How to Effectively Clean and Optimize your Digital Devices

In today’s fast-paced digital world, Malaysian professionals and students increasingly rely on their devices for work, study, and entertainment. Whether you’re managing important business documents in Kuala Lumpur or attending virtual classes in Penang, keeping your devices optimized is crucial for peak performance. Let’s explore four essential steps to effectively clean and maintain your electronic devices.

1. Remove Unnecessary Files

Unnecessary files are items that accumulate space without adding value, such as duplicate documents and cache files. These files can start automatically with your PC and run in the background, consuming RAM that you could otherwise use for important tasks.

Therefore, removing unnecessary files is one of the easiest ways to regain speed and performance on your device. Let's look at how to perform a digital clean-up of these files.

How to Remove Unnecessary Files

We'll start with Windows 11, which offers practical features for storage management. You can remove unnecessary files in two ways: using Storage Sense or manually.

Using Storage Sense:

• Select Start > Settings > Storage > System

• Enable Storage Sense to automatically remove unnecessary files

Manually:

• Select Start > Settings > Clean-up recommendations > Storage > System

• Mark the temporary files and unused applications you want to remove

• Select "Clean up" for each corresponding section

Moving on to macOS 14, where you can also perform a simple file clean-up:

• On your Mac, select Apple menu > System Settings and click "General"

• Click "Storage" on the right

• Go to a category and click Information to open it

• Select the file and click "Delete" or "Show in Finder" to verify before deleting

For Android 14, you can use Google Files to delete junk files generated by applications or processes:

• Open the Files app and tap the menu icon

• Select "Clean"

• Tap "Delete" under "Unwanted files" and then "Delete" again

In iOS 14, you can remove files from the Files app:

• Open the Files app and tap the "Browse" tab

• Under "Locations", select the location of the files you want to delete

• Tap the More button > Select

• Choose the files to delete and tap the "Delete" button. You can tap and hold the file for immediate deletion

2. Uninstall Unused Applications

We often install a large number of programmes and applications on our devices. Over time, this software can accumulate, affecting performance and consuming valuable storage space.

Let's look at how to uninstall applications across different operating systems.

How to Uninstall Unnecessary Applications

In Windows 11, you can uninstall applications from various access points, allowing you to manage storage as you prefer.

From the Start menu:

• Select Start > All applications

• Find the application in the list and press and hold or right-click it

• Select "Uninstall"

From Settings:

• Select Start > Settings > Apps > Apps & features

• Find the app you want to remove, select More > Uninstall

From Control Panel:

• In the search bar, type: "Control Panel" and select it

• Go to Programmes > Programmes and features

• Right-click the programme you want to remove and select "Uninstall"

To perform this digital clean-up in macOS 14, Launchpad offers a convenient way to manage apps downloaded from the App Store:

• If the app is open, close it

• Open Launchpad from the Dock or Applications folder

• If you don't see the app, type its name in the search field

• Hold the "Option" key or click and hold until the apps start to jiggle

• Click the delete button next to the app and confirm by selecting "Delete"

In Android 14, you can uninstall apps from either Settings or Google Play Store.

From Settings:

• Go to the "Apps" section

• Choose the app you want to remove

• Tap "Uninstall"

From Google Play Store:

• Open Google Play Store and tap the profile icon

• Press Manage devices and apps > Manage

• Select the app and tap the bin icon

For iOS 14, applications can be easily removed from the home screen:

• Press and hold the icon of the app you want to delete

• Select "Delete App" and confirm with "Delete"

• For multiple apps, enter "jiggle" mode by pressing and holding, select the minus sign and delete the apps. Confirm if necessary.

3. Manage Cloud Storage

Today, there are various cloud storage services, with Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive and iCloud being the most popular. Generally, we use these services to store our most important files, such as precious photos and videos we cherish.

However, these platforms have limited capacity and can quickly fill up without proper storage management. Over time, this situation becomes a hurdle when trying to save new documents.

Fortunately, there are tools to manage this space so you can continue enjoying secure backup of your most important documents.

How to Optimise Cloud Storage

Here are four effective strategies for managing cloud storage:

• Enable automatic backups: configure your devices to automatically back up your photos, videos and essential documents. Services like Google Drive and iCloud make this task straightforward. This not only improves the digital security of your files but also organises them appropriately.

• Expand storage capacity: if your free space runs out quickly, consider upgrading your capacity. Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive and iCloud all offer accessible options to increase storage.

• Remove duplicate files: monitor repeated documents and photos, as they occupy valuable space. Use tools like Google Drive's duplicate file finder, which identifies repeated files and removes them instantly.

• Delete unused shared files: review your cloud's shared files and folders. If you no longer need access to this content, remove it from your storage.

4. Update Drivers and Software

Keeping your software and firmware up to date is vital for ensuring both the digital security of your devices and their proper functioning.

Updates provide performance improvements and typically include fixes for errors or vulnerabilities. Although many devices update automatically, there are times when certain updates go unnoticed.

If your computer or phone isn't showing its usual optimal performance, it's worth checking for updates. Here's how to do it.

How to Update Your Devices

To check if you have the latest updates in Windows 11, you can follow these steps:

• Click Start and type "Windows Update" to access "Windows Update Settings"

• Click "Check for updates"

• If updates are available, they will download and install automatically

• If prompted, restart your device

For updating macOS 14, you can check for new versions this way:

• Open the Apple menu and select "System Settings"

• Click "General" and then "Software Update"

• If a new version appears, click "Update" or "Upgrade"

• Enter your administrator password if required and follow the prompts to complete installation

Updating mobile operating systems like Android 14 is easier:

• When you receive a notification, open it and tap the action to update

• If you need to check manually, open device "Settings"

• Tap "System updates" and then "Check for updates"

• Follow the on-screen steps to complete installation

For iOS 14 devices, you can take these actions:

• Go to Settings > General > Software Update

• Enable "Automatic Updates" to automatically download new versions of iOS

Why is Device Security and Optimization Important?

Maintaining your electronic devices is essential for several reasons. First, it helps protect your personal information from cyber threats like malware and hackers. Additionally, proper digital cleaning improves your devices’ efficiency and speed, preventing frustrating long wait times.

Finally, keeping software and drivers updated reduces the risk of system errors and failures that could interrupt your work or entertainment. As we’ve shown, optimizing your devices isn’t complicated – we encourage you to keep them in their best condition!

Remember to check out our HP accessories to complement your device maintenance routine and enhance your computing experience.

By following these guidelines and using reliable HP devices, you can maintain optimal performance and protect your valuable digital assets. Whether you’re a business professional in Johor or a student in Sarawak, regular digital maintenance will help ensure your devices serve you well for years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions