And yes, you’re probably guilty of at least one of them.
Most people don’t deliberately abuse their computers.
Nobody wakes up and thinks, You know what this laptop needs? A blocked air vent, 73 browser tabs and six years without a proper restart.
And yet, here we are.
Computers are remarkably patient little machines. We install things, ignore warnings, pile files onto the desktop and close the lid while 14 programs are still doing whatever 14 programs do.
Then one day the computer takes 12 minutes to start, sounds like a jet engine and displays a message saying it has 127 MB of storage left.
Naturally, we blame the computer.
Before you start shopping for a new one, make sure you’re not doing any of these.
1. NEVER RESTARTING IT
Closing the lid is not restarting your computer.
Turning off the monitor is not restarting your computer.
Walking away from it for three hours while muttering threats is also not restarting your computer.
A proper restart clears temporary processes, finishes certain updates and gives Windows a chance to start fresh.
If your computer has been acting strange, one of the first things you should try is:
Start > Power > Restart
There’s a reason tech support has been asking, “Have you tried turning it off and back on again?” since approximately the invention of electricity.
Because it works surprisingly often.
2. FILLING THE HARD DRIVE TO THE BRIM
Your computer needs breathing room.
If your drive is almost completely full, Windows has less space to work with temporary files, updates and other everyday operations.
To see how much room you have:
- Click Start.
- Open Settings.
- Click System.
- Click Storage.
If that storage bar looks like you’re trying to fit one more sweater into an already overstuffed suitcase, it’s time to clean house.
Start with old downloads, videos, duplicate photos and programs you no longer use.
Do not start randomly deleting folders called things like System32 because you heard the computer needed more space.
We are freeing up storage.
We are not performing an organ transplant.
3. DOWNLOADING EVERY “PC CLEANER” THAT PROMISES A MIRACLE
You’ve probably seen the ads.
YOUR COMPUTER HAS 6,842 CRITICAL ERRORS!
CLICK HERE TO SPEED UP YOUR PC BY 700%!
No.
Just no.
Windows already includes tools for cleaning temporary files, managing startup programs, uninstalling software and checking for updates.
Some third-party utilities are perfectly legitimate, but blindly downloading programs that promise miraculous performance improvements is a great way to install something you didn’t need in the first place.
And if a website suddenly announces that it has scanned your entire computer and discovered hundreds of problems?
It almost certainly did not.
Close the page.
4. CLICKING “YES” TO EVERYTHING WHILE INSTALLING SOFTWARE
You wanted a PDF converter.
Somehow you also installed a browser toolbar, a shopping extension, a different search engine and an app that launches every morning to tell you the weather.
This is how computers slowly become haunted.
When installing software, read each screen.
Watch for boxes that say things like:
- Install additional software
- Make this my default browser
- Add this extension
- Launch automatically when Windows starts
Uncheck the extras you don’t want.
The Next button is not a game-show buzzer. You don’t get points for hitting it as quickly as possible.
5. LETTING EVERY PROGRAM START AUTOMATICALLY
Your computer doesn’t need to launch half the internet the moment you sign in.
Programs that automatically start with Windows can slow down startup and continue using resources in the background.
To see what’s launching:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
- Open Task Manager.
- Click Startup apps.
Look through the list.
If Spotify, a game launcher, meeting software or some other program you use once a month is starting every single morning, you can disable its automatic startup.
That doesn’t uninstall it.
It just tells the program to wait until you actually ask for it.
If you don’t recognize an item, leave it alone until you know what it does.
6. BLOCKING THE AIR VENTS
Laptops produce heat.
Heat needs somewhere to go.
Your bedspread is not helping.
Neither is the couch cushion.
Neither is your lap under a giant fuzzy blanket.
Computers have vents designed to move hot air out. Soft surfaces can block those vents and cause the machine to run hotter.
Heat can reduce performance and, over time, isn’t especially kind to computer components.
Whenever possible, use your laptop on a hard, flat surface.
And if the fan suddenly sounds like your computer has received clearance for takeoff, check whether you’ve buried the poor thing in a comforter.
7. IGNORING UPDATES FOREVER
Yes, Windows updates can be annoying.
You’re trying to get something done, and Windows has decided that this is the perfect moment to discuss restarting.
Still, endlessly postponing updates is not a great plan.
Updates can include security fixes, bug fixes and improvements that keep Windows working properly.
To check:
- Open Settings.
- Click Windows Update.
- Click Check for updates.
You don’t have to drop everything the second an update appears.
But if you’ve clicked Remind me later so many times that you and Windows are now in a long-term relationship, pick a convenient time and get it done.
8. RUNNING 47 BROWSER TABS AND WONDERING WHY EVERYTHING IS SLOW
Some of you are reading this with so many tabs open that the little website icons have disappeared.
I know who you are.
Each browser tab can use memory, and some webpages continue doing things even when you’re not actively looking at them.
Close what you don’t need.
Bookmark things you genuinely want to return to.
Modern versions of Chrome and Edge also have features that reduce memory use by putting inactive tabs to sleep.
In Chrome, look under:
Settings > Performance
In Edge:
Settings > System and performance
And no, keeping a tab open for six months does not make you more likely to eventually read that article.
9. IGNORING STRANGE BEHAVIOR UNTIL THE COMPUTER BARELY WORKS
Your computer starts freezing.
You ignore it.
It begins shutting down unexpectedly.
You ignore it.
The fan runs constantly, programs crash and the drive makes a noise you’ve never heard before.
You decide you’ll look into it “sometime.”
Then one morning it won’t start.
Computers sometimes give you warning signs before a serious failure.
Pay attention to:
- Frequent crashes
- Unusual noises
- Repeated error messages
- Sudden major slowdowns
- Unexpected shutdowns
- A battery that is swelling or changing shape
- A computer that becomes unusually hot
And back up anything important before the machine dies, not afterward.
Which brings us to the biggest mistake of all.
10. NOT BACKING UP YOUR FILES
If the only copy of your family photos, tax documents, work files or half-finished novel exists on one computer, you do not have those files safely stored.
You have them temporarily.
Hard drives fail.
Computers get dropped.
Laptops get stolen.
Files become corrupted.
Ransomware happens.
Coffee happens.
At minimum, keep important files in another location, such as an external drive or a reputable cloud storage service.
For truly important files, having more than one backup is even better.
Because after a computer dies, nobody wants to hear:
“Did you have a backup?”
followed by a very long silence.
HOW MANY WERE YOU GUILTY OF?
One or two?
You’re probably doing fine.
Five?
We have some work to do.
All ten?
Your computer would like to speak to an attorney.
The good news is that most of these habits are easy to change.
Restart once in a while. Keep some free storage space. Install software carefully. Let Windows update. Give the vents some air. Close a few tabs. And for the love of everything holy, back up the photos.
Your computer may still eventually need replacing.
But at least you won’t be helping it into an early grave.