New device? Setting it up – and what to do with the old one

Whether it's a brand-new laptop or a hand-me-down phone, a little time spent setting it up properly pays off. And don't forget to wipe your old device safely.

Whether it's a brand-new laptop, a smartphone passed down from a family member, or your very first tablet, a little time spent setting it up properly will pay off.

Setting up your new device

Antivirus: New Windows laptops often come with a trial of Norton or McAfee. These trials usually end after a few weeks or months, and then you'll be asked to pay. Windows already has good, free protection built in, called Windows Security. If you'd rather not pay, you can remove the trial and Windows Security will switch itself back on. iPhones, iPads and Android phones have their own built-in protection, so you don't need to buy an antivirus app for them.
Second-hand devices: If the device belonged to someone else, make sure it has been fully reset so their accounts, photos and apps are gone, then set it up with your own account.
Bring your things across: Emails, contacts and photos often come across automatically when you sign in with the same account you used before (your Apple, Google or Microsoft account). Documents and some photos may need moving by hand.
Run the updates: New devices often need several updates straight away. See our article on Keeping Windows up to date.
Make it comfortable: Make the text bigger, adjust the brightness, change how long before the screen switches off, and turn off notifications you don't want.
Reinstall your apps: WhatsApp, your banking app, the NHS App, your heating app – always from the official App Store or Google Play.

WhatsApp tip: Before you change phones, check your chats are backed up in WhatsApp (Settings > Chats > Chat backup). Then, when you install WhatsApp on the new phone with the same phone number, your messages and photos come back.

Have your passwords handy – you'll need them to sign in to everything on the new device.

What about your old device?

Old phones, tablets and laptops hold a lot of personal information – emails, photos, saved passwords and banking apps. Perhaps you have a few tucked away in a drawer! Before an old device leaves your hands:

Copy anything you want to keep – photos especially.
Sign out of your accounts. On an iPhone or iPad, this includes turning off Find My.
Do a factory reset. This wipes the device back to how it was when it was new.

Then you can pass it on, donate it, trade it in or recycle it.

Recycling: Don't put old electrical items in the household bin. Household waste recycling centres accept them, and many shops that sell electricals will take old items back.
Donating: Some charities refurbish old devices and give them to people who can't afford one. Ask us and we'll point you in the right direction.

We can help with all of this

Our volunteers can help you set up a new device, move your photos and contacts across, and wipe an old device safely. If an old device no longer switches on, we can remove the part that stores your personal information, so you can recycle it without worrying where your data ends up.

Need a hand?

Please bring the device's charger or power lead with you. Our friendly volunteers can help at our free sessions:

Mondays 10am–12noon – St Wilfrid's Church Hall, Burgess Hill
Thursdays 10am–12noon – Spire Café, St John's Church, Burgess Hill
Haywards Heath – Bentswood @ No.34, America Lane (by appointment)

Call 07349 916841 or email spire.computer.help@gmail.com. No question is too small.

The Spire Computer Help Team