Your Simple Guide to Refurbished Tech

Section 1

Laptops — Which System Is Right for You?

When you buy a refurbished laptop, it will come with one of two operating systems. An operating system is the software that runs on your laptop — it's what you see when you turn it on and what lets you use the internet, write documents, and more.

What do the numbers mean? (RAM & Storage)

You'll see numbers like 8GB RAM or 256GB SSD. Here's what they mean in plain English:

• RAM (e.g. 8GB): Think of this as the laptop's short-term memory. 8GB is plenty for browsing the internet, emails, and video calls. 16GB is great if you use many programs at once.
• Storage (e.g. 256GB SSD): This is where your photos, documents, and downloads are saved. 256GB is enough for most people. An SSD is much faster than an older HDD.
• Processor (e.g. Intel Core i5): This is the brain of the laptop. An i5 or i7 will handle everything you need comfortably.

Section 2

Smartphones — Android or iPhone?

Every smartphone runs on an operating system. The two main ones are Android (used by Samsung, Google, and others) and iOS (used by Apple iPhones only).

What to check on a refurbished phone

• Battery health: We check this before selling. A good refurbished phone should have at least 80% battery health.
• Screen: Look out for the grade — Grade A means the screen looks like new.
• Storage: 64GB is the minimum for most people. 128GB or more is better if you take a lot of photos.
• Network lock: All our phones are unlocked — they work with any UK SIM card (EE, O2, Vodafone, etc.).

Section 3

What to Look for When Buying Refurbished

Buying refurbished is safe — but here are the things worth checking to make sure you get a good deal.

• Who is selling it? Always buy from a reputable UK business (like ithaven.uk) rather than an unknown seller. We test and grade every device before listing it.
• Does it come with a warranty? We offer a 30-day return policy and buyer protection on all devices.
• Is it unlocked? For phones — make sure it's network unlocked. For laptops — check Windows is properly licensed.
• What grade is it? Read the grade description carefully. Grade A means it looks and feels nearly new. Grade C means visible wear but still works perfectly.
• What's included? Some refurbished items come without a charger to keep costs down. We always tell you clearly what's in the box.

Section 4

What Do the Grades Mean?

Every refurbished device we sell is graded before listing. This tells you exactly what condition to expect when it arrives.

Section 5

What Is AI — and How Can It Help You?

You've probably heard the word AI (Artificial Intelligence) a lot recently. It sounds complicated, but at its heart, AI is simply a computer program that can understand your questions and give you helpful answers — in plain English, just like talking to a person.

You don't need to understand how it works to use it. Think of it like a microwave: you don't need to know the science — you just press the button and it helps you.

AI assistants already on your devices

You may already be using AI without realising it. These are built into most phones and laptops:

• Siri (iPhones and iPads) — Press and hold the side button and say "Siri, what's the weather today?" or "Siri, set a reminder for my medication at 9am."
• Google Assistant (Android phones) — Say "Hey Google" and ask anything. "Hey Google, how do I get to Tesco from here?"
• Cortana / Copilot (Windows laptops) — Click the search bar and type your question in plain English. Windows 11 has Microsoft Copilot built in.

ChatGPT — like having a very patient helper

ChatGPT is a free AI tool you can use in any web browser. You type a question and it gives you a clear, helpful answer. Here are some things seniors use it for every day:

• Writing a letter or email when you're not sure how to word it — "Help me write a polite letter to my council about a missed bin collection."
• Explaining medical letters in plain English — "What does 'hypertension' mean? Explain it simply."
• Getting a recipe from ingredients you have at home — "I have potatoes, cheese and eggs. What can I make for dinner?"
• Looking up local services — "What benefits am I entitled to as a UK pensioner?"
• Helping with crosswords, Wordle, or quizzes — "Give me a clue for a 7-letter word meaning 'joyful'."

Is AI safe to use?

Yes — with a few simple rules:

• Never share personal details like your bank account, National Insurance number, or passwords with any AI tool.
• Use it as a helper, not a doctor. AI can explain things but always confirm important health or legal questions with a professional.
• It can make mistakes. AI is very helpful most of the time, but it can occasionally get facts wrong — use your judgement.

How AI makes your new device even more useful

Modern refurbished phones and laptops are built to work with AI. A good Android phone or recent Windows laptop will let you:

• Transcribe speech to text — dictate messages instead of typing
• Translate languages instantly — point your camera at a foreign menu and it translates in seconds
• Auto-generate captions on videos — great if you find it hard to hear clearly
• Describe photos aloud — helpful for anyone with sight difficulties

Section 6

Staying Safe Online — Scams & Passwords

The internet is wonderfully useful — but unfortunately there are people who try to trick others online. The good news is that once you know what to look for, you can spot them easily and stay safe.

The most common scams targeting seniors in the UK

• Fake parcel texts (Smishing): You get a text saying "Your parcel couldn't be delivered — pay £2.99 to rebook." This is almost always a scam. Royal Mail and Evri will never ask for payment by text.
• Fake bank calls: Someone calls claiming to be from your bank, saying your account has been compromised and asking you to move money or confirm your PIN. Your bank will never ask for your PIN or full password. Hang up and call the number on the back of your card.
• Microsoft / BT scam calls: Someone calls saying your computer has a virus and offers to fix it remotely. No legitimate company calls you out of the blue about your computer. Hang up immediately.
• Fake HMRC emails: Emails claiming you owe tax or are due a refund, with a link to click. HMRC only contacts you by post for important matters — never click links in these emails.
• Too-good-to-be-true offers: If you see an advert for a brand-new iPhone for £50 or a competition you didn't enter — it's a scam.

Passwords — keeping your accounts safe

A strong password is your first line of defence. Here's what to do:

• Use three random words — e.g. CoffeeBridgeLemon. This is the method recommended by the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). It's long enough to be secure but easy to remember.
• Never reuse the same password for different websites. If one site is hacked, all your accounts stay safe.
• Use a password manager — apps like Bitwarden (free) or 1Password remember all your passwords for you. You only need to remember one master password.
• Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) — this means that even if someone gets your password, they still can't log in without a code sent to your phone. Most banks and email providers offer this.

Spotting a fake website

• Look for the padlock icon 🔒 in your browser bar — this means the connection is encrypted. But note: even scam sites can have padlocks, so also check the address carefully.
• Check the web address carefully — scammers use addresses like amazon-support.co.uk or natwest-secure.com which look real but aren't.
• Legitimate UK retailers will have a physical address and phone number on their website.

Stay Safe

What a Scam Email Really Looks Like

Here is a real example of the kind of email scammers send. Every number points to a warning sign — hover or tap each one to see why it's suspicious.

Section 7

Video Calls — Stay Connected With Family

Video calling lets you see and hear your family or friends on your screen — even if they live hundreds of miles away. It's free, easy to use, and works on any smartphone, tablet, or laptop.

The three most popular options

• WhatsApp — The most popular choice in the UK. Free for calls and video calls. Works on Android and iPhone. Download from the App Store or Google Play. You call people using their mobile number — no separate username needed.
• FaceTime — Built into every iPhone and iPad. Just tap the FaceTime icon and select a contact. Only works between Apple devices, but the quality is excellent.
• Zoom — Great for larger family gatherings or groups. You can have up to 100 people in one call. Someone sends you a link — you tap it and you're in. No account required to join a meeting.

How to make a WhatsApp video call — step by step

1. Open WhatsApp on your phone
2. Tap the name of the person you want to call
3. Tap the video camera icon in the top right corner
4. Wait for them to answer — you'll see their face on screen
5. Tap the red phone button when you're done

Tips for a better call

• Connect to your home Wi-Fi before calling — it uses less mobile data and gives a clearer picture
• If someone sounds quiet, tap the speaker icon to turn on speakerphone
• If the connection keeps dropping, try moving closer to your Wi-Fi router
• You can also send photos and voice messages on WhatsApp — no typing needed

Section 8

Your Photos & Memories — Backup & Transfer

One of the most important things to do with a new phone or laptop is to make sure your photos are safely backed up. Losing your photos is one of the most common and upsetting things that can happen when a device breaks — but it's very easy to prevent.

Backing up your photos automatically

• Google Photos (Android & iPhone, free): Download the Google Photos app, sign in with your Google account, and turn on "Backup". From that moment, every photo you take is automatically saved to the cloud. Even if your phone is lost or broken, your photos are safe.
• iCloud (iPhone, free up to 5GB): Go to Settings → your name → iCloud → Photos → turn on "iCloud Photos". Your photos will sync automatically to Apple's servers.
• OneDrive (Windows laptops, free up to 5GB): Built into Windows. Sign in with your Microsoft account and it backs up your Documents and Photos folder automatically.

Moving photos from your old phone to a new one

• Easiest method: If you have Google Photos on your old phone and it's backed up, simply sign into Google Photos on your new phone — all your photos will appear automatically.
• Sending via WhatsApp: Open the photo, tap Share, then WhatsApp, then send it to yourself or a family member for safekeeping.
• Via a computer: Connect your old phone with a USB cable, copy the photos to a folder on the computer, then copy them to your new phone or an external hard drive.

Printing your digital photos

You can order printed photos directly from your phone using apps like Snapfish, Boots Photo, or Photobox. Choose your photos, select a size, and they're posted to your door — perfect for albums or framing.

Section 9

Using the NHS Online — Appointments & the NHS App

The NHS has excellent online services that can save you time and make it easier to manage your health — all from your phone or laptop. You don't need to wait on hold to book an appointment.

The NHS App

The NHS App (free on Android and iPhone) lets you:

• Book and cancel GP appointments
• Order repeat prescriptions
• View your medical records and test results
• See your vaccination history (including COVID)
• Get 111 health advice

To set it up: download the NHS App, tap "Continue", enter your NHS login details (or create an account), and verify your identity. Your GP surgery must be connected — most are now.

NHS 111 online

If you're not sure whether you need to see a doctor, go to 111.nhs.uk on your browser. Answer a few questions about your symptoms and it tells you what to do next — whether that's home care, a GP appointment, or A&E.

Video GP appointments

Many GP surgeries now offer video appointments — you see your doctor on your phone or laptop from home. When your surgery sends you an appointment link, tap it at the appointed time and your video call starts automatically. No special app needed.

Section 10

Shopping Safely Online — Amazon, eBay & More

Online shopping is convenient and often cheaper than the high street. Once you know the basics, it's very straightforward — and your money is well protected by UK consumer law.

Buying safely on Amazon

• Look for "Sold by Amazon" or "Fulfilled by Amazon" — these orders have the strongest buyer protection.
• Check the seller rating — if buying from a third-party seller, look for 95%+ positive feedback and at least 100 reviews.
• Read the returns policy — most Amazon items can be returned within 30 days, no questions asked.
• Use Amazon's own app or website only — never click links in emails claiming to be Amazon.

Buying safely on eBay

• Buy from sellers with high feedback scores (look for the star rating and percentage).
• Choose "Buy it Now" rather than auctions if you're new to eBay — it's simpler and the price is fixed.
• Pay with PayPal or a credit card — never bank transfer. PayPal's Buyer Protection means you can get a refund if something goes wrong.
• Check if the item is "UK stock" — items shipping from China can take weeks to arrive.

Payment safety tips

• Always pay by credit card or PayPal for large purchases — you get extra protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act
• Never pay by bank transfer to someone you don't know
• Check for the padlock 🔒 in the browser bar before entering card details
• Keep an eye on your bank statements and report any transactions you don't recognise immediately

Section 11

Accessibility — Making Your Device Easier to Use

Every modern phone and laptop has built-in features to make it easier to see, hear, and use. Many people don't realise these settings exist — but they can make a huge difference.

Making text bigger

• iPhone: Settings → Display & Brightness → Text Size → drag the slider to the right
• Android: Settings → Accessibility → Font Size → increase to your preference
• Windows laptop: Settings → Accessibility → Text Size → drag the slider
• Any browser: Hold Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and press + to zoom in on any webpage

Subtitles and captions

• YouTube: Tap the CC button on any video to turn on subtitles. Most popular videos have automatic captions.
• iPhone: Settings → Accessibility → Subtitles & Captioning → turn on "Closed Captions + SDH"
• Android: Settings → Accessibility → Caption Preferences → turn on captions
• Netflix & BBC iPlayer: Both have subtitle options on every programme — look for the speech bubble icon.

Hearing — louder speakers and hearing aid support

• Turn up the volume using your phone's side buttons
• iPhone: Settings → Accessibility → Audio/Visual — options for mono audio, balance, and hearing device pairing
• Android: Settings → Accessibility → Hearing enhancements — amplify ambient sound, adjust balance
• Modern iPhones and Android phones can connect directly to NHS hearing aids via Bluetooth

For those with sight difficulties

• Screen reader (iPhone — VoiceOver): Settings → Accessibility → VoiceOver — your phone reads out everything on screen when you tap it
• Screen reader (Android — TalkBack): Settings → Accessibility → TalkBack
• Magnifier (iPhone): Settings → Accessibility → Magnifier — triple-click the side button to use your camera as a magnifying glass
• High contrast mode: Available on all platforms — makes text and buttons much easier to distinguish

Section 12

Wi-Fi — Connecting to the Internet at Home

Think of Wi-Fi as invisible radio waves that carry the internet through your home. Your broadband provider — Sky, BT, Virgin, Plusnet — sends those waves through a small box called a router, usually perched in your hallway or living room with a little cluster of blinking lights on the front.

Once the router is set up, connecting any device to it takes less than a minute.

How to connect — step by step

On an iPhone or Android phone:

1. Open Settings
2. Tap Wi-Fi
3. Make sure the toggle is on (blue or green)
4. A list of nearby networks appears — find the name of your home network (printed on a sticker on the router)
5. Tap it, type the password (also on the router sticker — often labelled "Network Key" or "Wi-Fi Password"), and tap Connect

On a Windows laptop:

1. Click the Wi-Fi icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen
2. Click your network name, type the password, and click Connect
3. Tick "Connect automatically" — you'll never need to do this again on this device

When Wi-Fi stops working

It happens to everyone, and it's almost never serious.

• Try the router first. Switch it off at the wall, count slowly to 30, and switch it back on. Wait two minutes. This fixes the majority of problems.
• If just your device won't connect: Go to Settings → Wi-Fi → tap your network name → tap Forget → reconnect and re-enter the password.
• Weak signal? Move closer to the router. Thick stone walls are notorious for eating Wi-Fi. Your broadband provider will often send a free Wi-Fi booster — worth asking.
• Still stuck? Call your provider's helpline. They can run a remote test on your line while you're on the phone.

Wi-Fi away from home

Cafés, libraries, GP surgeries, and supermarkets often offer free Wi-Fi. Ask a member of staff for the password, or look for a sign near the door. It's convenient, but avoid doing online banking or entering card details on public Wi-Fi — for those, use your phone's own mobile internet connection instead.

Section 13

Email — Getting Started with Gmail

Email is like posting a letter, except it arrives in seconds, costs nothing, and you can reply with a single tap. These days it's used for everything — booking GP appointments, receiving shopping receipts, staying in touch with family, and dealing with councils, banks, and the DVLA.

Gmail is Google's free email service. It works on any device, it's beautifully clear to read, and it's what millions of people in the UK use every day. We'd recommend it for beginners.

Creating a free Gmail account

1. Open your browser and go to gmail.com
2. Click "Create account"
3. Type your first and last name
4. Choose an email address — something simple like your name and a number works well (e.g. dorothy.phillips1952@gmail.com)
5. Create a password — write it down in a notebook kept somewhere safe
6. Verify your mobile number — Google sends a code by text to confirm it's you
7. Done. You have an email address.

Sending your first email

1. Click the large coloured Compose button (top left on a computer, or a pencil icon on the phone app)
2. In the To field, type the email address of the person you're writing to
3. In Subject, write a brief title — e.g. "Question about my appointment"
4. Click in the large white space below and type your message, just as you would a letter
5. Click Send — the blue button, or the paper aeroplane icon

Replies arrive in your Inbox. Click on any message to read it. Click Reply to respond — your previous conversation is threaded together underneath, making it easy to follow.

Keeping things tidy

• Spam is unwanted email — the digital equivalent of junk mail. Gmail catches most of it automatically and puts it in the Spam folder. You can safely ignore that folder or empty it occasionally.
• To delete an email, click the bin icon. It moves to Trash and is permanently deleted after 30 days.
• The search bar at the top will find any email instantly — type a name, a subject, or any word you remember from the message.

Section 14

The Browser — How to Search the Internet

A browser is the programme through which you see the internet — a window onto the entire world's worth of information, recipes, news, and services. The most common ones are Google Chrome (a colourful circle), Microsoft Edge (a blue wave), Firefox (an orange flame), and Safari (the compass, used on iPhones). They all do exactly the same job.

If you're not sure which one is on your device, don't worry — just open whichever one you can find. Chrome works well on everything and is a safe choice.

How to search for anything

1. Click (or tap) the long bar at the very top of the browser — this is called the address bar
2. Type what you're looking for, as naturally as you'd say it aloud. For example: "weather this weekend in Leeds" or "how to apply for a bus pass UK" or "Victoria sponge recipe Mary Berry"
3. Press Enter (or tap the search icon on a phone keyboard)
4. A list of results appears — tap or click the one that looks most relevant
5. To go back, press the back arrow ← in the very top-left corner

Spotting adverts — an important skill

When you search on Google, the first two or three results often have a small grey label saying "Sponsored". These are paid advertisements — companies have paid to appear at the top. There's nothing wrong with them, but they're not always the most helpful result.

Scroll past the "Sponsored" entries to find independent results. For health questions, trust the NHS website (nhs.uk). For consumer advice, trust Which? or Citizens Advice. For news, stick to familiar names you recognise from television or print.

Bookmarks — saving websites you use often

A bookmark saves the address of a page so you can return to it with one click, rather than searching every time. In Chrome, click the small star ☆ on the right side of the address bar. Your saved bookmarks appear when you click the star again. Bookmark your online banking, your GP surgery's site, BBC iPlayer, and anything else you visit regularly.

Section 15

Battery — How to Make It Last All Day

A good battery is like a good pair of shoes — treat it well and it serves you for years. The battery in your phone does naturally weaken a little over time, rather like a rechargeable torch that doesn't quite last as long after two or three years. But a few simple habits can slow that process considerably and keep your phone lasting all day without needing a top-up.

What drains the battery fastest

• Screen brightness — a blazingly bright screen is the single biggest drain on your battery
• Video calls and streaming — WhatsApp calls and BBC iPlayer use considerably more power than simply browsing
• Apps tracking your location — apps that follow where you are, even when you're not using them, drain the battery quietly in the background
• Poor signal — when your phone struggles to find a mobile signal, it works harder and uses more power. This is particularly common in rural areas or deep inside buildings.

Simple habits that help

• Turn down the screen brightness. Swipe down from the top of your phone and lower the brightness slider. Even a modest reduction makes a real difference.
• Use Wi-Fi at home instead of mobile data — Wi-Fi uses less power.
• Close apps you're not using. On most phones, press the square or recent-apps button and swipe away anything you've finished with.
• Use Low Power Mode when you're running low. On iPhone: Settings → Battery → Low Power Mode. On Android: Settings → Battery → Power Saving. It slows things slightly but can double how long the battery lasts.
• Turn on Aeroplane Mode if you have no signal and don't need to be contactable — it stops the phone searching endlessly and saves battery immediately.

Checking your battery health

• iPhone: Settings → Battery → Battery Health & Charging. A figure of 80% or above means the battery is in good shape.
• Android: The free app AccuBattery (Google Play Store) gives a clear, readable battery health report.

Section 16

Updates — Why They Matter and How to Do Them Safely

An update is a small package of improvements delivered to your device by the company that made it — Apple, Google, Samsung, or Microsoft. Think of it as the annual service for your car: it fixes small problems, patches security weaknesses, and occasionally adds something useful.

It's very tempting to tap "Remind me later" every time one appears. But keeping your device up to date is one of the most genuinely important things you can do for your security online.

Why updates matter

• They close security gaps. Criminals look for weaknesses in phone and laptop software. Updates patch those gaps. An un-updated phone is noticeably more vulnerable than one kept current.
• They fix annoyances. If your phone has been behaving oddly — freezing, crashing apps, draining the battery faster than usual — an update will often sort it.
• They sometimes add nice things. Better accessibility options, an improved camera, new features you didn't know you wanted.

How to update your phone

iPhone:

1. Connect to your home Wi-Fi (updates are large — doing this on mobile data uses a lot of your allowance)
2. Make sure the battery is above 50%, or plug in your charger
3. Go to Settings → General → Software Update
4. If an update is available, tap "Download and Install"
5. Enter your passcode, then tap Install Now
6. The phone restarts — this is completely normal and takes a few minutes

Android:

1. Go to Settings → About phone → Software update (the exact wording varies slightly by brand)
2. Tap "Check for updates"
3. If one is available, tap Download and install

One important warning

Always update through your phone's own Settings — never through a pop-up on a website, a link in a text message, or someone who calls claiming your device needs updating. Those are almost certainly scams. Genuine updates arrive quietly through Settings, with no urgency, no warnings, and no request for your bank details.

Section 17

Privacy Settings — Taking Back a Little Control

Your phone and laptop collect quite a lot of information about you — where you go, what you search for, which apps you use and for how long. Most of this is used by companies to show you more relevant adverts. None of it is catastrophic. But you are perfectly entitled to limit what you share, and doing so takes less than ten minutes.

You don't need to turn everything off. The aim is simply to be in control, rather than letting your device share more than you realise.

Location services — the most important setting

Location services lets apps know where you are. Some genuinely need it — Maps, weather apps, the NHS App. Others have no reason whatsoever to know your location.

• iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → go through each app and change "Always" to "While Using the App" for anything that doesn't need to track you constantly
• Android: Settings → Location → App permissions → for apps you don't need tracking, set to "Only while using" or "Don't allow"

App permissions

When you install an app, it asks to access your camera, microphone, and contacts. You can review all of these at any time and revoke anything that feels excessive.

• iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → tap each category (Camera, Microphone, Contacts) to see which apps have access
• Android: Settings → Privacy → Permission manager

A game app wanting access to your microphone, or a recipe app wanting your contacts — these have no good reason for either. Turn them off without hesitation. The app will still work perfectly.

Advertising settings

• iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking → turn off "Allow Apps to Request to Track". This stops apps from following your activity across other apps and websites.
• Android: Settings → Privacy → Ads → tap "Delete advertising ID". This makes it significantly harder for companies to build a profile of you.
• Google account: Visit myaccount.google.com → Data & Privacy to see what Google holds about you and turn off what you'd rather not share.

None of these changes will break anything. Your phone works exactly as before — you simply have a little more privacy.

Section 18

Storage — When Your Phone Says "No Space"

One day your phone will announce, with some indignation, that it is full. You'll try to take a photograph and receive a message along the lines of "Storage Almost Full" or "Unable to Take Photo". This is common, it's not serious, and it's easy to fix without losing a single photo or file you care about.

What is storage?

Storage is the filing cabinet inside your phone. Every photograph you take, every app you install, every video you watch goes in there. When it fills up, there's simply no room for anything new until you clear some space.

How to check how full your phone is

• iPhone: Settings → General → iPhone Storage — a bar shows exactly what's using space and how much is left
• Android: Settings → Battery and device care → Storage (or Settings → Storage on some older models)

What usually takes up the most space

1. Photos and videos — by far the biggest culprits. A single minute of video can be several hundred megabytes.
2. Apps — especially games, which can be surprisingly large, and apps you installed once and never opened again.
3. Downloads — music, podcasts, and videos you've saved for offline listening.

How to free up space

• Back up your photos, then delete them from the phone. If your photos are safely backed up to Google Photos or iCloud, you can delete them from the phone itself and gain back enormous amounts of space — your pictures are still there, in the cloud, available any time you want to see them.
• Delete apps you no longer use. Press and hold an app icon, tap "Delete App" (iPhone) or "Uninstall" (Android). You can always download it again free of charge.
• Clear app caches (Android). Settings → Storage → tap an app → "Clear cache". This removes temporary files the app has stored without deleting any of your personal data.

Section 19

YouTube & BBC iPlayer — Free Television on Your Device

Two of the finest things about having a phone or laptop are absolutely free, and millions of people in the UK enjoy them every single day. YouTube gives you an almost limitless library of videos — cookery demonstrations, gardening tips, classic concerts, Songs of Praise, and rather a lot of cats doing improbable things. BBC iPlayer gives you every BBC programme broadcast in the last 30 days, plus live television, entirely free with a TV licence.

Getting started with YouTube

Download the free YouTube app from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android), or simply open your browser and go to youtube.com. You do not need an account to watch — just open it and start exploring.

1. Tap the search icon (magnifying glass)
2. Type what you'd like to see — "The Proms 2024", "Antiques Roadshow episodes", "gentle chair exercises for seniors"
3. Tap on a video to play it
4. Tap the screen once to bring up the controls — pause and play in the centre
5. Tap the full-screen icon (four arrows) at the bottom right for a larger picture

Finding channels you'll love

The BBC, Classic FM, The Royal Opera House, the National Trust, and thousands of local churches and organisations all have their own YouTube channels. Search for a name, find their channel page, and tap Subscribe. Their new videos will appear on your homepage automatically, rather like setting up a regular magazine delivery.

Getting started with BBC iPlayer

iPlayer is the BBC's catch-up service — everything broadcast on BBC One, Two, Three, Four, News, and Radio 4 Extra for the past 30 days, plus live broadcasts of every BBC channel.

1. Download the free BBC iPlayer app or visit bbc.co.uk/iplayer
2. Create a free BBC account — you only need an email address
3. Confirm you hold a valid TV licence when prompted (required for live TV and recent episodes)
4. Browse by channel, category, or search for a programme by name
5. Tap to watch — it starts immediately, in good quality, with no adverts

Section 20

Google Maps — Never Get Lost Again

Google Maps is one of those rare things that genuinely changes daily life for the better. It gives you turn-by-turn directions read aloud in a calm, clear voice, tells you exactly how long a journey takes in current traffic, and finds any business, address, or landmark in the country within seconds.

It's free. It works offline once you've loaded a route. And if you miss a turning — which everyone does — it simply and quietly recalculates and finds you a new way.

Getting directions — step by step

1. Open Google Maps (the coloured map pin icon). If you don't have it, download it free from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Tap the search bar at the top of the screen
3. Type your destination — a business name, an address, or simply "Boots pharmacy near me" or "Tesco Shrewsbury"
4. Tap the result that matches where you want to go
5. Tap the blue Directions button
6. Choose your mode: the car for driving, the walking figure for on foot, the bus for public transport
7. Tap Start — a voice begins telling you the route, turn by turn

Walking directions

Maps is just as good for walking as driving — essential for finding a parking space and navigating to an unfamiliar address on foot, or exploring a new town. Select the walking icon and it shows a pedestrian route, which is often pleasantly different from the road route.

Searching for places nearby

Type into the search bar:

• "pharmacy open now near me"
• "GP surgery Hereford"
• "garden centre open Sunday"

Maps shows all nearby options on the map, complete with opening hours, phone numbers, and customer reviews. Tap any pin to see details, and tap Directions to navigate straight there.

Saving your regular places

Search for somewhere you visit regularly, tap on it, and tap Save. Next time, you tap your saved place rather than typing the address again — a small but rather satisfying convenience once you start using it.

Section 21

Health Apps — Steps, Sleep, and Looking After Yourself

Your phone quietly does something rather remarkable: it counts your steps, notices how long you're sleeping, and can remind you to take your medication with the reliability of a very attentive assistant. None of this requires a special wristband or any additional gadget. Your phone, sitting in your pocket or on your bedside table, is already doing most of it.

Your built-in step counter

Every modern smartphone contains a small motion sensor that counts your steps automatically — it's been doing so since you first turned the phone on. You don't need to start it or remember to carry anything extra.

• iPhone: Open the Health app (white with a red heart). Tap Activity → Steps. You'll see today's count, yesterday's, and a graph of the past month.
• Samsung: Open the Samsung Health app → tap Steps. You can add a live step counter as a widget on your home screen.
• Other Android phones: Download Google Fit from the Play Store — it tracks steps, active minutes, and links with the NHS recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate activity per week.

Sleep tracking

If you keep your phone on the bedside table overnight, apps can estimate how long you slept and how restful it was — based on subtle movements and sounds picked up by the phone's sensors. It's not as accurate as a medical sleep study, but it's a useful way to notice patterns over time.

• iPhone: The Health app has a dedicated Sleep section. Set a bedtime and wake time in Settings → Health → Sleep and the phone will automatically dim and go quiet at your chosen time.
• Android: Google Fit includes basic sleep tracking. For more detail — including sleep cycles — the free version of Sleep as Android is well-regarded and easy to read.

Sleep data is best treated as information rather than a score. Occasional restless nights are entirely normal. If you're consistently sleeping fewer than six hours, it's simply worth mentioning to your GP at your next appointment.

Medication reminders

A daily alarm set to repeat is one of the most practical uses of a phone for daily health management — simple, free, and remarkably reliable.

• Open your phone's Clock app → Alarms → set a repeating daily alarm and label it "Morning tablets" or "Evening medication"
• For something more complete, the free app Medisafe lets you log each medication, marks when you've taken it, and can notify a trusted family member if you miss a dose
• The NHS App also handles repeat prescriptions — when your medication is running low, it can order the next batch from your GP automatically, sent directly to your chosen pharmacy

Monitoring blood pressure at home

Your phone can't measure blood pressure on its own — you still need a proper cuff for that. However, several UK home blood pressure monitors — including the Omron range, widely available from Boots, Lloyds Pharmacy, and Amazon — connect to your phone via Bluetooth and save every reading automatically into a log.

Over a few weeks you build up a complete picture that's far more useful to a GP than a single reading taken in the surgery, where people often feel slightly anxious and their numbers run a little high as a result. Many GPs now encourage home monitoring and will ask you to bring your phone to the appointment so they can view the record.