In the fast-paced world of technology, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the latest gadgets and gizmos. However, we can avoid many common pitfalls that shorten laptop life with little understanding and care. In this post, you’ll find some simple tips on how to look after your laptop so you can make it last longer.
#1 Keep your laptop in a cool place
Keep your laptop in a cool place. This will prevent it from overheating during intensive tasks and allow the fan to operate correctly, preventing damage by dust and debris, which can block up vents over time if they aren’t cleaned out regularly. Allow plenty of space around for airflow too!
Avoid placing your computer on soft surfaces like beds or sofas where heat cannot dissipate properly. Heat is an enemy of all laptops because it causes components to expand and contract at different rates, causing internal damage – this could be fatal when dealing with hard drives that contain sensitive data you don’t want to get lost forever.
#2 Don’t leave the battery plugged in when not using your laptop
Don’t leave the battery plugged in when not using your laptop. If you do, then it will constantly be charging and discharging, which is bad for both its capacity to hold a charge as well as the life of the cells themselves.
This causes them to degrade faster than they would otherwise, so try unplugging your computer once fully charged, even if you don’t plan on using it immediately. Storing batteries at 100% can also cause problems since this type of storage just adds more strain – keep yours around 40-50%.
#3 Clean your computer regularly
Cleaning your computer regularly and replacing old Keycaps will go a long way to keeping it working at its best. However, over time dust and debris can build up in the fan vents, which cause overheating problems; not only that, but they’ll also block airflow, meaning you risk frying internal components if left too long.
Don’t forget to wipe down the screen with an anti-static cloth or some paper towels – don’t spray cleaning fluid directly onto any plastic parts of your laptop as this could damage them beyond repair! If possible, try using compressed air (you might want ear defenders for this one!) since canned air is full of moisture and oil from the propellant used during production.
#4 Keep your software up to date
Keeping your software up to date will not only give you access to the latest features but can also dramatically improve security. Keeping old versions of operating systems and other programs around might seem like a good idea at first since it saves time. Still, there’s an increased risk that they could become infected by malware or viruses if left unpatched for long periods.
If possible, use automatic updates whenever available, so you don’t have to remember yourself. This is especially important with anti-virus programs as these are always being updated in response to new threats.
