For your aging parents
The Ultimate Tech Support Guide for Aging Parents (Printable Cheat Sheet)
Sit down together, fill in the blanks for their actual setup, then print a copy they can really use.
“You're gonna position yourself as their personal tech support, not their warden… Stepping in is an act of love and protection, not control.”
How this works
- Sit side by side and go section by section, filling in what's specific to their house.
- Whatever you type shows up, highlighted, inside the steps below.
- Print the large-print version and put it somewhere they'll actually see it: taped by the TV, or in a binder by the phone.
This stays private
Everything you type, including the passwords and security word, is saved only in this browser on this device. Nothing is emailed, uploaded, or sent anywhere, not even to me. On a shared computer, use "Clear my answers" at the bottom when you're done.
TV & Streaming
Describe their remotes the way they'd say it, and the steps will read back in their words.
To watch regular TV
- Use .
- Press the power button. It has this symbol on it:
- Wait 10 seconds.
- The TV should turn on to the right channel.
To watch something streaming
- Use and find the button labeled INPUT (or SOURCE). Press it until you see input highlighted on the screen.
- Now switch to .
- Use the arrow buttons to find the app you want (like ) and press OK, the button in the middle.
- To change the volume or mute, switch back to the original TV remote.
Who to Call
Don't Google phone numbers for tech support
Search results and pop-up ads are one of the most common ways scammers pose as tech support. Only use the numbers written in below.
Internet is down
Computer problem
TV or cable problem
Main tech helper (that's probably you)
Backup tech helper
Video Calls with the Grandkids
How to FaceTime (iPhone or iPad)
- Tap the Contacts app. It looks like a little gray address book.
- Find the person you want to call and tap their name.
- Find the small video camera icon next to the word "FaceTime" and tap it.
- Wait for them to answer. To hang up, tap the red END CALL button.
Video calls with Alexa or Google
Exactly what to say
- “, call 's .”
- To answer: “, answer call.”
- To hang up: “, hang up.”
Wi-Fi & Internet
How to fix “no internet” (do this together in person the first time)
- Is EVERYTHING off the internet (TV, iPad, phone)?
- Just one device: the internet is fine. Restart that one device instead.
- Everything: go to step 2.
- Find the modem and router (they're ) and unplug both power cords.
- Wait 60 seconds. Count slowly!
- Plug the modem back in FIRST. Wait 2 minutes.
- Plug the router back in. Wait another 2 minutes.
- Check the devices. If it's still not working, use the Who to Call list.
Passwords & Security Word
Never share these over the phone
Not with anyone who calls, even if they say they're from "Microsoft Support" or "the bank." If anyone asks for a password, call your main tech helper from section 2.
The most important password
Other key passwords
Our family security word
If anyone calls asking for money, or a family member's voice sounds "off" (robotic, rushed, not quite right), ask for this word. If they don't know it, hang up and call that person back on a number you already have saved, never a number the caller gives you.
“We're going to create a secret password just like your parents did to make sure you didn't get kidnapped, but this time it's going to work in the reverse.”
Smart Home Voice Commands
Always start with the wake word: “.”
To control the house
- “, lock .”
- “, turn on .”
- “, turn off .”
Handy every day
- “, add milk to the shopping list.” (It shows up in the app on the phone.)
- “, what's the weather today?”
- “, set a timer for 10 minutes.”
Scam Red Flags
If you see any of these, stop. Hang up the phone or close the computer window, then call your tech helper from section 2.
“Your computer is infected!”
A loud, blinking pop-up on the computer screen. It's always fake. Don't call the number on it. Just restart the computer.
“This is Microsoft (or Apple) support calling.”
Real tech support never calls you first. Hang up.
“You have to act right now!”
Rushing you is the trick. Scammers don't want you to have time to think. Slow down on purpose.
“Pay with gift cards, Bitcoin, or a wire transfer.”
No real business or government agency, including the IRS, will call and ask you to pay this way. That alone means it's a scam.
It looks like family calling, but the voice sounds off.
Ask for the family security word (), or hang up and call that person back on a number you already have saved.
What to Try First
Turning it off and back on fixes a lot of problems. Try it before anyone makes a call.
The golden rule: turn it off and back on
- Phone or tablet: shut it all the way down, wait a minute, and turn it back on.
- Computer: don't just close the lid. Click Start, then Power, then Restart.