How to win January – 15 inspiring ways to upgrade your life with tech in 2026

New year's resolutions are the last thing you need after the holidays – so below we've rounded all of our personal 'tech resolutions' instead.

These friendlier commitments don't involve hitting gyms or giving up chocolate. Instead, they're about using gadgets or apps to nudge your life in the right direction, or simply help you survive the brutal month that is January.

So whether you've been looking to discover unsung AI apps, get back into Blu-rays, slash your streaming bills, or ditch the likes of Spotify or Audible, you'll find guides on how to do all of that and more below.

We want to know how you're planning to upgrade your life with tech in 2026 too – so let us know in the comments below how you're planning to give your life a firmware upgrade this year.

1. This year I'm buying Blu-rays again like it's 2016 – here's why you should too

Buying Blu-rays isn't just about nostalgia – it's a tactic that increasingly makes sense in a world of 'streamflation' and ever-changing catalogues.

TechRadar freelance writer Carrie Marshall feels so strongly about it, she's made a nine-step manifesto on why you should join her Blu-ray quest in 2026...

• Read the full story: This year I'm buying Blu-rays again like it's 2016 – here's why you should too

2. I’m an AI expert – here are my top 5 secret tools that could change your life in 2026

Yes, ChatGPT and Gemini are great AI tools, but are they really the best ones for everything? And are there unsung alternatives that people are secretly using to run their lives?

TechRadar freelancer writer and AI expert Eric Hal Schwartz has gathered his five favorite lesser-known AI tools that could become significant parts of your arsenal for everything from organizing finances to cooking in 2026...

• Read the full story: I’m an AI expert – here are my top 5 secret tools that could change your life in 2026

3. I'm slashing by streaming bills by 56% in 2026 – here's my five-step masterplan

Streaming subscription prices have gone through the roof this year – so unless you're a long-time Nvidia stock holder, you've probably been feeling the pinch.

Fortunately, there are some tricks to help cut those streaming costs that don't involve simply staring at a blank screen. TechRadar's TV obsessive Carrie Marshall has rounded up those tips here – including a handy 'cheat sheet' for building your 'subscription hopping' plan for the year ahead...

• Read the full story: I'm slashing by streaming bills by 56% in 2026 – here's my five-step masterplan

4. I’m ditching true wireless earbuds for these bargain Chinese IEMs in 2026 – here's why

If you've been thinking about going off-piste to find your next pair of earphones in 2026, then you should definitely read this.

TechRadar writer Andrew Williams explains how he's recently discovered the bargain world of 'Chinese hi-fi' – and how you can buy some impressive-sounding IEMS for just £45 / $60 / AU$90.

• Read the full story: I’m ditching true wireless earbuds for these bargain Chinese IEMs in 2026 – here's why

5. Forget Audible and Amazon – I'm switching to these 5 alternatives for audiobooks and e-books in 2026

Let's be honest, Audible and Amazon are a bit too dominant in the world of books, whether we're talking analogue or digital tomes.

If you've had a nagging feeling that you could be looking elsewhere for your audiobooks and e-books in 2026, then allow published author and TechRadar writer Carrie Marshall to show you where she gets her reading fix for both...

• Read the full story: Forget Audible and Amazon – I'm switching to these 5 alternatives for audiobooks and e-books in 2026

6. I finally fixed my home audio setup using a roomEQ kit – here's how you can too

Been wondering how to get your home audio setup to sing in 2026, without spending a fortune on audiophile remodelling? A 'room correction' kit could be your answer.

TechRadar writer Andrew Williams explains how he recently used one of these kits to counter the effects of his living room and take his sound quality to the next level.

• Read the full story: I finally fixed my home audio setup using a roomEQ kit – here's how you can too

7. I've been a Spotify subscriber for over 10 years, but I'm ditching it for Apple Music in 2026 – here's why

It can be easy to get complacent with our favorite streaming services and stick with what we know. But is Spotify really still the best place to spend your musical life?

After over a decade with the music giant, TechRadar writer David Nield explains why he's finally jumping ship in 2026 to Apple Music. And no, it wasn't because of his Spotify Wrapped listening age...

• Read the full story: I've been a Spotify subscriber for over 10 years, but I'm ditching it for Apple Music in 2026 – here's why

8. Goodbye, brain rot – I'm ditching my smartphone for this tiny ereader in 2026, here's why

Ereaders have come a long way in the last 25 years – and a new breed of compact models are increasingly becoming distraction-free, smartphone alternatives for many tasks.

TechRadar writer and ereader enthusiast Tom Bedford recently compared the 6.13-inch Boox Palma 2 Pro to his Android phone for reading, writing, messaging and more – and he's convinced it's the way forward for 2026.

• Read the full story: Goodbye, brain rot – I'm ditching my smartphone for this tiny ereader in 2026, here's why

9. 'Zombie subscriptions’ are a silent killer – here are 3 ways to fix them for 2026 in minutes

The new year is a great time for a quick financial Spring clean – and that's exactly what TechRadar contributor David Nield has just done with a few tools that'll be saving him a cool $730 in 2026.

Find out how he's pruning his digital subscriptions and finding the ones that are hidden in the undergrowth with this timely guide.

• Read the full story: 'Zombie subscriptions’ are a silent killer – here are 3 ways to fix them for 2026 in minutes

10. I'm transforming Windows 11 in 2026 using PowerToys – here's how you can too

Frustrated with Windows 11? You're not alone, but fortunately there are some handy ways to customize it to your liking – including PowerToys, an add-on from Microsoft itself.

TechRadar contributor and computing expert Darren Allan explains how he'll be using PowerToys in 2026 and his favorite features, including the essential PowerToys Run and its Keyboard Manager.

• Read the full story: I'm transforming Windows 11 in 2026 using PowerToys – here's how you can too

11. I've been addicted to AllTrails this year – here's why it's your key to an outdoorsy 2026

Looking for a fitness app that isn't explicitly about fitness? AllTrails could be what you're looking for, as TechRadar writer and convert Tom Bedford explains in this handy primer to the path-finding app.

As you'll discover, AllTrails can be much more than just a navigation aid, offering the kind of outdoorsy inspiration that you can't really find anywhere else.

• Read the full story: I've been addicted to AllTrails this year – here's why it's your key to an outdoorsy 2026

12. My one tech splurge in 2026 will be these 3 unsung TV streaming services – here's why

Looking to go a bit more off-piste with your TV and movie streaming in 2026? TechRadar writer and streaming expert Tom Bedford is doing just that – and he's picked out the services that could help you do the same.

After canceling Disney Plus and pausing his Tubi addiction, he's throwing himself into the likes of BFI Player – alongside a more niche history-themed destination.

• Read the full story: My one tech splurge in 2026 will be these 3 unsung TV streaming services – here's why

13. Notion isn't just a note-taking app – here are 5 ways I'm using it to run my life in 2026

If your life is already feeling a little out of control in these early days of 2026, it might be time to embrace the powerful Notion app – and TechRadar's resident power user Lloyd Coombes is here to show you how.

Last year, we showed you how to use the free version to get started with Notion's life-managing powers – and this time we're taking things up a notch with this tour of its most powerful recent features, including Meeting Notes and Calendar.

• Read the full story: Notion isn't just a note-taking app – here are 5 ways I'm using it to run my life in 2026

14. Meditation was my biggest life upgrade this year – here's the app I'm using to continue my hot streak in 2026

Meditation is a classic new year's resolution, but also a tricky one to commit to in the long-term. Fortunately, TechRadar contributor and meditation convert Alex Blake is here to show you how he made it a big part of his life last year.

The key was wading through the countless meditation apps out there and finding one that strikes the balance between depth, usability and affordability. Read on to find out why Meditation by Down Dog could be that app for you, too.

• Read the full story: Meditation was my biggest life upgrade this year – here's the app I'm using to continue my hot streak in 2026

15. I'm a phones expert, and these are my 5 tech resolutions for 2026 – from taking better photos to playing more Fortnite

Sometimes, a tech resolution can be as simple as wringing much more value from the gadget you use most of the time – your smartphone.

TechRadar's Mobile Computing Staff Writer Jamie Richards explains the five things he's doing in 2026 to do just that – from embracing Android's latest customization features to, yes, playing more mobile games.

• Read the full story: I'm a phones expert, and these are my 5 tech resolutions for 2026 – from taking better photos to playing more Fortnite

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