Kanye holding his MacBook in a certain way went viral with the caption ‘the most expensive thing seen’. Well, many of us do not change laptops for years, and maybe can’t even afford to. Under such circumstances, laptop maintenance tips come in handy. I used to blame an external factor, my Spectrum Internet connection, for the poor performance of my laptop for a long time. Only to be told by my tech friend that it was a lack of maintenance.
Here are some hacks that I have since been using.
Laptop Maintenance Tips Experts Swear By
Here are some tips that can come in handy. Remember to start caring for your laptop from the beginning. As it is difficult to undo the damage.
Turn Off the Laptop
Almost all of us are guilty of not turning off our laptops for days just to save time when we login again. I used to do the same. I used to put my laptop on ‘sleep’ mode day after day. At times months used to pass without me switching off my laptop. While doing so is convenient for us, it is harmful to the laptop’s health. ‘Sleep’ mode means that your laptop’s battery is constantly running and is not getting the required rest. Thus, affecting it.
You may have noticed that some programs do not perform well when you use them after putting the laptop to ‘sleep’. Hibernating your laptop and not shutting it down is the main reason behind it. Therefore, give your laptop battery the needed rest and shut it down now and then.
Keep it Cool
Just like heating up of a car or a computer is dangerous for them, heating up of the laptop can affect it too. The best way to keep your laptop cool is to ensure that the airflow remains unobstructed. This can only happen if the air vents remain open. Not placing your laptop on the lap allows this.
Update Your Software
Updating your mobile phone’s software every month or two is not the only form of essential upgrade you need. Your laptop’s OS needs an upgrade often, too. Otherwise, obsolete software keeps you from performing well. Not only will your system perform efficiently, but updating software will also protect it from malware and viruses. Security risks can be a big threat to your data stored on the laptop.
In case the constant software update reminders annoy you, turn them off. But spare some time for this activity every month as well. Assign a day, on that day go through all the updates pending, and upgrade your system accordingly.
Make a Back-Up
Every laptop recovery plan should begin with having a recovery plan. Backing up all your data to an external hard drive is the easiest way to do so. All you have to do is invest in a hard drive with sufficient space. Plug it into your laptop and copy all your files in the drive. The greatest advantage of using this method is that it is an offline task. This means that you stay protected from any ransomware attacks while copying your files.
Another way is backing up all data on the cloud. Available options include Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. The advantage of opting for this option is that you do not have to pay for using it until a certain storage capacity. However, you should remember that storing your data on a cloud service generates an automatic folder on your computer with the same data. If you delete that folder, the online data is deleted as well.
Clean the Laptop
People tend to skip a simple step like cleaning their laptops. However, it is one of the most important laptop maintenance tips. Cleaning does not mean removing the dust from the laptop screen. You have to clean your laptop thoroughly. The first step to cleaning your machine is unplugging it and switching it off. You can clean it in any specific order. I usually start with the most fragile part – the screen. Since it is fragile, I clean it gently and use nothing except monitor wipes or cleaning solutions on it.
Wipe the case without putting much pressure on it either. Do not use any other cloth except the fiber cloth to clean the laptop. Other materials tend to be harsh on the laptop and leave marks.
Perhaps the most difficult part is to clean the keyboard. There are many options for doing that too. From using a cleaning toothbrush to bringing a portable vacuum in handy, the options are unlimited. To clean the top of the keys, use isopropyl alcohol.
Give the Battery a Break
Batteries eventually die. However, a cheap battery will die sooner than a good quality one. It is upon you to ensure that you do not opt for a cheap battery, to begin with. After that, it is caring for it that will prolong its life. Some of the things that you should be careful about include not keeping your laptop plugged in for long. That affects the battery as well.
Keeping the laptop cool also keeps the batteries in good health. Batteries have to degrade but excess heat causes the batteries to degrade faster.
Keep Your Antivirus Updated
Another laptop maintenance tip that can help you increase your laptop’s life is keeping the antivirus updated. Doing so will update the signature files in your machine. Apart from that, the scan engine remains up to date as well. Some advanced antivirus software also helps in detecting the flaws in operating systems.
In case you are looking for another layer of protection, subscribe to Internet packages that come equipped with the antivirus feature as well. Spectrum packages do, but you can look for other options as well. There are many.
