Laptops are no different than any other computer. They need maintenance and care. This means it’s imperative to keep your laptop in tip-top condition as you use it. Many wonder why their laptop stops operating in a short period. How many of us have carelessly placed their laptops in non-safe areas? Some laptop covers are so damaged, they look like they’ve seen battle. If you want your laptop to last longer, then consider some of these tips.

Cleaning

You should always keep your laptop clean. Use air blow tools to get rid of dust and particles that get caught in your keyboard. Immediately clean up any spills of coffee or liquids that come in contact with your laptop. Leaving them to dry can eventually hurt the circuit boards beneath your keyboard. Don’t continue to type on a laptop that has sticky keys.

Keep your cleaning tools with you at all times. Consider shutting off the laptop for an overall cleaning of the cover and inputs. You should do this at least once a week. Avoid walking around with a dirty laptop that has stains from sitting it down in dirty areas or has last week’s lunch on it. A clean laptop can increase the life of your computer that you depend on for work and other things.

Batteries

It’s a wise move to replace your laptop’s battery as they do get old. Consider taking it to a tech store so they can give you a thorough evaluation. Once you notice your laptop struggling to stay on, it might be your battery giving you a hint. The longer you keep a bad battery in your laptop, the more you can do harm.

It’s possible your battery has corrosion. This can spread to the rest of the laptop stopping it from working. Make sure to pick the correct battery for the laptop’s brand. Some off-market batteries might be cheap, but they could malfunction with your computer.

Operating System, Virus Scans and Hard Drive

Operating systems for computers change often. It mostly once a year, but make sure you’re installing the new update. If your laptop is older, then consider replacing the operating system that fits with its year. Constantly run virus scans on your laptop to determine its health and if it’s infected. Keep a monitoring application on your system to detect any virus that’s attached itself to your computer.

Replace the old hard drive once it shows signs of malfunctioning. A brand-new hard drive keeps your laptop running for a long time. Any hard drive that’s consistently gives you problems is a big sign you need a replacement. You can do this yourself if you’re good with computer hardware. If not, then allow a computer tech to swap out the battery.

If you are past the point where you can care and/or repair some of the problems yourself, you may want to consider a professional laptop repairs service to help you extend the life of it even further.