How to help older relatives with tech over the holidays

Heading home for the holidays gives you a great chance to help older parents with their tech The visit often comes with questions about phones computers smart TVs and the new artificial intelligence tools they hear about Instead of feeling overwhelmed you can use this time to set them up for a safer and smoother tech year You may guide them through FaceTime or phone calls during the rest of the year yet working with them in person makes everything easier You can update devices adjust settings improve shield and prevent plenty of of the issues that lead to stress later Below is a simple plan you can follow while you are home for the holidays Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips urgent assurance alerts and specific deals delivered straight to your inbox Plus you ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join my CYBERGUY COM newsletter AMERICA'S MOST-USED PASSWORD IN REVEALEDSome parents love learning new tools Others want stability If their setup works for them avoid pushing big changes Also avoid relying on bots to answer all their questions They reach out because they want real help and a real connection When you teach them something new walk through the policies instead of taking over the device Leave written instructions so they can repeat the initiatives later Above all stay victim This process builds confidence for them and peace of mind for you Automatic updates keep things fast and safe Numerous older relatives skip them because they worry something will break Settings may vary depending on your Android phone's manufacturer For automatic app updates You can also set ongoing hours so surprise restarts do not interrupt them CLOUD STORAGE FULL SCAM STEALS YOUR PHOTOS AND MONEYOne of the best skills you can give them is how to power cycle devices Show them how to unplug and restart iPhone Android Settings may vary depending on your Android phone s manufacturer A gentle reset solves a multitude of everyday glitches Celebrate the wins so they feel confident when they fix something on their own PROTECT YOUR FIGURES BEFORE HOLIDAY SHOPPING SCAMS STRIKEScammers continue to target older adults with fake calls texts or emails that look like they come from banks cabinet agencies or even big tech brands Multiple people hand over money because the message sounds urgent or the caller ID looks real While you're visiting you can set up simple protections that block largest part threats before they reach them Here are the most of critical moves to handle together Show them how scammers disguise links in texts emails and pop-ups Remind them to never tap unexpected attachments or urgent messages While you're there install strong antivirus utility that stops dangerous links before they open Make sure it includes The best way to safeguard them from malicious links that install malware potentially accessing their private information is to have strong antivirus system installed on all their devices This protection can also alert them to phishing emails and ransomware scams keeping their personal information and digital assets safe If they already have antivirus platform go ahead and update it so they unfailingly have the latest protections then set it to auto-scan weekly Get my picks for the best antivirus protection winners for their Windows Mac Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy com Explain that scammers often pull personal details from the internet including old addresses phone numbers and job history Help them sign up for a statistics removal system that clears their information from people-search sites and evidence brokers Choose one that supports This reduces the personal info criminals can use to impersonate them While no system can guarantee the complete removal of their input from the internet a material removal operation is really a smart choice They aren't cheap and neither is their privacy These services do all the work for them by actively monitoring and systematically erasing their personal information from hundreds of websites It's what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most of effective way to erase personal input from the internet By limiting the information available you reduce the liability of scammers cross-referencing facts from breaches with information they might find on the dark web making it harder for them to target your loved ones Check out my top picks for input removal services and get a free scan to find out if their personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy com Get a free scan to find out if their personal information is already out on the web Cyberguy com Bulk scams begin with a phone call pretending to be Amazon sponsorship Medicare Social Defense or a family member in trouble Both iPhone and Android now include stronger call-screening tools than ever On iPhone On Android To filter unknown or spam calls Settings may vary depending on your Android phone s manufacturerTo filter spam texts Tell them If the call is real the caller will leave a message Make sure their inbox sorts out junk automatically iPhone Mail Gmail browser version Gmail filters spam automatically but you can tighten things even more To strengthen spam filtering To block tracking pixels Outlook web or desktop To manage junk mail filtering To block tracking pixels images Open Outlook Settings Look for Automatic image downloads web or Trust Center desktop Turn on Block external imagesWalk through their essential accounts and add FA Use text-based codes if they prefer or set up a simple authenticator app for safer logins Create strong passwords that you don't need to memorize Set them up with Majority of banks now send Turn all of these on Tell them No real bank company or establishment agency will ever call or text asking for codes passwords or payments Let them know If anything feels off call me before you respond It gives them confidence and takes the pressure off When things get more complex remote help lets you step in from anywhere This makes future troubleshooting quick and stress-free If your parents use iPhones with iOS or newer you can guide them by taking temporary control of their screen This feature lives inside SharePlay and was further refined in iOS but the basic moves are the same When you're visiting in person walk them through this once so they feel confident using it later These policies assume both devices are on iOS or later and in a one on one FaceTime call which is required for remote control to work Apple blocks sensitive actions such as changes to Apple ID and payments Only trusted contacts can request access which helps older relatives feel secure while you assist them How to add yourself or contacts under Urgency Contacts using Curative IDSettings may vary depending on your Android phone s manufacturer How to set up hands-free calling on an Echo for your parentsIf it doesn't double-check The contact is saved Their Echo device is connected to Wi-Fi Calling is enabled under Communicate settingsTake my quiz How safe is your online measure Think your devices and information are truly protected Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand From passwords to Wi-Fi settings you ll get a personalized breakdown of what you re doing right and what necessities improvement Take my Quiz here Cyberguy com Helping your parents with tech during the holidays creates less stress for them and fewer encouragement calls for you later It also helps them stay safer online at a time when scams and threats grow more common A small amount of setup now builds confidence comfort and connection long after the holidays end What is the one tech fix you wish your parents understood before the next exigency hits Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy com Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips urgent shield alerts and particular deals delivered straight to your inbox Plus you ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free 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