A lovely Friday to you, my friend! Today’s main tip is for those of you who’ve wanted to create your own website but had no idea where to begin. AI makes it easy-peasy.

⌛ Quick tip: Apps are greedy and want as much access as possible — your location, contacts, camera, microphone … Take a few to review and manage these permissions in your phone's settings. Limit access only to what's absolutely necessary for the app to function. This is good for your privacy and battery life.

Yup, it's a tech secret the pros know. That's what this newsletter is about. Every day, I'll give you a great digital life tip, a round-up of the newest product updates, a freebie and something to make you laugh. Let's get this tech party started! — Kim

Does thinking of creating your own website conjure visions of tech jargon and coding mysteries? Well, fear not, because the future of website building is here.

So many of you have called or emailed me asking for help getting your business, side hustle or hobby online. Let’s look at the AI website builder Hostinger so I can show you how easy it is these days. Seriously, the example site I whipped up took under 10 minutes.

FYI, Hostinger is just one option, and I wasn’t paid to write about any of these. Hocoos, Durable and Mixo all work similarly to Hostinger. I’ll include the broad sweeps below so you can see how easy it is, but be sure to hit Komando.com, too, for step-by-step directions.

Step 1: Pick your plan

Hosts ensure the website is owned and controlled by you. With Hostinger, plans start at $2.99 a month and come with many freebies, like a custom domain. Hosting on Hoccos or Durable is free (depending on the URL), and Mixo’s hosting starts at $9 a month.

Step 2: Set it up

Now that you own the domain, let’s set up your site. You’ll choose whether to start from scratch or migrate an old site.

Step 3: Pick the perfect name

A new website requires a web address, which means you’ll need to choose a domain name. It should be uniquely yours. Need help? Namecheckr scans the web and social media platforms to see if the handle you want is open.

Step 4: Lay the foundation

Hostinger (or whatever service you choose) will now throw a couple of questions your way. This is AI doing the hard work for you. Decide whether you want to start creating your website now or if you’d like to use premade templates.

Choose Start Creating, and you’ll be prompted to describe your idea, project or business. Say you run a small coffee shop. Put on your marketing hat and type up what makes you stand out and everything you hope your site will be.

Step 5: Get all the pieces in place

Whoop-whoop! Your website has a pretty solid outline, including pictures and copy. AI doesn’t always get it right, so if you’re not impressed, go into the templates, style and page settings to customize.

Once you’ve fine-tuned your outline, look to the top right corner of your screen and click Continue to edit.

Step 6: Make it yours

No matter the service you’re using, you’ll see options to swap out the following elements:

• Text: Not all the copy on your site will feel like you. There’s an AI Assist feature that helps whip up fresh content or reword existing text. If you don’t like what it’s spitting out, try ChatGPT for a “second opinion.”
• Photos: You were envisioning cool and modern and got farmhouse chic. Change them up.
• Sections: Want to squeeze in an extra text box or picture between two blocks of content? You’ve got the power!

This is the part where you get to have fun. It’s OK to be nervous, but AI site builders make it easy — even if you’re not design-savvy. Play around, see what looks good and you can always ask a friend for their input, too.

Step 7: Cross the finish line

The final step: Give that Go Live button a triumphant click. You did it! You can always go back and make changes if you want.

✅ Just like that, your website is up and running — and you didn’t have to learn HTML and CSS, get your own SSL certificate, or take a course on web design.

Pro tip: Now, you need to get your site in front of as many people as possible. Start here if you’re brand-spankin' new to search engine optimization (SEO).

Check yeah: A new study says 74% of the most popular misleading posts about the Israel-Hamas war are from verified X accounts. NewsGuard says of 250 popular posts with unsubstantiated or false claims, 186 have that paid-for blue check. Good to know.

Update Chrome for new features: When you type a URL incorrectly on your phone (argh, fat fingers!), Chrome automatically suggests the right one based on your web history or popular sites. On the desktop, autofill is getting better. Typing some part of the URL and not just the beginning characters will trigger it.

😋 Legendary: Singer John Legend got so fed up with the negativity on Yelp, he’s starting his own food review app. It’s Good is made for sharing favorites, not complaining about every little thing. I saw a recent review on a sushi spot from a mom who was mad they didn’t have a burger on the menu for her kid. Ma’am, that does not deserve one star.

☔ Is it going to rain today? Don’t try to find out on an Apple Watch. A bug in the weather app means people get hit with a “no data” message and need to check their phones instead. First-world problem? Yeah. Annoying? Double yeah.

Visit from Aunt Flo: The period-tracking app Flo for Partners is precisely what it sounds like — a tool allowing partners to track their significant other’s cycle. Yup, get a push notification when your lady is a fertile Myrtle. It’s a privacy no for me, but it’s an excellent use of tech, especially for those planning to grow their families.

Say hello to my Daily Tech Update podcast. In the first minute, get the latest tech news distilled down to its essence. In the next, learn a practical digital trick that can make your life easier or more fun.

Choose your platform below to listen:

Starlink FYI: If you have the Roam or Best Effort plans, you can pause your service when you’re not using it. (No dice on the Standard or Priority service plans.) Way better than canceling if you don’t need your satellite service since you’ll end up back on the waitlist. Just did this for my house in California.

🖱️ Click-clack: Hover over a hyperlink and click the wheel of your mouse. This automatically opens that link in a new tab, keeping you on your current screen. I use it all the time.

They’re tracking WHAT? Want to know what details your car manufacturer (and all their partners) collects about you? Plug in your VIN here. Privacy4Cars deletes personal data from used cars before they’re resold. Bet you’ll be shocked.

Don’t lose all your photos, videos, documents and memories if yours bites the dust. You need to back things up the right way. My pick is IDrive.

It’s safe, fast and easy. You can back up all your devices — iPhone, Android, Mac, PC — to one account and access your stuff from anywhere.

❓ Have a question for me? Drop it right here, or leave me a voicemail at 602‑381‑8200 ext. 290.

Music is the universal language of relaxation, but loud ads and paywalls aren’t very calming. We searched the web to bring you, dear reader, the best free music streaming websites. Check out our pros and cons lists and find the best one for you.

9 free music options →

Hold the mayo, please.

Tune in: Be sure to listen to my national radio show this weekend. Find the station nearest you using our super-duper station locator map. You’re gonna love it, I promise!

I’ll be back in your inbox on Sunday with the weekend version of my free newsletter. This week’s top story is about the secret ways to cut your streaming costs. Until then, stay your amazing self! — Kim