Anybody can do this, geek and luddite alike.
There’s nothing inherently special about this.
It just requires some patience and a bit of curiosity.
I like to refer to this as the fiddle factor.
When you tinker with something, you’ll learn about it and solve your own problems.
The more often you do it, the more you learn and the better you get at it.
You just have to know what you’re trying to fix.
This is pretty much the same with every operating system or software.
At no point did he think about looking to see if he couldjust turn it offortry a different keyboard.
This first step is the most obvious, but it’s also the easiest to pass over.
Be mindful of how you’re using your devices.
When something is bothering you, take note of it.
You might be surprised at how easy it is to fix.
With software, you have a few common places you could look to fix problems.
With operating systems, this is a much harder task because you typically have a panel of different options.
On iOS, you might even ask Siri to take you right to a specific setting.
Just say, “Take me to the keyboard parameters.”
you might do this on Android with some parameters but be specific with your request.
Help Menus: Both Windows and OS X usually have a Help menu bar item.
If you’ve never used this, you’re missing out.
It’s useful for finding hidden parameters.
Just load up the Help menu and jot down a keyword for the setting you’re looking for.
If it’s in there, the menu should guide you to a setting you oughta fix.
On Windows, you have a ton ofhidden tools to help you diagnose and fix.
When you just find an answer on Google, you fix the issue and go about your day.
When you find it yourself, you learn a lot more about the system in general.
Plus, you might find cool hidden tweaks you wouldn’t think to look for.
If your car’s having problems, pop kick off the hood and look around.
It might surprise youhow many thingsyou can fixyourself.
The same goes for just about everything else.
If you don’t know where to start,tinker with it a bit.
If search engines aren’t coming up with results, it’s time to dig deeper.
Here are a few places to look when Google fails.
Find a forum that matches whatever you’re trying to fix and use the search feature there.
Reddit: Reddit’s also an excellent resource that doesn’t always show up in Google results.
There’s aSubreddit for just about everythingand searching through them can reveal answers to your questions.
Twitter:Twitter is a surprisingly good resource for troubleshooting problems.
Just search for your issue in the search menu and see if anyone else has asked about it.
If not, ask a question yourself.
Site specific searches: If you know a site is good for helping you troubleshoot, start there.
You cansearch specific sites on Google by typing insite:site.com searchstring.
This gives you a way to get search results from sites you trust.
Once you’ve got your research in hand, give those fixes a have another go.
Don’t be afraid to hit up those forums and Reddit posts again for help throughout the process.
This isn’t just helpful for you, it’s also helpful for everyone else.
After all, it’s a pretty small chance that you’re the only person with a particular problem.
Likewise, DIY sites likeInstructablesandMakeare great places to share your experiences.
Of course, you’ve got the option to alwaysemail us as well.
(Heck, that’s how a few of us here at Lifehackergot our jobs.)
In that case, it’s good to knowwhen it’s time to quit.
There’s no shame in acknowledging whenyou’re in over your head.
After all, failure is one of thebest ways to get betterat something.
The point is this: just about every problem has a solution.
The more you fiddle, the more tuned you become to both identifying and solving problems.
If you don’t know how something works, you’ll never know how to fix it.
If you don’t attempt to fix it, you’ll probably never know how it works.
So fiddle away, and astound your friends with your amazing troubleshooting skills.
Photos byDenisNata,Nemo,Vincent Li,xkcd.
