Ringing in the New Year: A Tech Checklist for 2019

Can you believe we’re almost to the end of 2018? For a lot of people, the start of the new year signals the chance to make a fresh start. Maybe that means making a resolution or getting to a task you put off the previous year. Either way, here is a start of the year tech checklist to kick off the new year right.

Updates and Back-ups

Have you, like so many of us, been clicking that “remind me later” button every time your phone or computer nudges you to install an update? Maybe now’s the time to go ahead and catch up on that backlog of updates.

Keeping your devices up-to-date keeps everything running smoothly, so when a problem does arise with an app or piece of software, it can be easier to diagnose.

But before you do those updates, make sure you schedule back-ups of your data. Using this time to make sure you don’t lose a whole year (or two) of photos, videos, and documents is worth it.

Digital Clean-Up

You know that amazing feeling of having an empty email inbox? Yeah, me neither.

Start your year off by trying to get down to inbox zero. It may seem daunting, depending on how full your inbox is, but the end of the year is a great time to wrangle those emails. Plus, it gives you a chance to look back at your year and see what tasks are still outstanding.

Another digital area to tackle is photos. Did you take a selfie with your dog that resulted in 20 outtakes? Deleting old, unneeded photos clears up space on your device, and makes finding those must-keep shots easier to find.

Lastly, delete old apps. Like cleaning old clothes out of your closet, look for apps you haven’t used in over a year. Operating systems like iOS even have tools available to automatically remove unused apps for you.

Change Your Passwords

Still using the same password for all of your apps and accounts that you used in college? Maybe it’s time to switch things up. Changing your passwords frequently can keep your data safe. If you have trouble remembering passwords, there’s an app for that! There are many great password managers available for computers and mobile devices.

Consider a Tech-Related Resolution

Speaking of apps, the great thing about technology is there are apps available to help you use technology less. Maybe your resolution this year is to use social media less, or stop using your phone after a certain time at night. Apps like the new Screen Time app available on iOS 12 have tools to help make those resolutions a reality.

No matter your New Years’ Resolution, we hope you have a great holiday season and start to 2019. And if you need any hardware repair, we’ll be here to help.