5 ways to spring clean your PC or laptop

Delete unnecessary data

Possibly the most time-consuming task when going to clean your PC – deleting old files and documents. Cull any copies of files, outdated documents and anything else you no longer need. Once you’ve removed unnecessary data, consider organising your remaining files into a system that’s easy for you to manage going forward, helping to prevent accumulating clutter in the future. BTP UK offers a best-in-class asset management service that allows you to more effectively keep on top of what you’ve got, who’s accessed it last, and what exactly it is. Using this will allow you to easily manage your operations and processes, leading to a reduction in unnecessary purchases, data duplication and more. It should also fast-track the long and inconvenient task of manually browsing your files to sort them.

Uninstall unneeded software or apps

As time progresses, you’ve probably acquired quite a few applications on your computer that you’re no longer using – free video editing software, file converting programs and so on. Similar to the above, clean your PC or laptop of any pieces of software and applications that you no longer use. It will free up more space on your device, which will help it run faster. It is important that you’re not just deleting the shortcuts for these and they are being properly uninstalled from the device. If this is something you would like assistance with, as well as getting a better understanding of what essential apps you should retain and which may be worth removing to free up necessary storage space - get in touch.

Clear your browser

Hackers can access your computer or network through many different avenues. In every scenario, they take advantage of weaknesses inside your operating system, which can include old browser extensions, add-ons or plugins. These pose a great risk to your overall data security, so be sure to not only delete your browser history, but to uninstall and delete old browser extensions. Deleting old or unused browser extensions can also significantly improve speed and load time – bonus! Reduce the risk of hacking attempts further with an IT system security helpdesk to help keep your systems secure from any intrusion.

Perform regular security scans

Vulnerabilities with your PC or laptop’s security can only be managed if they’ve been discovered and identified, which is why running regular security scans is so important to help clean your PC. Officially, scans should be carried out quarterly, but in reality, scanning should take place every month at least. Performing regular security scans will make sure you’re on top of any vulnerabilities as soon as they crop up, potentially avoiding a disaster before it strikes. If you would like assistance with how to perform these scans and what one to use, ongoing business IT support might be for you.

Keep it updated

We admit, updates to your operating system appear to pop up at the most inconvenient times, but they often include critical patches to security holes. While frustrating, putting these updates off could be dangerous, so even if you’re in the middle of doing something, like making that vital cup of coffee or fetching documents from the printer, set yourself a reminder to update your operating system at the end of the day – it could just save you from a security breach.

The above five tips are some easy wins you can quickly implement to your organisation’s devices and team in order to foster a far safer and more effective workforce.