Therefore, experts from ESET company, a Slovak developer of cybersecurity software, have prepared step-by-step recommendations for cleaning the computer and smartphone from unnecessary files and programs in order to increase the efficiency of gadgets. Learn more about them later in the article.

Step 1: Get rid of unnecessary programs

First you should review all installed programs and ask yourself when you last used each one and whether you still need it. Unused add-ons, for example, some programs pre-installed at the time of purchase, take up unnecessary space, so it is better to delete them from the computer.

The same advice applies not only to cleaning a PC or laptop, but also to mobile devices. It will be helpful to remove all unnecessary programs and stop background apps that you only use occasionally.

Step 2: View automatically started programs

Some software starts automatically as soon as the laptop is turned on. But not all applications such as Spotify, Skype or iTunes have this need. Therefore, you should make sure that such applications do not run in the background and do not affect the startup process and the overall performance of the system.

To see a list of these programs in Windows, click the Windows button and look for Startup under Applications.

Step 3: Scan your device for viruses

A slow device can also be caused by the device being infected with malware that spies on user activity or performs other dangerous actions. Therefore, you can check the presence of viruses and spyware on your laptop or smartphone with the help of an antivirus.

To do this, you need to install ESET for Internet protection on a laptop or mobile device. You can take advantage of a special offer and use the program free of charge for 30 days, or you can immediately purchase the ESET HOME Security Premium subscription, which allows you to protect both computers and mobile devices.

Ultimate protection for devices / Photo: ESET

Step 4: Check your mailbox

Some email programs, such as Microsoft Outlook, can also store emails or attachments locally on the device. Additionally, free email service providers usually only offer a limited amount of online storage. Therefore, regular cleaning of the mailbox is also necessary.

Filtering emails in reverse order of time, i.e. oldest first, will be helpful during review. You can also use the search for emails with various characteristics, for example, with a large attachment.

Step 5: Remove unnecessary files from downloads

Usually all files downloaded from the Internet are stored in one or more folders. You need to open them and check if you need all the files, such as software installers or tickets for past events.

To clean up a computer or mobile device, you need to delete unnecessary files and be sure to clear the contents of the computer’s trash. This will free up a lot of hard disk space with almost no effort.

Step 6: View images and videos

Many photos and videos are usually stored on a laptop, phone or tablet. And in some cases even old photos from mobile devices. You may not always need to save every image or video.

You should consider deleting random unnecessary photos and low-quality snapshots or moving them to an external hard drive, cloud storage, or even a USB drive.

Step 7: Install the latest versions of programs

After viewing installed programs and running them at boot, it’s a good idea to check if the latest versions of the operating system and programs are installed. Do not delay installing available updates.

Outdated versions may contain security issues that cybercriminals can exploit. That’s why updates are designed to fix these flaws and prevent hackers from trying to exploit them.

Regularly cleaning your devices and scanning them for malware will help keep them performing well and working properly.

However, if the help of qualified specialists is needed, some manufacturers of antivirus software offer services for finding problems in the operation of the operating system, detailed analysis of the device for viruses and removal of found threats, as well as checking and optimizing performance. operation of the device.