Buzz
In the future, you'll be reminded to follow the Windows setup instructions. You'll be asked simple questions to gather details and required to log in to any Windows account you may own.
This phase is quite straightforward. The key is to set up your laptop in a location with a secure Wi-Fi connection. Home or your workplace is ideal. You'll need to know the Wi-Fi password for the setup process, so have it ready.
Software Update
Once your laptop has completed the necessary settings, it's time to ensure it's up to date. Even if you have the latest laptop model, it might not be running the latest version of the operating system.
If you've owned a Windows laptop before, you know they often feel the need to update their operating system almost weekly.
This means that if your laptop installed the OS six months ago during production, it's already far behind. Click on the 'search' bar at the bottom of the screen and type 'update.' You'll see the check for update option. Click here, then follow the prompts to allow all updates. You should restart your laptop after these updates are done (if it doesn't restart automatically).
Eliminate Bloatware
Unfortunately, all modern laptops come with something commonly known as bloatware. This is software pre-installed on your laptop that doesn't bring any benefits and only slows down your laptop.
A common example of obvious bloatware you'll find on your laptop is the Candy Crush Saga game. This is unnecessary software, and you might not want it. It's best to uninstall this software now while your new laptop is relatively free of files, and they are easy to find.
When you find something you want to remove, right-click and follow the uninstall instructions for each item. A common form of bloatware that you might not recognize as harmful to your computer is the McAfee antivirus software. This 'antivirus software' is almost like a virus, and you'd do well to get rid of it. Windows Defender is better and free.
Install Your Chosen Browser
Next, you might want to install your favorite browser. You may want either Google Chrome or Firefox. Simply open Microsoft Edge and search for either of the browsers.
They are easy enough to install—find their download link on their website and follow the instructions. Of course, while you can opt to use Microsoft Edge, it's understandable if you choose not to.
Microsoft Edge might try to persuade you to continue using it instead of a new browser. It might even provide you with an interesting chart or graph about its excellence. It's all quite skewed, and you'd be better off using Google Chrome.
Install Antivirus Software
Next on your checklist for your new laptop is antivirus software. As mentioned earlier, you'll want to uninstall McAfee if you have it pre-installed on your laptop. It's truly dreadful.
The software creator publicly stated that it's not just one of the worst antivirus software but one of the worst things in general on the entire planet. His interpretation, the actual language choice, is far worse and not suitable for this article. It's best to use Windows Defender—easy to find and install by typing 'Windows Defender' into the search bar at the bottom left of your screen.
Aesthetic Changes
Next comes the fun part—aesthetic changes. Choose a laptop theme, your nickname on your laptop, organize your desktop, and set a screensaver.
There's no wrong way to do this; it's time to inject some of your creative flair into your laptop.
Set up Child Safety
If the laptop is for a child, not yourself, it's important to set up parental control restrictions. To do this, go to accounts, family and others, add a family member, and then add a child.
Once you've done this, you'll have access to all parental control restrictions. You can change these anytime, don't worry. You can enforce the following restrictions on your child's account:
- Limit web browsing time and results
- Filter adult content
- Set age limits for games
- Manage screen time
- Receive reports to the main account (yours) about their activities.
Hopefully, this short article has provided you with everything you need to set up your new laptop.
It's crucial to do these things accurately and quickly to ensure your laptop runs smoothly. Installing reliable antivirus software is one of the most important steps; make sure to do this before starting to use your laptop as usual.
