Basic Differences in Use

Permanent situations
Jane lives in Birmingham and works in an accounting firm. (Present Simple)

Temporary situations, they are true for a limited period of time
But Jane is staying in a hotel in Liverpool this week. (Present Continuous)
She is doing a course there. (Present Continuous)

Routines, habits and regular activities
Usually I work at the office but sometimes I work remotely. (Present Simple)

Actions happening at the moment or around the time we are speaking
Right now I‘m sitting at the office. I‘m working on a new project. (Present Continuous)

Things that are not expected to change
Good programming skills give you great career opportunities. (Present Simple)

Things that are changing
Computers are getting faster every year. (Present Continuous)

To describe events in a book or film
The story starts in New York. The main character is a taxi driver there. (Present Simple)

To describe what is happening in a picture
That’s my daughter in the photo. She is playing with her favorite toy. (Present Continuous)