Night light 

Working on your PC in the dark or low-light conditions can be bad for you because of the blue light the display emits. That is why many devices offer settings that lean towards warmer hues that are easier on your eyes to use in the evenings.  

To activate the night-time display settings on Windows devices, open the Settings menu, then the System and Display options, and select the Night Light option. On Mac devices, open the Apple menu, then System Settings and Displays, and click the Night Shift button. 

You have the options to set predetermined (eg Sunset to Sunrise) and custom times for the night light to switch on and off, as well as change the colour temperature that the light displays. Many smartphones use the same system, which can be set up under Settings, Display. Some even offer a simple ‘Sunset to Sunrise’ option. 

How to track Apple outages 

To keep track of its many apps and services, Apple has a system status page on its website. You can use the page to track popular apps such as iCloud, FaceTime, Apple Music, Maps, and Siri thanks to real-time updates and data on prior or current outages. The Apple System Status page is at apple.com/support/systemstatus. 

Data leakage 

We may not always be aware of what consumes our mobile data. Whether it’s sending messages to your friends, listening to podcasts or watching YouTube, all of that can contribute to a large bill from your mobile carrier. Here are a few ways you can manage your phone’s data consumption:  

Restrict data usage on your device 

Modern phones offer a handy feature that lets users limit the amount of data they consume by preventing apps from using it in the background. Smartphones can also track the amount of data you have used over a certain period, and will warn you when you are approaching your limit. 

Use ‘Lite’ apps 

Many companies offer ‘Lite’ versions of their apps that reportedly use less data than the standard ones. You can find and download them on the Apple App Store and Google Play. 

Set downloads to ‘WiFi only’  

Many apps can be set to only download content when connected to a WiFi signal, and not when they are using mobile data. Check the settings menu of each app to find out.  

Listen and watch offline 

Apps like Spotify and Apple Music, as well as video apps such as YouTube, let subscribers download their favourite content to their devices and take it offline. That way, you don’t have to stream it and use data when you’re on the go or not connected to WiFi. 

Stream videos in lower quality  

Instead of watching movies, shows and videos in a high resolution such as Full HD (1 080p) or 4K, set your apps to stream video in SD (480p) or other low resolutions to use less data.