open the Message App

We all know which the Message App is, but let us describe what it looks like for clarity. The Message App is a green icon with a white thought bubble in the middle found at the bottom of your Home screen.

Once you find it, click on it to open it.

Step 2: Locate “Unknown Senders”

Messages from known senders and saved contacts are often displayed normally, with the latest messages being on top.

But the messages from unknown senders are often held inside a list known as “Unknown Senders,” which is usually on top of the other messages.

Click on that list to switch to it and view all the messages contained in it.

How to Unhide Text Messages on iPhone

Step 1: Go to “Settings”

Scroll around on your phone screen until you find the “Settings” icon, then click to open it. Next, go to “Notifications” and press it to open and scroll down until you find “Messages,” and open it.

Step 2: Allow Notifications

Once you have opened the “Messages” option under “Notifications,” click on “Turn on Notifications.” This will allow messages to be previewed on your phone screen.

You can also select “Locked Screen,” “Notification Center,” and “Banners” to choose how hidden messages will be displayed.

Finally, go to “Options,” click on “Show Previews,” then select “Always” to unhide incoming messages.

Where Do Hidden Apps Go?

How To Hide Apps On iPhone
How To Hide Apps On iPhone

When learning how to hide apps on iPhone, it is common to wonder where they go. Are they completely lost, and how do you find them again?

Hidden apps are not permanently deleted and can be found in the App Library by scrolling to the right-most part of your screen. There you can search the name of the App you have hidden to reveal it.

You can then access the App from there or restore it to your Home Screen if you decide you no longer want to hide it.

The only time an app will not be found on your iPhone, regardless of the method you used in hiding it, is when you permanently delete the App from your phone.

How Do You Delete Hidden Apps On iPhone?

How To Hide Apps On iPhone
How To Hide Apps On iPhone

As we have seen, apps can be hidden in so many ways on your iPhone, and this, once hidden, can only be found by following certain steps.

However, you may sometimes want to permanently delete an app either because you no longer require it or you want to unclutter things and leave more space on your phone.

And if you can’t find the App to delete, this can become a bigger challenge. Luckily, we know several ways to find hidden apps and delete them but before we show you, let us briefly see some of the reasons why apps may be hidden on your phone.

First, you may have followed any of the steps of hiding apps we described above to hide those apps perfectly well from your Home Screen.

Secondly, you may have gone through “Settings” to set your downloaded apps to show only on the App Library and not the iPhone Home Screen.

Or you may have used some trick to hide the pages of your Home Screen. In a case like this, all the apps on the hidden page will be hard to find.

That said, below are some of the easiest ways to delete a hidden app.

Using Spotlight Search

Step 1: Hold and swipe down anywhere on any of the Home Screens

This will help to display the Spotlight Search, where you can type in the name of the App you are looking for

Step 2: Long-press the App

Once you find the App, long-press the app icon and select “Delete App” to delete the App.

Using the iPhone Settings

Step 1: Go to “Settings”

Find the “Settings” icon and click it to open, then find “General” and tap on it to open as well.

Step 2: Go to iPhone Storage.

Under “General,” find “iPhone Storage” and click on it, then wait for all the apps to load and display.

Step 3: Find the App you wish to delete

Once the apps have loaded properly, find the App you want to remove and click on it. You will find a red “Delete App” button when it opens up. Click on that to delete the App permanently.

Using App Store

Step 1: Open App Store

Find the App Store icon on your Home Screen and click on it to open. Once it opens, tap on your profile to find a list of all the downloaded apps.

Alternatively, you can press and hold down the App Store icon then click on “Updates.” This will also open up the App Store and display your account profile.

Step 2: Find the App

Whichever route you decide to take, scroll down to find all the apps and find the particular one you are into to delete.

On the right part of the App, you will find the “Update” or “Updated Recently” button. Don’t click on that; instead, swipe left from there to find a red “Delete” button.

Step 3: Tap the red button

Finally, tap on the red “Delete” button to permanently delete that App.

However, out of all these methods, deleting apps from the App Library seems to be the easiest, and the process is simple; scroll to the right until you reach the last page and type the App’s name on the search bar provided.

Once the App displays below, long-press on it and click on “Delete App.”

Conclusion

Using an iPhone should be a true delight, but only if you know the different hacks like how to hide apps on iPhone.

We have treated that and how to find and unhide hidden text messages. We finished showing you the many ways to find and delete a hidden app from your iPhone.

 

How to Remove GPU from Motherboard: In 6 Easy Steps [Video]

Fixing computers is usually left for professionals, but there are some simple fixes. After we show you how to remove GPU from Motherboard, you should handle a GPU problem if you suspect it is causing issues for your computer.

A GPU or Graphics Processing Unit is a technology that was initially developed to accelerate 3D graphics rendering but has now evolved also to perform tasks such as rendering games and videos much faster.

It can also be called the Graphics card; the name used to describe the add-in board used to incorporate the GPU to the board. Hence when people say Graphics card, they also refer to the GPU.

It generally functions to take some of the workloads off the CPU or Central Processing Unit to make computing much more efficient.

This piece of hardware may come as a discrete or standalone unit, or it can be integrated with the CPU and Motherboard.

Integrated GPU results in thinner, slimmer, and lighter systems, costs less, and reduces power consumption significantly. It is therefore considered to be the more effective of the two options.

But it also means a faulty GPU may cause inherited problems for both the CPU and Motherboard. But by learning how to remove GPU from Motherboard, you can quickly remove a defective GPU and prevent your Motherboard from getting affected.

How to Remove GPU from Motherboard

How to Remove GPU from Motherboard
How to Remove GPU from Motherboard

The steps below will guide you on how to remove GPU from Motherboard whether you want to do that because the GPU is bad or because you want to upgrade it.

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The process is straightforward since you are only going to remove one component, and it is not time-consuming, so you should be done in a few minutes.

Step 1: Prepare the computer.

The first thing to do when you want to take out any important component from a computer is to make the proper arrangements.

Get all the tools you will need for the process; these include the right screwdrivers and the new GPU, amongst other things. You will also require new drivers from the makers of the latest GPU you will be installing.

Then wear an anti-static wrist strap to prevent static current from flowing into other parts of the Motherboard. The accumulation and distribution of static electricity around certain parts of the computer can cause damages to those parts.

Once that is done, start the computer and remove or transfer any existing drivers and software. This will make sure you do not lose anything in the process.

Next, turn the computer off and wait for about 20 seconds to disconnect any attached cable, especially the power cord.

Step 2: Open the computer

Use the screwdriver to unscrew the few thumbscrew or clamps at the side panel where the GPU is attached to the computer.

Then locate the GPU and unclip it from the power source. It is often attached using a six-pin or eight-pin PCIe cable that gives it power.

You only need to push the clips down to disconnect the GPU cables gently.

Step 3: Remove the GPU

Once you have unclipped the PCIe pins, your next task is to remove the GPU from the Motherboard. The GPU is often attached to the Motherboard using tiny screws in most cases. You may have to turn the Motherboard over to find the screws holding the GPU beneath the plastic panel.

Once you have loosened all the screws, you will feel the Graphics card become less attached or hanging loosely to the Motherboard.

At this stage, the GPU will now sit in the PCIe slot waiting to be removed, but it could still be attached via a six-pin or eight-pin clip.

You will need to press the release tab gently to remove the card. It is advisable to go as slowly as possible to prevent possible damages.

To get it out of the case, use one hand to hold the GPU and use the other hand to press down on the tab until you hear a releasing click.

This is a sign that your GPU is free and ready to be taken out of the PCIe slot.

Step 4: Install the new GPU

Once you have gotten the current Graphics card out of the slot, you can now replace it with a functional or bigger one by placing it in the space in the PCIe.

Then use the pins to hold the new card in place while being as careful as you were during the step above.

Next, reattach the GPU to the Motherboard using the same screw if they still fit properly, or you can use a new screw.

Connect the power source to the new card once you have secured it in place.

Step 5: Close your computer

Once you have reattached everything to the Motherboard, as it were, you can mount the panel back and put the thumbscrews back in their place.

Reconnect the power cord and turn on the computer when you are finished. Please wait for it to boot properly and proceed to the final step.

Step 6: Install the new drivers

Once your system is up and running, the final thing to do is install new drivers to the new card. This is the only way your card will be able to function.

You can plug in the flash drive with the drivers and run it straight from there, or you can download and install it quickly. The process is simple, but you would have to ensure the makers of both the GPU and drivers are the same.

What Can Cause A GPU to Fail?

How to Remove GPU from Motherboard
How to Remove GPU from Motherboard

Like we said, one reason why people go out of their way to learn how to remove GPU from Motherboard is that their current GPU failed and needs replacement.

Below are five common reasons why your GPU could fail:

Weak Power Supply

A weak power supply can ruin any component of your computer, especially the GPU. In most cases, Graphic cards come with specifications of the recommended power, and failure to supply this can cause it to fail.

Weak power supplies usually emanate from using cheap PSUs, which not only lack the capacity to supply the GPU with the necessary power but can also fail to protect the card against a power surge.

Static Electricity

Still discussing power, we know the transfer of static current to some components that temporarily or permanently damage them.

When static electricity passes from your body to parts like the GPU, it can immediately lead to problems for your system.

This can occur accidentally during cleaning or when the computer is dropped against a hard surface.

Overclocking

To increase system efficiency during video adapting, some users like to improve the system performance to about 5 or 10%.

This, in itself, is not a bad idea as long as you also supply the corresponding cooling. The problem only arises when users overclock but don’t give the system enough cooling.

An overclocked system needs greater cooling to ensure that all components remain intact. But failure to do this can cause even the video card to melt due to overheating.

Insufficient Ventilation

Every mechanical instrument that generates heat needs ventilation for air to flow around and prevent overheating.

This is even truer for the GPU, which literally performs different processing levels. This processing generates a large amount of heat which needs to be immediately evacuated from the system to prevent problems.

Suppose there is insufficient ventilation either because the fan cannot cool it fast enough or because there is dust clogging the system or some damage from a crack on the system. In that case, the GPU can become permanently damaged and fail to function.

Breaks or Cracks on the System

The inside of your system is delicate and fragile, and even the slightest fall can cause unprecedented damages.

When your system cracks on the outside after a fall, chances are items such as resistors, board capacitors, and GPU has already received significant damages on the inside.

How Do I Know If My GPU or PSU Is Failing?

How to Remove GPU from Motherboard
How to Remove GPU from Motherboard

Before you even set out to learn how to remove GPU from Motherboard, you must have known that your GPU is bad.

But in the event that you do not know that yet, below are some of the symptoms of a failing GPU:

Underperformance

If you have been using your system for tasks such as video or game rendering for some time, you very well know when the performance is below you know.

When you observe this underperformance successively as you use your device, you should know that the GPU may be damaged and could be failing gradually.

Crashing

There are different types of system crashing, ranging from blue screens to frozen screens or “lockup” to even random power off and on.

And to be honest, not every system crash is a result of a failing GPU. However, you can easily enable memory dumps to tell you when a crash is due to a faulty Graphic card.

Drivers Crashes

Another type of crash that can occur when your GPU is bad is driver crashes. This happens very randomly and unannounced and can be observed as a black screen in the middle of a task.

Your system could go blank like that for a few minutes then resume back to inform you that your video drivers have crashed.

You will then need to restart the system to use it again, which is all due to a faulty Graphics card.

Noisy Sounds from the Fan

This symptom is often easy to spot as it is quite noisy. You can hear a noise that sounds like a small airplane taking off coming from the area where the fans on your computer are located.

The noise may be coming from a fan different from the one on your Graphics card, but once combined with any of the above symptoms, you can correctly tell when your GPU is getting tired and ready to fail.

Black Screens

A faulty Graphic card can also result in black screens where the computer simply goes completely black in the middle of a task and refuses to come back on until you turn it off and turn it on again.

This happens very often and may not stop until the GPU is checked and fixed.

How Do You Fix a Dead Graphics Card

How to Remove GPU from Motherboard
How to Remove GPU from Motherboard

After about 5 to 10 years of steady operation, most Graphics cards give out and stop working. And while you can use the steps of how to remove GPU from Motherboard to remove a faulty GPU quickly, you may not be ready to get a new one just yet.

In that case, you can also temporarily fix and restore the faulty card using the steps described below.

Step 1: Remove the GPU

Use the steps in the first section of this guide to remove the GPU, following every step carefully and gently.

Step 2: Prepare the oven.

Fixing a dead Graphics involves using some form of heat, and experts recommend using an oven for this process.

First, preheat the oven to about 195 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes. Then prepare an oven plate by laying some aluminum foil on the plate. Then make two balls out of the same aluminum foil and place them under the spread foil to raise it slightly above the bottom of the oven plate.

Step 3: Place the GPU on the plate

Next, place the GPU on the oven plate and then put the dish in the oven with most of the chips facing up and allow for between 5 to 10 minutes.

The time you would leave the GPU in the oven often depends on the GPU you are trying to fix. For instance, experts recommend 3-6 minutes for PS, 4-6 minutes for Xbox, 12 minutes for desktop boards, 8-12 minutes for laptop boards, and 5-15 minutes for GFX.

Set a timer and wait to remove the card as soon as the time is done. This will help you prevent losing time and permanently damaging the Graphics card.

Step 4: Remove the card

Once the time is complete, remove the GPU from the oven and allow cooling for about 20 minutes under normal air, do not use a fan for cooling.

Step 5: Apply thermal paste

Once the GPU is cool enough, carefully apply thermal paste or heat-sink on its main chips or connectors. You can also apply to the thermal pads if necessary.

Step 6: Put the GPU back together

Reattach the GPU to the Motherboard the same way you have removed it and test to see that it is running correctly.

Once you have coupled everything back together, go to device manager, click on the GPU, and then uninstall the device and delete the software.

Next, restart the computer and check to ensure the card is working properly before installing new drivers.

Conclusion

We have shown you how to remove GPU from Motherboard and how to fix it temporally. But we will still like to close by saying that all these processes should be done as carefully as possible as you will be dealing with very delicate computer components.

If this is your first time attempting this, expect it to feel a little strange, but with dedication and commitment to this guide, you should easily get the faulty GPU out in no time.

 

10 Things to Check Before Buying A Refurbished Laptop: An Easy Guide [Video]

The upside to knowing the 10 things to check before buying a refurbished laptop is that it saves you a lot of frustration and headaches.

Refurbished laptops are highly desirable because you can get a healthy functional laptop for about 25% off the original price.

Hence, anyone on a budget can easily afford them. A tight budget can get you a bigger refurbished laptop that has more advanced features than a new one at the same cost.

Additionally, it has become extremely easy to find refurbished devices, including laptops; you may find them online from manufacturers or retailers.

But, as it is with buying a refurbished car, neglecting to carry out proper checks and balances before buying it can do you more harm than good.

For instance, depending on the things you fail to check, you may get a refurbished laptop with terrible battery health or one with broken and non-functional ports.

Neither is good, and in most cases, these issues cannot be fixed or cost too much in cases where they can be fixed.

To prevent you from making this mistake, we have compiled a list of 10 things to check before buying a refurbished laptop.

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10 Things to Check Before Buying A Refurbished Laptop

10 Things to Check Before Buying A Refurbished Laptop
10 Things to Check Before Buying A Refurbished Laptop

Check 1: Confirm that there is no physical damage.

You may not correctly judge a book by the covers, but you can correctly guess that a laptop has some issues if it contains physical damage.

Most damage to a laptop’s body occurs when dropped accidentally against a hard surface. If a fall is significant enough to damage the body, there is a chance it may have damaged something on the inside as well.

Aside from that, you don’t want to purchase a laptop that you cannot confidently flaunt because the body is terrible to look at.

So check the casing and screen to ensure there are no scratches or cracks. Then open and close the laptop a few times to ensure the hinges work smoothly.

Next, test the keypad and trackpad to ensure all is in order. While you might not know which key works and which doesn’t or whether or not the trackpad responds until you turn the laptop on, you can still check the health of this two hardware by properly inspecting them at this stage.

Check 2: Give the hard drive a good listen.

Once you are satisfied with what the outside looks like, it is time to check the insides. The first thing to do is to turn the laptop on.

While at it, confirm that the power button works without getting stuck or requiring too much pressure.

As the laptop turns on, carefully listen to the sound the hard drive makes. A good hard drive should turn on without making any unusual sounds.

Hearing a clucking or grinding noise is a sign of a bad hard drive that may need instant replacement. And before you overlook this fact, remember that a 2TB hard drive may cost as low as $80 and as high as $120.

And the last thing you want is to spend extra money fixing a laptop when all you wanted in the first place was to save some money.

Check 3:  Confirm the OS

Unlike used laptops, refurbished laptops often get their OS updated to the latest version before getting shipped out. Hence, you will want to confirm that this is the case with your potential unit.

Once the laptop is fully turned on, confirm that the OS is activated, then ask the seller what OS they have installed and use that information to confirm what is available on the laptop.

Then be sure it is authentic and licensed. This will help you later down the line when your laptop gets exposed to viruses and bugs or even data leakage.

The right OS will help protect you against the above, while the fake ones will allow any malware through.

Check 4: Check for speed and performance.

Speed helps a laptop perform tasks swiftly and quickly, and performance ensures it can handle the tasks without crashing.

Both features depend on the size of the random access memory (RAM); hence you will need first to check to see that your RAM is in great condition and that it is big enough to handle most of the things you will be using on the laptop for.

Some refurbished laptops come with about 2GB RAM, while others may have as high as 4GB. 2GB may suffice for many basic operations, while anything less may be considered a bad investment.

Check 5: Test the CPU and GPU

The CPU and GPU are just as important as the RAM size as they also affect the speed and performance of your refurbished laptop, so you will want to check with those as well.

Start with the CPU by opening the burner and pressing “Start” to see how smoothly that operation runs. If the laptop hangs, flickers briefly, or shuts down completely, then the hardware may be faulty, and the laptop should be left alone.

Next, test the GPU by opening some applications or playing some games. A good GPU will allow those tasks to run smoothly, while a faulty GPU will cause the screen to flicker or become distorted once the operations are initiated.

Some older models of laptops don’t even come with a dedicated GPU, and this in itself should be a red flag if you intend to use that for even basic activities like gaming or creating videos.

Check 6: Check the speakers and camera.

Just because it is a refurbished unit doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy music and videos on your laptop. So you will want to confirm that the speakers are working great.

Start by playing a song and listening to how it sounds. If you hear titers or cracking sounds, it could be an indication that the speakers are ruined.

Then check to see if the laptop has a functional camera application for a webcam. The last thing you need is a refurbished laptop that requires you to purchase extra hardware for the webcam.

Check 7: See if it has dead pixels on the laptop screen

Once you are satisfied with the working conditions of the speakers and cameras, you want to make sure nothing interferes with the screen display.

Dead pixels are these tiny parts of the screen that no longer works. When a laptop has a dead pixel or a few, it will not have a full display on the screen.

To test for this, play a video and make sure every part of the screen is displaying as it should.

Check 8: Test the ports and input units.

Once you are satisfied with the insides of your refurbished laptop, you want to come back to the outside to finish the inspection.

The next checks are the ports. Check the charging port to ensure it is working correctly; otherwise, you will have to spend extra money fixing it later as that is a must-have for any laptop.

Then check to see that all the USB ports are working correctly. You can do this using a clean Flash drive or a USB cord.

Other inputs that need testing include the microphone port, the earpiece jack, and the HDMI port.

Check 9: Check the cooling fan.

Still, lift the laptop to check the cooling fan on the outside. You cannot ignore this area as a faulty cooling fan will cause the laptop to heat up too quickly, crash it, and damage it in no time.

The laptop should not be making too much noise from the cooling fan and should not emit too much heat. A little spinning noise and mild heat are normal, but anything out of the ordinary implies you need to check another laptop.

Check 10: Check the battery.

The battery is most likely the most important part of the 10 things to check before buying a refurbished laptop.

This is because a laptop is only as good as its battery. The healthier the battery and the longer it lasts, the more productive you can be with that gadget.

Bad batteries die too quickly or go off without warning. So first, you need to confirm the battery’s health, and once you see that that it is near 100% (if not 100%), you can check how long it lasts without a charger.

To do this, charge until full, disconnect the charger and allow the laptop to work until the battery runs low.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to go to YouTube, search for a video, and play it on full screen for 5 minutes before checking the battery percentage again.

Regardless of what the battery health reads on the laptop screen, a bad battery would drop by a few percentages within that 5 minutes.

What’s A Refurbished Laptop?

10 Things to Check Before Buying A Refurbished Laptop
10 Things to Check Before Buying A Refurbished Laptop

Now that we know the 10 things to check before buying a refurbished laptop let us understand what a refurbished laptop is.

Most people confuse refurbished laptops for used laptops as the term is often used interchangeably. But these are not the same terms.

A refurbished laptop can be defined as one that has been disassembled, extensively reconditioned, and tested before being pushed back into the market.

They are not “fresh from the manufacturing plants,” but they haven’t been used for extended periods either.

They are computers that have been returned to the retailers or manufacturers by the first owners sometimes after a brief use or no use at all.

The reason for returning them may differ according to the owner, but the most common ones include shipping accidents or failure to meet the buyer’s expectations.

Once returned, the laptops are torn apart by refurbishers, and each part is tested for damages before being coupled together. The faulty parts are then removed, and the OS is updated to the newest versions.

The refurbishers also completely wipe the data if need be before repackaging and sending it to stores and retailers.

Major manufacturers like Dell and HP often back the entire process, and a warranty is usually issued.

Is It A Good Idea To Buy Refurbished Laptops?

10 Things to Check Before Buying A Refurbished Laptop
10 Things to Check Before Buying A Refurbished Laptop

Yes, buying a refurbished laptop is a great idea for two reasons; cost and quality delivery.

Compared to a brand new laptop of the same model, a refurbished laptop is way less and can save you almost 25% off when you buy them.

Therefore a user can get a fantastic offer while on a tight budget. Refurbished laptops allow you to obtain the same device but at a cheaper and more affordable rate.

Secondly, as a matter of principle, refurbished laptops have to pass through intense inspection and testing. Trained factory personnel have to properly inspect and vet a refurbished unit before repackaging and resold.

This translates to better quality and ensures that you do not purchase something less than the optimal unit.

It can be argued that some brand new computers do not enjoy the type of thorough inspections that refurbished units have to pass through.

In addition, a refurbished laptop often comes with updated software and the latest operating system at no extra cost for the buyer.

How Can You Tell If A Laptop Is Refurbished?

10 Things to Check Before Buying A Refurbished Laptop
10 Things to Check Before Buying A Refurbished Laptop

The best way to tell if a laptop is refurbished or not is to confirm the serial number; if it letters and numbers on the left end with an “R,” then that laptop is refurbished, and if it doesn’t, then it is not refurbished.

Serial numbers are usually divided into two parts with a “#” in-between. For instance, CN127BA#CDA could be the serial number of a laptop that hasn’t been refurbished. At the same time, the refurbished one would have the serial number CN127BAR#CDA to indicate to buyers that it has been reworked and repackaged.

Turn the laptop on its back and read the serial number as inscribed at the back or behind the battery compartment to check for this.

Another way of checking for refurbishment involves opening the command prompt and typing c:>wmic bios get the serial number to obtain the BIOS serial number and then comparing that with the serial number you find at the back of the laptop. If the two serial numbers vary, then the laptop has been refurbished.

Some refurbishers may even leave a label at the back of the laptop that reads, “This is a refurbished laptop and contains used parts.”

Conclusion

Cost is on top of the most common reasons most people buy a refurbished laptop. They are cheaper to obtain compared to newer ones.

However, no one wants to buy a used laptop passed off as a refurbished unit, or a hand refurbished laptop as they often bring more pains than gains.

Hence, we have put together the 10 things to check before buying a refurbished laptop to avoid making a bad investment.

How To Install An SSD Hard Drive On Your PS4: In 5 Simple Steps [Video]

A hack like how to install an SSD hard drive on your PS4 is a necessary one; not only because it could come in handy if you are a regular gamer but also because not many people know these things, hence you can easily be that guy who helps that friend solve basic issues on their PS4.

The console drive on PS4 is only 5400 RPM, and this means it can easily get too full and run out of memory very quickly. When this happens, your PS4 can become very slow, lag, and take too long to load, making your overall gaming experience far from enjoyable.

Of course, when this happens, you can quickly purchase and switch over to a PS5, which comes with an in-built SSD, if you have the resources for it.

Alternatively, and frankly speaking, more affordably, you can learn how to install an SSD hard drive on your PS4 and kiss the bone-chilling slowness goodbye.

The steps to do this are straightforward, and anyone can do it; all you require is a comprehensive guide like what we have prepared herein.

How To Install An SSD Hard Drive On Your PS4

How To Install An SSD Hard Drive On Your PS4
How To Install An SSD Hard Drive On Your PS4

The steps on how to install an SSD hard drive on your PS4 should take about 15 to 30 minutes of you getting handy with a screwdriver and some USB cords. But you will also need to do some data backup first to avoid losing any of it.

Step 1: Create a Backup

The last thing you want is to lose all the data saved from your past games, so the first thing you want to do is to make a backup of all the games you had held.

This exercise requires taking out the current hard drive and replacing it with a new and bigger one; hence you want to make sure you transfer all data from the existing hard drive to the new one.

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However, if you are a PlayStation Plus subscriber, the backup is done differently and only requires you to move the saved games to the PlayStation cloud to backup.

You will need to enable “Sync Trophies with PSN” from the options button if you want to back up your trophies as well.

To back up to the cloud, go to “Settings” then open “Application Saved Data Management.” Once you are there, click on “Saved Data in System Storage,” then hit “Upload to Online Storage.”

If you are not a subscriber and want to back up to the SSD hard drive, you need to connect a working USB drive to the PS4 console.

Once it is recognized, head over to your home screen, click on “Settings” then “System,” and click on “Back Up and Restore.”

Then click on the data you want to transfer and send to the USB drive. Sometimes you may need more than one USB drive to transmit this data if the information is larger than the capacity of the USB drive.

Once you are done transferring, go to “Power” then “Power Options” and click on “Turn Off PS4” to shut it down properly. And once the light on the console stops blinking, you can pull out the power cable and proceed to the next step.

Step 2: Remove the old drive

Once you have successfully done the backup and switched off the console, it is time to take out the old drive.

To do this, first, slide off the panel. This is a glossy-looking plastic at the left on top of the unit of the original PlayStation 4 or a black piece of plastic you will find behind the PS4 Slim. If you have a PS4 Pro, you should be looking for a cover to the right of the ports when you turn the unit around.

There should be some text or inscription on the panel in each of these cases to help you identify it faster.

On the original PlayStation 4, you need to use a screwdriver to unscrew the first screw, pull out the hard drive cage, and untie about four screws before you detach the hard drive.

On the PS4 Slim, you will need to remove the large screw holding the cage from under once you have slid off the panel. Then use the black ribbon provided to slide the cage to the side of the use. Next, you will unscrew those four screws once again before detaching the hard drive.

If you have a PS4 Pro, once you have slid off the cover near the ports, find the notch located by the side and open it using a small amount of pressure with your fingers, then unscrew the single screw holding the hard drive cage in place from underneath, slide out the cage before unscrewing the four screws to remove the hard drive.

Step 3: Replace the hard drive

The third step on how to install an SSD hard drive on your PS4 is to install the new hard drive.

This is quite simple and follows the same principle as above. That is, once you have detached the old hard drive from the original PlayStation 4, PS4 Slim, or Pro, you can place the new SSD hard drive on the same spot and replace the four screws. Then push back the hard drive cage into the unit, replace the larger single screw, and slide around the panel in place.

Once you have successfully coupled the unit, fix the power cable and plug it into a power source. Then reconnect it to the monitor or screen and turn everything on.

Step 4: Reinstall the software

Now, connect a different USB drive (separate from the one you used in creating the backup) to your computer. Then create a new folder to recognize the new files you are about to save easily.

Next, head over to Sony’s website and download the complete software that you can reinstall to the new drive. And after you have clicked on the “agree to terms and download complete software” link, you can save it to the USB drive under the name PS4UPDATE.PUP.

You will need to download it under that name to work as intended. Once the download is complete, eject the flash drive and return it to your console.

Hold down the power button until you hear a second beeping sound. This will open the game to a Safe Mode; here, click on “Initialize PS4 (Reinstall System Software)” and press “X” on the controller.

Plugin the USB drive with the software, press “OK,” then locate the folder with the software and click “Next” to install to the new drive.

Once installation is complete, the system will ask to reboot and return you to the initial setup screen to proceed with your regular PlayStation setup.

Step 5: Restore your data

You only need to continue setting up until you reach where you need to log into your PlayStation account. Pause there and plug the other flash drive with the backup to restore your data.

Once you plug that into your console, open “Settings” and go to “System,” then open “Back Up and Restore” and click on “Restore PS4.”

Once your data and saved games are fully reinstalled, the unit will reboot and return you to the game looking like nothing has changed.

However, the speed will be faster, and the loading time will be shorter with the new hard drive upgrade.

Does Putting An SSD In A PS4 Make A Difference?

How To Install An SSD Hard Drive On Your PS4
How To Install An SSD Hard Drive On Your PS4

As you embark on a journey to learn how to install an SSD hard drive on your PS4, it is often common to ask if such endeavor would make any significant difference on how your PS4 functions.

The simple answer is yes; changing the original hard drive of your PS4 to an SSD hard drive will greatly affect the speed and loading time of the unit.

The hard disk drive (HDD), the original storage technology inside your PS4, comprises a circular disc called a platter that spins to enable the drive to work; the faster the platter spins, the quicker the drive works. And this is what gives your PS4 its speed and performance; if your platter spins faster, your PS4 will load quicker, and if it spins slower, you would have a slower gaming experience.

In contrast, the SSD or solid-state drive is a much-advanced technology for storage. It has no moving parts but instead contains NAND (Negative-AND) memory chips. And the more chips an SSD contains, the more its storage capacity.

One of the differences you will notice upon installing an SSD hard drive is a boost in speed. This is because the SSD uses chips to store data and facilitate performance, while the HDD uses a platter that has to spin faster to provide better speed, making them generally slower.

For instance, a regular PS4 hard drive will only deliver a speed of around 100MB/s, while the SATA-based SSD can provide between 550 to 600MB/s.

Secondly, there is a higher capacity for data storage. The default memory unit for PS4 often lies somewhere around 500GB to 1TB. This seems like a lot of space until you consider how much data you need to save as a regular gamer.

SSDs, on the other hand, can offer up to 2TB in storage capacity allowing you the luxury of storing more without the fear of running out of space.

A final thing to consider is confidence in the storage unit. Regular HDDs are made of platters and other moveable parts; aside from the fact that these parts can break and cause you to lose all your data, they are also easily susceptible to magnetic fields, which can cause storage to fail.

SSDs have no moving parts and stand no risk of ever breaking off any internal components. This gives you more confidence to store your data without losing it for a long time.

How to Maintain Your PS4

How To Install An SSD Hard Drive On Your PS4
How To Install An SSD Hard Drive On Your PS4

If you are taking the trouble to learn how to install an SSD hard drive on your PS4, you should also know how to maintain your unit.

It is one thing to learn how to improve the speed, performance, loading time, and storage capacity of your PS4, but it is another thing to take little tips that help your PS4 last longer.

One of the best ways to maintain your PS4 s you use it is to upgrade the hard drive to SSD, as we have described above. Other ways include keeping your units cool and away from heat at all times, replacing the optical drive, and fixing any software and OS issues without delay.

Some PS4 Tricks and Hacks Everyone Should Know About

How To Install An SSD Hard Drive On Your PS4
How To Install An SSD Hard Drive On Your PS4

How to install an SSD hard drive on your PS4 is a hack that helps you enjoy a better gaming experience, but several other hacks and tips are very useful during gaming.

Below are some of the best hacks and tricks to allow for better enjoyment:

  • Jailbreak your console to allow for even greater control
  • Use Bluetooth and a tool called DS4Windows to connect your DualShock controller to a PC
  • Dim the lights on the controllers to save battery and help them last longer
  • Use a regular phone charger to charge your PS4 controllers instead of keeping the PS4 on to charge the controllers
  • Remap the overall controller input to provide you with a more customized gaming experience
  • Use the screw provided in the back of the unit to manually eject a game disc if it cannot be done otherwise
  • Use the PlayStation subscription to stockpile free games that you can own and play at any time
  • Sometimes, use an internet connection to enjoy a seamless gaming experience
  • Store your data and gaming progress to the cloud for improved data safety and a quicker backup process
  • Use objects like coins to hold down buttons or rubber bands to wedge analog sticks in one direction to prevent “grinding.”
  • If you have a good internet connection, use Remote Play for even greater gaming convenience.

Conclusion

How to install an SSD hard drive on your PS4, how to maintain your PS4, and tricks and hacks that every gamer should know are a few of the things we have covered in this article.

When applied correctly and with the utmost discretion, this knowledge will benefit every gamer, especially the newbies.

 

How Does Telegram Make Money: Easy Guide for Beginners 2022 [Video]

Telegram was launched in 2013 and currently has over 500 million active users, all using the messaging app for free. So how does Telegram make money?

This question is worth reflecting on, considering how Telegram has continued to grow over the past few years and hasn’t shown any signs of folding up like other platforms in the past.

In today’s reality, and for good reasons too, for a platform to be considered by users, it needs to provide encrypted end-to-end communication and guarantee solid security and privacy for both users and their data.

In this regard, Telegram has performed exceptionally well and is even said to be better at it than WhatsApp.

Telegram is now thought of as the next best alternative to WhatsApp. But unlike WhatsApp with its many avenues of making money, Telegram doesn’t seem to have any yet, begging the question, how does Telegram make money.

Today, we will discuss this issue and how you can make money from this application.

How Does Telegram Make Money?

How Does Telegram Make Money
How Does Telegram Make Money

The sad truth is that Telegram is a free messaging application that doesn’t make any money but runs on donations instead.

The Russian founders, who are also brothers Pavel Durov and Nikolai Durov, came up with the idea of a fast and secure messaging application that is 100% free and have kept it that way since 2013.

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As the company grew, it needed to incur more servers and handle the growing traffic also grew. The need to earn became eminent, and Telegram came up with plans to launch their blockchain and a payment system in this regard in 2019.

However, this move was halted by SEC just before launch. And since then, Telegram has continued to run only on donations, supports, and personal funds of the founding brothers.

This is one thing that sets Telegram from the other popular messaging apps. And while you can perform other basic operations common with other messaging media such as chatting with other users, creating groups, making audio and video calls with your contacts, sending files, there are countless other differences between this application and others, including the following:

Business Model

Telegram’s whole business model is designed to look different from other messaging platforms. The first illustration is seen in the decision never to sell the company as announced from the onset by the founders.

Telegram also aims for greater privacy, and this has made it increasingly popular. Unlike other platforms, Telegram has shown that leaders of nations cannot obtain users’ data (except they are terrorists) or control the online conversations of their citizens.

While this has put the company in trouble with different governments, including the Russian government, it has also shown a resounding business model, which is evident in how the company grew from 35 million users in 2014 to over 500 users last year.

Data Encryption and Secrecy

Telegram is undoubtedly the most encrypted platform in the world right now. It combines AES and RSA to provide a powerful type of encryption that makes chatting messaging secure.

We all know how it is no longer a secret that the location of Telegram servers is a well-guided secret that gives users peace of mind knowing that, come what may; their data will always be protected.

Storage

Over the years, there have been some concerns over how data is stored. Media that allows you to store your data and back them up on your devices worked well until Cloud Storage was invented.

Cloud Storage entails simply moving any data to the Cloud and accessing it on any device connected to the same Cloud.

Telegram works on this principle and has been using it for a while now. Users can store their data this way and later access them from any other device. And this becomes even more exciting when you consider how it eliminates the need for data backup.

File Size and Type

Telegram allows for the largest transfer of data and files of all the popular social media and messaging platforms.

You can exchange files of up to 2GB with your friends, a feat that is absent in other platforms. You can also download various material sizes from different channels, even up to 2GB.

And because it allows for Cloud Storage, you can do these heavy downloads without storing them on your device. You only need to download and then stream from Cloud without taking up space on your device.

This is also not a common feature with other messaging applications.

Additionally, you can find, download or share any type or format of a file, including 4k media. Just imagine being able to do all of these on the same platform that you use in communicating with your friends.

Data Quality and Payment Exchange

Another distinction that sets Telegram apart and would have sufficed as an answer to how does Telegram make money is the quality of data that can be sent through it.

While other platforms such as WhatsApp drastically reduce the quality of the file before sending or sharing, Telegram strives to maintain the same quality of the media.

When a file is first compressed before it is sent, it risks losing some of its details. But because files are sent uncompressed via Telegram, they usually retain all their qualities and details.

In addition, businesses can be easily carried out on Telegram with secure payment methods. These payment options are so secure that people now prefer to use the platform for sending and receiving transfers.

Communication Options

For years, Telegram has worked towards delivering different options for how messages are passed across on the platform.

Communication methods on Telegram can be broadly classified into two options; private and public. Private chats are usually done by two individuals sending messages back and forth. And the chats are often secure through the end-to-end encryption discussed above.

The public option usually involves more than two people and can often occur in the form of a group or channel.

A Telegram group is a place where you can add people from your contact list or send out links for anyone not on your contact list to join. Each group can house up to 200,000 participants.

Channels are similar to groups but are not for discussions. The power to type is left only in the hands of the Channel admin and bot. a channel can be used to share media that other participants can download.

Telegram bots are third-party software allowed by Telegram to make work easy on both groups and channels. They are AI tools that can send messages, teach, drop reminders, search for things, conduct polls, or even ban participants.

Naturally, anyone would expect all the above features to constitute a solid answer to the query of how does Telegram make money. Still, we have seen Telegram not using any of these to make money so far.

However, there are plans to roll out several monetization strategies this 2022. When and how this will be done remains to be seen. But the why is clear to all; no major platform like Telegram can survive without money when making money is often the main objective of messaging applications and social media in general.

What Is Telegrams Net Worth?

How Does Telegram Make Money
How Does Telegram Make Money

Because no one, including Telegram, can provide a satisfying answer to how does Telegram make money, it is tempting to ask what the net worth of this company currently is.

This free messaging platform has helped grow the net worth of its CEO from $260 million to $17.2 billion as of Oct 19 last year.

Therefore, it is interesting to see what the net worth will become after Telegram kick-starts its many monetizing strategies, including advertisements.

However, unlike what is currently in the world of advertising, Telegram promises that its advertising would neither be micro-targeted nor will it use users’ sensitive data.

Why Is Telegram So Popular?

How Does Telegram Make Money
How Does Telegram Make Money

Telegram is popular because it has unique attributes that differentiate it from its competition, most notably, privacy and security.

And every time one of its rivals, namely WhatsApp, goes under severe scrutiny for breaching security and user data, Telegram enjoys another influx of users.

For instance, when the story broke last year about WhatsApp breach of privacy and security in October of last year, Telegram received a surge of about 70 million users in one day.

While it hasn’t dethroned WhatsApp in popularity and may not be achieving the feat in the nearest future, it is good to know that many users globally consider it a suitable and more trustworthy alternative.

How to Make Money on Telegram

How Does Telegram Make Money
How Does Telegram Make Money

Behind the question “how does Telegram make money” is another question, “how do I make money from Telegram?”

And seeing that Telegram services are free and the medium of messaging does not profit from its users, is it possible for its users to make some money from being on the platform.

The simple answer is yes. You can make money on Telegram, and we are going to show you some of the best ways to do this.

The first step to making money on Telegram is creating and growing a channel (with a complimenting group if you intend to have engagements). The steps to creating a channel are simple, and anyone can do it for free.

Once the channel is set up and running smoothly, you can use one or a combination of the following methods to earn on Telegram.

Selling Ads and Promotion

Telegram itself has no provisions for advertisement even as these words are being written. However, its over 500 million active users indicate a very ripe market for all kinds of products and services.

Since marketers cannot advertise directly through Telegram, channels have been a very effective marketing means.

The sheer fact that a channel can have unlimited users indicates that more people will see the advertised products and services at any given time.

You can take advantage of all these and sell ads and promotions. This way, brands can pay you to place their products and services on your channel.

This is easy as you often do not have to do anything besides post what you are given and as often as you agree. The bigger the audience, the more money you stand to make.

Selling Your Products

Instead of selling for others, you may try to sell your products or services if you have those. For instance, you can create valuable educational content and charge people some fee to join your channel.

Also, you can write about ideas and professional experiences and share them with your channel while charging outsiders some fee to belong to your community.

You can also sell courses, consultations, and books on your channel by first advertising on other social media platforms.

Affiliate Marketing

Most people who own channels with huge followings but have no products or services to sell often focus on affiliate programs.

An affiliate program involves selling products and services that are on large marketplaces such as Amazon.

Members of the channels can use your link to buy, after which you earn a commission for each product sold.

Selling Bots and Stickers

This is often for the creative and those with a little programming experience but can also be done by those smart enough to use hired labor.

So whether you are making them yourself or having someone else make them for you, you can easily sell stickers which are a major part of what makes communications on Telegram very interesting.

In the same way, you can sell Telegram bots that meet various needs and rake in a steady chunk of income from doing this frequently. People will always need bots for several reasons, and satisfying these needs can earn you a lot of money.

Conclusion

How does Telegram make money is something anyone should wonder about considering the company’s decision not to sell ads or users’ data.

Hence, Telegram has accrued zero revenue from monetizing its products or services. However, this should not stop you from the numerous opportunities to make money, as discussed in this guide.

How To View Facebook Stories Anonymously: 3 Easy Methods That Work [Video]

Some persons want to learn how to view Facebook stories anonymously, because most people cherish their privacy and don’t like people knowing about their online activities, and if you are one of these people, you may want to learn tricks like this .

Even if you are not quite a private person, there are still moments when you want to simply check a story or two without being added to the viewers.

Or a case where you want to check out a friend’s Facebook story but are not presently on talking terms with them.

All of the above scenarios make a skill such as knowing how to view Facebook stories anonymously very valuable.

And in this simple guide, we will teach you three easy methods to get this done and provide you with other basic knowledge regarding Facebook stories.

How To View Facebook Stories Anonymously

How To View Facebook Stories Anonymously
How To View Facebook Stories Anonymously

The tricks and hacks described below come with little or no risks. This is in stark contrast with some techniques that require you to deactivate your Facebook account before viewing stories on Facebook just to stay anonymous.

Therefore, we present you with the methods on how to view Facebook stories anonymously, starting with the most advance to the simplest trick.

Using Airplane Mode

This method takes advantage of the Airplane mode operations on your device. It begins with loading the stories and ends with clearing the Facebook app cache to empty the data.

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Done the correct way, not only will you be able to view entire stories, but you will also be able to stop Facebook from adding your name to the list of users who viewed that story.

Step 1: Open your Facebook App

First, open your Facebook app, log in and scroll through your timeline like you normally do. Then move over to the stories and scroll through all of them, including the stories you intend to view anonymously.

But you need only to scroll through and not click on any of them. Doing this will let the stories load fully even though you haven’t viewed them yet.

Step 2: Activate Airplane mode

Once you are satisfied that the stories have been loaded, pull down or up the dropdown menu on your phone and turn on airplane mode.

If you are unfamiliar with what the airplane icon looks like, it is usually found amongst the mobile data connection and Wi-Fi icons and often resemble an airplane.

After you find it, click it once to turn it on.

Step 3: Return to Facebook

Next, exit the dropdown menu and go back to Facebook. This time, click on the stories to begin viewing them one after the other.

Since the stories had loaded fully in step one above, they should display properly at this stage even without an internet connection.

Step 4: Clear Facebook cache data

Once you have attained maximum enjoyment and satisfaction from viewing stories anonymously, you can go ahead and clear the Facebook app cache to make Facebook forget what you have just done.

First, exit the Facebook application, go to “Settings” on your phone menu, click on it, and scroll down to find “Apps and Permission,” then click on that too.

On the next menu, scroll down to find “Apps Manager,” and click on it. This action will open all the applications installed on your phone. Find Facebook on that list and click it to open.

Once it opens, locate “Storage” and open it, then hit “Clear cache.” This will automatically clear the cache data on the Facebook application.

Step 5: Restore internet connection

Once the cache has been successfully cleared, you can turn off the airplane mode and continue using your device for everything else except Facebook.

To allow this trick to work, you will need to stay off Facebook for 24 hours from when you viewed the stories.

Facebook stories take about 24 hours to disappear, and returning to Facebook anytime earlier than that can recover Facebook cache and cause it to update your name amongst the viewers.

Using the Halfway Method

While the above method works for any type of story, including text-only, images, and videos, the halfway technique only works for texts and images.

It only allows for a preview of the story and not the entire length of it. But it is also a good option, especially if you can’t risk putting your phone on airplane mode at the moment.

This could be because you are expecting an important call or message that you may otherwise miss if you activate airplane mode.

Step 1: Upload your own story

A general start for this method is to first upload a story on Facebook. This will then put your story first and every other Facebook story after yours.

However, the hack can still work without you having to upload anything.

Step 2: View the stories by swiping halfway

To watch stories the right way, you will need to open the story and play the full length along with it. And until you have watched it this way, Facebook will not register your name under the viewers.

But in this technique, all you need to do is swipe each story halfway, and instead of letting it play out, you will quickly swipe to the next story and so on until you have viewed all the stories you intend to view.

However, the caveat here is that only the first story on each user’s uploads will be seen this way.

Using a Friend

As we said, this is the easiest trick on how to view Facebook stories anonymously as it allows you to see whatever you want to see even without getting involved.

The hack here involves using a mutual friend to watch the stories you want. Emphasis is placed on the word “Mutual.” A mutual friend on Facebook is one you both are friends with the person/people whose stories you wish to view anonymously.

For instance, say Ken and Ben are both friends with Billy on Facebook; we can say Ben and Ken are mutual and share Billy as a mutual friend.

Ken can then watch Billy’s stories anonymously through Ben and vice versa.

Step 1: Be sure it is a trusted mutual

Being mutual friends with the person on Facebook is important, but what is more important is making sure they can be trusted.

The goal is to view the stories anonymously, which means regardless of the method, the owner of the stories will never find out your viewed their stories.

It will defeat the purpose if the third party eventually rat you out.

Step 2: Ask them to send a screen recording or screenshot of the stories

Once you can be sure your mutual friend can be trusted, the next step is easy; ask them to view the person’s stories and make a screen recording or take screenshots as they do.

These will be sent to you, and you can view them without registering your name as a viewer.

Step 3: View with their phones

Alternatively, if you and the mutual friend are in the same location, you can use their device to view all the stories you want, and your name will not be captured under the viewers.

What Is The Point Of Facebook Stories?

How To View Facebook Stories Anonymously
How To View Facebook Stories Anonymously

So now that we know how to view Facebook stories anonymously let us understand the point of Facebook stories and why people post them.

Stories across all social media are generally considered a visual way to share content such as texts, images, and videos. Facebook stories, specifically, are equipped with several tools to add filters and increase the beauty of this content.

For individuals, the point of Facebook stories is to keep friends updated about what is happening in the user’s life and to encourage better connections. For businesses, the point is often to reach specific people with specific content and consistently reach audiences.

Stories are both entertaining and educational and can be viewed by other users on your friend list for 24 hours before they disappear into your archives.

Additionally, Facebook stories are considered far more human and can be easily personalized compared with other ways of sharing content, such as News Feed.

Hence, it is not a surprise that tens of thousands of users employ it on a daily basis as the primary medium of sharing things with their friends.

Are Facebook Stories Effective

How To View Facebook Stories Anonymously
How To View Facebook Stories Anonymously

Currently, Facebook records an average of 2.23 billion users every month, and out of these, about 500 million users engage in Facebook stories by either watching or making theirs every day.

62% of these users also confessed to becoming more interested in a brand after watching their stories for a while. 58% of active users who watch stories say they have browsed a brand’s website after seeing their Facebook stories, 50% said they went to the brand’s website to make a purchase.

So if you own a business and are wondering if Facebook stories are any effective for marketing, the answer is yes, Facebook stories are effective for communication and marketing.

Aside from the huge chunk of users who will develop an interest in your brand following engagement with your stories, this medium also offers other benefits.

First, the audience is more organic than many other forms of video marketing. Your stories can be seen by your friends and followers, who can either respond to them directly or immediately or save them up to refer to them later.

Secondly, and most interestingly, Facebook stories are free. This doesn’t just give you the chance to engage with your followers with your product and services for free, but it also affords you the luxury to experiment with different forms of marketing at no cost at all.

You can test and experiment until you figure out what works best and brings the greatest engagement from consumers without having to spend a dime.

How Long Can A Facebook Story Video Be?

How To View Facebook Stories Anonymously
How To View Facebook Stories Anonymously

Each video for a Facebook story can last for only 20 seconds. And while you can post a longer video, it is worthy of knowing that it would be split into 20 seconds each.

This knowledge is crucial if you ever intend to make a Facebook story in the future. We have taught you how to view Facebook stories anonymously. Now let us see how you can create your own stories on Facebook.

Step 1: Open your Facebook App

The first step to creating a story is to get into your Facebook. You may do this using the web version or the app on a phone or computer.

Step 2: Go to “Create Story”

The “Create Story” button is often located at the top of your News Feed and is the icon that precedes other people’s stories.

Step 3: Select type of story content

A typical Facebook story may constitute an image, a text, or a video, but there are several formats in which these can be done. You can select “Gallery” to choose photos or videos on your device or “Boomerang” to quickly take a burst of photos and turn them into animation.

You can also select “Text” or “Layout” for text-based stories and collage configuration, respectively.

There is also the option for “Superzoom” and “Poll” for zooming in on a particular subject or object and for getting viewers’ opinions between two options, respectively.

Step 4: Post the story

Once you have selected the format of the story you wish to share, you can add any preferred music and then hit the “Share to Story Button.”

You can also add stickers, location, time, or choose a feeling. While these are not essentially mandatory, they help to make your stories more relatable.

Conclusion

Facebook stories offer entertaining and educational content that can bring both fun and unique experiences.

And if you are like most Facebook users, you have viewed a story at one time or the other. Our guide teaches how to view Facebook stories anonymously so that you can also have the option of watching stories without being seen.