Like any mechanical device (like your car or your washing machine), your laptop or desktop will benefit from regular maintenance, it will last longer and perform better, and you’ll need to do regular work to keep it up The best possible situation won’t take you too long or require much expertise.
The sooner you start performing these tasks, the better, and if you have a wheezing, sluggish computer that’s been neglected for years, it may be too late to restore it to normal operation. It’s also important to revisit these tasks regularly: maybe not every day, but certainly every few weeks.
If you notice severe slowdowns on Windows or macOS, you have the option of resetting your computer back to its original state, provided you’ve backed up all your data to a safe place. You can find instructions on how to do this: Microsoft or apple.
update everything
Windows and macOS are constantly urging you to install updates because they’re so important: they fix bugs, optimize performance, patch security holes, and more. You should always install operating system updates as soon as they become available – the benefits are worth a few minutes of inconvenience.
To manage updates on Windows, go to set up From the Start menu, then open Windows Update Tab: From here, you can install any pending updates, check for new updates, pause updates, and view your computer’s update history.Click advanced optionsand you can manage when automatic updates are installed and how you’re notified about them.
If you are using macOS, open apple menu and select System settings.Go to General and then Software update View any pending updates that you can install.Click the little info button on the right Automatic updatesand you can ensure that updates to macOS and any updates to individual apps downloaded from the Mac App Store are automatically downloaded and installed.
Speaking of individual apps, it’s also important to keep those apps updated. This is usually handled automatically within the app itself: for the Spotify desktop client, for example, when an update is ready to be installed, you’ll see a blue dot next to your name in the top right corner.
clear clutter
The fewer applications and files your computer has to deal with and the more free storage space you have available, the better. Every unnecessary byte of information takes up a portion of available system resources, and they can all quickly add up to an overall slowdown in day-to-day operations.
With this in mind, it’s a good idea to regularly audit the apps you install on Windows or macOS and remove the ones you don’t really use (you can install them again later). Likewise, clearing out temporary files (such as downloaded files) can preserve more storage space – one idea is to set up a dedicated folder for files you know you’ll need temporarily, and delete everything in it regularly.
This also applies to programs that launch automatically at the same time as the operating system: many apps will set themselves up to load every time Windows or macOS starts, which can put extra stress on your computer and potentially lead to longer startup times. Slow to a crawl.
On Windows, right-click an empty area of the taskbar and select task manager, then switch to the “Startup Applications” tab to see which applications are loading with the operating system (right-click to find the “Disable” option).On macOS, open apple menu, select System settingsthen click General and Login project Find list (select an item and click the minus button to remove it).
keep clean
You want to keep your laptop or desktop clean to keep it cool: you want the fans and vents to work properly. Otherwise, the internal components will become hotter than they should, which in turn is detrimental to their longevity. A dusty, warm computer is more likely to let you down than a clean computer that’s running as cool as possible.
Another benefit of regular cleaning is to prevent small debris from getting into your computer’s inner workings, which can quickly cause problems depending on what’s inside your laptop or desktop case and how it’s tilted. There’s also aesthetics: a clean computer looks better.
Keeping your computer clean isn’t complicated, and it doesn’t require any special equipment or products to do it. Before you begin, turn off your computer, unplug it, and remove any accessories (such as external disk drives).
A soft, lint-free cloth will do most work For your part, you can moisten slightly – a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution can be used to wipe down the case, but avoid aerosol sprays, solvents, abrasives and other harsh cleaners. A can of compressed air comes in handy to remove dust and stuck debris, but be careful not to damage any of the delicate components inside your computer.
Be sure to pay attention to safety
If malware takes control of your computer, you may start to see serious drops in performance, and that’s before you consider the security threats to your files and online data. If you want to make sure your laptop or desktop keeps running smoothly, you need to make sure it’s well protected.
It depends on how cautious you are: you don’t necessarily need a third-party antivirus package on your computer, but it can certainly help. If you are using Windows, you should ensure that the built-in Windows security features scan your computer regularly for any potential threats and suspicious activity.
If you’re using a Chromebook, this isn’t a big deal since nothing is actually installed. However, vigilance is still required – remember that browser extensions can also be dangerous or simply poorly coded, putting unnecessary stress on your system. You shouldn’t install anything you’re not sure about. This also works with browser extensions on Windows and macOS.
This brings us back to the point we made earlier about making sure you only have the software you need installed. It’s well worth checking the extensions running in your browser regularly and removing the ones you don’t need – they won’t damage your system if you don’t install them.
Need more help?
How to tell which GPU you have inside your PC or laptop
Here are some simple ways to make Windows more secure
How to use Google Password Manager on any device
How to Get Better Frame Rates in PC Games
How to start running emulators on PC and Mac
Want more of Gizmodo’s consumer electronics picks?Check out our guide best mobile phone, best laptop, best tvand best headphones.If you want to know about the next big thing, check out our guide Everything we know about the iPhone 16.