Spring cleaning your device – why and how to do it

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Spring cleaning your device makes it run smoother, frees space, and removes all malware. Find out all benefits and get tips for cleaning your device.

Over time, computers and devices get bogged down with files and apps that are no longer needed. This slows them down and sometimes makes them unstable. But did you know that viruses and malware can also cause such problems? When you clean your device, you can also get rid of any possible malware.

When a device gets slower, people often think they need to buy a new one. But sometimes all you need is to clean your device and check its security. This way you can get your old device running much smoother.

Cleaning your devices gives you the following 5 benefits.

1. More space
   

   Is your device running low on space? No matter how much storage space a device has, over time it starts to run out. Apps, app data, downloads, screenshots, saved memes, and other content start to litter your device. You might find that you can’t take new photos, or that you can’t install new apps. Cleaning up old junk will free up space for new content.

2. Faster performance

   Does your PC or phone feel slower than before? If yes, there are likely too many processes running in the background, dragging down the performance of your device. Alternatively, a virus running in the background can also slow your device. If you clean it, apps will start and run faster and smoother.

3. Longer battery life
   

   Wouldn’t it be nice if your battery lasted longer? Cleaning your device extends your battery life. Unnecessary apps and processes consume your device’s battery. And so does malware. If you remove them, you don’t need to recharge as often.

4. Less privacy risks

   Many apps run in the background even when you don’t actively use them. They might have access to user data, such as location, contacts, browsing history, photos, etc. Remove any chance for unwanted data collection and free some space by deleting apps you don’t need anymore.

5. Save money

   When you take care of your device and keep it clean, it lasts longer. And new devices can be expensive. Having to buy a new phone every 3 years instead of every 2 years saves you money. Especially if there are many devices in your family. On top of that, extending device lifecycle is also eco-friendly.

This is how you clean your device

Here are some easy steps you can take to get a faster device with enough space for the content you want to have.

• Photos and videos usually take the most space. Go through them in your gallery and individually delete the ones you don’t need anymore. Hold your finger on an image on your phone or tablet, so you can select many images at the same time.
• A faster way to free space is to move all of your pictures and videos to another hard drive or cloud service. You can then remove them from your device altogether. However, this way you might also move unnecessary images like screenshots, bad shots, etc.
• Uninstall apps you don’t use. If you will need it later, you can always install it again. So, go ahead and delete any app you don’t find relevant.
• Open your downloads folder and check what is in there. Chances are you will find a lot of stuff you can delete.
• Clear your cached data from apps and browsers. This data is saved to enable quicker processing. However, over time it all adds up and bogs your system down. You can clear cached data from the memory settings of your phone.
• Run a full scan with an antivirus to remove viruses and malware. If you don’t have one then you can give our SuperSafe online security a try, which once installed will run a virus scan and delete any unwanted infections.

Taking care of your device also means protecting it

As viruses and malware can slow down your device, removing them can make your device run smoother. That’s why running a security check up is crucial when spring cleaning your device. But cleaning your device from potential malware is only reacting to existing threats.

Protect your newly cleaned devices against any future threats with an antivirus. With a protected device you don’t need to worry about security issues. Also, when you install security software, it automatically detects if there is malware on your device. This makes spring cleaning your device easier, and you also protect yourself online. Now, that’s a win-win!

All the protection you need

To make things easy for you, we offer all TalkTalk customers all the protection you need with our award-winning SuperSafe online security powered by cybersecurity experts F-Secure.

It secures all your digital moments on PC, Mac, iPhone and Android devices. Here are some highlights of how it protects you.

• Protects up to 10 devices including mobile, tablets, PCs and Macs
• Antivirus protects your newly cleaned device from malware and malicious links
• Banking protection protects your money online by ensuring safe banking and shopping
• Family Protection so you can set the same sort of digital boundaries for your kids that you set in the real world.
• Password manager allows you to store passwords safely and access them from all devices

To secure all of your digital moments get protected today by logging in to your TalkTalk My Account and adding SuperSafe to your account. You will then receive an email from F-Secure to install the apps on to all your devices.

With a clean and protected device, you can enjoy your digital moments safely with longer battery life and more memory for capturing new memories.