Your devices play a major role in your day. Whether you use your laptop to work from home, respond to emails and texts on your phone, or use a tablet for reading or streaming your favorite shows and movies, technology is part of your routine. Over time, you may assume that your devices are going to slow down, experience shorter battery life, and reduced performance. What you may not have realized is that there are some simple maintenance tasks that you can do to keep your devices running at their best.

The good news? You don’t have to be a tech genius to take these steps. In fact, some of the tips that we’re going to provide you with don’t require any sort of technical know-how. With some simple device maintenance, you can improve device performance, improve your battery life, and more.

Regularly Update Your Software

One of the easiest forms of device maintenance is found in regularly updating your apps and operating software. Updates routinely patch security gaps, which improves your digital security, remove bugs, and help keep your system running smoothly. Most modern devices notify you when new updates are available. Instead of procrastinating those updates, perform them as soon as they’re available.

Most updates can run in the background, ensuring that they don’t get in the way of your daily tasks. Automatic updates are usually safe, but it’s still a good idea to read the briefing to make sure that you know about the changes that they perform.

Finally, keeping your apps updated ensures that they operate at peak performance. When your system and apps are out of sync, background processes multiply to make up the difference. This cuts into your device’s available memory and reduces its speed.

Protect Your Battery

Over time, your battery’s longevity may reduce with age and use. Since replacements can be costly, especially for newer devices, it’s important to protect yours. To maximize your battery’s lifespan, avoid exposing your device to extreme temperatures. It’s also a good idea to avoid letting your battery die completely before charging it all the way up. If possible, try to plug your device in when the battery reaches about 20%. Doing so reduces stress on lithium-ion cells and supports healthier battery chemistry over time.

Many devices have built-in battery care features. For instance, you may be able to let your device learn your routine, which allows for optimized charging. It’s also important to unplug your device once it reaches full charge, as leaving it plugged in can actually drain the battery’s long-term life. Seemingly small changes in your charging habits can lead to much longer usable battery life.

Monitor your device’s battery usage to spot any background apps and processes that can accelerate battery wear. By being more aware of what apps are using your battery’s power and optimizing your charging strategies, you can add years to your battery’s lifespan.

Avoid Physical Stress and Overheating

Heat can significantly throttle processes and damage your device’s internal components. Not only does this slow down your device, but it also shortens its lifespan. When it comes to your computer or tablet, try to use it on a hard, well-ventilated surface. When the device cannot get airflow, it traps heat, which can do significant damage. When you notice persistent warmth, pause heavy tasks and let the device cool before resuming demanding use.

While no one drops their device on purpose, the fact remains that physical stress, like dropping, bending, and exposure to high pressure, can do more than crack the screen. These forms of trauma can also damage internal components and reduce your device’s performance. Treat your charging ports, cables, and other accessories with care.

Routinely cleaning your device is important, too. Dust accumulation in vents and ports reduces airflow and increases heat buildup, while gunk on connectors impairs charging and data transfer. A quick but careful wipe-down is a great way to keep everything clean. While you shouldn’t rely on it often, occasionally using compressed air is a good idea.

Remove Unnecessary Apps and Processes

Devices get cluttered over time, and that doesn’t only apply to dirt and dust. Apps that you installed for a specific project, trial software, and background utilities that launch at startup can create an unnecessary backlog of processes. These apps and processes consume RAM, processor cycles, and battery, all of which degrade your device. Once a quarter, go through your device and remove any downloads that you no longer need.

Keeping your browser tidy is also important. Dozens of open tabs, excessive extensions, and overstuffed caches slow web browsing, but they also bring down the performance of your device as a whole. Regularly pruning these areas keeps your device responsive.

Beef Up Your Digital Security

Many security problems present themselves as performance issues, but they’re far more serious. Malware, intrusive adware, and crypto mining scripts can all consume memory, slow performance, and take up valuable bandwidth. It’s a good idea to have reputable security tools operating on your device, but you should also run regular scans. Most experts encourage you to conduct a weekly security scan on your device to ensure that nothing malicious is hiding.

While scans and software can certainly help, practicing safe online habits is the best way to protect your device and your personal information. Avoid suspicious downloads, and don’t open any links that come from unknown sources. Enabling automatic updates for security patches is a great place to start. It’s also important to use strong passwords. When possible, enable two-factor authentication to make it far harder for hackers and other cybercriminals to access your information or harm your device.

Secured devices are fast devices because they aren’t struggling to run hidden processes in addition to the programs and apps that you’re trying to use. By making digital security part of your routine, you can keep yourself safe while also adding years to your device’s useful lifespan.

Keep Your Devices Running Right

Even if you aren’t an IT specialist, you can take steps to keep your devices performing at their best. If you utilize these tips and still find that your device is struggling, find a reputable repair specialist to help.