10 Things Adults Pretend to Know But Secretly Google Every Time

It’s no joke—being an adult isn’t easy. Responsibilities, deadlines, and disappointments are all par for the course.

We live in an era, however, in which adults have a secret weapon. Instead of knowing everything—or seeking assistance from someone who does—we can Google many questions or procedures. Below, we’ve compiled a list of ten of the top how-to searches adults make when they pretend to know what they’re doing.

How to Write a Letter

We all had to do it in elementary school and junior high. We learned where to put the date, greeting, letter body, and conclusion. Maybe you even memorized a handful of socially acceptable salutations and closings.

But with the decline of postal mail for personal communications, you may not have written an actual letter in years. Suddenly, your job application requires you to upload a cover letter with your resume. What do you do?

According to BloggerJet, about 183,000 people Google “how to write a cover letter” each month, with another 111,000 Googling “how to write a letter.” Thankfully, there are tools like ResumeGiants’ free cover letter generator to help you get the job done. You won’t have to worry about getting the format right; the program will handle that for you. It can even provide sample text that you can edit and customize to fit your needs.

Once you’ve mastered the cover letter, remember that most professional letters and even informal ones follow the same basic format, whether you’re writing a letter of recommendation, resignation letter, acceptance letter, or a letter to friends or family.

“How to address an envelope” is also a common search, with 91,000 monthly searches. Remember, your name and address go in the top left corner, your recipient in the middle, and sufficient postage in the top right corner.

How to Write a Check

According to the World Bank, about 76 percent of all adults have checking accounts. Yet, more than 200,000 people Google “how to write a check” each month.

The first step is to obtain a checkbook. You can get them directly from your bank or order them from check-printing services (even Walmart can do this for you).

Next, you’ll need to put the date, recipient, and amount in the right places. Remember to spell out the amount (in words and letters) in addition to writing it in numerals. Optionally, make a note of what you’re paying for, then sign the check.

Don’t forget to make a record of your transaction. Most checkbooks come with a transaction register where you can record the check number, the information above, and keep up with your account balance. Some checkbooks include carbon copy paper after every check, and many banks keep photos of any checks that clear.

How to Take a Screenshot

“How to take a screenshot” may be the most Googled topic in history. One hundred and forty-seven thousand people search this phrase each month, with an additional 600,000 queries of “how to screenshot on Mac” and more than 500,000 “how to screenshot on Windows.” There are also other variations— “how to screenshot,” “how to take a screenshot on Windows,” “how to take a screenshot on Mac,” “how to screenshot on Chromebook” — all ranking at over 100,000 searches per month. “How to screenshot on a laptop” gets 82,000 searches.

Screenshots are valuable for recording information, whether it’s your order confirmation, a text message string, or an outfit or interior design you’d like to duplicate.

Each device has its own commands, which is why this most prominent of searches has so many variations. For example, the PC I’m using to write this article allows me to hit the Windows button and the “Print Screen” button to take a screenshot. On my old Google Pixel phone, I could say, “Hey Google, take a screenshot,” but on my current Pixel, I simply tap the back of the phone in rapid succession.

How to Make Money

Around 246,000 people Google “how to make money” each month. There are lots of variations on this search: “how to make money online” (356,000 monthly searches), “how to earn money online” (142,000 searches), “how to earn money” (95,000 searches), or “how to start a business” (114,000 searches).

In May 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported over 7 million unemployed individuals. About 1.1 million college graduates enter the workforce each year, and especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, more 9 to 5 workers are looking for side hustles or remote work. It’s no wonder, then, that searches like these are popular.

One of the most important things you can do to set yourself up for money-making success is to build your skills. You can use an e-learning platform, take traditional in-person classes, or even teach yourself by reading, watching videos, and practicing your new skills. Continuous education is important even for those already in the workforce.

Another tip is to look for under-served populations you can reach or niches you can fill. It’s easier to use your skills in a “little pond,” so to speak, with less competition than the “ocean” of the economy at large.

How to Tie a Tie

When I was in high school, a video-based class project required my male classmates to wear suits and ties. I tied a lot of neckties that day; my dad had taught me so I could assist him. To this day, I still tie my husband’s bow ties.

Nearly 500,000 people Google “how to tie a tie” each month; I still do to refresh my memory on bowtie occasions. The result is pages of step-by-step videos and charts. You can learn how to tie a bowtie; a standard tie with a Windsor, Half Windsor, Four in Hand, or Pratt knots; or even how to tie a standard necktie to make it look like a bowtie.

How to Boil Eggs

Even with egg prices reaching record highs in the past year, searches for “how to boil eggs” reached 185,000 per month and “how to hard boil eggs,” 120,000.

It’s not easy to get your eggs just right. There are lots of tips out there—to put baking soda in the water, steam rather than submerge the eggs, or to dowse them in ice water to stop the cooking process. As a recipe writer, I stumbled on a perfect combination a few years back—get the water to a rolling boil, boil for eight to 12 minutes (for soft and hard-boiled eggs, respectively), set the pot off the heat for four minutes, then run under cold water.

Many searches may be looking for a hearty, Asian-inspired meal, since “how to cook rice” was also a popular search, with 129,000 per month.

How to Get Rid of Hiccups

Hiccups can be annoying, especially if they last for more than a few minutes. “How to get rid of hiccups” was searched 136,000 times per month, and “how to stop hiccups” 122,000 times per month.

Popular suggestions include holding your breath, breathing into a paper bag, taking a spoonful of sugar, or drinking ice water. If these tips don’t work, don’t worry—intractable or permanent hiccups are extremely rare, affecting only about 1 in 100,000 people. Most cases of hiccups soon resolve on their own.

How to Check for Bed Bugs

After the end of COVID-19 travel restrictions, many people started jetting with a vengeance. Horror stories of hotels and even entire cities (here’s looking at you, Paris) began circulating.

It’s no wonder that people Google “how to check for bed bugs” 142,000 times each month and “how to get rid of bed bugs” 115,000 times each month.

Baby bedbugs look like grains of rice, and although adults usually hide during the daytime, they leave behind tiny, dark specks of refuse at the corners and seams of the mattress. Heat is their worst enemy—they won’t survive in luggage that spends a day in a 120+ degree car.

Searches for how to get rid of gnats and fruit flies also topped the list.

How to Delete Social Media

According to Global Digital Insights, approximately 5.24 billion people around the world—63.9 percent of the global population—use social media. But sometimes, the constant, forum-like communication loses its luster, and you just want to get out.

Interestingly, hundreds of thousands of people don’t know how. So, they Google it. Each month, 471,000 people Google “how to delete Instagram account,” and 325,000 Google “how to delete Facebook account.” Hundreds of thousands more search phrases like “how to deactivate Facebook,” “how to deactivate Instagram,” “how to deactivate Instagram account,” “how to delete Facebook,” “how to delete Instagram,” and “how to delete Telegram account.”

While the exact path varies depending on the platform, you’ll usually find a Delete option in your account settings.

How to Enjoy Better Health

We had physical education (P.E.) and health classes in school. We all know the drill—eat right, exercise, get plenty of sleep. Yet, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 72.6 percent of American adults are overweight or obese.

Many turn to Google for helpful advice. “How to lose weight fast,” “how to lose weight,” “how to lower blood pressure,” “how to lower cholesterol,” “how to lose belly fat,” “how to increase testosterone,” and “how to calculate BMI” receive hundreds of thousands of searches each month.

Conclusion

Above, we’ve considered ten of the most often Googled “how to” questions. Did you know the answers? Or would you have Googled them too? Don’t worry if you would have—you’re definitely not alone.