New Laptop Checklist: 12 Things to Do in the First Hour

A new laptop is exciting. The first hour you spend with it decides whether it stays fast and safe for years, or slowly fills up with junk. Here's the checklist, in order.

Before you start

• Plug it in. Updates can take a while.
• Connect to Wi-Fi you trust, not public café Wi-Fi.
• Have your passwords ready, ideally in a password manager on your phone.

The checklist

1. Install all system updates

Windows: Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates. Repeat until there's nothing left, which can take a few rounds. Mac: System Settings → General → Software Update.

New laptops often sit in a warehouse for months, so they need a lot of updates.

2. Sign in with your main account carefully

On Windows, a Microsoft account lets you sync settings and use OneDrive. On Mac, your Apple Account syncs iCloud. Use your existing account so everything follows you.

3. Turn on disk encryption

If the laptop is stolen, encryption keeps your files unreadable.

• Mac: FileVault (often switched on during setup, so check in Privacy & Security).
• Windows: Device encryption or BitLocker, in Settings → Privacy & security.

Save the recovery key somewhere safe. Without it, a forgotten password can mean lost files.

4. Remove bloatware (Windows especially)

Many Windows laptops come with trial antivirus, games and "helper" apps. Go to Settings → Apps → Installed apps and uninstall what you don't want. Trial antivirus can go: the built-in protection is good. See Is Windows Defender enough?

5. Install a password manager

Before you start logging into everything. See 1Password vs Bitwarden.

6. Choose your browser and sign in

Install your preferred browser and sign in to sync bookmarks. Not sure which? See which browser to use.

7. Move your files

• Cloud sync (OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox): sign in and let it download.
• External drive: copy from your old backup.
• Mac to Mac: Migration Assistant moves almost everything automatically.
• Windows to Windows: your Microsoft account and OneDrive handle a lot; copy the rest manually.

8. Set up backups straight away

Not next week. Today. Plug in a drive and turn on Time Machine (Mac) or File History (Windows), and consider a cloud backup. Full plan here: the 3-2-1 backup rule.

9. Install only the apps you actually use

Resist installing everything from your old laptop. Start lean and add apps when you need them. Each one adds background processes and updates.

10. Check startup apps

Disable apps that launch at startup and don't need to. On Windows: Task Manager → Startup apps. On Mac: System Settings → General → Login Items. More in how to speed up a slow Windows PC.

11. Set up Find My Device

• Mac: Find My, in Apple Account settings.
• Windows: Settings → Privacy & security → Find my device.

12. Wipe your old laptop properly

Before selling or recycling it, sign out of everything and do a full factory reset. On Mac, use Erase All Content and Settings. On Windows, Reset this PC with "Remove everything".

Done

Total time: about an hour. You now have a laptop that's updated, encrypted, backed up and free of junk.