Spring Cleaning! Don’t Forget Your Devices

Spring is almost here, and it’s time for spring cleaning! Don’t forget to clean your digital devices.

Keeping digital devices clean and decluttered helps protect you from cyberthreats and identity theft.

Follow these 10 recommendations for spring cleaning your devices!

Uninstall Old Software and Apps

Keep your devices decluttered by uninstalling software and apps you no longer need.

Unsubscribe from Newsletters and Alerts

Keep your email decluttered by unsubscribing from newsletters, alerts, mailing lists and sales ads that no longer interest you.

Clear Out Passwords Stored on the Browser

Declutter your web browser by cleaning out stored passwords and autofill information. It’s a good idea also to make sure your browser is not storing passwords. Read more on securing login credentials from MS-ISAC.

Update Contacts

Update your contact lists on your phone and computer. Remove any contacts you no longer need. Updating contacts on your social media accounts is a smart move as well.

Clean Your Device Storage

Declutter your storage by clearing your older downloads and screenshots. Clean out files you no longer need on your desktop.

Scrub Your Email

Scrub your email folders for messages that you no longer need. Empty your trash folder as well.

Organize Your Photos

Photos can take up a lot of storage space on your computer and phone. Back them up, use them to create an album, or add them to a digital picture frame.

Clean Network and Cloud Storage

Network shares and cloud storage services can have limited storage space and often get missed in cleanup efforts. Free up space and reduce potential information exposure by clearing out unnecessary data from the network.

Disinfect Your Devices

Use alcohol-based disinfectant wipes and a can of compressed air to remove dust and disinfect your devices. Don’t forget your keyboard, charging cables and mouse!

Securely Dispose of Old Devices

Keep your home office decluttered by securely disposing of any devices you no longer use. You may be able to donate some devices, but make sure all devices are wiped clean.

Spring cleaning your devices means less worry about threats and keeps your devices in tip-top shape. A little time for decluttering goes a long way!

Check out our 10 Cybersecurity Resolutions for the New Year!