Isn’t it infuriating when your computer or laptop just won’t perform? Maybe it’s taking a while to wake up, maybe it never will. Maybe it’s ill with a virus, maybe the Wi-Fi isn’t reliable. Whatever the case, it can impede you and your work, wasting time that could be spending anywhere else and using up working time.
And the problem is that you can rarely tell what the problem is. Unless you’re in the IT department, once you have turned it off and on again, you are usually stumped. In some cases that can mean giving up and shelling out for another one, or gradually losing your hair while waiting for your browser to open.
If you are having trouble with the speed, maintenance, security, or any other problem with your computer, you can find a lot of tools online that can be the solution. Read our guide to the best options to get your computer working at its best again.
Cloud storage
It could be the problem with your computer or laptop is that there is simply too much stored on it. As much as salesmen can brag about how much storage is in their products, talking about gigabytes and terabytes like we know what those are, it’s still far too easy to use up that space. Using up too much storage in your computer will cause it to lag as it tries to carry everything. Like a marathon runner with a boulder on its back, it’s going to slow down.
The first step to reversing this is to Marie Kondo your hard drive. As the wise woman once said, go through everything and see if it sparks joy, or if you at least need it. You would be surprised how many duplicates of an out-of-date file you have and how getting rid of useless files can free up your computer.
Even better, transfer what you cannot afford to lose whatsoever onto cloud storage. Software and apps like Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive, will allow you to store your files on an internet “cloud”, freeing up a lot of hard drive space. There is a basic plan to all of these that is free, and you can pay for more space as you need it.
Wi-Fi management
There is nothing worse than your Wi-Fi giving up on you. What even are you expected to do with a computer anymore with no internet? Play solitaire? Suddenly we digress to cavemen hitting it with a rock trying to get it to work again.
And then there’s that middle ground, where it is working but slower than a glacier, and you are spending what feels like forever looking at the wheel of doom. Or it’s shuddering, like popping in and out of usefulness, always dropping out just when you need it most.
The problem with Wi-Fi refusing to work properly is that it could be caused by any number of reasons. Your Wi-Fi could do with an analysis tool that perhaps weeds out dead spots, scans your router, and analyses the strength and reliability of multiple signals available to get you the best one. That is where Setapp comes in.
Setapp offers a range of apps that solve many online problems, like aiding in Bluetooth connections, cleaning up your computer and more. Visit Setapp.com to see how the Setapp software can help maintain your Wi-Fi connection and avoid turning your computer into an expensive Microsoft Paint platform.
Also Read- Best Web Application Penetration Testing Tools
Antivirus software
It’s the real worst nightmare of all device owners. You can only imagine some guy on the other side of the world saying, “I’m in” and before you know it your laptop, phone, tablet, etc. is a brick and all your data is in the hands of a stranger. Bank details, intimate data, business documents, all either gone or in this stranger’s possession to use for God knows what reason.
Although things have advanced in the data security department, the first step in keeping you and your data protected is to keep antivirus software. Malware, Trojans, and ransomware are all still the most popular way to get a hold of your data, and antivirus software is still the best option for keeping them out.
Bitdefender Antivirus was voted 2021’s best antivirus software by TechRadar. It has features like safepay banking protection, privacy tools, a VPN, and anti-ransomware to keep sticky fingers out of your files.
Antivirus software like Bitdefender will scan incoming files and code that is coming through your network traffic, which is why it is vital if you are using public Wi-Fi. The easiest way for hackers to get to your files is through your network, but antivirus software will scan any files, programs, and applications coming in through the network. If they find any that they don’t trust they will isolate them, scan them, and dispose of them.
Clean-up duty
As mentioned above, sometimes your computer simply needs decluttering. You can take the time to sift through your files and throw out anything that you don’t need anymore, and you will free up a lot of space, but sometimes it’s simply not enough.
There is a lot of space taken up by essentially background data. The little things stored all over your hardware that you probably will never look at, like temporary files, cached webpages, and rejected items that you end up finding in your system’s recycle bin
So, you’ve emptied the cupboard out, and now it’s time to hoover. CCleaner will run a health check over your offline and online software and delete all the extra files that gunk up your browsers, your files, and even a few apps you didn’t know you could function without.
With everything cleaned up you should see your computer run faster, with a quicker startup time and fewer crashes and errors, and you will even see safer browsing, since CCleaner will get rid of all your search history and cookies, allowing you to stay anonymous online.