Turn down screen brightness

This may seem pretty obvious, but it is one of the easiest ways to improve the life of your smartphone’s battery. Newer phones even have brightness modes that automatically adapt to your surroundings. Either way, you can change the brightness of your screen in your phone settings > Display & Brightness.

User power/ energy save mode

On most new phones you can program your energy save mode to turn on automatically when you reach a certain percentage. Turning it on before your phone hits this threshold will prolong the inevitable red battery sliver by reducing background activity like automatic updates and mail fetching.

Enable dark mode

The opposite of light? Dark. By enabling dark mode, your phone is using less power to light up the pixels on your screen — also helpful with reducing strain on your eyes. If your phone does not have dark mode, you can strategically choose your own wallpaper and background to something dark to help the same way.

Set your auto lock to turn on sooner

Reducing the sleep timeout will help you waste less battery after you’ve set it down and are no longer using it. To set your auto-lock head into your settings > display and choose 30 sec (or the lowest time depending on your device).

Check battery health to see what’s taking up your charge

Close out apps running in the background when you’re not using them. By being able to get to the root of the issue, you can find out what is draining your phone’s battery life. Once you know certain programs or apps take up more battery than others, you can avoid them when you need your battery to last. You can usually find a health report within your phones settings > battery.

Avoid extreme weather such as frigid cold, or the scorching heat

Extreme temperatures are not helpful for lithium-ion batteries (the ones most commonly found in smartphones). If the battery gets too cold, the energy provided slows down and restricts the battery capabilities. Where the opposite happens in extreme heat, the battery works faster and gets over worked. Want to learn more? Check out our post about keeping your phone safe from the heat.

Well there you have it, a handful of tips and tricks to help you keep your phone alive when you really need it and make sure you can have all the conversations you want — of course through TextNow!

Tips To Help Extend Your Phone’s Battery Life was originally published in Text Your Enthusiasm on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

There are two simple ways for you to make sure your TextNow number isn’t disabled.

1. Keep the number active!

Simple right? Let me expand on that with some more details. Any number on a free WiFi-supported account runs the risk of expiring if the number is not used regularly. Why is that? you might ask. As we mentioned above, we don’t have an unlimited amount of phone numbers to give out and we want to make sure that the number on that account does not go to waste, especially in more popular area codes. A number on a dormant account may expire so it can be readied to give to an active subscriber to use.

The Specifics

We recommend you use your TextNow number for an outgoing call or text at least once every 2 days. While your number won’t necessarily expire after two days, every account and area code is different. So if you are adamant about keeping that number, make sure to stay active and don’t let your account become dormant.

Also be aware that incoming calls and texts do not count towards keeping your TextNow number active. There must be an indication that the account is in use, so an outgoing call or text is required.

2. Upgrade your subscription

You can also keep your TextNow number by upgrading to any of our subscriptions. The best part is that there are many subscriptions to choose from — including free ones! As long as the subscription remains active you will not be in danger of having your number expire.

The Specifics

TextNow subscription options include Ad Free+ and Nationwide Talk and Text, with or without Data Add-ons. Our basic Nationwide Talk and Text option is completely free for those with an existing compatible phone. If you don’t have a compatible phone, you can purchase a SIM card or a new phone from our website. Ad-free and data plan options start as low as $9.99/month.

There you have it. Two straightforward options that will allow you to keep your TextNow number for as long as you need to stay connected to the important people in your life!

Keep Your TextNow Number, It’s Easy! was originally published in Text Your Enthusiasm on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

One of my favorite things about this job is seeing the surprise on people’s faces (well, the surprise in the emojis they paste in their responses back to me) whenever I prove to them just how easy certain things are with their TextNow service.

The most common misconception is if you lose your phone, and/or break it, you lose everything that was on it, including your conversations. Well, I’m here to prove this wrong — and while I’m at it, I’ll even show you a few tips and tricks on how to recover your pictures and files as well. So let’s get started.

How to recover my conversations

Most traditional cell phone plans are tethered to the SIM card inserted in your phone, providing you with your allocated data or voice connection, as well as storing your number. This means without the physical SIM or phone, you are unable to access your number or have other people reach it.

With TextNow, your phone number is tied to your TextNow account. Since your account lives in our server (and not in a physical chip), you can access it from anywhere, anytime, just by connecting to WiFi.

Lost your phone? Hop on a computer, open up your preferred browser and head over to our website. From there, you can log into your account to see all your conversations, and keep texting (or even make a call) right there and then. Don’t have a computer but have an old phone or tablet still kicking around? Download the TextNow app, and log into your account to pick up right where you left off.

Your number is important to you, so we made sure it’s accessible no matter what happens.

How to recover my pictures

We’re not the only ones to take advantage of the benefits of storing information in the cloud. If you have a smartphone nowadays, more often than not, your pictures are continuously being backed up for your own convenience.

• Android: If you are using an Android phone, one of the first things you want to do is make sure that Photos (the Google app) is set as your default photos gallery app. Doing so will back up any pictures you take or save on your phone to Google’s Photos. Whenever you need to access them, simply sign into your Google account here (on any computer browser), and there they are! Due to Google’s vast AI capabilities, you can search through photos for specific keywords (dog, flower, car, etc), or for dates/years, and even people to find the one(s) you’re looking for.
• iOS: All of your pictures are saved to your iCloud account, which is easily accessible on any computer browser by signing into it right here.

How to recover my contacts

Similar to how you would recover your photos, all your contacts have the ability to be backed up to a cloud service.

• Android: When you first set up your Android phone, you would have had to sign into a Google account to continue. If you accepted the necessary permissions, then your contacts would also be backed up by the same Google account. To regain access to them, sign into it right here to see your full contact list again.
• iOS: Recovering your contacts from an iPhone are just as easy, but do require a few more steps:
  1. Go to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID.
  2. Once signed in, click the Settings icon.
  3. Scroll down to the Advanced section and click Restore Contacts.
  4. You will be shown a list of previously made archives. Find the date of an archive that should still have your contacts list intact and click Restore.
  5. Click Restore again to confirm and begin the restoration process.

Once it’s done, an email will be sent to the address tied to your Apple ID.

See? The prospect of losing your phone access doesn’t have to seem so bleak. You can still stay connected, and find the things that matter most to you. Have any questions, or need clarification? Simply drop them in the comments below!

How To Recover Your Phone Data was originally published in Text Your Enthusiasm on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

1. Make sure your resume sings: A professional resume will help you catch the eye of a hiring manager, and there are a lot of free online tools to help you build one. I like the one provided by Indeed, which is also a great source of job postings. If this one doesn’t fit your needs, there are plenty of free options available with a quick web search. It also helps to write a cover letter to explain why you’re the perfect candidate. Once you’ve added in your work history, make sure to go over your resume and cover letter a few times looking for typos — a spelling mistake can be the difference between getting a call back.

2. Find the perfect job for you: To find the right job, you need to know where to look. I already mentioned Indeed, but you should also bookmark Monster.com and ZipRecruiter.com. They’re great resources for finding open positions in your area and will help you get in contact with the people doing the hiring.

3. Use social media for more than sharing pictures of your cat: Create a LinkedIn profile, use your new resume to fill it out, and connect with past colleagues. You can use the site to find job postings and your connections can help you network with your next employer. Include a picture, but remember — it’s a part of your resume. Keep it professional and save the beach selfies for Instagram.

4. Make a great impression: Your brand new resume got your foot in the door. Now’s your chance to shine at the interview:

· Do some research on the company beforehand to prepare and plan what you want to wear.

· Get a friend or family member to help you practice answering some common job interview questions — and make sure your answers have examples of how you handled difficult situations and the results.

· Keep it positive by focusing on your successes and experiences, smiling, and avoid saying anything negative about your previous employers.

· A job interview is a two-way street. Have a few questions prepared in advance to ask the interviewer. It will show you’re engaged, you’ve done your research, and you’re excited to work with them.

5. Don’t forget to follow-up: Your resume is impressive and you nailed the interview. You’re not done yet! After the interview, send a quick note to your interviewer to thank them for their time and to let them know you’re excited about the next steps.

Searching for a job is a stressful time, but stay positive and use these tips to help you put your best foot forward. And if you need a way to stay in touch with potential employers, our free phone service is here to help.

Job hunting tips for a post-COVID world was originally published in Text Your Enthusiasm on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

It seems that everyone nowadays is out to capture the perfect shot. A picture is worth a thousand words, they say, but a great picture is arguably worth a whole lot more. With summer just starting up, you’re sure to want to capture all the scenery you can, so we’ve compiled a handy list of easy tips and tricks to elevate your photography game — no matter what phone you’re on.

Before we jump into it, there is one trick I personally swear by: Give your phone’s camera (either front or back) a good clean before taking a picture. Try to use a non abrasive material like a microfiber cloth to keep the lens from getting scratched. After all, a smudgy camera is not going to elevate your photo game.

1. Turn the grid on

The grid will help you keep your camera straight and follow the rule of thirds a little easier. You can find this feature within your phone’s camera settings:

2. Tap the screen to focus

Tapping the screen to focus takes all of 1 second to do before snapping a photo and makes all the difference between a good photo and a “wow, that looks sharp!” photo.

3. Try not to zoom in

Zooming in can cause the end result to turn out blurry or pixelated. Instead of zooming in on your screen, take a step closer and bring the camera closer to the person or object you’re taking the picture of. For iOS specifically, if this is not possible, be sure to hit the 1x or 2x button (it’s easier than pinching the screen and makes sure you don’t go past the 2x which lowers image quality).

4. Resist using the flash!

Most of the time turning the flash on will just make your pictures look washed out or over exposed. If you’re lacking light, most phones give you the option now to use night mode or lock adjusting the brightness.

5. Portrait mode

If your phone has more than one camera, you can use this mode to add depth-of-field and lighting effects to portraits and other objects. This will really take your pictures to the next level!

6. Use the timer

Wanting to take the perfect shot, but have T-rex arms like myself? I’ve become an expert at creating make-shift tripods out of whatever I can find and using the timer feature to catch the perfect shot. Make sure you tap to focus on what/who you’re taking the picture of and I even like to take a few practice shots.

If you remember these six easy tips, you’ll be a pro just in time for the warmer weather!

The Art of Phone-tography: Taking Better Pictures On Your Phone was originally published in Text Your Enthusiasm on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

With lockdown and social distancing turning so many of us (and our kids) toward online gaming, now is a perfect time to brush up on some online gaming tips to keep you, and your family, safely gaming the summer away.

Here are five tips to make your summer of gaming a safe one!

1. Choose a safe nickname. This is a surprisingly overlooked aspect of online gaming. A safe online nickname is one that doesn't reveal any personal information — so for example, your real name (obviously), or birthdate, or any location info like your hometown, or your school’s name.
2. Don’t give out any personal information over game voice chats or messages. Don’t respond to people asking for your real name or location. In fact, depending on the game, you can set voice chat to only chat with pre-approved people, or even to turn it off entirely. The basic rule of thumb here is: Avoid any giving out any information that could reveal who you are.
3. Be careful about who you’re playing with publicly. Many online games have private and public options. Private means that access to the game is limited to the people you invite to play, whereas public means anyone can join. Many gaming services (including The Playstation and Xbox) will have settings that restrict sessions to people on your friends list, or other ways of blocking random people from joining.
4. And speaking of consoles, you should definitely look at the parental controls and other security settings available. Most consoles have settings where you can set passwords for user accounts, set timers to restrict the length of game sessions, and other fun stuff.

5. Report bullying and griefing. Bullying in online gaming is depressingly common place. There’s even a term for people who take enjoyment from wrecking other people’s games or online experience: Games and online services will have options to report other players who are bullying or griefing people. Don’t be afraid to use them!

And for more info about internet safety, check out our other posts in our Summer Safety series.

Online Gaming Safety: Tips & Tricks was originally published in Text Your Enthusiasm on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Ever wondered what exactly TextNow’s Ad Free+ subscription is and what benefit you can actually get from it? Well you’ve come to the right place to get all your questions about Ad Free+ answered!

What do I get with an Ad Free+ subscription?

The first benefit seems obvious — no ads! TextNow’s free service is supported by ads, but if you choose to upgrade to the Ad Free+ subscription you will be able to use the same great service with absolutely no ads.

You’ll also get the benefit of locking in your number, which means that even if you don’t use the account regularly you won’t run the risk of your number expiring from your account or being recycled. Other perks of Ad Free+ are voicemail transcription and unlimited photo and video history.

How much does Ad Free+ cost?

The Ad Free+ subscription is $9.99/month and automatically renews each month through your phone’s app store subscription.

What if I want to cancel my Ad Free+ subscription?

There are no contracts with TextNow’s Ad Free+ subscription, so you can cancel at any time through your phone’s app store (see PlayStore instructions and App Store instructions).Whether you want to use the app ad-free for one month or ten, it is as flexible as you are so you can unsubscribe or resubscribe at your own pace.

Can I get a free trial to test it out?

Absolutely! Every TextNow account is eligible to test out the Ad Free+ service for 14 days before any payments are made. We encourage you to try it out so you can decide if it’s right for you.

Can I get data service with my Ad Free+ subscription?

No. The subscription will allow you to access the benefits that have been outlined above, but if you want to add on data service to your account you will need a compatible phone and one of our Data Add-ons — starting at $19.99/month. You can check your phone’s compatibility here.

How do I get Ad Free+?

You can upgrade to an Ad Free+ subscription, or get started with the free trial, through your account on your TextNow app for Android or iOS. Head into your app menu which will look like the image below, and select Remove Ads to get started with your free trial of Ad Free+.

Still have questions about TextNow’s Ad Free+ subscription? Comment below and we’ll be able to answer any questions you may have!

What TextNow’s Ad Free+ Is And Why You’ll Want To Get It was originally published in Text Your Enthusiasm on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

COVID-19 and the resulting lockdowns have done incredible damage to economies around the world. Last week, more than 1.5 million people in the United States applied for unemployment benefits. Since the pandemic started, more than 45 million people have filed unemployment claims — which is unprecedented in American history.

As record numbers of people look for work, having access to a cell phone is critical to stay in contact with potential employers. In a new TextNow survey, conducted by The Harris Poll, we found that 83% of respondents aged 18–34 believe that having a cell phone is essential to finding a job.

The problem? Many people can’t afford the high cost of phones and data plans. 71% of Americans told us that the price of cell phones and mobile plans prevent people from having access to cellular service — which hinders their search for employment.

At TextNow, we believe everyone deserves the ability to stay connected. The vast majority of you agree — our survey found that 92% of Americans think everyone should have access to a way to communicate with family and friends. So here’s how we’re helping:

· Putting devices in the hands of those that need them: we offer low-cost solutions for people who can’t afford the expensive devices offered by other carriers. When the pandemic began in March, demand for our refurbished smartphones rose 12% from the month before.

· Unlimited calling and texting for every budget, on every device: When connected to WiFi, use our app to get a local phone number and make unlimited calls and texts in the U.S. and Canada on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. If you’re on the go, make sure you’ve activated our Free Nationwide Talk & Text service to stay connected on the Nationwide Sprint® Network* at no charge.

· Affordable upgrades: if you need to make international calls or a data plan, we offer competitive rates when you’re calling abroad or using the internet when WiFi isn’t available.

Be it job searching, or staying connected with family, friends, and essential services, people are relying on their phones more than ever. In March, TextNow customers sent 1 BILLION text messages and spent more than 450 million minutes talking on the phone — increases of more than 35% from the month before. We believe your ability to communicate shouldn’t be taken away just because you have more important bills this month.

Our mission is to bring phone service to everyone for free, or as close to free as possible. Access to the internet and communication networks should be considered a basic need in 2020, and TextNow is here to keep you connected.

*Although TextNow provides its subscribers access to the Nationwide Sprint® Network and to its wireless services, TextNow is responsible to its subscribers for the service. Please contact TextNow with any questions or comments about services. Sprint is a registered trademark of Sprint.

A cell phone is a job search essential — but many can’t afford the cost was originally published in Text Your Enthusiasm on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Online safety is becoming more and more important as everyday activities like socializing with friends and grocery shopping trips are moved online rather than in-person or in-store. While spending more time online, it’s important that you are aware of how you can continue to browse and buy safely. We’ve outlined some of our top online safety tips that will help you avoid any unwanted surprises:

Construct a strong password.

What makes a password strong? Consider following these guidelines:

• Create a unique password you’ve never used before
• Include a variety of numbers, letters (upper and lower case), and special characters if possible (!, @, #, $ etc.)
• Make your password at least 8 characters long
• Do not include personal information that someone could guess (Middle name, mother’s maiden name, a nickname, birthday etc.)

Beware of Catfish.

No, we don’t mean the bottom-feeding fish, we mean people that create fake personal profiles to trick, and potentially scam, the people they interact with online. An online relationship with a catfish can be harmless, but has the potential to be dangerous. Avoid these ill-intentioned catfishers by never sharing personal information, or providing money or other valuable items to someone you’ve only met online.

Recognize secure payment sites.

When making a purchase online, make sure you’re protecting your financial information as much as possible. Always check the URL for the site you are on before entering your payment details. A URL starting with https indicates a secure site (the s stands for secure), while http is not secure.

Identify phishing scams.

Phishing scams are attempts to obtain personal information under the guise of a trustworthy source. These phishing attempts can come to you through email, text, phone call or even a pop up right on your web browser. Check out this guide to recognizing and avoiding phishing scams to learn more.

Keep your software updated.

The latest software updates for your mobile and desktop devices will ensure that you have the most recent security releases and safety fixes enabled. Turning on automatic software updates will ensure you’re protected against the newest malware concerns.

Online Safety Tips was originally published in Text Your Enthusiasm on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

People will usually know what you mean when you say the phrase “dad jokes.” It’s a term that’s been in common usage across the internet for what feels like forever. A “dad joke” is defined as “an unoriginal or unfunny joke of a type supposedly told by middle-aged or older men.” And we’re happy to inform you, the term was officially added to the dictionary last fall!

With Father’s Day around the corner, we thought it would be fun to hear some of the best dad jokes you know, or have heard, and you did not disappoint!

Think you have a few dad jokes of your own? Let’s hear them in the comments below!

The Funniest Dad Jokes Around was originally published in Text Your Enthusiasm on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.