Steps To Take Before You Recycle Your Laptop Computer

Posted on: 11 April 2017

When your laptop computer reaches the end of its life, it's ideal to opt for laptop recycling instead of simply throwing it in the garbage. By dropping the computer off at an electronics recycling depot in your community, you can trust that the device will be broken down and have its various elements recycled properly. Before you deliver the laptop to the recycling center, though, you'll want to take a few minutes to prepare it to be no longer in your possession. Here are some important steps that you should take.

Delete All Of Your Personal Files

It's important to delete your personal files before you get rid of the laptop computer. Take some time go through each of your documents folders and delete the files that you no longer need. If you find files that you want to keep, copy them to a flash drive and transfer them to your laptop computer or keep them on the flash drive to be copied over to another laptop computer when you buy one. Be meticulous about thoroughly going through the laptop and making sure that nothing remains that can link it to you or that may compromise your privacy.

Remove Anything Hardware

You may make the mistake of dropping off the laptop computer to be recycled, only to later release that you didn't remove a key piece of hardware. It's easy to forget to pull out the wireless receiver, for example, if you typically use a wireless mouse with your laptop computer. The wireless receiver is a small accessory that plugs into a USB port in the laptop. Without the receiver, your wireless mouse will not be able to be used on a different computer. Similarly, make sure that you eject the laptop computer's CD/DVD drive to make sure that there isn't a disc inside the machine.

Delete Any Saved Personal Information

Another task that you'll want to complete is removing each of your saved bookmarks. If you feel concerned about your privacy, you'll feel better knowing that the bookmarks file is now empty. Additionally, you'll want to remove any passwords that you have saved on the computer. If you have a password manager program, make sure to disable it before getting rid of the laptop computer. If you save your passwords in an autocomplete form, make sure to delete this form so that the passwords are no longer accessible on the computer.

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