It's time to spring clean your devices

[simonb]

We use our devices throughout the day to serve our purposes, but many of us forget to give a little back. In order for that device to keep working quickly and efficiently, it's a good idea to give it a spruce up every now and then.

Over time, our devices accumulate a number of files that are not needed or used. This build-up of junk degrades the software performance which can cause devices to breakdown or result in security issues. Think of it as your devices needing a regular MOT. Spring cleaning your device doesn't have to take a lot of time or cost you anything. You can do it for free and you can probably get through it in less than 10 minutes.

Here are some simple tips on how you could get rid of the clutter and improve battery performance that will not only keep your device running smoothly, but also protect your personal information against security breaches.

Get rid of waste

Are you running low on space on your device? No matter how much disk space a device has when it's new, over time it starts to run out. Apps, app data, large media files (such as videos, photos, documents and credentials), and downloads can start to litter your device. Go through your apps and delete everything you haven't used in the last 6-12 months.

If you are not sure if you use an app, you can always reinstall it later.

Photos and videos are some of the biggest space takers. You can free up a lot of space just by going through and individually deleting out the photos you don't want or need any more from your gallery. Or you can back all of them up to a cloud-based storage solution and then remove them from your device altogether.

Being cloud-based means that your documents, photos and videos will be stored on the servers of the solution provider, rather than on your device.

Faster performance

Is it taking too long for your device to boot up? It could be that too many processes are running in the background that are dragging down your performance which can result in annoying buffering when you are trying to watch a video on your mobile or tablet.

A free optimisation product enables you to "tune-up" old devices to perform faster and run longer while at the same time avoiding costly upgrades that are perhaps not required. It works by taking care of difficult and time-consuming maintenance, such as cleaning unused files that programs create for temporary use, updating software and drivers, and tuning processes that drain the battery life from phones, tablets and laptops.

Secure your apps

According to F-Secure Labs, Android is a favourite target for mobile malware writers. That means people using Google's platform need to be extra cautious about the apps they use or install onto their devices. The best form of protection is to install security software onto your phone or tablet, such as SuperSafe Online Defence. Once downloaded it gets to work right away by scanning every app and file and will also flag potentially harmful websites that you are trying to access and block malicious content from your SAFE browser. It's a great way to make sure you stay protected after your spring clean!

Longer battery life

Your device's battery gets consumed by unnecessary apps and processes that run in the background. By closing those down, you can extend your battery life so you don't need to recharge your device as often.

Also try turning off Bluetooth and WiFi when you're not using it. The signal your device emits searching for another Bluetooth signal or a WiFi network will drain the battery. From a security perspective, it's also wise to turn these off when not using them.

SuperSafe Boost includes Online Defence internet security which protects up to 10 of the family’s mobiles, tablets and laptops from internet nasties, plus a really helpful Password Manager to make logging in to your online accounts safe and easy. All you need to do is login in to My Account and subscribe to SuperSafe for just £4 per month – you will then receive an email from F-Secure to install the apps on to all your devices.