Whether you've just bought a new laptop to replace an sometime one, or upgraded to treat yourself, in that location are some things y'all should do right away when you lot become a new laptop. Some modest investments in fourth dimension now volition assistance ensure the best experience downward the route.

Here's what to exercise afterward ownership a new laptop, no thing which OS it runs.

1. Update the Operating System

Updates Page in Windows 10 Settings Page

Whether y'all bought your laptop from a brick-and-mortar store or online, it likely saturday around for several months after leaving the factory. I of the offset things to do with a new laptop, then, is to install any existing OS updates.

This gets yous the latest features and makes sure your system is secure. It'south important to do commencement so that if the update adds new features, you can configure them during the setup process.

To bank check for OS updates, perform the following:

  • On Windows x, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click Check for updates. You may demand to restart to install some updates. Windows will automatically download and install updates in the future.
  • If you take a Mac, click the Apple carte du jour in the upper-left corner and choose System Preferences > Software Update.
    • If you're on macOS Loftier Sierra or older, you'll need to visit the App Store to check for updates. Search for "macOS" on the App Store to download the latest version.
  • On Linux, how to update depends on your distro. You may discover an selection to update in the organisation settings, or take to run updates manually. Run into how to update common Linux distros for more than help.
  • Chrome Bone handles all updates backside the scenes. As long equally you lot're connected to Wi-Fi, Chrome Bone checks for updates and downloads any that it finds. If you want, you can bank check for updates manually by clicking the menu in the lesser-correct, followed past Settings and hitting About Chrome Bone on the lesser of the left panel. Choose Check for updates. To install them, all you accept to practice is restart your device.

ii. Remove Any Bloatware

Bloatware is unwanted or unnecessary software that comes pre-installed on your operating arrangement. These apps are often useless, plus they waste drive space and system resource. Windows laptop manufacturers are notorious for this, whereas bloatware is rarely a business on Mac, Linux, and Chrome OS laptops.

Follow our guide to removing bloatware in Windows x to delete junk you don't demand. If you're non sure whether a program is important, search for it on Google or Should I Remove It? to run across what others call back.

3. Review Antivirus Software

remove spyware from windows 10 by avast

Windows x comes with Microsoft Defender built-in, which is good plenty for most people. If you want some extra protection, you can pair it with other strong computer security tools.

Mac and Linux machines don't include an antivirus plan out of the box. Conscientious browsing and a scrap of common sense should protect you on both of these platforms, but y'all tin can install Mac antivirus software or an antivirus for Linux for additional security.

Meanwhile, Chromebooks accept built-in malware protection, so you don't demand anything special on that platform. There are Chrome extensions that can increment your security, though.

Next on the checklist of what to do with a new laptop is protecting your device from theft. If someone stole your computer (or y'all lost it), you'd not exist without your device, but potentially all the data on information technology. It's vital to have measures in identify to increase the possibility of getting information technology back.

Windows 10 includes a built-in feature called Find My Device, located at Settings > Update & Security > Discover my device. Make certain y'all turn this on so yous tin locate your laptop through your Microsoft account is necessary.

For the similar feature of macOS, visit Apple menu > System Preferences > Apple ID and select iCloud from the sidebar. Here, brand sure you have Find My Mac enabled. If you see a Details push next to it, click this and brand sure you've allowed the part to access location services on your Mac.

The Find My application Options window open in iCloud System Preferences on a MacBook Pro

Both of these tools allow you to locate your laptop from another device logged into your Microsoft or Apple account.

If you lot have a Chromebook, yous tin locate lost devices past heading to the Security section of your Google account settings and clicking Discover a lost device nether Your devices. For another option (which also works with Linux machines), check out Prey. It lets y'all track upward to three devices on the costless plan.

See section #6 beneath, which covers backups, for some other important mode to protect your digital property from theft.

5. Optimize Your Laptop's Power Settings

Battery Schedule System Preferences on a Mac.

Since laptops are all well-nigh portability, maximizing battery life should be a priority. A few simple tweaks can effect in a divergence of hours between charges, so optimizing the power preferences is an of import step with a new laptop.

The most important alter is to reduce the display brightness, every bit keeping the screen extremely vivid is one of the biggest factors in battery drain. However, making information technology besides dim could cause heart fatigue, so exam out some levels to find a comfortable balance between the extremes.

You can tweak Windows 10 power plans for improved bombardment life at Settings > System > Power & sleep. There, click Additional ability settings on the right sidebar; expand the window horizontally if you don't see it initially.

We've too looked at how to improve battery life on a Mac. Nearly of these settings are accessible at System Preferences > Battery (or Free energy Saver on macOS Catalina and older). For Linux, see how to check your Linux laptop's battery health.

Otherwise, try to avoid using resource-heavy apps when possible. Chrome is a notorious battery grunter, then you'll get improve bombardment life with Safari, Edge, Opera, or some other alternative browser.

half-dozen. Configure Automated Backups

About This Storage window with Time Machine drive on Mac

Presently, your laptop volition exist full of documents, projects, photos, and all kinds of other personal information. What happens if it suddenly stops working or you drop information technology? You'd lose all that data, which is a terrible fate.

Don't let that happen: set up a backup plan on your laptop correct now to protect your data.

Follow our Windows 10 data cloud fill-in guide if y'all use that platform. We've explained how to support your Mac, and there are a number of fill-in utilities for Linux to salve your data.

On a Chromebook, anything stored in Google Drive is accessible from your Google account. You can also back up to an external bulldoze, such every bit a USB flash drive.

7. Set Cloud Storage Syncing

Google Drive 2021

Y'all're nearly done, but there are even so more things to do on your new laptop! In addition to a proper backup, setting up deject storage will brand your life easier if yous work on multiple devices.

Cloud storage services, like Dropbox and Google Drive, sync anything you identify inside them to the company'due south servers. Y'all can then admission those files from whatsoever device where you're as well signed in. That ways y'all can easily take hold of a file you were editing on your desktop while you lot're out working on your laptop.

Whether you employ information technology as a layer of fill-in or to avert moving files around with flash drives, deject storage is essential for today's calculating. Check out the best free cloud storage providers to get started, or consider some cheap deject storage services if you lot need more infinite.

eight. Minimize the Risk of Heat Damage

Laptops are usually more than susceptible to heat than other types of machines. Desktop cases are large enough for skilful ventilation, and tablets don't have to worry much almost dust buildup. Meanwhile, many laptops take poor air circulation and lots of spots for grit to accrue, plus it'south easier to put them in heat-building situations.

Over time, a lack of ventilation plus dust buildups results in excess oestrus. This damage tin cause your CPU to under-perform in an effort to produce less heat, which means slower system operation. Backlog heat can too shorten internal storage drive lifespans and crusade the bombardment to lose charging capacity prematurely.

Here are a few preventative measures to keep in mind regarding laptop heat:

  • If at all possible, don't utilize your laptop on carpet, bedding, a couch, or fifty-fifty in your lap if that obstructs the vents. Place it on a hard, apartment surface to minimize dust intake and allow air to flow.
  • Every so often, clean your laptop every bit all-time you can to remove grit.
  • Know what PC operating temperatures are condom. If you experience the system getting besides hot, shut down intensive apps.

9. Customize System Settings

Luv icon pack for Linux

Now that all the maintenance-related tasks on your new laptop checklist are out of the way, it's time to brand the laptop your ain. This is the time to tweak the organisation theme, desktop wallpaper, taskbar layout, and other personalization options.

If you need some ideas, check out these resources:

  • Come across how to change the look and feel of your Windows 10 desktop.
  • Larn how to personalize and customize your Mac, including its icons, wallpapers, and the Dock.
  • Review ideas on how to make a Linux desktop look fantastic.

10. Install Your Favorite Apps

Now that your laptop is looking fresh, it's time to install all the apps you lot need. Depending on your OS, you might discover these on the Microsoft Store, Mac App Store, Chrome Web Shop, or a repository of Linux apps. Many apps are simply available to download from the developer's website, however.

To install many popular Windows apps in one bundle, have a look at Ninite. This allows you lot to check all the apps you want to use and install them without clicking through dialog boxes or worrying about arranged junk. Mac users can try the similar macapps.link.

Not sure what to install? Here's are some lists to get you started:

  • Must-accept apps for new Windows systems
  • The best Mac apps
  • Ubuntu apps to install right away
  • The all-time Android apps to use on your Chromebook

11. Start Using a VPN

A virtual private network (VPN) may audio confusing if y'all're not familiar with the thought, just using one is simple. In near cases, you just download and run an app, so sign in with your account. The app encrypts your network connection, giving you more protection confronting eavesdroppers, assuasive you lot to access region-blocked content, and making it harder to trace web activity back to you.

Run across our introduction to VPNs for more important info. Afterward, we recommend signing up for one of the all-time VPN services to protect your browsing on whatever platform. If yous're non certain, go with ExpressVPN—you tin can get iii months complimentary using our special link.

The Nearly Important Things to Do With a New Laptop

At present you lot know what to exercise when you become a new laptop. This preparation takes a bit of fourth dimension to exercise correctly, merely will make your time with the laptop smoother and hopefully increment the lifespan of your machine, too.

As you apply your laptop, make sure you don't make common mistakes that tin damage information technology.

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About The Author

Ben Stegner (1803 Articles Published)

Ben is the Editor in Primary at MakeUseOf. He left his IT chore to write total-time in 2016 and has never looked back. He's been covering tech tutorials, video game recommendations, and more as a professional writer for over eight years.

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