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How to Set Up a VPN on Your Smart TV: 5 Easy Methods

How to Set Up a VPN on Your Smart TV: 5 Easy Methods

Most smart TVs aren't compatible with virtual private networks right out of the box, but pretty much any smart TV can be hooked up to a VPN. Even if your TV isn't of the smart variety, you may still be able to use a VPN on it -- as long as you have the right equipment.

One of the two big reasons why you may want to hook a VPN up to your smart TV is if you want to stream geographically restricted content. The other is if you want to keep your TV watching activities private and effectively hidden from your internet service provider.   

There are a couple of different ways you can go about setting up your VPN to work with your TV. But which route you choose to take will depend on your personal preference, technical know-how, budget and what equipment you have on hand. We'll show you some of the ways you can set a VPN up on a TV and highlight why you would want to do so.

Why use a VPN on a TV?

Today's TVs aren't just for watching local network programming or cable TV. They're also for streaming video on demand from your go-to streaming providers. 

The amount of streaming content available today might seem limitless already, but some content is regionally locked. If you're itching for more, or if the programming you want to watch isn't available in your country, you can use a VPN on your smart TV to spoof your location to access virtually any of the content you may want. 

If, say, you're in the UK but you want to stream programming that's only available in the US, then you can hook your VPN up to your smart TV and connect to a server in the US. Since the VPN changes your IP address to a US IP address in the process, the streaming service you're visiting will assume you're in the US and serve up American programming, even if you're across the Atlantic. Just make sure to check with your streaming service of choice to confirm that using a VPN doesn't violate its terms of service. You don't want to risk losing access to your streaming account for any reason. 

Even if unblocking geo-restricted video content on your smart TV isn't of particular interest to you, you may want to use a VPN on your TV as a way of preventing your ISP from being able to monitor your viewing habits or keep track of the internet activity being generated by your smart TV. 

When you connect to a VPN, you establish an encrypted connection between your device and the internet via a VPN server in a remote location. This means that all of the internet traffic you're transmitting through that encrypted VPN connection is hidden from any entity with an intent to monitor your activity, including your ISP. When you hook up a VPN to your TV and connect to a VPN server, your ISP won't be able to see what you're watching or otherwise decipher any of the internet activity transmitted or received by your TV.

How to set up a VPN on a smart TV

Like any software or service, your first step here is to work backward from what's available for your operating system. The most VPN-friendly smart TV OSes are Amazon Fire TV and Google's Android TV and Google TV platforms. That said, if you use Roku, Apple TV or the built-in operating systems for Samsung, Vizio, LG or any other platform, you still have options. 

Here are a few of the most practical ways you can go about hooking up a VPN to your smart TV. 

If you have Fire TV

If you have one of Amazon's new Fire TVs, you'll be able to download your VPN directly to your TV, provided your VPN offers a Fire TV app. Not all VPNs offer compatibility with Amazon Fire devices, so you'll need to pick one that does if you decide to go this route. The VPNs we recommend that are compatible with Amazon Fire devices include Surfshark, NordVPN and ExpressVPN. If you don't already subscribe to one of those VPN providers, then go ahead and sign up and download the provider's app from the Amazon Appstore. (All three offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try each one risk-free to see which one works best for you).

Once you've downloaded the app and signed into your VPN account through your Amazon Fire TV, you can connect to a VPN server. As long as you're connected to the VPN on your Fire TV, you can unblock streaming content and hide your viewing habits from your ISP.

If you have an Android/Google TV

Similarly, if your smart TV runs on Google's Android operating system, then you can set up a VPN on your TV by simply downloading your VPN's app from the Play Store directly onto your TV. And even though Google is in the midst of rebranding Android TV as it transitions to a slicker, more user-friendly platform in Google TV, you'll still be able to access Android apps in the Play Store after you've upgraded to Google TV since it still runs Android under the hood.  

What you'll need to do first is to get a VPN that works on Android, if you don't have one already. Then, navigate over to the Play Store on your Google TV, search for your VPN provider's app and download it. Once you've downloaded the VPN app to your TV, sign in and connect to a VPN server. 

If you want to unblock US-only content, then you'll need to connect to a VPN server in the US, or to a server in the UK for UK-only content, and so on. If all you want to do is protect your TV watching privacy and prevent your ISP or other entities from monitoring your viewing activity, then we'd recommend connecting to a VPN server closest to your physical location, in order to achieve optimal connection speeds through your VPN. 

The potentially more difficult (and more expensive) way

If your TV doesn't run on the Android operating system, then one of the ways you can set up a VPN on your smart TV is by running a VPN connection through a router. But proceed with caution. Not all routers support VPN connections, so if you don't already have one, you'll need to purchase a compatible router -- which can get pricey if you want a router that can handle the VPN connection and deliver a smooth streaming experience. Also, installing a VPN on your router (even if it is compatible) won't necessarily be plug-and-play, and you risk ruining your router or voiding its warranty if you botch the installation process. 

Fortunately, the best VPN providers on the market do offer step-by-step instructions for router installations for a variety of VPN-compatible router models in their help sections and have support staff on hand to help you. So you don't have to go it alone completely, but the process still isn't entirely risk-free. If you don't want to complete the install yourself, some VPNs, through a company called FlashRouters, are happy to sell you routers with VPN compatibility already preinstalled on them. This could be the way to go if you don't want to risk installing it yourself, but keep in mind that you'll be paying a premium of probably about $100 to $150 over and above retail for your preconfigured VPN router.

So, once you've got your VPN successfully installed on your router and configured it with the servers you intend to use, you can go ahead and connect to a VPN server through your router firmware's dashboard. You'll want to make sure your TV is connected to your VPN router to ensure it's using the VPN connection and you're able to unblock the content you want and keep your TV viewing activity private.

See also: The Pros and Cons of Using a VPN on a Router

The resourceful way

If you don't have a Google TV or a VPN-compatible router, and don't intend to purchase either, you can use the equipment you have on hand to share your VPN connection with your smart TV. 

You could accomplish this by running an ethernet cable from your computer to your smart TV. But on top of stringing a long wire from computer to TV, this method may require additional adapters, depending on what kinds of devices you have. Once you've got the connection between your TV and computer established, then connect to a VPN server on your computer and you're all set. The wired connection may not be the most practical solution, but it's an option. 

The simplest and most practical way to go about this would be to use your laptop or desktop as a Wi-Fi hotspot and connect your TV to your computer wirelessly. 

Note that if you're using MacOS, you'll need to manually set up the VPN on your Mac using either the L2TP or IKEv2 VPN protocol and connect your Mac to your router via an ethernet cable to share your VPN connection over Wi-Fi. Your VPN provider will have specific instructions on how to manually set up its service on your Mac.  

On Windows:

• Go to Settings -> Network & Internet -> Mobile hotspot 
• Click on Edit to set a network name and password for your hotspot
• Select Wi-Fi under Share my internet connection over
• Toggle the Mobile hotspot to the On position under Share my internet connection with other devices
• Connect your smart TV to the hotspot you just created as you would any other Wi-Fi network and connect to your VPN on your PC

On Mac:

• Connect your Mac to your Wi-Fi router using an ethernet cable (use an adapter if your Mac doesn't have an ethernet port)
• Go to System Preferences -> Sharing 
• Click on Internet Sharing in the left panel
• Select your VPN connection from the Share your connection from dropdown
• In the To computers using box, check Wi-Fi
• Click on Wi-Fi Options in the bottom-right corner
• Set a network name and password for your hotspot, select WPA2 Personal in the Security field and click OK
• Click on the box next to Internet Sharing in the left panel and click Start in the dialogue box that pops up
• Connect your TV to the Wi-Fi hotspot you just created as you would any other Wi-Fi network and connect to your VPN on your Mac

The 'I don't have a smart TV' way  

Even if you don't have a smart TV, you're in luck because you can set a VPN up on it if you're able to connect a streaming device like a Roku, Amazon Firestick or Google Chromecast to the TV. These ingenious little devices essentially turn any TV with an HDMI port into a smart TV, at a much lower cost than an actual smart TV. 

Basically, you can use the methods listed above to connect a VPN to your TV -- and if you go with Chromecast with Google TV or Amazon Firestick then you can download the VPN directly via the Play Store or the Amazon Appstore, respectively. The only difference is that you'll use your streaming device's interface to connect to the VPN instead of directly via your TV interface. You'll still get all the privacy and unblocking benefits that a VPN offers if you decide to take this route, but only for content you watch through your streaming device.     

Streaming devices like the ones offered by Roku and others can turn your ordinary TV into a smart TV.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Next steps

When you're thinking about setting up a VPN on your smart TV, there are a few things to consider. First of all, you'll want a VPN that provides fast speeds that are sufficient in supplying a smooth streaming experience free of buffering. You'll also want to make sure the VPN you select has servers located in the countries you want to unblock content from. 

If you have a Google TV and intend to download the VPN app to your TV from the Play Store, then the VPN you go with will need to be Android-compatible. And your VPN will need to be Amazon Fire TV-compatible if you want to run the VPN directly on your Amazon Fire TV. 

If you'd rather run the VPN through your router and connect your TV that way, then it's important to make sure your VPN supports router connections and has router setup guides that include your router of choice. It doesn't hurt for your VPN to have helpful, knowledgeable technical support, either, in case you need assistance with your setup. 

You'll also want your VPN to provide the privacy protections necessary to keep your viewing habits private and safe from prying eyes. 

The VPNs we recommend that fit the bill and check all those boxes include ExpressVPN, Surfshark, and NordVPN. Any of those options will get the job done for your unblocking and privacy needs on your smart TV.

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Love Hulu? Try These Tips To Make Your Streaming Experience Even Better

Love Hulu? Try These Tips To Make Your Streaming Experience Even Better

Hulu is home to a remarkable selection of originals, films, weekly episode drops from major TV networks and even a live TV option. With over 45 million subscribers, the service has held its spot as one of the major streaming giants alongside Netflix, HBO Max and Disney Plus. 

Now, we know Netflix has a stack of obscure settings, but did you know Hulu comes with a few perks, too? Stream live news channels on any plan. Host a remote watch party with their built-in platform. Or take your subscription to the next level: In addition to Hulu's basic $7 tier, you can pay more to remove ads or step up to Hulu Plus Live TV, which comes with an unlimited DVR and access to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus. 

Read more: The Best Movies to Watch on Hulu Now

But what about Hulu's features? Though the platform isn't as intuitive to use as I'd like, I found plenty of ways to enhance the viewing experience. I'm sorry to say that Hulu lacks secret codes that unlock genre menus and other categories of content like Netflix, but with these tricks, you can still add a little razzle dazzle to your streaming flow. 

One thing before we dive in: I learned the hard way that Hulu's functions don't work the same across all devices. That inconsistency may be frustrating, but you can check which supported devices work best with these tips by visiting Hulu's help center.

Use widgets for your mobile phone

Are you accustomed to watching the Hulu app on your phone? Android and iPhone users can switch to a customized Hulu widget that offers a one-click ride to content you were already watching or suggestions for new titles.

iOS users can tap and hold an empty space on their screens and when the add sign pops up, type in Hulu. You'll be prompted to choose one of two widgets: "Jump Back In" or "Discover."

If you have an Android phone, tap an empty spot on your screen and then click the widgets icon. Search for Hulu in the search bar and then click which widget you want to use. You'll have the option to pick from "Keep Watching" or new content.

Add and remove channels in your lineup

This tip applies to live TV and Hulu basic subscribers. You know how you select your favorite networks when you first set up your Hulu profile? Well, that doesn't have to be set in stone. If you want to add a channel to your viewing lineup, you'll need to store your preferred networks in the "My Stuff" tab in Hulu.

From the main screen, find the TV tab and scroll down to find the "All TV Networks" row. Click on the channel that has a constant stream of content you want to watch. For example, if you like ABC's shows, select its icon and in the upper corner, click "Add to My Stuff." You'll now see ABC content in your Hulu main page rotation. Repeat the process for other networks. When you navigate to the My Stuff tab, and hit Networks, you'll see a list of all the channels you've added. Fast-track yourself to your favorite shows or movies by clicking on the channel's icon. 

Add specific channels to your main Hulu lineup.

Screenshot by Kourtnee Jackson/CNET

Live TV subscribers follow a different set of steps. Open up the Hulu app and click on Hubs. Scroll down to the A-Z section to select the network channels you want, and then tap Add to My Stuff, or choose them from one of the other rows for entertainment, sports, etc. To verify that they're part of your channel lineup, hit the Live tab and click on My Channels.

To remove any of these networks from your main Hulu page, simply find the network icon in My Stuff and click remove.

Customize your subtitles

Like Netflix, Hulu gives you the ability to tailor subtitles on the screen. You can alter the font, background and window appearance for your programming. Open the app on your TV and navigate to your profile icon. Click Settings and open the Subtitles and Captions menu. You can change the font color, opacity and shadowing, and make the same adjustments to your background and window.

This formatting process will only work on supported devices that run the latest version of Hulu. Certain models for Roku, Android TV, Samsung TVs and Apple TV (pre-fourth generation) may not have this function.  

However, if you're watching from a web browser, you can toggle the subtitle font settings. While a video is streaming, click the gear icon. Choose Subtitles. In the subtitles menu, tap Settings, and a box will open that allows you to choose font type, color, size and opacity. Click Done after you've made your selections.

Save your eyes with Night Mode

For those who watch Hulu late at night on a laptop, there's a feature that will make your ophthalmologist happy: Night Mode. It changes your screen from a light, white background to a dark one to reduce blue light strain on the eyes.

To enable it, hover the cursor over your profile until you see the dropdown menu. Toggle Night Mode to the on or off position. Though this option is only available on computers, you can use the cast feature to stream Hulu from your laptop to Chromecast or your smart TV.

Lower blue light exposure with Hulu's night mode.

Screenshot by Kourtnee Jackson/CNET

Pause your subscription

Heading out on a trip? Need a break from one of your monthly bills? You can temporarily put Hulu on ice for up to 12 weeks. Go to your account page and find your subscription column. Click Pause on the Pause Your Subscription bar and choose how long you want to stop Hulu. 

You won't be billed during this time but note that the freeze kicks in on the first day of your next billing cycle. Additionally, know that if you've bundled Disney Plus and/or ESPN Plus with your Hulu subscription, access to those apps will be on pause, too.

Unless you restart your subscription manually, your account will automatically be reactivated on the date your pause expires. That will become your new billing date.

Disable autoplay

If you use Netflix regularly, then you're probably accustomed to its autoplay feature that rolls into the next episode or preview. Hulu does the same thing, and you're able to turn it on or off.

For TV and mobile devices, click on your profile icon and then select Settings. Toggle Autoplay to off for videos or previews. If you're streaming Hulu on a web browser, click the gear icon during playback to open up Settings. Toggle Autoplay to off.

Clean up your watch history

Did you finish binge-watching your way through every season of a few shows? What about that horror movie spree from last Halloween? If you want to rewatch a piece of content from the beginning or have the urge to declutter your watch history, there's a way to remove what you've already seen. 

On your TV, go to a series or movie's details page. Click the gear icon that says Manage Series. You'll be asked to confirm whether you want to remove the title from your watch history. Choosing Remove will not only delete it from your history and Keep Watching list, but it will also erase your viewing progress for an entire series or movie. This is handy if you want to watch something all over again. 

Mobile and web users should start on the home page and find the Keep Watching section on Hulu. Locate the title's thumbnail to open up menu options. Click X or Remove from Watch History and verify your selection. 

Lost remote? Let your phone guide you

If a gremlin hid your TV's remote control, fear not, you can still watch Hulu on your big screen by using your phone. How? If you have Chromecast or Airplay on your TV,  install the Hulu app on your phone (or other mobile device) cast it. 

Be sure your phone and TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi, and then open the app on your phone. Choose the content you want to watch and tap either the Airplay or Cast icon. Select Chromecast or your smart TV from the menu and enjoy streaming. You can control playback functions with your phone.

For more, check out CNET's review of Hulu and Hulu Plus Live TV. You can also take a look at our list of the best streaming services for 2022. Plus, here's how Netflix and Hulu compare. 

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The Worst Credit Card Mistakes You Should Stop Making

The Worst Credit Card Mistakes You Should Stop Making

There are several important benefits of using a credit card to shop. You can earn rewards, build your credit and take advantage of travel points and perks. But while shopping with a credit card can be convenient, there are also certain risks you need to be aware of.

If you pay a card late or don't pay your balance in full, you can incur fees and extra interest charges that make your purchases more expensive in the long run, especially considering today's rising interest rates, fueled by skyrocketing inflation. You could also wind up jeopardizing your credit score, which could make it harder to buy a house or get a loan.

So what are the biggest mistakes well-meaning people commonly make with their credit cards -- and what can you do to avoid financial pitfalls? I spoke with experts for their suggestions, and identified some of the most dangerous credit card behaviors. For more, learn how to get out of credit card debt and why now is the right time to pay off your credit cards.

Paying your credit card bill late

Missing a payment or making a late payment on a credit card is a major no-no. Colleen McCreary, a consumer financial advocate at Credit Karma, says this is the most common mistake people make with credit cards. Your payment history is a major factor of your credit rating and accounts for more than 30% of your overall score, McCreary said in an email.

A late payment is a one-way ticket to ruining your credit, and the ding on your report won't go away for seven years. Even worse, if your credit card bill remains unpaid, your creditor could sell your debt to a collection agency, which could tank your credit rating.

The best way to avoid late fees is to set a monthly reminder to pay your bill, and at least make the minimum payment. Most credit card companies will also let you set up monthly auto-payments, so you won't skip a beat. If you're worried you may not have enough each month to cover an autopayment, remember you can always set it to pay out the minimum, the full balance or a specified amount.

The credit bureau Experian notes that some credit card issuers may provide a short grace period for late payments, while others will mark your payment late as soon as you miss your due date.

If you do pay your credit card bill on time regularly and accidentally miss one payment, call your bank as soon as possible to see if it will offer one-time forgiveness, provided you pay in full at the time of your call. Your bank might refund your late fee and interest, but it isn't required to do anything.

While some credit card companies may mark your payment late after one day, those late payments are not reported to credit bureaus for 30 days, according to credit reporting company Equifax, If you act quickly to change your issuer's decision to mark your payment late, you could avoid damaging your credit score. If you're unable to pay your bill, you can also ask your issuer if it can create a payment plan for you.

Stop paying your credit card bill late

Sarah Tew/CNET

Maxing out your credit cards

After payment history, the second biggest factor in determining your credit score is the percentage of available credit that you are currently using. Called the "credit utilization ratio," this factor is calculated by dividing the amount you currently owe by your total credit limit, or your maximum borrowing potential.

Maintaining a high balance on your credit card compared to your total credit limit will increase your total percentage of credit used and hurt your credit score.

You usually want to keep your credit utilization ratio under 30% for a good credit score, though less is better. A good rule of thumb is to use 10% of your total credit limit and pay it off each month so you're not carrying a balance. For example, if your credit limit is $5,000, you wouldn't want to borrow more than $1,500 and ideally $500 or less.

If you find your credit card limit is too low -- for example, the amount you want to charge to your card exceeds the total you can charge on a given card -- you can always ask your credit card issuer for an increase.

Maxing out credit cards could also cost you big money if you can't pay off the total by the payment deadline. "The higher your outstanding balance (the amount of money you owe), the more interest you'll pay, which can make it even more difficult to climb out of debt," McCreary said.

Making only the minimum payment on your credit card

Your minimum payment is the lowest amount that your credit card issuer will allow you to pay toward your credit card bill for any given month -- for example, $50. The minimum monthly payment is determined by the balance on your credit card (what you owe at the end of the pay period) and your interest rate. It's generally calculated as either 2 to 4% of your balance, a flat fee or the higher amount between the two. 

Making only minimum payments is one of the most common credit card mistakes, according to Katie Bossler, a quality assurance specialist at GreenPath financial wellness. 

Although making minimum payments on time is still far better than paying late or ignoring your bill, paying only the minimum can cause interest to build, making it much more difficult to pay off your balance completely.

For example, if you have a $2,000 balance with a minimum payment of $50 on a credit card with an APR (annual percentage rate) of 14.55%, it will take 56 months (or almost five years) to pay off your debt, and you'll end up paying a total of $753 in interest. However, if you make a plan to pay the balance off in a year, your payments would be $180, and you'd only pay $161 in interest.

It only gets worse as the APR goes up -- at a relatively high but not unreasonable rate of 25%, a minimum payment of $50 would take 87 months (or a little more than seven years) to pay off a $2,000 debt, with a sizable $2,344 in interest payments. Meanwhile, upping the monthly payments to the same $180 would pay off your debt in 13 months, and cost only $281 in interest.

Here's an example of how making more than minimum payments can save you significant money in interest. 

How minimum payments lead to higher interest

Credit card balance	Annual percentage rate	Monthly payment	Time needed to pay balance	Additional interest paid
$2,000	14.55%	$50	4.7 years	$753
$2,000	14.55%	$180	1 year	$161
$2,000	25%	$50	7.3 years	$2,344
$2,000	25%	$180	1.1 years	$281

The best way to avoid paying any interest at all on your credit cards is to pay off your full balance each month. If you can't do that, Bossler, the quality expert from GreenPath financial advisors, suggests pausing use of the credit card while you're paying it off, and paying more than the minimum to do so.

Taking out a cash advance on your credit card

Withdrawing a cash advance with a credit card is a big mistake. "It's the most expensive way to pay for things," Bossler said. Cash advances are a method of borrowing money from your credit line to put cash in your pocket "now."

Convenient as it may be, a cash advance uses an interest rate that is typically significantly higher than your standard APR. Most cards will also include a transaction fee of 3 to 5%. "This is not the way to go," Bossler said.

If you receive a "convenience check" in the mail from a credit card company, be careful. It could be a cash advance offer that's best tossed in the recycle bin. If you need some extra cash, it might be better to think about starting a side hustle or taking out a personal loan with a lower interest rate. Budgeting apps can also help track your spending, so you can pull back on expenses that can wait.

Chasing credit card rewards with abandon

If you're thinking of opening a new credit card account to get money back on your purchases, you can best manage rewards by considering your lifestyle. Heavy travelers should look for a card with frequent flyer rewards. If you spend a lot of money on groceries or drive your car often, look for cash back rewards for spending at gas stations and grocery stores. 

However, you shouldn't make spending decisions based on receiving rewards. "Credit cards shouldn't be used as a strategy for buying things," Bossler said. Many cards will require a minimum amount of purchases for special rewards, or a welcome bonus to tempt you into spending more than you can afford.

Credit cards with lucrative rewards can also charge higher annual fees, for example, $100 or even $500 a year. If you're not spending enough to earn that annual cost back in rewards, you might consider a card with no annual fee.

Credit card rewards can be a powerful financial tool when used wisely, but you'll need to be careful to avoid running up your balance. Thomas Nitzsche, senior director of Media and Brand at MMI, says he often sees people making the mistake of using credit cards for rewards while ignoring the growing interest on their balance. If you're chasing rewards at the expense of your budget, consider coming up with a plan to pay your balance down instead. 

Your credit score can drop when you cancel your credit cards.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Not paying off big purchases during a 0% APR period

Whether you just opened a 0% APR credit card -- which offers interest-free debt for a specific promotional period -- or a balance transfer card -- a credit card designed to accept debt from other cards -- make sure you read the fine print. Oftentimes, there's a fee to transfer your existing balance, commonly 3% of the balances transferred. Also, the introductory 0% rate only lasts for so long, typically between six and 18 months. That means you've got a limited time to pay off your balance before a higher APR kicks in. (When it does, your monthly interest gets a lot more expensive.)

To create a simple repayment plan, take the amount you owe and divide it by the number of months in your 0% APR promo period. Then pay that amount monthly to completely pay off your balance while you are borrowing without interest. For example, if you buy a $300 TV using a credit card with 0% APR for six months, making $50 monthly payments will eliminate your debt before the no-interest period expires.

Using a 0% intro APR credit card can be a good strategy to pay off your debt or finance a large purchase, but it can be risky, too. While disciplined borrowers can effectively roll balances into new accounts with 0% intro APR, Nitzche says that many people who transfer their credit card balances only make minimum payments, which can result in spiraling debt and damaged credit, leading to a point when they can no longer get approval for new accounts.

Canceling your credit cards

Even if you have paid down your balance on a credit card, there are two big reasons why you shouldn't cancel your account. Closing your account would affect your length of credit history and credit utilization ratio, two important components of your credit score. (Remember, your credit utilization ratio is the percentage of your total available credit lines across all cards you're using.)

If you close an account you're not using, your total available credit line shrinks, making your credit utilization ratio higher.

Canceling older credit cards will also shorten your credit history, leading to a significant drop in your credit score. If you do decide to cancel some of your credit cards, it's best to leave the oldest account open, as well as the one with the highest credit limit to maintain your credit utilization ratio and prevent any damage to your credit score.

It's important to note that with inactivity, credit card issuers may automatically close your account. To avoid this, Nitzche says that it's best to use each of your credit cards once in a while for small purchases.

Applying for too many credit cards

You may have heard this advice before: Don't apply for too many credit cards at once. Each time you apply for a new credit card, your credit score can drop slightly due to a "hard" credit check. 

Hard credit checks require your consent and involve a full credit summary from a credit bureau. "Soft" credit checks occur when you view your credit report or a financial company requests a summary without your consent, and they don't affect your credit score. They're used for purposes such as preapproved credit card offers.

When you authorize lenders to pull your credit history, you'll see a "hard" inquiry on your credit report. According to credit score company MyFICO, a hard pull will lower your credit score by about 5 points. While it will stay on your report for two years, the deduction to your score will usually be eliminated within a year.

Too many hard pulls on your credit in a short amount of time -- for example, applying for five store credit cards in one weekend -- could affect your credit rating more, as multiple inquiries indicate higher risks of insolvency or bankruptcy. Experian suggests waiting at least six months between applying for new lines of credit to avoid lowering your credit score.

Applying for too many credit cards at once can drop your credit score.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Not checking your billing statements regularly

How often do you check your monthly billing statement? It can be an eye opener to see how much money you really charge your credit card, especially if it's routinely more than you bring home each month. 

Spending $20 here and there may not seem like a huge amount, but it can add up quickly. Remember that increasing your credit utilization ratio (your percentage of credit used) will lower your credit score and high balances will cost you more in interest. Plus, how do you know how much you've charged if you aren't tracking your spending?

Tracking your credit card spending isn't the only reason to check your billing statement. You should thoroughly comb through your transactions to make sure there aren't any potentially fraudulent charges you didn't make. The sooner you discover you're a victim of identity fraud, the sooner you can contact your card issuer to dispute the charges and take the necessary steps to secure your credit card account.

For more tips on using credit cards wisely, learn six ways to get the most from your credit card and how to pick the right credit card.

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The Worst Credit Card Mistakes You Should Stop Making

The Worst Credit Card Mistakes You Should Stop Making

There are several important benefits of using a credit card to shop. You can earn rewards, build your credit and take advantage of travel points and perks. But while shopping with a credit card can be convenient, there are also certain risks you need to be aware of.

If you pay a card late or don't pay your balance in full, you can incur fees and extra interest charges that make your purchases more expensive in the long run, especially considering today's rising interest rates, fueled by skyrocketing inflation. You could also wind up jeopardizing your credit score, which could make it harder to buy a house or get a loan.

So what are the biggest mistakes well-meaning people commonly make with their credit cards -- and what can you do to avoid financial pitfalls? I spoke with experts for their suggestions, and identified some of the most dangerous credit card behaviors. For more, learn how to get out of credit card debt and why now is the right time to pay off your credit cards.

Paying your credit card bill late

Missing a payment or making a late payment on a credit card is a major no-no. Colleen McCreary, a consumer financial advocate at Credit Karma, says this is the most common mistake people make with credit cards. Your payment history is a major factor of your credit rating and accounts for more than 30% of your overall score, McCreary said in an email.

A late payment is a one-way ticket to ruining your credit, and the ding on your report won't go away for seven years. Even worse, if your credit card bill remains unpaid, your creditor could sell your debt to a collection agency, which could tank your credit rating.

The best way to avoid late fees is to set a monthly reminder to pay your bill, and at least make the minimum payment. Most credit card companies will also let you set up monthly auto-payments, so you won't skip a beat. If you're worried you may not have enough each month to cover an autopayment, remember you can always set it to pay out the minimum, the full balance or a specified amount.

The credit bureau Experian notes that some credit card issuers may provide a short grace period for late payments, while others will mark your payment late as soon as you miss your due date.

If you do pay your credit card bill on time regularly and accidentally miss one payment, call your bank as soon as possible to see if it will offer one-time forgiveness, provided you pay in full at the time of your call. Your bank might refund your late fee and interest, but it isn't required to do anything.

While some credit card companies may mark your payment late after one day, those late payments are not reported to credit bureaus for 30 days, according to credit reporting company Equifax, If you act quickly to change your issuer's decision to mark your payment late, you could avoid damaging your credit score. If you're unable to pay your bill, you can also ask your issuer if it can create a payment plan for you.

Stop paying your credit card bill late

Sarah Tew/CNET

Maxing out your credit cards

After payment history, the second biggest factor in determining your credit score is the percentage of available credit that you are currently using. Called the "credit utilization ratio," this factor is calculated by dividing the amount you currently owe by your total credit limit, or your maximum borrowing potential.

Maintaining a high balance on your credit card compared to your total credit limit will increase your total percentage of credit used and hurt your credit score.

You usually want to keep your credit utilization ratio under 30% for a good credit score, though less is better. A good rule of thumb is to use 10% of your total credit limit and pay it off each month so you're not carrying a balance. For example, if your credit limit is $5,000, you wouldn't want to borrow more than $1,500 and ideally $500 or less.

If you find your credit card limit is too low -- for example, the amount you want to charge to your card exceeds the total you can charge on a given card -- you can always ask your credit card issuer for an increase.

Maxing out credit cards could also cost you big money if you can't pay off the total by the payment deadline. "The higher your outstanding balance (the amount of money you owe), the more interest you'll pay, which can make it even more difficult to climb out of debt," McCreary said.

Making only the minimum payment on your credit card

Your minimum payment is the lowest amount that your credit card issuer will allow you to pay toward your credit card bill for any given month -- for example, $50. The minimum monthly payment is determined by the balance on your credit card (what you owe at the end of the pay period) and your interest rate. It's generally calculated as either 2 to 4% of your balance, a flat fee or the higher amount between the two. 

Making only minimum payments is one of the most common credit card mistakes, according to Katie Bossler, a quality assurance specialist at GreenPath financial wellness. 

Although making minimum payments on time is still far better than paying late or ignoring your bill, paying only the minimum can cause interest to build, making it much more difficult to pay off your balance completely.

For example, if you have a $2,000 balance with a minimum payment of $50 on a credit card with an APR (annual percentage rate) of 14.55%, it will take 56 months (or almost five years) to pay off your debt, and you'll end up paying a total of $753 in interest. However, if you make a plan to pay the balance off in a year, your payments would be $180, and you'd only pay $161 in interest.

It only gets worse as the APR goes up -- at a relatively high but not unreasonable rate of 25%, a minimum payment of $50 would take 87 months (or a little more than seven years) to pay off a $2,000 debt, with a sizable $2,344 in interest payments. Meanwhile, upping the monthly payments to the same $180 would pay off your debt in 13 months, and cost only $281 in interest.

Here's an example of how making more than minimum payments can save you significant money in interest. 

How minimum payments lead to higher interest

Credit card balance	Annual percentage rate	Monthly payment	Time needed to pay balance	Additional interest paid
$2,000	14.55%	$50	4.7 years	$753
$2,000	14.55%	$180	1 year	$161
$2,000	25%	$50	7.3 years	$2,344
$2,000	25%	$180	1.1 years	$281

The best way to avoid paying any interest at all on your credit cards is to pay off your full balance each month. If you can't do that, Bossler, the quality expert from GreenPath financial advisors, suggests pausing use of the credit card while you're paying it off, and paying more than the minimum to do so.

Taking out a cash advance on your credit card

Withdrawing a cash advance with a credit card is a big mistake. "It's the most expensive way to pay for things," Bossler said. Cash advances are a method of borrowing money from your credit line to put cash in your pocket "now."

Convenient as it may be, a cash advance uses an interest rate that is typically significantly higher than your standard APR. Most cards will also include a transaction fee of 3 to 5%. "This is not the way to go," Bossler said.

If you receive a "convenience check" in the mail from a credit card company, be careful. It could be a cash advance offer that's best tossed in the recycle bin. If you need some extra cash, it might be better to think about starting a side hustle or taking out a personal loan with a lower interest rate. Budgeting apps can also help track your spending, so you can pull back on expenses that can wait.

Chasing credit card rewards with abandon

If you're thinking of opening a new credit card account to get money back on your purchases, you can best manage rewards by considering your lifestyle. Heavy travelers should look for a card with frequent flyer rewards. If you spend a lot of money on groceries or drive your car often, look for cash back rewards for spending at gas stations and grocery stores. 

However, you shouldn't make spending decisions based on receiving rewards. "Credit cards shouldn't be used as a strategy for buying things," Bossler said. Many cards will require a minimum amount of purchases for special rewards, or a welcome bonus to tempt you into spending more than you can afford.

Credit cards with lucrative rewards can also charge higher annual fees, for example, $100 or even $500 a year. If you're not spending enough to earn that annual cost back in rewards, you might consider a card with no annual fee.

Credit card rewards can be a powerful financial tool when used wisely, but you'll need to be careful to avoid running up your balance. Thomas Nitzsche, senior director of Media and Brand at MMI, says he often sees people making the mistake of using credit cards for rewards while ignoring the growing interest on their balance. If you're chasing rewards at the expense of your budget, consider coming up with a plan to pay your balance down instead. 

Your credit score can drop when you cancel your credit cards.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Not paying off big purchases during a 0% APR period

Whether you just opened a 0% APR credit card -- which offers interest-free debt for a specific promotional period -- or a balance transfer card -- a credit card designed to accept debt from other cards -- make sure you read the fine print. Oftentimes, there's a fee to transfer your existing balance, commonly 3% of the balances transferred. Also, the introductory 0% rate only lasts for so long, typically between six and 18 months. That means you've got a limited time to pay off your balance before a higher APR kicks in. (When it does, your monthly interest gets a lot more expensive.)

To create a simple repayment plan, take the amount you owe and divide it by the number of months in your 0% APR promo period. Then pay that amount monthly to completely pay off your balance while you are borrowing without interest. For example, if you buy a $300 TV using a credit card with 0% APR for six months, making $50 monthly payments will eliminate your debt before the no-interest period expires.

Using a 0% intro APR credit card can be a good strategy to pay off your debt or finance a large purchase, but it can be risky, too. While disciplined borrowers can effectively roll balances into new accounts with 0% intro APR, Nitzche says that many people who transfer their credit card balances only make minimum payments, which can result in spiraling debt and damaged credit, leading to a point when they can no longer get approval for new accounts.

Canceling your credit cards

Even if you have paid down your balance on a credit card, there are two big reasons why you shouldn't cancel your account. Closing your account would affect your length of credit history and credit utilization ratio, two important components of your credit score. (Remember, your credit utilization ratio is the percentage of your total available credit lines across all cards you're using.)

If you close an account you're not using, your total available credit line shrinks, making your credit utilization ratio higher.

Canceling older credit cards will also shorten your credit history, leading to a significant drop in your credit score. If you do decide to cancel some of your credit cards, it's best to leave the oldest account open, as well as the one with the highest credit limit to maintain your credit utilization ratio and prevent any damage to your credit score.

It's important to note that with inactivity, credit card issuers may automatically close your account. To avoid this, Nitzche says that it's best to use each of your credit cards once in a while for small purchases.

Applying for too many credit cards

You may have heard this advice before: Don't apply for too many credit cards at once. Each time you apply for a new credit card, your credit score can drop slightly due to a "hard" credit check. 

Hard credit checks require your consent and involve a full credit summary from a credit bureau. "Soft" credit checks occur when you view your credit report or a financial company requests a summary without your consent, and they don't affect your credit score. They're used for purposes such as preapproved credit card offers.

When you authorize lenders to pull your credit history, you'll see a "hard" inquiry on your credit report. According to credit score company MyFICO, a hard pull will lower your credit score by about 5 points. While it will stay on your report for two years, the deduction to your score will usually be eliminated within a year.

Too many hard pulls on your credit in a short amount of time -- for example, applying for five store credit cards in one weekend -- could affect your credit rating more, as multiple inquiries indicate higher risks of insolvency or bankruptcy. Experian suggests waiting at least six months between applying for new lines of credit to avoid lowering your credit score.

Applying for too many credit cards at once can drop your credit score.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Not checking your billing statements regularly

How often do you check your monthly billing statement? It can be an eye opener to see how much money you really charge your credit card, especially if it's routinely more than you bring home each month. 

Spending $20 here and there may not seem like a huge amount, but it can add up quickly. Remember that increasing your credit utilization ratio (your percentage of credit used) will lower your credit score and high balances will cost you more in interest. Plus, how do you know how much you've charged if you aren't tracking your spending?

Tracking your credit card spending isn't the only reason to check your billing statement. You should thoroughly comb through your transactions to make sure there aren't any potentially fraudulent charges you didn't make. The sooner you discover you're a victim of identity fraud, the sooner you can contact your card issuer to dispute the charges and take the necessary steps to secure your credit card account.

For more tips on using credit cards wisely, learn six ways to get the most from your credit card and how to pick the right credit card.

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You can actually unlock your Windows laptop with your face

You can actually unlock your Windows laptop with your face

Apple's FaceID on the iPhone is pretty cool, but Microsoft actually did facial recognition first with Windows Hello. That means there's a hands-free trick to unlocking your laptop. Using your Windows 10 or Windows 11 laptop or tablet's built-in webcam, Hello uses facial recognition to get you in and working in under two seconds. It even works with apps and websites such as Dropbox, Chrome and OneDrive, so you can skip typing in a password. 

Brett Pearce/CNET

Read more: Microsoft now lets you scrap your password for Outlook, Xbox and other online services

Unfortunately, not every webcam works with Windows Hello. Your laptop webcam needs an infrared (IR) camera to use the feature, which are more common in new laptops and two-in-ones from the past couple of years, including those from Dell, Lenovo and Asus. If you're not ready for a new laptop, you can opt to buy a supported external webcam like Logitech's Brio 4K Pro, Dell's 4K UltraSharp or Lenovo's 500 FHD. 

Check for Windows Hello compatibility

Windows will let you know what your Hello sign-in options are. 

Sarah Tew/CNET

If you're not entirely sure what, if any, Windows Hello support your computer has, it's very easy to check. Using the Windows search bar -- typically located at the lower left of your screen or press the Windows key plus S -- type "sign-in options." You can also ask Cortana for sign-in options if you have it activated. 

Once you're on the sign-in options screen, you'll see the Windows Hello options available to you. If your system's webcam supports face recognition, you'll see the option to set it up (likewise if you have a supported fingerprint sensor). Click "Set up" and you're on your way. 

Note that if the "Set up" button is grayed out, it's because you must set up a system password before you can use other sign-in options. On the same screen, you click the Add button under the Password heading and create a password (or a PIN for Windows 11). Once that's done, your Windows Hello options should no longer be grayed out. 

Look at the camera 

Sarah Tew/CNET

Once you click through to set it up, you'll hit a "Welcome to Windows Hello" screen, which simply gives you the last chance to back out of setting it up. Don't worry, though: If you decide you don't want to use face recognition, you can delete the profile later. 

Click the "Get started" button and the IR camera will turn on and scan your face. Just keep looking directly at the camera until the blue status bar below your picture finishes. It takes just a couple of seconds to finish as long as you keep your head still and looking at the camera.

Create a PIN

Once it completes, you're given the option to improve recognition by running the IR camera scan again. You should do this if you regularly wear glasses or a hat so you can run the scan with those things on and off. Or run it with your head at slightly different angles while still looking at the camera as well as in dark and bright lighting.

After that, you'll be asked to set up a PIN if you haven't already logged into Windows, if for some reason Hello is not available or is having trouble recognizing your face -- a pretty rare experience in my testing if you did a couple of face scans. First, you'll be asked to enter your system password, and then you'll be asked to create a PIN, which cannot be the same as your password. 

Sarah Tew/CNET

Look to unlock

In the Windows Hello settings under sign-in options, you have the option to automatically dismiss the lock screen if Windows recognizes your face. This means that as soon as you boot up or wake your PC from sleep, it will scan your face, unlock and take you to your Desktop or whatever you were working on last in less than two seconds. If you have this option off, you'll be asked to dismiss the lock screen manually after Windows recognizes your face, which means clicking a mouse button, keyboard key or swiping your touchscreen. Otherwise, you should be all set up for facial recognition with Windows Hello. 

If you've skipped using a system password in the past because you hate having one more password to remember, face recognition is a good, better-than-nothing compromise. And it works so well, you might find yourself locking your computer down just to use it. 

Let your fingers do the unlocking

Windows Hello can also be used with integrated or add-on fingerprint readers. They accomplish the same task, but require you to lift your finger to a sensor to quickly sign you into your computer and apps, make in-app purchases or sign into websites with Edge, Chrome and Firefox browsers. The setup process is essentially the same as with facial recognition, you'll just use your finger on a sensor instead of looking at your camera.

For more, take a look at CNET's list of the best must-have accessories for your new laptop and laptop backpacks.

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