DIY(Page 20)

PopSci's curated collection of life skills, tech tips, and hands-on projects we think you'll love.

Latest in DIY

Person planting small tree

A beginner’s guide to selecting, planting, and protecting a new tree

A laptop computer set up with two screens and backlit by a purple LED light.

Expand your horizons by adding a second screen to your computer

A woman sitting in front of a white laptop looking annoyed.

Live in bliss by tuning out news stories you’re tired of hearing about

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

Sennheiser AMBEO underbelly with HDMI cables

How to connect a soundbar to a TV: HDMI ARC vs optical

By Markkus Rovito

Wind turbines against a cloudy sky.

3 steps for making your rental’s energy bills greener

By Bridget Reed Morawski

close up to hands holding phones

How to easily share anything from your phone

traffic signs saying im sorry

A science-based guide to giving a genuine apology

By Sofia Quaglia

A child with a shaved head and white shirt shouting or singing into a mice with a pop filter in front of it.

How to send a voice message in any chat app, even if you think you can’t

parts of an electronic device laid out flat

Big tech companies are finally making devices easier to repair

By Harry Guinness

old person smiling at camera

Getting older can be empowering if we learn to embrace it

A young woman sitting at a table in a dimly lit room, typing on a computer with a lot of books on the table.

Google’s expanded Markdown feature could change how you work

By John Kennedy

Eucalyptus essential oil on a white surface with some green leaves next to it, and in front of a brick wall.

Essential safety tips for using essential oils

A DIY shop vac-mounted dust collector in a basement workshop.

Keep your workshop tidy with this DIY dust collector

By Jean Levasseur

A close-up of a computer monitor with Netflix on it before you check to see if someone is using your account.

How to kick strangers and exes out of your streaming accounts

A woman wearing a gray top stretching while she sits up in bed in the morning in front of an open window.

4 gadgets that will wake you up better than your phone

Stealthy ways to make your diet more plant-based

Stealthy ways to make your diet more plant-based

By Sara Kiley Watson

An old Volkswagen Beetle in a garage with a motorcycle and a lot of clutter.

Forget garage sales. These 9 apps make it easier to sell your old junk.

Takeout boxes on green backdrop

How to make your takeout order less wasteful

By Carla Delgado

Google Maps on a smartphone.

Make Google and Apple Maps better for everyone by reporting errors

A computer with the title of the video game Fortnite on its screen, in a room lit by blue and purple lights.

A parent’s guide to playing Fortnite with your kids

By Jean Levasseur

A brown-and-white dog laying on a blue-green carpet under a wooden table.

How we vanquished the strong pet odors in our new home

By Jose Mendoza, Mary Kearl

A person holding an iPhone displaying NordVPN for iOS.

Boost your phone’s security with a VPN

A person reading a newspaper while sitting on a bench outside.

How to read the news without doomscrolling through social media

By Harry Guinness

A man sitting in a dark room, his face illuminated only by the blue glow of a cathode-ray TV as he plays a retro Nintendo game.

Turn your old Wii into the ultimate retro gaming system

A person holding their phone up at a concert to record or live-stream the performance.

How to start a livestream from your phone

A woman standing in front of a stone wall and looking through her phone at something off-screen, maybe scanning text on a sign.

The fastest way to scan text on an iPhone or iPad

By John Kennedy

A partially closed Macbook laptop emitting multi-colored light in a dark room.

Make sure no one is spying on your computer

A man working on a laptop while sitting on a rock overlooking a city at sunset.

Essential tips and tools for working remotely—from anywhere

ambulance on street

Android’s Emergency SOS feature can be a literal lifesaver

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

hand holding phone

Here’s how to fix the latest Android Messages bug

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

Subwoofer and soundbar sonos

Where to place a subwoofer with a soundbar to level up your TV setup

A large padlock sitting on a computer keyboard under some green and red lighting.

Protect your inbox from phishing and other email attacks

Person working on a laptop computer

How to optimize your computer’s RAM for the best possible experience

A person sitting in front of a silver Macbook laptop and holding a credit card.

3 tech-savvy ways to boost your credit score

By Karina Montoya

A person with their phone connected to their laptop, maybe to share a large file with someone.

How to share huge files online

You should start using a password manager

How to get started using a password manager

A bathtub full of bubbles with a homemade wooden bath tray on it, complete with a book, a phone, a candle holder, and a wine glass holder.

Soak in style with this customizable DIY bathtub tray

By Jean Levasseur

A shovel dug deep into some dirt in someone's lawn or garden.

What to consider before ripping out your lawn

By Bridget Reed Morawski

hands holding phone with dead battery advisory

4 tips to make your phone battery last longer

Survive the great outdoors by making your own drinkable water

Survive the great outdoors by making your own drinkable water

By Alisha McDarris

Person camping in the snow

Winter camping is a great way to see more nature and fewer people

By Alisha McDarris

a residential home with solar panels on the roof

What you need to know about converting your home to solar

By Whitson Gordon

Google Pay on a smartphone screen in a person's hand

How to manage subscriptions that are silently draining your bank account

person using windows 11

All the free apps for Windows 11, from Paint 3D to Teams

clear glass kettle with tea

4 easy-to-forage plants you can harvest to make your own tea

By Alisha McDarris

Person looking at phone in disbelief

Delete your most recent Google searches to forget what you just saw

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

How to set up your new TV for the best possible picture

By Stan Horaczek

A field of yellow sunflowers under a bright blue sky with some white clouds.

Pest-fighting plants that could save your garden

By Meagan Shelley

person on bed covering their face in stress

Stress and anxiety wear down your brain. Here’s how to fight back.

A MacBook laptop, an Apple keyboard, a digital camera, an iPhone, a camera lens, sunglasses, an iPad, and some notebooks on a gray wooden table.

How to track down your lost devices

string of lights at night

You might be buying the wrong lightbulbs

By Jean Feingold

telegram screenshot

How to avoid spoilers in group chats, and 6 other great Telegram tips

A couple dozen thumbnail-sized squares of chocolate, each with blotches and streaks of vivid rainbow colors.

Turn ordinary chocolate into a glimmering, iridescent treat

By Janelle Shane

4 ways to know if iOS or Android is better for you

A man looking at his phone and leaning against a windowsill next to a potted cactus about the size of a softball.

Plant care apps are more distracting than useful

By Ellen Airhart

Person-writing-on-planner-with-sticky-notes

Get your work life together with one of these time-management apps

A car dashboard showing the gas tank on empty, and all the other dials at zero.

How to save gas without ruining your car

By Kevin Williams

A person sitting in front of a macOS laptop looking annoyed because it decided to update at the wrong time.

Smart ways to manage software updates on Windows and macOS

person on laptop signing up to popsci newsletter

Firefox Relay offers a simple way to create email aliases

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

A man standing under some trees outside at sunset, holding his face in his hands because he is stressed out or anxious.

How to manage your mental health as traumatic events pile up

By Alexandra Frost

lock over laptop keyboard

How to securely store and share sensitive files

By Whitson Gordon

diy glue gun stand

Build your own hot glue gun stand to prove you know more than scalding goop

By Jean Levasseur

where to put tv in living room

How to decide where to put your TV in your living room (or anywhere else)

By Brandon Russell