Tech help
Tech help for seniors, at your own pace
Bring us the thing that's been bugging you, or a whole list. We'll sort it out together, in plain English, and leave you with written steps you can keep. We visit homes across Orange County, including Laguna Woods. Here's what people ask us about most.
How do I get comfortable with my phone or tablet?
The everyday things that make a phone feel like yours, on iPhone or Android:
- Texting, and replying to just one person in a family group message
- Unlocking with Face ID, and what to do when it doesn't recognize you
- Saving contacts, and setting a photo so family knows it's you calling
- Taking and sharing photos, and making the text bigger and easier to read
How do I video call my family?
So you can actually see the people you love, not just hear them:
- FaceTime, Zoom, WhatsApp, or Google Meet, whichever your family uses
- Answering a call, and flipping the camera so they can see you
- A written, step-by-step card so you can do it on your own next time
How do I spot and avoid scams?
This is the one families worry about most, and it's the one we love teaching:
- Spotting scam phone calls, texts, and emails before they get you
- Strong passwords you can actually remember, kept safely
- What to do (calmly) if you think you clicked something you shouldn't have
How do I use everyday apps like Venmo?
The apps that make daily life easier once they click:
- Venmo, sending and receiving money, with a cheat sheet for every step
- Online shopping and grocery delivery without the worry
- Ride apps, email, and keeping your inbox tidy
How do I set up my smart home and TV?
The gadgets that should make life easier, set up so they truly do:
- Smart speakers (Alexa, Google), thermostats, and video doorbells
- Streaming, finding your shows on Netflix, YouTube, or Prime
- Getting the TV, remote, and sound to all work together
How do I clean up a slow or cluttered computer?
For the laptop or desktop that's gotten slow, cluttered, or confusing:
- Windows or Mac basics, files, folders, and printing
- Finding your photos and freeing up space that's "full"
- Clearing out pop-ups, updates, and the clutter that piles up
Just unboxed something?
Setting up something new
A new phone, tablet, printer, or Wi-Fi router can sit in the box for weeks. We'll get it going and move everything over from the old one, so nothing gets lost.
- New phone set up and your contacts, photos, and apps moved across
- Wi-Fi that reaches the whole house, with the password written down
- Printers, tablets, and readers connected and ready
What a first visit looks like
Relaxed, and all about you
- We start with your list, in your order of worry
- We go one step at a time, and you do the tapping
- You keep a written guide for everything we covered
- No question is ever "too basic." Really.
Every lesson comes with something to keep
We write your steps down in large print, made for your exact device, so learning something once means you've got it for good. Forget a step next month? It's right there by the phone.
We also prepare a personalized binder, organized by task, with detailed step-by-step instructions for your specific needs, and we add to it as you learn.
Prefer to learn with other people? We also run small group classes, ninety minutes with a full fifteen set aside for questions.
Need a TV mounted or a video doorbell put in? We handle home setup too, and I stay to teach you how to use it.
From the blog
Helpful reading before your visit
Plain language guides from our blog on scams, security, and new devices.
- The tech support scam call: what to do in the first 5 minutes
- Grandparent scams go high tech: AI voice cloning
- If a device gets hacked: a calm recovery plan
- Why does my parent's computer keep getting viruses?
- A new smartphone for Mom or Dad: a realistic first week plan
- Why texts won't send, and other small phone glitches
- Buy a new laptop, or fix the old one?
- Family photos: shared albums vs. group chats vs. frames
Free printable guides
Prefer something on paper? These four large print guides are free to print before your visit, and I can go through any of them with you.
- Family Code Word card (PDF), for calls from fake family members asking for money
- Is It a Scam? Four Quick Checks (PDF), to run through while a caller is still waiting
- My Logins and Passwords sheet (PDF), to keep every account in one safe place at home
- Phone and Computer Safety Checklist (PDF), ten things to check off, from updates to 2-step verification
What each one covers is on the free printable guides page.
A couple more things
Quick questions about getting started
Can you help set up a brand-new phone, tablet, or Wi-Fi router?
Yes. A new phone, tablet, printer, or router can sit in the box for weeks. We'll get it going and move your contacts, photos, and apps over from the old one, so nothing gets lost.
Do I need to prepare anything before a session?
Just your list of questions or worries, in whatever order they're bugging you. We start there and go one step at a time, and you do the tapping so it sticks.
Is any question too basic to ask?
No question is ever too basic. Really. If it's confusing you, it's worth asking about.
iPhone or Android, which should I get?
The best one is usually the one your family already uses, so they can help when you get stuck. I teach both, and I will show you how either one works. More on choosing.
No question too small
Tell us what's giving you trouble
Call or email and we'll find a time that works. I come to your home, at whatever time is most comfortable for you.
(949) 994-2407