In case you're in the mood for instant entertainment, just look at your computer. Regardless of what you like to do for fun, you have endless options. You can have fun on the computer by checking out new games, chatting with your friends, learning something new, exploring computers as a hobby, watching funny videos, or even creating your own content to share. As long as your computer works, you will never be bored again.
Steps
Method 1 of 7: Play Games
Step 1. Look for great games online
If you are bored, one of the best ways to have a little fun is to play online games. Regardless of the type of game you like to play, you can find something great to play for free. While there are some free online games that you must download and install, others can be played directly in your web browser.
- If you like immersive RPGs, you can play:
- Fortnite
- Minecraft
- World of warcraft
- Take a look at an online database of free games, such as:
- Steam
- Addicting Games
- Miniclip
- ROBLOX
- Andkon
- 8bit
Step 2. Check out Facebook games
You can access a world of games of all shapes and sizes for one or multiple players as long as you have a Facebook account. In many cases, Facebook games are free due to the support of advertisers, but some of them may have items and upgrade options for sale within the game. You can get started by heading here and logging into your account.
Some popular Facebook games are Words with Friends, Candy Crush, and Farmville
Step 3. Install games on your computer using Steam
In case you're interested in installing even more games that don't cost you a penny, you can use the Steam client available for free at steampowered.com. Click here for instructions on installing Steam. These are just some of the popular games that you can install:
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- Team Fortress 2
- Grand theft auto v
- Playerunknown's Battlegrounds
- Dota 2
Step 4. Design your own video game
In case you are feeling ambitious, you can try designing a simple game yourself through the MIT Scratch website, which is available by clicking here. With Scratch, you can make a game that you and other people can play. You can talk to other people, play each other's games, and be a study curator. It's a lot of fun, especially if you're a video game player.
Method 2 of 7: Watch Videos and Listen to Music
Step 1. Watch original content on YouTube
There are videos on YouTube of anything you want to see, from wacky videos of cats making strange noises to footage from the Apollo mission. Find a topic you like, check out a popular channel, and subscribe.
- Also, YouTube is a great way to watch music videos. Search your favorite songs, artists and albums to see their corresponding images.
- In case you like video games, check out YouTube Gaming. There you will find content specific to video games, including live broadcasts of players playing your favorite titles.
Step 2. Make your own YouTube video
Do you want to go viral? A great way to have fun on the computer is to make your own videos and put them online. Here are some video ideas to get you started:
- Start making a video blog.
- Review your favorite food or drink.
- Sing, dance and play instruments.
- Record short comic scenes with your friends.
- Read poetry.
- Go through your wallet or purse and describe what is in it.
- Make a "loot" video telling the audience what you got at the grocery store, library, or mall.
- Teach your audience a trick to make things easier.
Step 3. Watch movies online.
Generally, the best websites charge for a selection of good quality movies, although it is also possible to find videos without paying anything.
- Popular paid websites for streaming videos include:
- Netflix
- Hulu
- Amazon prime
- Disney +
- HBO Now
- Some free streaming websites containing documentaries, news, and more:
- Folkstreams
- UbuWeb
- MetaCafe
- Vimeo
Step 4. Listen to music online
Computers have changed music forever. From the way it is recorded to the way we listen to it, music and digital technology are a part of the music industry that is as important as guitars. Here are some great free or cheap ways to listen to music online:
- Pandora Radio
- Spotify
- Apple Music
- Soundcloud
- Bandcamp
- DatPiff
Step 5. Listen to a podcast.
Podcasts are similar to free radio shows that cover many different topics. You can find podcasts on streaming platforms (for example, Apple Music and Spotify), but you can also find them through Check out PodcastOne or PodBay for a wide variety of free podcasts that you can listen to. From professional wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin to novelist Bret Easton Ellis, it seems like everyone has a podcast these days. These are some of the most popular:
- RadioLab
- The Read
- This American Life
- The Moth
- Bodega Boys
- The Nerdist
- Hardcore History
- Stuff You Should Know
- Savage lovecast
Method 3 of 7: Finding Random Funny Things
Step 1. Shop windows online
Do you have time to spare, but don't have money? Go online shopping, but without buying anything. It's possible to buy just about anything online, and it can be fun to browse and compare prices, from clothes and shoes to parcels of land and condos. Make a wish list of everything you want. Just avoid pushing your credit card to the limit.
Step 2. Plan a dream vacation
Using Google Maps, explore unfamiliar cities and explore local landmarks on Wikipedia. Then head over to Expedia and start pricing airline tickets, check out the deals on AirBnB or the listings on CouchSurfer. When you know where you want to go, you can start saving to make your dream come true.
Step 3. Learn a magic trick
Do you want to impress your friends the next time you see them? Try to learn a coin or card trick. Many places online, including right here on wikiHow, break down the steps so that you can learn them at your own pace. One of the most popular sites is GoodTricks, and many guides can also be found on YouTube.
Step 4. Take a look at some art
For inspiration, check out art-specific websites like DeviantArt (alternative art), Behance (graphic design), Flickr (photography), and Juxtapoz (contemporary art blog).
Step 5. Make some art yourself
Feeling a little creative? You can find many different services for drawing and painting online that range from ridiculous to professional. It is convenient that they are online, since you will not need to install anything yourself. Here are some popular options:
- On the web: Sketchpad is a free option for drawing designs of all kinds, while Sketchup focuses on three-dimensional models.
- To download: Gimp is a free, full-featured photo and image editor that is comparable to Adobe Photoshop, and Krita is more geared towards drawing and painting.
Method 4 of 7: Learn something new
Step 1. Explore Google Earth
Google Earth gives you a close-up look at just about anywhere you want to see. Using Street View, you can really explore the streets of Tokyo or find Drake's house in Calabasas. Search your own home to see if someone left a window open.
If you want to test your geography skills, take a look at GeoGuessr. This presents you with a random photo of a street from Google Earth and makes you guess where in the world it is located. The closer you guess, the more points you will get
Step 2. Read some articles that make lists
Want to see a list of the 25 best sandwiches in the world in GIF? How about the top 20 toys kids loved in the 90s? Buzzfeed, Upworthy, Bored Panda, Bustle, and other websites contain hilarious and interesting lists of random things that you didn't know you were interested in. Check them out as a great way to kill a little time and not think too much.
Step 3. Read the local news online
If you want news that matters to you, find your local online news source and read the articles that interest you most. More and more people are interacting less with their local news sources, and this means that the average internet user knows more about what goes on in the lives of celebrities than they do in their own municipality. Use the internet to learn about where you live.
Step 4. Take a free online course
Develop skills and improve while having fun. Massive Open Online Courses or CEMA are free and easy to find. It's like sitting in the sacred halls of Harvard, but in the comfort of your own home. Search CEMA in a database like this one.
Step 5. Read culture or specialized blogs
Regardless of what interests you, there is likely a whole community online of other people who like it too. You like video games? Check out PC Gamer or IGN to learn about the latest games. Are you a fan of music? Check out Complex, Pitchfork, Stereogum, Bandcamp or Brooklyn Vegan. Snoop around a bit and find a community with similar interests that you can interact with or at least explore.
Step 6. Travel back in time to the past of the internet
In case you are curious about what the internet was like 10 or 15 years ago, there is a useful way to travel back in time. The Internet Archive has built a tool with which you can access old versions of websites.
Step 7. Read and contribute to wikis
In case you're already here, why not join in and start contributing! Wikis like wikiHow and Wikipedia can only survive on user-generated content and users who are willing to carry out all sorts of essential tasks that keep the website running. From patrolling recent changes to starting entirely new articles, contributing to a wiki can be a fun and rewarding activity.
Method 5 of 7: Use social media
Step 1. Chat with your friends
Yes, yes, you already thought about that, but maybe there is a new way to chat that you have not tried. Take a look at UberFacts and see who can come up with the most random piece of information to talk about. Share links, images and videos that make your friends laugh.
- Some popular options for chatting online are Facebook Messenger, Skype, WhatsApp, and Kik.
- In case you feel lonely, you could video chat with your friends. This can help make you feel like you are really hanging out together. Just avoid video chatting with people you don't know well. Send an old friend a message and meet on Facebook or Skype.
Step 2. Use Facebook or open a Facebook account
This network is a great way to kill a little time. You can upload content, check out others' updates, and chat instantly with your friends. It's a great way to get in touch and have fun on the computer.
- In case you're bored with your homepage, do some deep research on someone you don't know. Your best friend's second cousin girlfriend's Facebook page likely has a lot of things you've never seen before.
- Add your own content. According to studies, people who spend more time looking at other people's content and less time adding their own are more depressed and bored than those who don't. Update your status, add some photos and write on other people's walls.
Step 3. Write some tweets
Create a Twitter account and start following celebrities, your friends, and other cool tweeters to get involved with the hashtags community, in case you haven't already. If you can be witty, concise, and interesting, you can rack up a few followers and entertain them with ridiculous tweets on a daily basis. Then, start a Twitter fight with Nicki Minaj. Just kidding, don't do it.
Step 4. Review things on Yelp.
Have you ever gone to a restaurant and had an opinion about it? Of course yes. Why not post it online, right? Seriously speaking, offering consumer reviews is a great way to kill some time online and have fun. Let your voice be heard.
Step 5. Refinish some great finds on Pinterest.
Pinterest is a great way to explore and share recipes, interior decorating, fashion, and lifestyle hacks. It's easy to take a quick look, which makes it a great resource in case you're having a hard time coming up with something fun to do online. Start a page and start refinishing!
Step 6. Find a forum of special interest
Without the forums, we would never have gotten the concept of well placed memes or gifs. It can be difficult to get into a forum, but there are large communities that revolve around subcultures of all kinds, from punk rock and skating to anime and video games. Find a good forum that is related to your interests, create an account and chat safely.
Method 6 of 7: Have fun without the internet
Step 1. Change your desktop
You're bored? Give your computer a makeover. Computer savvy people refer to it as a desktop theme. To get started, you can right-click on your Windows desktop and choose "Custom" or select "System Preferences" on a Mac. You can also customize other elements of your computer (for example, window colors, sounds, cursors, and desktop icons).
Browse Google Images or formal wallpaper websites when online to find amazing wallpapers for your computer. Sharks in birthday hats? Brilliant. Or maybe a cute shot of your favorite celebrity or a cool pattern
Step 2. Change your screen protector
Review your images and choose a new screensaver or download one. You can always go for a slideshow of all your photos (boring) or one that makes it look like The Matrix (great).
Step 3. Flip the screen over
If you press Ctrl + Alt + Down on a PC or Mac, the screen will turn upside down, which is an excellent joke. To return it to normal, press Ctrl + Alt + Up.
Step 4. Listen to music
If you've kept a music collection on your computer (rather than a streaming service), you can make a new playlist or mix of songs that would be fun to dance, meditate, or exercise. Put your music app in shuffle mode to arrange your songs in an unknown order and try to guess what is playing. Turn on the viewer function in iTunes or Windows Media Player to have something to watch while you wonder. Or, just listen to good music.
Step 5. Take some pictures
If you have a webcam installed, experiment with taking selfies, arranging weird still-life photos in front of your computer, or just messing around with your computer's photo filters. Make yourself look like a bent alien with a strange nose or experiment with colors until you look dizzy.
Step 6. Edit some photos
If you have Photoshop or Gimp installed, cut out photos and make new weird meme-worthy images. Your grandmother's face on Danzig's body? A good start.
Step 7. Start a digital journal
In the dark ages (around the 1970s), people actually used to keep things called diaries, in which they wrote about their life eloquently and in detailed writing. Surprising, right? In fact, it's a great way to spend a couple of hours on your computer, especially if you can't connect to the internet. Open a file from a word processor (in Word, Writer, Notepad, etc.) and just start writing about your day. Keep a continuous record. Who knows, you might like it so much that you might transition to blogging one day.
Step 8. Record a song
Most of the newer computer models have built-in internal microphones and installed software with which you can record a song (or sounds, at the very least) on your computer and start manipulating it in minutes. You don't need to be very talented, or even have an instrument on hand to record music. Just record yourself humming and then increase the distortion in the settings and listen to the crazy sounds you can produce. Create layers of sound of yourself reading random passages from the Bible and then another clue of your dog snoring. An avant-garde masterpiece. In case you have a Mac, take a look at Garage Band. In case you use Windows, try Audacity.
- Record a podcast of yourself like an old school DJ talking about your favorite songs between each track on the playlist. Choose songs with a theme and make a playlist. Then record a vocal track of conversation between them. Do it with a friend for added fun.
- Edit other songs to tie them together, like changing the speed of a Rihanna track to sound like death metal or experimenting with death metal to sound like ambient drone music. Slowing down tracks by 700% even became a meme recently, from the sounds of the dial-up connection to the Nickelback songs.
Method 7 of 7: Exploring Computers as a Hobby
Step 1. Learn to code
In case you are tired of the "typical" ways of having fun on your computer, why not take your passion to the next level? By learning to program, you can design and write your own computer programs from scratch. It's a bit like learning a new language and it can be a bit challenging, but it can also be very rewarding (plus it looks great on your resume).
- There are many different programming languages. There is no "right" way to learn programming, but here are five programming languages that are often recommended for beginners:
- Python
- C / C ++
- Java
- Javascript
- Ruby
- Check out CodeAcademy.com for free interactive programming tutorials in various languages.
Step 2. Learn web design
Do you find that you spend a lot of time online? If so, consider learning the basics of web design so that you can create your own websites and do something for the online community. Some of the basic web design skills overlap with the list of basic programming languages mentioned above (for example, many websites employ Javascript). On the other hand, skills like HTML programming offer the possibility of learning web-based programming.
Step 3. Explore new operating systems
Did you know that you don't necessarily have to use the operating system that your computer came with? It's true: Mac computers can have Windows, PCs can have macOS, and both can have Linux. Because getting these provisions can be tricky, check the support page for the program you use (or check out our help articles) in case you run into trouble.
- If you want to run Windows on a Mac, you can use the following:
- Boot Camp (comes pre-installed or available to download for free)
- Parallels Desktop for Mac
- If you want to run Mac OS on a PC, use the following:
- a bootable USB stick
- a virtual machine application, such as VMWare
- Also, consider other alternatives, such as Ubuntu, Debian, and Haiku.
Step 4. Update your computer
In case you can't get the performance you want from your computer as it is, consider opening it up and changing the physical hardware. This can actually be surprisingly easy (as long as you have a PC, since most Mac updates must be done by Apple), although it will depend on what you want to do. However, because it is easy to damage fragile components inside a computer, it is important that you only try it if you know what you are doing.
- These are the components that you can modify or replace to increase the performance of a computer:
- the graphics card
- the sound card
- the fan or cooling system
- RAM memory
- the processor or CPU
- If you're feeling particularly ambitious, you could make computer maintenance a hobby. Some people like to take apart and rebuild their computers for fun, just like those who like to do the same with cars. Best of all, this practical knowledge will give you a natural understanding of the inside of a computer that most people can only dream of.
Advice
- In case you are a creative person and you like clothes, take a look at Polyvore, a website where you can experiment with fashion.
- If all else fails, you can just Google fun software and see if you can find something fun to tinker with.
- If you have children who use your computer, check their history. Sometimes it will give you a good laugh.
Warnings
- Be careful when looking for free software games on unfamiliar websites. There are some "free" games that are infected with viruses or malicious programs. If in doubt, you should always research the public reputation of the website (Wikipedia often has articles on dangerous websites and software) or stick only to "open source" games.
- Do not forget that not all the information you find on the internet is reliable. Books are a little safer!