Image for The joy of fix: tips to keep your laptop and smartphone running

The joy of fix: tips to keep your laptop and smartphone running

From emptying your hard drive to removing a dust blockage, tips to keep your laptop and smartphone running, from the Restart Project

From emptying your hard drive to removing a dust blockage, tips to keep your laptop and smartphone running, from the Restart Project

How to keep your laptop running

  • Is it overheating?

The fan collects dust and other particles over time. Clean it with a brush or compressed air.

  • Has performance degraded?

Always keep at least 10 per cent of your hard drive empty. Consider upgrading to a Solid State Drive.

  • Does it often become unresponsive?

Increase the amount of installed RAM: it’s the cheapest way to improve performance.

  • Is it slow at startup?

Check settings for apps launched automatically at startup and only keep the ones you actually need.

Image: Christin Hume

How to keep your smartphone running

  • Did you spill water on it?

Switch it off! If possible, remove the battery and let the phone dry for 24-48 hours before turning it on.

  • Short battery life

Reduce unnecessary notifications, screen brightness, unused apps. Consider changing the battery.

  • Headphones not working

Check the audio port for any dust blocking it and gently remove it with a toothpick.

  • Phone running slowly

Back up your data, free space on the device, reset it completely and re-install apps.

Tips: The Restart Project
Featured image: Viktor Talashuk

The joy of fix: claiming the right to repair

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