Free Guides
Technology should make life easier, not more worrying. Our free guides explain the essentials in plain English, from choosing a strong password to keeping your photos safe. Each one can be read here on our website, downloaded as a PDF to print or share with family and friends, or emailed to you. Simply click a title to open it.
STAYING SAFE ONLINE
Guide to Passwords
Is your password as strong as you think? Compare it with six everyday examples to see which patterns criminals try first, then discover the safest ways to keep your passwords, from a password manager to a well-kept password book.
Read online, or download the PDF (4 pages)
Guide to Spotting Scams
How to recognise scam emails, texts, phone calls and websites, the warning signs they all share, and exactly what to do if you think you’ve been caught out.
Read online, or download the PDF (5 pages)
Guide to Antivirus
Most people don’t need to pay for antivirus. This guide explains how the protection built into Windows compares with paid packages, and why learning to recognise a scam is the best defence of all.
Read online, or download the PDF (2 pages)
Guide to Choosing a Browser
Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox or Brave? Which web browser to use, how each one helps to protect you, and how to keep it safe and up to date.
Read online, or download the PDF (3 pages)
Guide to VPNs
What a VPN does and doesn’t do, whether you need one at home, and which to choose if you do, from a free option to pay as you go.
Read online, or download the PDF (3 pages)
Guide to Windows 10
Microsoft no longer supports Windows 10. How to check whether your computer is still receiving security updates, whether it can run Windows 11, and which option is right for you.
Read online, or download the PDF (3 pages)
AI AND SEARCHING THE WEB
Guide to Search Engines
Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Startpage or Brave Search? How they compare, how to avoid scam adverts in your results, and how to choose the right one for you.
Read online, or download the PDF (4 pages)
Guide to AI
ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot or Claude? What AI assistants can do, the risks to be aware of, how to get the most from them, and whether it’s worth paying.
Read online, or download the PDF (5 pages)
Guide to AI in Search Results
The AI summaries now shown above your search results: why they can be wrong, and how to reduce or remove them on Google and other search engines.
Read online, or download the PDF (3 pages)
YOUR FILES AND PHOTOS
Guide to Backing Up
A single fault, theft or scam could cost you years of photos. This guide explains why your files are safest in two places, compares your options from strongest to weakest, and sets out how the online backup services IDrive and Backblaze differ.
Read online, or download the PDF (3 pages)
Guide to Cloud Storage
iCloud, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox or Proton Drive? A clear comparison of the main services, with our recommendations for each combination of phone and computer.
Read online, or download the PDF (3 pages)
BUYING AND UPGRADING
Guide to Buying a Computer
Laptop, desktop, tablet or phone? How to choose the right device, what to look for in a new or refurbished computer, and how to part with your old one safely.
Read online, or download the PDF (5 pages)
Guide to Buying a Phone
iPhone, Android or a simple phone? What to look for, the good-value phones we’d recommend, the cheapest way to pay, and how to move everything across to your new phone.
Read online, or download the PDF (4 pages)
Guide to Buying a Tablet
iPad or Android? What to look for, the tablets we recommend, and the settings that make a new tablet easier and more comfortable to use.
Read online, or download the PDF (3 pages)
Guide to Buying a Printer
Inkjet, ink tank or laser? Why the cheapest printer to buy is rarely the cheapest to own, whether to use genuine or compatible ink, and whether ink subscriptions are worth it.
Read online, or download the PDF (4 pages)
Guide to Office Software
Do you need to pay for Microsoft Office? The free alternatives, the differences between Microsoft 365 and Office 2024, and which option suits you best.
Read online, or download the PDF (4 pages)
ACCOUNTS AND EMAIL
Guide to Online Accounts
Do you need a Microsoft, Google or Apple account? When each one is needed, which email address to sign up with, and how to make sure you’re never locked out.
Read online, or download the PDF (3 pages)
Guide to Email Addresses
Still using a BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Virgin Media or Plusnet email address? The risks of broadband provider email, the alternatives, including an address of your own, and how to move without losing anything.
Read online, or download the PDF (4 pages)
HOME AND HELP
Guide to Digital Landlines
Home phones across the UK are moving to digital lines by January 2027. What changes, what happens in a power cut, and the steps to take if you have a care alarm.
Read online, or download the PDF (3 pages)
Guide to Remote Support
Many computer problems can be resolved without a home visit. This guide explains how a remote session works, takes you step by step through connecting with Quick Assist or Chrome Remote Desktop, and shows you how to tell a genuine session from a scam.
Read online, or download the PDF (3 pages)
FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
Guide to Business Email
Choosing an email service for a small business, from Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace to Zoho Mail, and the settings that stop your emails ending up in junk folders.
Read online, or download the PDF (4 pages)
Guide to Domains and Web Hosting
How domain names, web hosting and email fit together, how to choose a reliable registrar and web host, and why your business should always own its own domain.
Read online, or download the PDF (4 pages)
More guides are on the way. If there is a topic you would like us to cover, please get in touch.
