Five ways to look after your laptop for longer

Keeping a laptop in daily use for longer saves money and puts off a replacement. It's also better for the planet to use what you already have for longer.

If your machine is starting to feel its age, here are five practical ways to look after it for longer.

1. Master the 20/80 Battery Rule

The battery is often the first part to wear, from age and heat. The 20/80 rule is a rough habit, not a law, so if the laptop has a manufacturer's charge limit, follow that.

• Aim for the middle on ordinary days. Many people try to keep the battery between 20% and 80% when that fits around their day.

• If it lives on the charger, use the built-in limit. That stops the battery sitting at full charge all week.

• Heat wears a battery too. Use the laptop on a hard, flat surface so the vents can breathe.

2. The "Clean Vents" Habit

Dust in the fans makes the laptop run hotter, and that heat is hard on the internal parts.

• Wipe the outside of the vents. A soft cloth is enough. Use short bursts of canned air held away from the fan. Blowing straight into the vents can push dust further in and spin the fan too fast.

• Whether the inside needs opening depends on the machine, where it sits, the symptoms, and the manufacturer's guidance. There isn't an annual teardown for every laptop.

3. Upgrade, Don't Replace

A slow laptop often has a tired hard drive or too little memory.

• An SSD swap is the usual speed fix. Swapping a hard drive for a solid-state drive can make an old laptop feel much quicker. People in Rayleigh book that swap with us too. SSD upgrade £65 + drive (includes fitting and data transfer).

• A RAM expansion gives heavier software more room. Where the laptop allows it, 16GB is a comfortable step up from 8GB.

4. Software "Spring Cleaning"

Old programs and temporary files can make a system feel cluttered.

• Uninstall what you no longer use. It takes a few minutes and frees up room for the programs you do use.

• Install updates when they're offered. They include security patches, and often small fixes that help older hardware.

5. Professional "Health Checks"

A regular service can catch a tired fan or a software clash early, before it turns into a bigger job.

Join the Local Repair Revolution

At LaunchLayer, we think the most sustainable laptop is the one you already own. We refurbish and upgrade older machines so they keep going for years.

Want help looking after the laptop you have? Book a sustainability check. Drop-off at the workshop is by appointment. Call 07367 652987 or send a message and we'll confirm a time and the address. ️