
Chris Hoffman
2889 articles published since August 10, 2010
About Chris Hoffman
Chris Hoffman is the former Editor-in-Chief of How-To Geek. Chris has personally written over 2,000 articles that have been read more than one billion times---and that's just here at How-To Geek.
With over a decade of writing experience in the field of technology, Chris has written for a variety of publications including The New York Times, Reader's Digest, IDG's PCWorld, Digital Trends, and MakeUseOf. Beyond the web, his work has appeared in the print edition of The New York Times (September 9, 2019) and in PCWorld's print magazines, specifically in the August 2013 and July 2013 editions, where his story was on the cover. He also wrote the USA's most-saved article of 2021, according to Pocket.
Chris was a PCWorld columnist for two years. He founded PCWorld's "World Beyond Windows" column, which covered the latest developments in open-source operating systems like Linux and Chrome OS. Beyond the column, he wrote about everything from Windows to tech travel tips.
The news he's broken has been covered by outlets like the BBC, The Verge, Slate, Gizmodo, Engadget, TechCrunch, Digital Trends, ZDNet, The Next Web, and Techmeme. Instructional tutorials he's written have been linked to by organizations like The New York Times, Wirecutter, Lifehacker, the BBC, CNET, Ars Technica, and John Gruber's Daring Fireball. His roundups of new features in Windows 10 updates have been called "the most detailed, useful Windows version previews of anyone on the web" and covered by prominent Windows journalists like Paul Thurrott and Mary Jo Foley on TWiT's Windows Weekly. His work has even appeared on the front page of Reddit.
Articles he's written have been used as a source for everything from books like Team Human by Douglas Rushkoff, media theory professor at the City University of New York's Queens College and CNN contributor, to university textbooks and even late-night TV shows like Comedy Central's @midnight with Chris Hardwick.
Starting in 2015, Chris attended the Computer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas for five years running. At CES 2018, he broke the news about Kodak's "KashMiner" Bitcoin mining scheme with a viral tweet. A wave of negative publicity ensued, with coverage on BuzzFeed News, CNBC, the BBC, and TechCrunch. The company's project was later reportedly shut down by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
In addition to his extensive writing experience, Chris has been interviewed as a technology expert on TV news and radio shows. He gave advice on dark web scans on Miami's NBC 6, discussed Windows XP's demise on WGN-TV's Midday News in Chicago, and shared his CES experiences on WJR-AM's Guy Gordon Show in Detroit.
Chris also ran MakeUseOf's email newsletter for two years. Nearly 400,000 subscribers received the newsletter complete with a handwritten tip every day.
The Best Linux Laptops of 2023
Prefer Linux to Windows? You should buy a laptop that comes with Linux for the best possible experience.
How to Connect to an SSH Server from Windows, macOS, or Linux
SSH is available on every popular operating system.
Windows Task Manager: The Complete Guide
Here's a 5500+ word guide explaining each and every feature and technical term in Windows 10's Task Manager
How to Record the Sound Coming From Your PC (Even Without Stereo Mix)
Jamming a microphone in front of your computer's speakers is a terrible way to record your PC's audio.
How to Turn Your Windows PC Into a Wi-Fi Hotspot
Got spotty Wi-Fi at your desk but a blazing fast Ethernet connection? No problem.
How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should)
Get rid of those old accounts before they cause a problem.
How to Fix Windows and Linux Showing Different Times When Dual Booting
Your computer stores the time in a hardware clock on its motherboard.
Should You Use Cloud Download or Local Reinstall on Windows?
Resetting your PC? Windows makes you pick between these two options.
How to Escape Spaces in File Paths on the Windows Command Line
Good luck typing a file path without them.
How to Use Low Power Mode on an iPhone (and What Exactly It Does)
No more running out of power in the middle of the day.
How to Use Microsoft's "Windows File Recovery" on Windows 10 and Windows 11
Don't be daunted by the command-line interface, it isn't too difficult to use.
How to See What CPU Is In Your PC (and How Fast It Is)
You don't need third-party tools to identify your CPU.
How to Repair Corrupted Windows System Files with the SFC and DISM Commands
You should try to fix the problem before you nuke your Windows installation.
How to Find the Best Wi-Fi Channel for Your Router on Any Operating System
If you live somewhere with congested Wi-Fi, you've probably experienced slow, unreliable wireless connections before. Here's how to fix it.