How to Turn Instagram Activity Status Off in the App

Your activity status shows anyone you message and people you follow when you’re currently active on Instagram. They’ll also be able to see when you were last active, which is something many people want to keep private. You can easily turn your activity status off so nobody will know when you’re online and when you were last active. Here’s how to appear offline on Instagram in the app:

1. Log into Instagram.
2. Tap your Profile Picture.
3. Tap the three horizontal stacked lines at the top right.
4. Choose Settings and Privacy.
5. Under How Others can Interact with you select Messages and Story Replies.
6. Select Show Activity Status.
7. Tap to turn off the toggle.

Note: Turning off your activity status also means you won’t be able to see when anyone you direct message or accounts that follow you are active. It’s a two-way street. If you change your mind, you can always turn your activity status back on.

How to Turn Instagram Activity Status Off via the Web

Here’s how to appear offline on Instagram if you’re using the web version:

1. Log into your Instagram account.
2. In the bottom left, click the three horizontal stacked lines icon next to More.
3. Click Settings.
4. Scroll down and click on How Others Can Interact with You.
5. Ensure the Show Activity Status toggle is off.

How to Turn Instagram Activity Status On in the App

If you’ve decided you want to turn your Instagram activity status back on, here’s how to do that in the app:

8. Log into Instagram.
9. Tap your Profile Picture.
10. Tap the three horizontal stacked lines at the top right.
11. Choose Settings and Privacy.
12. Under How Others can Interact with you, select Messages and Story Replies.
13. Select Show Activity Status.
14. Tap to turn the toggle back on.

How to Turn Instagram Activity Status On via the Web

Here’s how to turn your activity status back on via the web:

1. Log into Instagram via the app or the website.
2. Select More next to the three horizontal stacked lines in the bottom left.
3. Choose Settings.
4. Choose How Others can Interact with you.
5. Ensure the Show Activity Status toggle is on.

People who follow you or have direct conversations with you will now be able to see when you’re active on Instagram. They’ll be able to see your most recent activity status in their direct inbox, as well as a green dot or timestamp next to your profile picture.

Now, you no longer need to worry about how to appear offline on Instagram. By turning your activity status off, you can spend as much time on Instagram as you want, without anyone knowing you’re online or being able to see your last active status. Just remember, if your followers can’t see when you’re online or when you were last active, you won’t be able to see this information about them either. Of course, if you don’t want to turn your activity status off to prevent people from seeing when you’re online, you could always just unfollow or block them! With that in mind, here’s how to check if someone blocked you on Instagram and Facebook.

The post How to Appear Offline on Instagram first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

In this article, we’ll walk through how monetization works on YouTube, ways to become monetized, when monetization might be taken away, as well as how to make money on YouTube in other ways. Also, keep in mind that making large amounts of money on YouTube is quite rare and really comes down to chance and persistence in making videos.

How YouTube Monetization Works

Content monetization on YouTube begins when you are able to join the YouTube Partner Program. Besides monetization, partners also receive chat or email support as well as copyright management tools. In order to join this program, a creator must meet the eligibility requirements as well as follow the monetization policies. Below are the requirements for the program.

• Be following the monetization policies
• Live in a region where the Partner Program is available
• Have no active community guideline strikes on your channel
• Turn on 2-step verification
• Have access to advanced features
• Have an active Google Adsense account

Once you meet all of these requirements, you’ll then need to meet a certain amount of subscribers and views to become a YouTube Partner. You can either have 1,000 subscribers with 4,000 valid public watch hours throughout the last 12 months, or get 1,000 subscribers with 10 million valid public Shorts views in the past 90 days. Once you meet these requirements, you can apply for a partnership through YouTube Studio by clicking on Earn.

What Happens When You’re a Partner

There are quite a few ways to monetize your channel through the Partner Program once you’ve been accepted besides just advertising. You can add products to your channel for your subscribers to buy, extra revenue from YouTube Premium members, channel memberships, as well as live stream chat donations.

These monetization options also have their own requirements for eligibility, which you can find in YouTube’s Help Center. You will also have to make sure your YouTube channel is always keeping in line with the monetization policies.

What Are the Monetization Policies?

The monetization policies are a set of guidelines that must be followed in order to retain monetization on videos as well as your channel as a whole. The monetization policies include the YouTube Community Guidelines, AdSense program policies, creator responsibility, creator integrity, and more. You can find these policies in the Help Center.

There are a few different things that can happen if you’re not following the monetization policies, which can affect how much money you earn. This may include withholding or adjusting earnings, limiting ad revenue, suspending your YouTube Partner affiliation, or even suspending or removing your YouTube channel. This all depends on the severity of the policy violation and your cooperation with YouTube.

When your YouTube channel gets reviewed to determine whether or not you are following monetization policies, YouTube will look at a variety of things. This will include the theme of your channel, video titles, thumbnails, etc., as well as your most watched videos and newest videos. If any of these disregard the monetization policies, you will either be denied monetization (if you are applying for it) or will have your monetization limited.

Other Ways to Monetize a YouTube Channel

Besides participating in the YouTube Partner Program, there are other ways to make money on YouTube, which can be a good option if you haven’t quite reached the requirements needed for a partnership. This can include merchandise, sponsorships, and donations.

The option to provide merchandise for your subscribers to buy can be a great way to start making an income from YouTube, as well as give yourself some free advertising outside of YouTube. However, making this worthwhile can be difficult if you don’t have a large following yet.

Another great option is to get sponsorships. This is when you partner with a certain brand and promote them on your YouTube channel. You might also receive a special code for your subscribers to use on whatever product is being offered. Going this route, you will receive a payment from the brand to feature them on your channel.

You could also opt to direct viewers to another site, such as Patreon or Ko-Fi, where they can purchase a membership or donate to you. A perk of this option is that you can provide members/donors with special content they wouldn’t be able to get otherwise, allowing for a great incentive for them to donate to you.

There are many other ways to monetize a YouTube channel and start generating income from it, even if you aren’t a YouTube Partner yet. Be creative!

Make Money on Your YouTube Videos With Monetization

Many people have a dream to make money through YouTube. It can be a lot easier to reach that point once you have some concrete goals in mind. YouTube has pretty straightforward guidelines and requirements, so you can work on completing them as you go forward in your YouTube journey. Also, in the meantime, there are other ways to monetize a YouTube channel to get the ball rolling.

What roadblocks do you feel you’re facing to receiving YouTube monetization? Let us know in the comments!

The post A Guide to How YouTube Monetization Works first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

The CWC23 should air on your local sports channel. However, you can also watch all Cricket World Cup 2023 matches on any internet-enabled device. This post highlights the tournament schedule and streaming platforms to watch the 2023 Cricket World Cup online without cable TV.

2023 Cricket World Cup Schedule

The 2023 Men’s Cricket World Cup was initially scheduled for February to March 2023. However, the organizing body rescheduled the tournament due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s Men’s Cricket World Cup will run from October 5 to November 19, 2023.

Participating teams are Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka.

The first match is between England (the defending champion) and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. The final game is scheduled for November 19 at the same stadium.

The tournament’s full standings, squad lists, and fixtures are available on the official Cricket World Cup website.

2023 Cricket World Cup Broadcast Partners

All 48 matches of the 2023 Cricket World Cup will stream on Willow and ESPN+ in the United States. Willow TV is also the official broadcast partner of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in Canada.

You can stream the Cricket World Cup live via Fox Sports in Australia. Live coverage will be available to New Zealand residents on Sky Sports NZ.

SuperSport holds the exclusive rights to broadcast the tournament In South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Refer to the Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 website to see all authorized broadcasters in different regions/territories.

Willow TV

Willow TV subscription plan costs $9.99/month in the United States and CAD 7.99/month in Canada. All 2023 Cricket World Cup games will stream in High Definition on supported devices through the Willow TV app.

You can also live stream the tournament on the Willow TV website through any desktop or mobile browser. The Willow TV app is available on Android, iOS, and iPadOS devices. The platform also supports streaming devices (Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, etc.) and consoles (Xbox One).

Sling TV

Live coverage of the 2023 Cricket World Cup will be available on Willow through Sling TV. The streaming service has a Willow Cricket Monthly subscription that costs $10 for the first month and $15/month for subsequent months.

You must purchase the Willow Cricket Monthly plan even with an active Sling TV subscription.

Sling TV is accessible on web browsers or via the Sling TV app on Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS devices. Other Sling-supported devices include Apple TV, Chromecast, smart TVs, and Xbox consoles.

Note: Sling TV is available in the United States only.

ESPN+

ESPN has the rights to broadcast the 2023 Cricket World Cup on its digital stream platform, ESPN+. With an ESPN+ subscription ($9.99/month or $99.99/year, you can watch the Cricket World Cup online without cable TV.

Create an ESPN account on the app or website and buy a subscription to stream the 2023 Cricket World Cup on your device. The ESPN+ app is available for iPhone, iPad, Android, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, and select smart TV brands/models.

ESPN+ is also accessible on the web via supported browsers on Mac, Chromebook, and Windows PCs.

Hulu

Hulu Live TV plans (from $69.99/month) include free access to the ESPN+ streaming service. You can access all ESPN+ content and live broadcasts in the Hulu app or website with a Live TV plan.

Alternatively, log in to the ESPN app with your Hulu account credentials to watch the 2023 Cricket World Cup games. If you have the Hulu base plan, get the ESPN+ add-on ($9.99/month) to access the tournament on your devices.

9Now (Channel 9 or Nine Network)

Channel 9 is a free-to-air TV network with broadcast rights for the 2023 Cricket World Cup in Australia. Create a Nine account and log in to the 9Now app or website to watch all Cricket World Cup matches. 9Now’s streaming service is free but geo-restricted to Australian residents.

Enjoy Cable-Free Cricket Livestream

These are the best sports streaming platforms to watch the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup online without cable TV. Sadly, only 9Now offers free streaming—for Australians. However, other platforms have affordable subscription plans. Depending on your region and preferred streaming platform, you can watch the 2023 Cricket World Cup online for less than $10.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) could help bypass the geo-restriction if your preferred streaming platform isn’t available in your region. We do not recommend using a VPN if it violates a streaming platform’s usage terms and conditions.

The post How to Watch the 2023 Cricket World Cup Online Without Cable first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

You can also download other people’s stories and highlights that catch your eye. Perhaps you want to share them, but the creator turned off the sharing option, or maybe you just want to save them to your device and show them to your friends later.

You can download highlights without much effort on your Android device, iPhone, Windows system, or Mac. You’ll just need a bit of patience and one of our three methods described below.

What Are Instagram Highlights?

Instagram Highlights are stories you created and saved to your profile. Highlights are one of the most popular Instagram features because it’s not uncommon for users to want their stories to last more than 24 hours.

Once you decide to save a story to your profile as a highlight, Instagram will put it in a separate section, just above your posts. If you want to download yours or other people’s highlights, here’s how.

1. Download Instagram Highlights Directly

If you want to save your Instagram Highlights to your Android or iPhone, the platform lets you do so directly from the Highlight. Here’s how to do it:

1. Launch the Instagram app on your phone and go to your profile.
2. Tap on the highlight you want to download to open it.

3. Once it’s open, swipe up. A new window will open.
4. Select the download icon.

5. The highlight will automatically be downloaded to your Camera Roll.

This is the easiest way to download your own Instagram Highlight to your mobile device. The best part is it’ll work on both Android and iOS devices the same way.

2. Download Instagram Highlights Using Stories Archive

Although your story will be up only 24 hours after you publish it, after that, it’ll be archived. You can access them if you go to Stories Archive. But this is not an automatic feature, in fact, you’ll have to activate it if you want your favorite stories to be saved in the archive. In the Archive library, you’ll also find stories of other Instagram users in which you were tagged.

You can then use the Stories Archive to download your favorite highlights. If you have lots of stories saved in the archive library, you’ll notice they are arranged by date. Use this information to easily find the highlight you want to download. Follow these simple steps to do it:

1. Open the Instagram app and go to your profile.
2. Tap the three horizontal lines icon in the top-right corner.

3. Select Archive from the menu.

4. When the archive library opens, find and tap a story you want to download.
5. Tap the three dots in the bottom right corner also known as the More menu.

6. Select Save photo/video from the pop-up menu.

And that’s it. You successfully downloaded an Instagram Highlight to your device. Remember that this method will work both on Android and iOS devices.

3. Download Instagram Highlights Online on Your PC

If you want to save Instagram Highlights on your PC instead of a smartphone, you’ll have to use a third-party website. That means you’ll need to go through a web browser such as Mozilla, Google Chrome, Safari, or any other browser you prefer. You’ll use it to open Instagram and to search for a term such as Instagram Story Saver, Instagram Video Downloader, or Instagram Photo Downloader. You have a lot of options.

All these third-party websites that’ll help you download IG Story or a Highlight work on the same principle. You’ll have to provide it with a link to the Story or a Highlight and it’ll do the rest for you. The good part of such websites is that you can use them to download not only your Highlights but also the Highlights of other people. Just make sure their profile is set to public. It won’t work with a private Instagram account because you won’t be able to access the Highlight and grab its link.

Let’s see how to download IG Highlight using the StoriesIG website. Keep in mind the steps are similar for all other similar websites mentioned above:

1. Go to https://storiesig.info/en/ in your preferred web browser.
2. Go to the Ig Story Downloader tab on the website.

3. In the search bar type the name of the Instagram user whose Highlight you want to download. If it’s your own, type your Instagram account username. You can also copy a direct link to an Instagram video you want to download.
4. Once you provide the Instagram username or a direct link to the video, hit the Search button next to the search bar and wait for the website to find the results.

5. Once the provided username profile is found, you’ll see Stories, Highlights, Posts, IGTV, and Reels tabs available. Hit the Highlights tab.

6. If you want to download other content, select the appropriate tab.
7. Select the Highlight you want to download.

8. A green download button will appear. Click it.

Depending on your browser settings, the downloaded content will either go to your downloads folder or you’ll be asked where you want to save the highlight.

Note that some of these third-party websites for downloading Instagram content also have a mobile app. One such is Instagram Story Saver. You can use it to quickly find and download content from any public Instagram profile. It can also generate a download link for you that you can share with others.

So, there you have it, Instagram enthusiasts! You’ve cracked the code on how to download those awesome Story Highlights. Whether you’re aiming to relive memories or just keeping a digital scrapbook, knowing how to download Instagram Story Highlights gives you a whole new level of control over your social media.

The post How to Download Instagram Story Highlights first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

It used to be much easier to see other people’s likes with the old Facebook Graph Search, but since 2019, that feature has been replaced with a new API that no longer allows you to search directly for your friends’ likes. Luckily, there are other methods to check what someone likes on Facebook, and this article will show you how.

How to See Other People’s Likes on Desktop Device

The easiest method to see what someone likes is to go to their Facebook profile. But what likes you’ll be able to see will depend on that person’s profile privacy settings and whether you are Facebook friends.

You can use any desktop device to use this method and check out what someone liked on Facebook. Windows, Linux, or macOS will work the same way because you’ll do it using your web browser. Here’s how:

1. Open Facebook in the web browser and make sure you’re logged into your Facebook account.
2. Find the friend’s Facebook profile whose likes you want to see. You either use the search bar or click on their profile photo from a post on your timeline to open up their profile page.
3. Click on More, under their profile image.

4. Select Likes from the drop-down menu that opens.

This will take you to the Facebook page where you’ll be able to see this person’s likes. However, you can choose one of the categories offered to see which TV shows, or books someone liked. You’ll also notice that by using this method you’ll only be able to see what pages this Facebook user liked.

You might not be able to see likes if this person didn’t set their privacy settings to Public.

How to See Other People’s Likes on Mobile Devices

This technique is slightly different if you want to see what someone liked via mobile phone. However, it won’t matter if you use an Android or iPhone because you’ll use the Facebook app which is virtually the same on both platforms. Follow these steps to see other people’s likes on Facebook on your mobile phone:

1. Open the Facebook App and make sure you’re logged into your Facebook account.
2. Find the Facebook profile of a person who likes you want to see.
3. Once on their profile, tap the About section.

4. Scroll down and find Likes.
5. Tap See All.

6. A list of all the liked pages this person liked will be displayed.

Take note that you won’t be able to see someone’s likes if their profile privacy settings are not set to Public.

How to See Someone’s Posts and Comments Likes?

Unfortunately, there’s no list of Facebook posts and comments your friends might have liked. But you can still see these likes under certain conditions.

First, you’ll need to be friends with that person on Facebook.

Then you’ll have to set him as a “Favorite” friend. Here’s how:

1. Select someone in your friend list.
2. Click on the three dots next to their name
3. Select Favorites from the pop-up menu. It has a star icon in front of it.

This will allow you to follow this friend and in turn, you’ll see on your Facebook news feed his activities such as liked posts, comments he made on other people’s posts, and much more.

You won’t be able to see old likes this way, but only the new ones. That friend you just set as a favorite will have to perform some new Facebook activities for it to pop into your feed.

How to See Photos Someone Liked on Facebook?

The only way you can see if someone liked a photo on Facebook is if you stumble upon it by accident. There is no longer a way to check what pictures someone liked. However, you could open up a picture posted by a mutual friend and it should show as “Liked By (the name of your friend). Or, click on the number of likes on a photo and try finding your friend’s name among all the people who liked this photo.

There is no specific list of photos liked by someone on Facebook. That’s because Facebook works hard to improve profile privacy. The only other methods to check what someone liked on Facebook is to either manually check a friend’s posts, or to ask them directly.

And there you have it, Facebook explorers! Whether you’re satisfying your curiosity or simply trying to connect with friends on a deeper level, understanding how to see what someone likes on Facebook is a handy skill to have.

The post How to See What Someone Likes on Facebook first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Some reasons you can’t access an Instagram Story are that the user has deleted the Story, the Story is expired, Instagram is down, your Instagram app has a minor glitch, you’ve muted the user’s Stories, and more.

Reason 1: The User Has Deleted Their Instagram Story

The most common reason you get a “This story is unavailable” error is that the Story you want to watch is deleted. The Story creator may have decided to remove the Story from their profile, preventing users’ access to that item.

The reason you can still see the Story’s thumbnail in your Instagram app is that your app has cached that content. However, you can’t access the actual Story as the user has removed it from their account.

In this case, there’s no way to access the Story unless you reach out to the Story creator and ask them to send you the Story contents.

Reason 2: The Instagram Story Is Expired

Another possible reason you can’t see a Story is that your chosen Story is expired. As you may already know, Instagram Stories expire 24 hours after they’re posted. When this time period has elapsed, the app removes the Story contents.

If the user has saved the Story elsewhere, you can ask the user to send you the Story’s contents.

Reason 3: Instagram Servers Are Down

One reason you may get a “This story is unavailable” error is that Instagram is down. The platform’s servers may be experiencing an outage, making the content unavailable to all Instagram users.

In this case, you can head to the Instagram page on the Downdetector site to check if the platform is indeed down. This site collects outage reports from users and lets you know if a site is experiencing problems.

If the site tells you that Instagram is down, you don’t have any option but to wait until the platform restores the functionality. When that happens, you can access your chosen Story.

Reason 4: Your Instagram App Has a Glitch

Sometimes, the issue isn’t on Instagram’s end but on your end. Your Instagram app may be experiencing minor issues, preventing you from watching your Stories. These app issues aren’t uncommon, and there are a few easy ways to fix these app problems.

One basic fix you can apply is to force stop and reopen the Instagram app on your phone. Doing so turns off and reloads all the app features, fixing many minor problems. If that doesn’t resolve your issue, give your iPhone or Android phone a reboot to fix your phone’s minor problems.

Another fix Android users can use is to clear the app cache, which helps fix many issues. You can do this by heading into Settings > Apps > App management > Instagram > Storage usage and tapping Clear cache. You don’t lose your account data when you do this.

Reason 5: You Have Muted the User’s Stories

Muting someone’s Stories ensures you don’t see that user’s Stories in the top bar of your Instagram app. While muting doesn’t directly affect your ability to access Stories, it’s worth unmuting the user whose Stories you can’t watch to possibly fix your issue.

1. Open Instagram on your phone and access the profile page of the user whose Stories don’t load.
2. Select Following on the profile page.
3. Choose Mute in the menu.
4. Toggle off the Stories option to unmute the user’s Stories.

Reason 6: Instagram Has Removed the Story So You See a “This Story Is Unavailable Instagram” Error

One reason you can’t access a Story is that Instagram has removed that particular Story. While this happens rarely, Instagram is known to take action when a Story or another content type goes against the platform’s community guidelines. The Story you’re trying to watch may have violated Instagram’s guidelines, forcing the platform to remove the Story.

In this case, you can’t do anything to get access to the Story. If you know the Story creator, you can get in touch with them and ask to see the Story’s contents.

Reason 7: The User Has Made Their Instagram Account Private

When a user makes their Instagram account Private, you can’t access any content on that user’s profile, including their Stories. Only the users who follow that particular account can access that account’s contents, like Stories, when the Private account feature is enabled.

If you don’t follow the user whose Stories you want and that user account is Private, that may be why you can’t access your Story. The user may have made their account Private right after your Instagram app loaded that user’s Story.

In this case, access the user’s profile page and follow the account. Once the account owner accepts your follow request, you can view that user’s content, including their Stories.

Reason 8: The User Has Blocked You on Instagram

If you continue to get a “This story is unavailable” error, it may be because the Story creator has blocked your account on the platform. The user may have blocked you after your Instagram app loaded their Story. This is the reason you see the Story thumbnail but can’t access the Story contents.

When someone blocks you on Instagram, you can’t access their Stories, photos, Reels, or other content. You can’t even access that user’s profile, and that profile won’t appear in Instagram search, either.

In this case, if you think the user has made a mistake, you can reach out to the user via other mediums and ask them to unblock you on Instagram.

Reason 9: The Instagram Account Is Deactivated or Deleted

The last possible reason you can’t see a Story is that that user has deactivated or deleted their Instagram account. This action may have happened after your app loaded the Story.

In this case, you can’t do anything on your end to watch the Story. You can try to contact the user on other platforms and ask about their Instagram account status. However, note that someone deactivates or deletes their account for a reason.

Troubleshooting Instagram’s “This Story Is No Longer Available” Error

There are several reasons you can’t access someone’s Story on Instagram. As explained above, Instagram may have taken action against the Story, the Story creator may have deleted the item, and so on.

The above guide explains various reasons you get a “This story is unavailable” error and what you can do in each scenario on this platform. We hope this answers your question as to why you can’t view a Story.

The post Why Does Instagram Say “This story is unavailable”? first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

But words do not always express what we feel or think about other people’s messages. That’s why you can also react to messages on Instagram using emojis. This article will show you how.

How to React to Messages on Instagram

Reacting to Instagram messages is pretty straightforward. However, if you don’t have the latest version of the Instagram app, you might not even be able to see the option to react to messages. That’s why you’ll first need to update Instagram:

1. Visit the Google Play Store if you’re an Android user or the App Store if you’re an iPhone user.
2. Find the Instagram app and tap the Update button.

3. Wait until the update is finished.

Now that you updated your Instagram app, let’s learn how to react to messages:

1. Open up a conversation in your Instagram messages. Tap the Messages (paper airplane icon) on the top-right side of the screen and find the DM you want to react to.

2. Double-tap on a DM to react with a heart emoji. This is the default Instagram reaction.
3. To react with a different emoji, press and hold a message to bring up the list of emojis. To open the whole emoji list, tap the plus button.

4. Choose and tap the one that you’d like to react with.

And that’s it! You just reacted to an Instagram message with an emoji that clearly shows your feelings about its content.

How to React to Messages on Instagram from the Web

Reacting to Instagram DMs from your PC is as simple as from the mobile app. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Open your favorite web browser, go to the Instagram web page, and log in to your Instagram account.
2. Select the Messenger icon from the left side menu to go to Direct Messages. Find the conversation you’ll react to.

3. Place your cursor over the message you want to react to and select the reaction icon on the right side of the message. It’s represented by a smiley face or a heart icon and contains a list of emojis.

4. Select the reaction you like the most from the pop-up menu (thumbs up, laughing emoji, fire, heart, or any other available emoji).

As you can see, reacting to Instagram messages on a PC is just as easy.

Customize Default Instagram Emoji Reactions

By default, Instagram offers a list of six emojis to react with. But you can customize this shortlist and put your custom emojis instead. You can even replace the default heart emoji. They will always display first when you want to react to DMs.

Follow these steps to personalize the emoji reaction list:

1. Open your Instagram app and make sure you are logged in.
2. Open a DM you want to react to (or any other DM will serve the purpose).
3. Tap and hold a message. When the emoji list shows up, tap the Plus icon (+) on the right side.

4. When the emoji list opens, tap Customize.

5. Select the reaction emojis you want. When done, tap the check mark at the top right corner of the screen.

And there you have it! Three easy methods of reacting to messages on Instagram. Spice up your conversations and tell others how you feel or when you’re using sarcasm.

The post How to React to Messages on Instagram (Mobile and PC) first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

If you’re a Pokemon fan, Pokemon Sleep is a great way to track your sleep while collecting Pokemon and has some added gameplay. This app can be a great motivator if you have trouble getting enough sleep at night. We’ll show you what Pokemon Sleep is and how to play it to maximize your experience.

What Is Pokemon Sleep?

In Pokemon Sleep, your goal is to research the sleep styles of as many different types of Pokemon as possible. To achieve this, you use the app to track your sleep (which works similarly to other sleep-tracking apps), and when you wake up, Pokemon will gather the data to add to your research.

The gameplay mainly centers around powering up a Snorlax, who attracts Pokemon as you sleep. Throughout the game, you can power up Snorlax by feeding him through food dropped by Pokemon in your party or by cooking recipes.

You can also befriend Pokemon and choose some of them to be in your party, and these will be the Pokemon you have around during the day to feed Snorlax and provide you with recipe ingredients. To befriend a Pokemon, you’ll need to feed them biscuits, raising their friendship level with you until it hits the Max friendship level.

There are also missions you’ll need to complete to move forward in the game, and you can get rewards by completing these.

How Do You Track Your Sleep?

The most crucial aspect of Pokemon Sleep is tracking your sleep. To do this, you’ll select the Sleep button to begin the monitoring. You can also set a typical bedtime to try to fall asleep. When the sleep tracking begins, you can set an alarm and play some music if you wish. Then, you’ll want to plug your phone in to stay on throughout the night and put it face down on your bed. You can also use the Pokemon Go Plus+ device to track your sleep.

While you sleep, Pokemon Sleep will use your sounds and movements to determine what stages of sleep you are in, as well as how long you slept for. You’ll see all of this tracked data when you wake up and end your sleep session.

How to Play Pokemon Sleep

From your tracked sleep, the app will give you a Sleep Score from 0 to 100, depending on how long you slept. You will also be given a sleep type: dozing, snoozing, or slumbering. These factors will determine the Pokemon who show up around Snorlax, who you can add to your record and befriend you. Your sleep score will also be multiplied by the Snorlax’s current strength score to get your Drowsy Power, which will draw more Pokemon to the area.

Each Pokemon has multiple different sleep styles, so even if the same Pokemon appears more than once, you’ll want to see if there’s a new sleep style you can record for it. To befriend Pokemon that show up, you’ll need to feed them biscuits.

Using Biscuits

A few different kinds of biscuits are available to feed Pokemon, and each can raise friendship levels by an additional amount.

A Bonus Biscuit can raise friendship levels by 3 points (you need 5 to max out friendship and befriend the Pokemon.) A Poke Biscuit raises levels by 1, a Great Biscuit by 3, a Premium Bonus Biscuit by 4, and the Master Biscuit, which instantly maximizes friendship.

You can get a Bonus Biscuit for free per each sleep session, and you can buy other biscuits in the shops or earn them through rewards by completing missions, leveling up, etc.

Feeding Snorlax

Another goal of the game is to feed Snorlax as much as possible throughout the day. Doing this increases Snorlax’s strength, which allows more types of Pokemon to appear. Feeding Snorlax can be done in a couple of different ways. First, you can tap on your party Pokemon, which stays around Snorlax during the day to get some berries. Snorlax will eat these, and it will slowly increase its power.

You can also cook full meals for Snorlax. You can feed Snorlax three meals throughout the day: breakfast from 6 AM to 12 PM, lunch from 12 PM to 6 PM, and dinner from 6 PM to 6 AM. These meals boost Snorlax’s power much more quickly. To cook a meal, simply tap on Snorlax and select Get Cooking.

Cooking Meals

To cook meals, you need ingredients. You can get these from the Pokemon in your party when you tap on them. When you cook Snorlax a meal, you can choose Auto Cook or Choose a Recipe. First, you’ll need to use Auto Cook to discover new recipes, and then you can choose to cook from these recipes in the future.

Once the meal is cooked, Snorlax will eat it, and his power will increase by the Dish Strength amount. To improve these amounts, cook meals the specific Snorlax in the area likes.

Pokemon Teams

Once you befriend Pokemon, you can add them to your team. These Pokemon stay around during the day and give you berries and ingredients. You can choose which Pokemon you want in your team by going to Pokemon > Edit Teams.

Here, you can create up to five different teams you can choose from to help you during the day. You can check each Pokemon’s stats and the team’s overall stats. There are a few stats you’ll want to pay attention to the most when creating your teams. These are the RP stat or Research Power and each Pokemon’s specialties.

RP tells you how effective a Pokemon is for strengthening the Snorlax. A higher RP means it can give Snorlax more strength. Pokemon can have a high RP naturally, or you can level them up to increase the stat.

When creating a team, you’ll also want to pay attention to each Pokemon’s specialty. Some Pokemon have an ingredient specialty, so their skill set is geared towards providing more ingredients. A Pokemon can also have a skills specialty, which increases stats for other Pokemon so they can offer more help. A Pokemon can also have a berries specialty, allowing you to collect more from them.

Improve Your Sleep and Have Fun With Pokemon Sleep

Sleeping on time can be difficult, but a gamification app like Pokemon Sleep can make it more enticing. This app provides plenty of reasons to keep coming back, especially for Pokemon fans or anyone looking to add some fun to their daily lives.

Have you tried Pokemon Sleep yet? Let us know your thoughts below!

The post Pokemon Sleep: What It Is and How To Play first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

How to Share YouTube Videos on Your Instagram Story

It’s easy to share YouTube videos on your Instagram Story via a link. Though, if you’re sharing content created by other YouTubers, this may break YouTube terms of service and will likely also be considered copyright infringement.

How to Share YouTube Video on Instagram Story With a Link

It’s easy to share YouTube Video on Instagram Story via a link, and here’s how to do that. You’ll need the YouTube and Instagram apps installed on your device before we get started.

1. Open the YouTube app and find the video you want to share.
2. Click the Share button beneath the video, then tap the Copy Link button.
3. Open the Instagram app and tap the + (add) icon at the bottom of your screen.
4. At the bottom, tap on Story.
5. You can take a picture for your Story by tapping the white circle, or tap the image library in the bottom left to select an existing image.

6. Tap the Stickers icon at the top right, then scroll down and tap the Link option.
7. Paste your YouTube link into the URL box and tap Done.

8. You can now edit your story by adding stickers, text, filters, etc.
9. Once you’re done, tap the white arrow icon at the bottom right to share your story.
10. Then tap Share on the following screen.
11. On the Also share to screen, select anybody you wish to share the story with as a DM (or select to share it to Facebook or add it to your highlights), then tap Share.

The Right Way to Share YouTube Videos in a Post

You may see how-to guides online showing you how to share YouTube video on Instagram Story. The steps usually involve clipping a YouTube video, adjusting the aspect ratio, and then downloading the video to your PC or phone. We wouldn’t advise doing this, for a couple of reasons. The first is that downloading a video is against YouTube’s terms of service (unless you’re a YouTube Premium subscriber), and could result in your account being terminated. The second reason is that by downloading somebody else’s video, you’re breaching copyright and could face penalties.

As you can see, it’s pretty easy to share YouTube videos via link to your Instagram Story. We’ve got some more fun and creative ideas for your next Instagram story too, including how to change your Instagram Story background color.

The post How to Share YouTube Videos on Your Instagram Story first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

We’ll show you how to comment with a GIF on Instagram, as well as how to delete a GIF comment if you accidentally choose the wrong GIF (we’ve all been there).

How to Comment GIF on Instagram on Android and iOS

Note: Before proceeding with any of the below steps, make sure you’ve updated your Instagram app to the latest version.

Here’s how to comment using a GIF on Instagram in just a few seconds. The steps are the same for both Android and iOS devices:

1. Open the Instagram post and scroll to the post you want to comment on.
2. Tap on the Comment button under the post (it’s the one that looks like a speech bubble).
3. To the right of the text box, you’ll see the GIF icon. Can’t see the icon? Make sure that you’re updated to the latest version of Instagram.
4. Tap the GIF icon and you’ll see some suggested GIFs.
5. You can also type what you’re looking for into the Search GIPHY box.
6. Once you find the GIF you want, tap it — but make sure you’ve chosen the right one, as it posts automatically as a comment once tapped.

7. If you accidentally chose the wrong GIF and it has posted as a comment, don’t worry, as you can delete it. We’ll show you how below.

How to Comment GIF on an Instagram Post on the Web

Unfortunately, there’s currently no way to comment with a GIF on a post on Instagram’s web version. You’ll need to download the iOS or Android app to send comment GIFs.

How to Delete a GIF Comment on Instagram

Because GIFs post automatically as comments as soon as you tap them, it’s easy to accidentally post a GIF without meaning to. There’s no need to worry, though, as it’s easy to delete a GIF comment if the worst happens. Here’s how to do that:

1. Find the comment you want to delete.
2. Long-tap on the comment.
3. Tap the Delete button.
4. Your comment should now be deleted and you can repeat the steps above to post the correct GIF as a comment.

Can You Use a GIF From Your Gallery as an Instagram Comment?

It’s not possible to use a GIF you have stored in your gallery to comment on an Instagram post. Because Instagram has GIPHY integrated, you should be able to find most GIFs by searching the GIPHY library.

How to Reply to an Existing Comment With a GIF on Instagram

There might be times you want to reply to an existing comment on Instagram using a GIF. Sadly, this isn’t possible — you can only create a new comment with your GIF of choice.

As you can see, it’s easy to comment on a GIF on Instagram once you know how. While you’re here, why not check out how to pin a comment on Instagram, or how to unread messages on Instagram.

The post How to Comment GIFs on Instagram Posts first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

As a tennis fan, you don’t want to miss the final Grand Slam tennis tournament of 2023. This post covers the tournament’s schedule and streaming platforms to watch the US Open online.

2023 US Open Tournament Schedule

Qualifying matches will run from August 22-25, while the main draw is scheduled for August 28 through September 10. Here’s a rundown of the 2023 US Open tournament schedule.

Where to Watch the 2023 US Open Online

ESPN is the domestic broadcast provider of the US Open tournament in the United States and U.S. territories. The network will broadcast all matches and courts via ESPN, ESPN2, and the ESPN app.

ABC will also provide a one-day live coverage of all middle Sunday matches (September 3) in the U.S. If you don’t have cable TV, you can watch the US Open on digital streaming platforms offering these channels.

Check out the US Open website for platforms to stream the tournament live coverage in and outside the U.S.

YouTube TV

All three channels (ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC) broadcasting the 2023 US Open matches are available on YouTube TV. You can enjoy YouTube TV for free for 14 days if it’s your first time signing up for the streaming service. Otherwise, you must buy the $72.99 monthly plan to watch the US Open online on YouTube TV.

Joining a YouTube TV family group is an alternate way to access the streaming service for free.

YouTube TV works on mobile devices, computers, smart TVs, and streaming media players like Apple TV, Fire TV Stick, etc. Check out all YouTube TV-supported devices and their system requirements.

ESPN+

ESPN will broadcast the US Open live stream through its cable-free platforms—ESPNplus.com and the ESPN app. You need an ESPN+ subscription ($9.99/month or $99.99/year) to watch the tournament on these platforms.

Once subscribed, install the ESPN app on your device or visit ESPNplus.com in a web browser to watch the US Open online.

fuboTV

fuboTV is available in the United States, Canada, and Spain. However, the channels (ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC) providing live coverage of the US Open are only available to users in the United States and U.S. territories.

You can access these channels using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) outside the U.S. fuboTV’s base plan costs $74.99/month and includes a 7-day free trial for first-time subscribers.

DIRECTV Stream

The $74.99/month DIRECTV Stream “Entertainment” package offers both ESPN and ESPN2 in its channel lineup. You can watch the 2023 US Open online on DIRECTV Stream anywhere in the U.S. using compatible smartphones, browsers, and streaming devices.

Sling TV

Buying Sling TV’s Orange subscription ($40/month) grants you cable-free access to all US Open matches. All you need is an internet connection, a Sling-supported device, and a VPN if you reside outside the U.S.

Tune in to ESPN or ESPN2 to catch live actions from the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on your streaming device.

Stan Sport

Stan Sport prides itself as the home of Grand Slam Tennis in Australia. You need a base Stan subscription (from $10/month) and the $15/month Sport add-on to watch US Open matches on the platform.

Stan offers first-time subscribers a 30-day free trial for its base plans, but you must buy the Sport add-on.

The Sports Network (TSN)

TSN is the official US Open broadcast partner in Canada. Get the $19.99 TSN monthly plan to watch US Open online on your mobile or streaming devices. You can live stream the tournament through the TSN website or mobile app.

TSN provides English-only coverage and commentary of the US Open. Subscribe to Réseau Des Sports (RDS) if you prefer a French broadcast of the tennis championship.

Hulu Live TV

Hulu’s Live TV plans offer ABC and ESPN channels where you can watch the US Open live. The base Hulu Live TV plan is ad-supported and costs $69.99 monthly. Buy the $82.99/month plan for an ad-free streaming experience. Both plans come bundled with ESPN+ and Disney+ as a bonus.

There’s a cheaper way to watch the 2023 US Open on Hulu. Subscribe to the $7.99/month standard plan and add the ESPN+ add-on ($9.99/month) to your subscription. That way, you can watch the US Open and other live ESPN+ programming in the Hulu app or website without a Live TV plan.

Eurosport or Eurosport Player

Eurosport is the best platform to watch Grand Slam tennis tournaments (Australian Open, Wimbledon, French Open, and US Open) in Europe. You need a Eurosport Monthly Pass and a supported device to watch the US Open online without cable.

The price of the Eurosport Monthly Pass will depend on your region or country. Install the Eurosport Player app or visit the Eurosport website to register an account and subscribe to the streaming service.

Watch the 2023 US Open Cable-Free

If you miss a match, you can watch the recap on the tournament’s blog—Live At the US Open. You’ll also find behind-scene photos, player interviews, and tournament news on the blog.

The post How to Watch the 2023 US Open Online without Cable first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

If you’ve ever wished you could replay a photo or video snap on Snapchat to get a better look, we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ll show you how to use the Snapchat replay feature and ensure you never miss a moment from your friends. Whether it’s a funny photo or an exciting video, you’ll be able to catch every snap with ease. Follow this step-by-step tutorial to learn how to replay snaps on Snapchat.

How to Replay a Snap on Snapchat

After you view Snaps, you can use the Replay feature to see them for the second time. Follow these simple steps to replay a Snap on Snapchat. The instructions are the same for iPhone and Android phone users.

1. Open Snapchat on your smartphone and view the Snap in question.
2. If it’s a Snap you haven’t viewed, it’ll be labeled New Snap. After you view it, it’ll change to Opened.

3. After you view the Snap, make sure you stay on the Chat screen in Snapchat Messages. If you leave the Friends screen, go to another screen within the app, or close the Snapchat app, you won’t be able to use the feature for replaying a Snap.
4. After viewing the Snap, you’ll see two pieces of text flashing under your friend’s username. One will say Tap to chat, and the other will say Hold to replay.

5. Press and hold the replay button (or your friend’s name) until their Snap reloads. This process should take a couple of seconds.
6. When the Snap has loaded, a solid red square will appear next to their name if it’s a photo Snap you’re replaying, and a purple square if it’s a video Snap.
7. When your friend’s Snap is ready and reloaded, you can replay it by viewing it the way you’d view a regular Snap on the app – by selecting Tap to view.
8. A pop-up message will appear asking if you’d like to replay the Snap. Select Replay to continue.

Your friend will receive a notification telling them you replayed their Snap, no matter whether it was a photo or a video Snap. After you replay a Snap, you can’t replay it again.

Can You Replay a Snap More Than Once?

Unfortunately, you can only replay a snap once on Snapchat. Taking a screenshot of a Snap also isn’t an option. If Snapchat catches you, it could result in the suspension or banning of your Snapchat account. If you replay a private snap, the person will be able to see that you did so. However, if you replay a public Snapchat story, they won’t be notified of it.

After you’ve used the replay feature to watch a snap again, you won’t be able to use it for that same snap in the future. Make sure you don’t miss any crucial details the first time you view it. However, you can always ask your friends to set their snaps to no time limit or loop, allowing you to view them for as long as you want without the need for replaying.

How to View a Snap More Than Twice

Snapchat has a strict policy of not allowing users to replay snaps more than once. However, some users have found workarounds to view snaps multiple times. Here are some methods you can try:

• Airplane mode. Enable airplane mode, open Snapchat, and view the snap you want to replay. Close the app and disable airplane mode. When you reopen Snapchat, the snap will still be unopened, allowing you to view it again.
• Replay from the sender. You can ask the sender to resend the snap to you. Since Snapchat allows the sender to replay their own snaps, they can use their replay to let you view the snap again.
• Reinstall the app. After viewing the snap in the chat screen, uninstall Snapchat from your device. Then, reinstall the app and log in to your account. The snap you viewed will still appear as unopened and can be viewed again.
• Clear cache. Clearing the Snapchat cache may also enable you to reopen snaps more than twice. On iOS, you can go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Snapchat > Offload app. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Snapchat > Storage > Clear Cache.

Note: While these workarounds might be tempting, using unofficial methods or modified apps goes against Snapchat’s policies and could lead to consequences for your account. It’s always best to use Snapchat’s features as intended and respect their terms of service to avoid any issues with your account.

How to Stop Missing Out on Your Friends’ Snaps

Snapchat used to only let photo snaps stay visible for 10 seconds, and video snaps could be watched once before disappearing. Now, users can remove the time limit on their photos and set videos to loop.

Want to see your friends’ snaps without missing any? You can ask them to set their Snaps to loop or remove the time limit on them to help you. When you view a photo Snap with no time limit or a looping video Snap, you can watch it for as long as you like until you tap to close it. You can even replay it if you want.

To do this, tell your friends to select the timer button at the bottom of the vertical menu on the right side of the screen after they send a photo or video Snap.

The timer button looks like a stopwatch with an infinity sign for photo snaps and a circular arrow with an infinity sign for video snaps.

Once they set this up, photo Snaps will have no time limit, and video Snaps will loop automatically. They only need to do this once, and it will be the default setting for all future photo and video snaps.

The post How to Replay a Snap on Snapchat first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

The Open Box Deal

“Open box” refers to items returned by customers that are then sold at discounted prices through Amazon Warehouse.

But why are they returned? The reasons can range from a customer changing their mind to a product with minor cosmetic damage from the factory.

However, before these items are resold, Amazon thoroughly inspects their condition, checking for signs of wear and verifying they’re in perfect working condition. If an item passes this inspection and its original product packaging is intact, it’s classified as an “open box” item. In other words, the box may be open, but that’s almost all that happened.

Categories of Open Box Items: “Used – Like New” and “Very Good”

Amazon categorizes the product condition of its best open-box items as “used – like new” or “very good.” Products labeled “used – like new” have either been opened but not used or used lightly with no signs of wear. These items typically come with their original packaging and accessories and are, as the label implies, just like new.

On the other hand, “very good” items may show some signs of use. They could have minor damage, such as cosmetic blemishes or dents, missing non-essential accessories, or the instruction manual. However, these products are still verified to be in good working condition.

The specific condition of an open-box product can be found in the product description on the item’s listing page. This detailed description can help you understand the exact condition of the article, why it was returned, and what you’ll get in the box when the delivery person rings your doorbell.

Understanding the Rest of Amazon’s Grading System

Amazon has a reasonably comprehensive grading system to help you make an informed decision when purchasing open-box items. In addition to “used – like new” and “very good,” you may also come across other terms such as “used – good” and “used–acceptable.”

The “used–good” category includes items with more noticeable signs of wear and tear, but they still work perfectly. So if aesthetics aren’t that important to you, this could mean a great bargain.

Meanwhile, “used–acceptable” is the lowest grade Amazon provides, indicating that the item has been well-used and may have significant cosmetic damage but remains operational. Before buying a product at this grade, you’d have to think hard about how much the discount you’re getting means to you.

How “Open Box” Differs from “Refurbished”

While open box and refurbished items provide an opportunity to save money, they aren’t the same. Refurbished products, often marked as “refurb” or “renewed,” are items returned to the manufacturer or a third-party seller due to a defect or damage. Sometimes these items are traded in. For example, Apple refurbishes the devices you trade with new ones.

Either way, they are repaired, tested for functionality, and repackaged for sale. Refurbished items are guaranteed to be in good working condition despite possibly undergoing more significant use or damage. They often come with a limited warranty, although the duration and coverage may vary compared to a new product’s warranty.

Unlike “open box” items, refurbished products are expected to function like new products, despite any cosmetic imperfections. This restoration to near-original conditions justifies the higher price point for refurbished items compared to open-box items of the same model.

Notably, components like lithium batteries are often replaced with new ones and other “consumable” parts. It is worth looking into the specific refurbishment process for the item you’re considering, but it may have substantial advantages over some open-box items that have been moderately used.

Amazon’s Return Policy for Open Box Items

Amazon’s return policy applies to open-box items like new or refurbished ones. If an open box item does not meet your satisfaction—perhaps your laptop from the Amazon Warehouse has more dents than expected, or your smartphone doesn’t look as “like new” as described—you can return it under the standard return policy. To begin a return, head to your Amazon account’s Your Orders page. Amazon’s return process is generally hassle-free, which lowers the risk of trying open-box items.

The Manufacturer’s Warranty for Open Box Items

While Amazon’s return policy covers open-box items, the same may not be true for the manufacturer’s warranty. A manufacturer’s warranty is often linked to the original purchase and may not be transferable. Therefore, the warranty may be void for open-box items. If the manufacturer’s warranty is critical for your purchase, it’s worth considering this before proceeding with an open-box item.

Open Box Items Across Different Platforms

Amazon isn’t the only retailer offering open-box deals. You can find similar offerings from Best Buy, Walmart, and eBay. Best Buy, for instance, uses labels like “Open-Box Excellent” and “Open-Box Satisfactory” to give customers an idea of the item’s condition. Understanding these ratings across different platforms can help you make an informed choice when shopping for open-box items.

It’s essential to actually read what each rating means for each platform. Just because two marketplaces use similar wording to describe the condition of an open box item doesn’t mean that they use the same standards to label them.

The Assurance of Quality

Quality assurance for open-box items on Amazon is a meticulous process. Amazon sellers, especially those under the Amazon Warehouse Deals program, adhere to a strict grading system before listing items for sale. This rigorous quality control process ensures that the open-box items meet Amazon’s standards. If an item doesn’t pass these checks, it isn’t sold as an open-box item.

That said, plenty of products that don’t meet the on-paper standards make it through the program. Ultimately, human beings do the grading, and no matter how clear the criteria are, some measure of subjectivity is always involved. So what you’d consider a minor aesthetic defect might be a dealbreaker for someone else.

The Variety of Open Box Items

The array of open-box items available on Amazon is diverse. From smartphones like Apple iPhones to Amazon’s own Kindle devices, from laptops to vacuums, the open box category spans a vast range of products.

As long as it’s durable (i.e., not consumable), it’s eligible to be sold as an open-box item, at least in principle.

The Best Types of Open Box Items

While you can find a wide range of products listed as open-box items, certain categories tend to be more prevalent or make more sense as open-box purchases. Electronics, particularly laptops and smartphones from brands like Apple, often top the list of open-box offerings.

These high-demand, high-cost products are often returned due to minor defects or buyer’s remorse, making them prime candidates for open-box deals. This can help you save hundreds of dollars on items that are no worse for wear than when the shrinkwrap first came off.

Similarly, household appliances such as vacuums are commonly found as open box deals. Customers might return these items because of packaging damage, after deciding on a different model, or after realizing the product doesn’t fit their home. However, these types of products usually remain in perfect working condition.

Amazon’s products, like the Kindle, are frequently available too. Given Amazon’s direct control over these items, it can ensure these open-box items meet high-quality standards. It also makes it easy for them to replace any missing accessories.

The Savvy Shopping Approach

When shopping for open-box items, comparison is vital. Don’t be in a hurry to save money, but take your time. For instance, a “used – like new” vacuum cleaner might seem like a bargain on Amazon, but you might find the same item brand new at Walmart for just a few dollars more.

Always check the UPC (Universal Product Code) to ensure you’re comparing the same model across different platforms. Sometimes the open box deal might be an older model, which isn’t necessarily bad, but improvements or bug fixes might make it worth paying a little more.

Ensuring a Smooth Open-Box Purchase Experience

After purchasing an open-box item, inspecting it immediately upon arrival is vital. Verify if the product matches the description on the listing page, and check for any missing accessories.

Amazon sells many open-box items directly via Amazon Warehouse, but some are offered by third-party sellers. This means they may have slightly different standards and policies. A seller with high ratings and positive reviews is more likely to accurately describe the open box item and respond promptly to any issues. For this reason, you should carefully consider the ratings and reviews of a particular third-party seller before choosing an open-box offering from them.

The Bottom Line

The open box category on Amazon offers savvy shoppers the opportunity to snag items in like-new or very good condition for a fraction of the original cost. While these items may have minor blemishes or be missing certain accessories, they’re confirmed to be in good working condition.

Even though open-box shopping might carry more risk than buying new, the benefits could outweigh the drawbacks if you don’t mind a minor imperfection or a missing manual. To reduce waste and provide cost-effective shopping solutions, the open box initiative offers excellent value and benefits for price- or environmentally-conscious consumers.

The post What Does “Open Box” Mean on Amazon? first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

We’ll show you how to set up My Eyes Only and how to add or remove Snaps to keep your most private Snaps safe from prying eyes.

How to Set Up My Eyes Only

It takes just a few seconds to set up My Eyes Only. You’ll need to have one Story or Snap saved to Memories or share content from your Camera Roll to Snapchat. Here’s how to set up My Eyes Only:

1. From Snapchat’s Camera Screen, swipe up to open Memories, then tap Snaps or Camera Roll.
2. Press and hold on a Snap, then tap My Eyes Only.
3. If you don’t see this option, you may need to tap More > Hide Snap (My Eyes Only).
4. Tap Quick Setup.
5. Create your passcode (a four-digit number).
6. Your Snap will now be moved to My Eyes Only.

How to Add Snaps to My Eyes Only

Now that you’ve set up the My Eyes Only Snapchat feature, it’s easy to move saved Stories or Snaps from Memories to My Eyes Only — or move videos or photos from your Camera Roll to My Eyes Only. Here’s how to add snaps to my Eyes Only:

1. From the Camera Screen, swipe up to open Memories.
2. Tap Snaps, Camera Roll, or Stories at the top.
3. Press and hold on the item you want to move to My Eyes Only.
4. If you’ve selected a Snap, tap More > Hide Snap (My Eyes Only).

5. For items in Camera Roll, tap Hide.
6. A pop-up will ask you, “Move to My Eyes Only?”
7. Tap Move to confirm (or Cancel if you’ve changed your mind).
8. If moving items from your Camera Roll, you’ll also be asked if you want to delete the original from your Camera Roll. Tap Delete if you want to do that.

How to Remove Snaps From My Eyes Only

Just as it’s easy to move Snaps to My Eyes Only, removing them takes just a few seconds. Here’s how to do that:

1. From the Camera Screen, swipe up to open Memories.
2. At the top, scroll to the right and tap My Eyes Only.
3. Enter your passcode when prompted.
4. Press and hold on the Snap you want to remove.
5. Tap Unhide.

How to Recover Deleted Snaps From My Eyes Only

If you accidentally delete snaps from My Eyes Only or forget your My Eyes Only passcode, you’ll be unable to access any of the Snaps saved to My Eyes Only. It’s not as simple as forgetting your Snapchat password or email — Snapchat support can’t help you recover your passcode or Snaps. You can reset your passcode, but you’ll lose access to any Snaps previously saved to My Eyes Only. Resetting the passcode creates a new My Eyes Only — so this time, make sure you choose a memorable passcode.

The My Eyes Only Snapchat feature is a great way to protect your special and private Snaps from anybody looking through your phone or accessing your Snapchat account without your permission. It’s quick and easy to set up and add and remove Snaps from My Eyes Only in just a few taps. Just don’t forget to choose an easy-to-remember passcode, as if you forget your passcode, you’ll lose access to your My Eyes Only Snaps forever!

The post Snapchat “My Eyes Only”: What It Means and How to Set It Up first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

What Does Pinned Mean on TikTok?

Pinning to most means saving an item to the top of your list. You’ll see the feature on other social media platforms like Instagram. Instagram users can pin a comment or post to make it the first one you see.

Following this same theory, you can pin one of your TikTok videos to place that clip at the top of your profile. When a follower views your profile, they see that video you’ve pinned right at the top along with a “Pinned” indicator in red.

As of this writing, the ability to pin TikTok comments is no longer available. If you long-press a comment to select Pin from the pop-up menu, you’ll notice the option is missing.

It’s difficult to determine exactly when TikTok removed the feature; however, it’s been discussed on websites like Reddit, Quora, and even TikTok itself.

The reason the Pin feature was removed isn’t clear either. Some believe it was to reduce harassing, negative, or malicious comments. However, TikTok hasn’t confirmed this nor provided a concrete reason (as of yet).

Luckily, you do still have the ability to pin a TikTok video, so let’s take a long at how to do so.

How to Pin a Video on TikTok

If you want to make sure other TikTok users see your favorite videos or those you’re most proud of, you can pin up to three. Should you want to pin another, you’ll need to first unpin a video (explained below) and then pin the next one.

Additionally, the Pin feature is only available in the TikTok mobile app. It’s not yet a feature you can use on the TikTok website on your computer.

1. Open the TikTok app on your Android or iOS device and select the Profile tab.
2. Play the video you want to pin.
3. Use the three dots on the right to open the menu and choose Pin in the bottom row.

You’ll see a brief message at the top that you’ve pinned the video. When you return to your profile page, you’ll see the video at the top of your list and the Pinned indicator on it in red.

How to Unpin a Video on TikTok

If you decide later you want to remove a video from the top of your list or prefer to pin a different one and have reached the three-video limit, you can unpin a pinned video.

Follow the same steps as above to launch the TikTok app, play the video, and open the three-dot menu. Then, choose Unpin.

You’ll see a message that the video has been unpinned. When you view your TikTok profile, the Pinned indicator no longer appears and the video returns to its original spot in your list.

Will You Add a TikTok Pin?

Pinning a video on TikTok is simple and can ensure your followers easily spot those videos you want them to see most. As far as pinning comments, maybe the feature will resurface on TikTok in the future. What are your thoughts on the TikTok pin feature?

Now that you know how to pin a video on TikTok, check out our tutorial for using text to speech on TikTok.

The post What Does “Pinned” Mean on TikTok (And How to Pin Videos/Comments) first appeared on Online Tech Tips.