27 Useless Things We’re Still Stuck With In 2025 For No Good Reason
In the ever-advancing world of 2025, where AI can write emails for you, cars can drive themselves (mostly), and smart fridges can guilt-trip you about your diet, it’s downright comical that some ancient relics still refuse to fade into obscurity.
Despite our best efforts to modernize everything, a handful of outdated nuisances persist—clinging to relevance like a flip phone in a 5G world.
Take CAPTCHA tests, for instance. In an era where AI can paint like Van Gogh and chatbots can hold philosophical debates, we still have to prove our humanity by identifying blurry traffic lights in tiny boxes. Or how about paper receipts? You can tap your phone to pay for a coffee in milliseconds, yet you’re handed a mile-long slip of paper you didn’t ask for.
From inexplicably long phone hold times to those “Please listen carefully, as our menu options have changed” messages, this list of 28 stubborn artifacts will make you laugh, sigh, and wonder if some things will ever truly disappear. Buckle up for a nostalgic, mildly frustrating, and wildly entertaining ride through the quirks of modern life that just won’t quit!
1. CAPTCHA Tests
Ah, CAPTCHA tests! Because nothing says ‘I am human’ like squinting at fuzzy images of stoplights or deciphering wiggly letters that look like an alien language. It’s 2025, yet proving our humanity involves a game of optical charades.
Whether you’re trying to access important accounts or just want to watch a cute cat video, these tests stand in the way like a digital bouncer. It’s almost as if robots have taken over, but they’re just really bad at recognizing street signs.
Double-checking these blurry puzzles is the new way to flex our eyesight.
2. Fax Machines
Fax machines, the dinosaurs of the office world, still roam among us.
In 2025, some businesses cling to these noisy relics like they hold the secrets of success. Sure, why email a document when you can send it through a device that sounds like it’s chewing on aluminum foil?
They seem to be the pinnacle of secure communication because nothing screams ‘state-of-the-art security’ like a fax. Dust off that machine, listen to its screeches, and marvel at the wonders of ’90s technology still alive and kicking.
3. Daylight Saving Time
In a world where smart devices govern our lives, the antiquated ritual of Daylight Saving Time endures. As the calendar flips, the nation embarks on a bi-annual clock-adjusting adventure.
We’ve mastered AI and self-driving cars, yet we tinker with time like it’s the 1800s. It’s a ritual that disrupts sleep patterns and confounds schedules, as if time itself needs a little shake-up.
Maybe one day, we’ll finally synchronize with common sense, but until then, enjoy the twice-a-year time warp.
4. Paper Receipts
Paper receipts continue their reign as the ultimate collectors’ items of mundane purchases. Despite digital innovations, these paper trails haunt wallets everywhere.
From coffee shop visits to gas station gum, these relics document our spending habits in triplicate. Who needs a digital footprint when you can leave a papery path? It’s the 21st-century treasure map for remembering what you bought last Tuesday.
Next time you’re handed one, cherish the moment—it’s history in the making, one receipt at a time.
5. Landline Phones
Landline phones, those steadfast guardians of telemarketing calls and scammy offers, still occupy households in 2025.
In an era of smartphones that can do everything but cook dinner, the classic ‘ring-ring’ of a landline is usually a harbinger of interruptions. They only seem to ring when it’s least convenient, as if they have an uncanny sense of timing. Holding on to these devices feels like clinging to a bygone era where surprise calls were the norm.
Yet, here they are, standing silent until the next unsolicited call.
6. Checkbooks
Checkbooks, the epitome of financial nostalgia, linger on in a world of digital transactions. Nothing quite freezes a checkout line like someone meticulously writing out a check for a few dollars.
It’s a performance art piece in the museum of outdated practices. In the age of tap-to-pay convenience, wielding a pen to make a payment feels delightfully anachronistic. Yet, here they are, flipping the pages of fiscal history, one cursive signature at a time.
Perhaps it’s the tactile thrill of pen on paper that keeps them from extinction.
7. QR Code Menus
Once hailed as the future of dining, QR code menus now feel like relics of a recent past. They promised convenience, yet often deliver squinty eyes and awkward phone angles.
Scanning a QR code in a dimly lit restaurant is the modern-day equivalent of deciphering ancient hieroglyphs. Somehow, this futuristic touch feels more like a clever scheme to enroll us in endless loyalty programs.
As you fumble with your phone, ponder this: was this really the future we envisioned, or just a detour in dining?
8. Hold Music
What’s a customer service call without the symphony of hold music? It’s 2025, yet distorted classical tunes fill our ears as we wait for the elusive human representative.
These melodic loops test our patience and challenge our sanity. Each minute feels like an eternity, as we wonder whether the next note will bring assistance or continue the endless refrain. It’s a musical purgatory that unites callers in a shared experience of audio endurance.
For now, hum along to the timeless classics of customer service.
9. Manual Car Keys
Manual car keys, the trusty yet anachronistic tools of yesteryear, persist in a push-to-start world. Amidst keyless entries and futuristic fobs, the act of turning a metal key feels like a nostalgic journey.
They harken back to simpler times when unlocking a door required a twist rather than a tap. Fumbling for keys in crowded parking lots, they remind us of a bygone era. Yet, they endure, a tactile comfort in a touchless age.
For some, it’s a tradition; for others, it’s a reminder of how far we’ve come.
10. Junk Mail
Ah, junk mail, the original spam of the postal world. In 2025, colorful flyers and unsolicited catalogues still invade our mailboxes with relentless enthusiasm.
They arrive like clockwork, a daily dose of offers and promotions that rarely see the light of day. Sorting through these paper piles is a ritual of modern life, a tactile reminder of consumerism’s persistent call. Yet, there’s something comforting in its consistency, like a reliable friend who never stops talking.
So, sift through the clutter and embrace the nostalgia of snail mail marketing.
11. TV Cable Boxes
TV cable boxes, those oversized plastic relics of channel surfing, continue to occupy living rooms in 2025. They promise a plethora of channels, yet deliver a handful worth watching.
In a world of streaming and on-demand content, these boxes feel like relics of an era when scheduled programming dictated our viewing habits. They sit there, a testament to the analog past in a digital age.
Despite their bulkiness, they remind us of the thrill of flipping through channels, hoping to stumble upon something worth watching.
12. Passwords
Passwords, the ever-changing gatekeepers of our digital lives, remain a source of frustration in 2025. Despite advances in biometrics, these alphanumeric puzzles persist, demanding frequent updates and complex combinations.
They are the riddles we solve to access our own information, a digital dance of memory and security. Post-it notes clutter desks, reminders of forgotten sequences and security questions.
While technology evolves, passwords stubbornly cling to their cryptic reign, a challenge for forgetful minds everywhere. Perhaps one day, our identities will be key enough.
13. USB-C and Lightning Cable Drama
In the saga of charging cables, the USB-C and Lightning drama continues to perplex and frustrate. Despite the promise of a standardized world, these cords remain the tangled protagonists of our tech lives.
Every device seems to require its unique connector, turning charging into a scavenger hunt for the right cable. As you untangle the mess, ponder the irony of a world where convenience means more options, not fewer.
Until a universal solution arrives, embrace the chaos and keep those cables handy.
14. CD-ROMs
Once the pinnacle of digital storage, CD-ROMs now languish in the shadows of cloud computing. Despite the absence of disc drives, some software updates still cling to these shiny relics.
They’re the ghostly remnants of a time when physical media ruled the tech world. Digging through a pile of old discs evokes a sense of nostalgia mixed with exasperation. Yet, here they are, relics that defy the digital evolution.
Perhaps they serve as a reminder of how far we’ve come, or maybe they’re just stubborn stowaways in the journey of progress.
15. Pop-Up Ads
Pop-up ads, the digital dandelions of the internet, persist in disrupting our online experience. In 2025, they continue to sprout up uninvited, blocking content and testing our patience.
Closing these annoying windows feels like a futile game of digital whack-a-mole. As websites promise ad-free experiences, these persistent interruptions remind us that the internet still has tricks up its sleeve.
Navigating the web becomes an endurance test of clicks and patience, where pop-ups play the role of mischievous jesters.
16. Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers
Gas-powered leaf blowers, the noisy heralds of autumn, continue their reign in suburban landscapes. Despite quieter alternatives, these machines persist, scattering leaves and eardrums alike.
Their thunderous roar echoes through neighborhoods, announcing their presence with unapologetic gusto. While they efficiently move leaves, they also move peace and quiet out of the equation.
In a world striving for silence and sustainability, these blowers stand as relics of a more boisterous past, reminding us that sometimes progress comes with a deafening soundtrack.
17. Plastic Clamshell Packaging
Plastic clamshell packaging, the Fort Knox of product containers, continues to frustrate consumers in 2025. With scissors in hand, we battle these stubborn shells, seeking access to the treasures within.
Opening them feels like a test of strength and patience, a modern-day trial of endurance. While they protect products, they also protect them from us, the users.
This packaging remains a testament to the challenges of convenience and security, a plastic puzzle that captivates and confounds.
18. Slow Elevators
In an era of instant gratification, slow elevators defy the pace of modern life. These vertical carriages creep along, testing our patience and punctuality.
As we wait, surrounded by strangers and awkward silence, time seems to stretch. The journey feels like an eternity, a gentle reminder to embrace life’s slower moments.
Perhaps they serve as a lesson in patience, or maybe they’re just a relic of outdated engineering. Either way, they’re a timeless feature in the high-speed world of today.
19. Inconvenient USB Ports
Inconvenient USB ports, the hidden treasures of modern computing, persist as a design mystery. Laptops offer sleek profiles, yet hide ports in the most awkward places.
Reaching around, upside down, or sideways, connecting devices becomes a contortionist act. It’s a puzzle that tests both flexibility and patience, a challenge for even the most tech-savvy.
As USB ports remain elusive, we ponder the irony of streamlined design that complicates the simplest task. Where’s the convenience in convenience?
20. CAPTCHA but Worse – The ‘Find the Bicycle’ Game
If you thought regular CAPTCHA tests were fun, welcome to the ‘Find the Bicycle’ challenge. In 2025, proving your humanity involves spotting fragmented bicycles.
Misaligned images taunt us, questioning our ability to distinguish bikes from abstract art. It’s a guessing game where half a wheel counts as half a point.
These puzzles push the limits of perception and patience, as robots laugh at our squinting struggle. In this age of AI, identifying a bicycle should be a breeze—yet here we are, baffled by broken bicycles.
21. Automated Phone Trees
Automated phone trees, the labyrinthine mazes of customer service, continue to ensnare callers in 2025. As you dial in, a cascade of options greets you, each promising assistance yet leading nowhere.
They stand as the ultimate test of endurance and composure, a symphony of prerecorded voices offering little solace. It’s a journey through a digital forest, where every branch is a detour, and every path leads to uncertainty.
In the quest for help, these trees often leave us feeling more lost than found.
22. Facebook Event Invites
In a world where social media habits have evolved, Facebook event invites remain the stubborn ghosts of online gatherings.
Despite dwindling user engagement, these invites persist, cluttering our notifications and feeds with events we never plan to attend. They’re the digital equivalent of junk mail, a reminder of social obligations we’d rather ignore.
Each invite is a decision to be made, a virtual RSVP that haunts our procrastination. As we scroll past, we wonder if social media can ever fully escape the specter of unwanted invitations.
23. Coins
Coins, the jingling remnants of cash transactions, continue to jingle in pockets despite the rise of digital currency. These metallic discs offer a tactile connection to commerce, yet weigh us down like relics of a bygone era.
Each coin is a tiny time capsule, a clinking reminder of economic exchanges past. In a world moving toward cashless convenience, they persist as physical tokens of value.
For some, they are collectibles; for others, a nuisance. As digital wallets rise, coins remain the noisy underdogs of currency.
24. Gas Station Credit Card Surcharges
Gas station credit card surcharges, the hidden fees of fueling, continue to irk drivers in 2025. In an age of digital transactions, these charges feel like a relic of the past.
As you tap or swipe, the surcharge notice looms, a small yet persistent reminder of bygone financial practices. They are the unexpected tolls on the road to convenience, a nod to the era of cash and checks.
In the quest for seamless transactions, these surcharges remind us that not all progress is free.
25. Store Loyalty Cards
Store loyalty cards, the plastic keys to discounts, still clutter wallets in 2025. In a digital age, these cards occupy space with promises of savings and rewards.
They are the tangible remnants of customer loyalty, yet their presence feels increasingly redundant. As digital wallets streamline spending, these plastic relics linger as reminders of past shopping habits.
For some, they are cherished symbols of frequent patronage; for others, just extra baggage. As loyalty goes digital, these cards remain the analog ghosts of consumerism.
26. Unskippable YouTube Ads
In 2025, unskippable YouTube ads continue to test viewers’ patience. These unavoidable interruptions pop up like digital roadblocks, halting our video-watching experience.
They’re the toll booths of online content, demanding attention before granting access to the desired video. As seconds tick by, viewers count down the moments until the content resumes.
In a world of instant gratification, these ads serve as unwelcome reminders that some things still require a wait. Until then, we watch and wait, longing for the ‘Skip’ button.
27. Requiring a Printer for Important Documents
In 2025, the requirement to print, sign, and scan documents persists as a throwback to bureaucratic practices. Despite advances in digital signatures, paper processes endure, a stubborn nod to the past.
Each printout feels like a step back in time, a ritual of ink and paper amid a digital revolution. As technology evolves, the necessity for physical copies remains an enigma.
For some, it’s a tangible connection; for others, an inconvenience. These documents defy the digital age, reminding us of the paper trails we still walk.