Why is it important to always keep your internet browser and other computer applications up to date?

Maintaining your computer with the latest updates is one of the most important things you can do to keep your information secure and avoid crashes. Use our guide to find out how to update your PC.

Although each new version of major operating systems includes more maintenance tasks that run automatically, there are still some tasks you should perform to keep your computer updated. An updated computer allows you to run the newest programs hassle-free.

It’s also important to keep your PC updated to avoid viruses and other malware. Hackers are always looking to exploit holes in operating systems and apps that will allow them to send a virus, install adware, or install spyware.

Software companies combat the hackers by putting out updates to their products. It’s important to install these updates to keep your computer operating securely and efficiently.

Windows 10 will automatically install Windows & app updates. To make sure your software is up-to-date, first click the Windows icon, select Control Panel, then select System and Security, then Windows Update. Click Check for updates to manually check for additional updates.

For earlier Windows versions, the same process is possible, but check to make sure you haven’t turned off Windows Update. If you get messages prompting you to install important updates, install them.

Be sure to reboot when prompted; rebooting is an important part of the installation process. If you wait to reboot, the queue of items can be very long and rebooting will take longer. Some updates can be installed only after other updates, so if it’s been a very long time since you rebooted the updates can get stalled looking for other updates.

You should have anti-virus software running, and updating, to keep your computer safe. There are many kinds of anti-virus software, including anti-spyware, anti-adware, and anti-malware. The important thing is to install software that checks automatically for updates to keep your computer free of malware.

Be sure to turn on automatic updates when installing any new app. That way you get the most recent versions with protection against any known vulnerabilities hackers can exploit.

If there isn’t an option for automatic updates, be sure to check the seller’s website for updates. Never click links sent by email, as these might not be sent from the seller and can contain malware or phishing attempts.

A driver is a piece of software that tells a specific hardware component how to run. Generally, drivers are updated automatically, but if you are having trouble with a piece of hardware, check the seller’s website to see if there is an updated driver and download any that are recommended.

To find out the exact name of the hardware component, click the Windows icon, then select Control Panel, then Hardware and Sound, and click on Devices and Printers. The window will list all the hardware items you have installed.

If you have updated your operating system, apps, anti-virus software, and any drivers and your system is still having performance issues, try these options.

It’s easy to always leave your PC on; everything you were doing is ready when you come back to it. But leaving everything running all the time can create slow response times. Restarting closes forgotten apps running in the background and clears the memory cache. Restarting can also trigger updates and patches that require a restart.

Be sure to restart properly, by going to the Start menu and selecting Restart or Shut Down.

Apps and web browser tabs use valuable RAM resources, even when you’re not directly interacting with them. To combat this, re-configure apps that start automatically if you don’t need them when you first start your computer and close any web browser tabs that you’re not using.

If you use Microsoft® Windows®, you can see the apps that are using memory right now:

1. Hold down the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys at the same time
2. Select Start Task Manager
3. Open the Processes tab

See which programs are using the most resources and decide if you can close them. Be careful which processes you do close, as this might affect the important background tasks running on your machine.

Hard drives can become corrupted from a variety of sources, including hard or cold shut downs (just pressing the power button while the computer is running). Follow these steps to check if your hard disk is corrupted:

1. Click Start, select Computer, right-click on your hard drive and select Properties
2. Click Tools, under Error-checking, click Check now
3. A Check Disk dialog will appear, select both options, then click Start
4. Click Schedule disk check
5. Close all open programs, then restart the computer. The check will take some time, so keep your PC turned on and connected to a power source.

To avoid problems with hard disks, upgrade your computer to a solid state drive. Learn more about solid state drives here.

If there is an error message when the check completes, consider upgrading your drive.

Think your computer might need an upgrade? Find out more about upgrades for your device.

Many computers can be sped up with the addition of more memory (RAM). To see how much memory your Windows computer has, follow this process:

1. Click Start and then select Control Panel
2. Select System and Security, under System, select View amount of RAM and processor speed
3. The amount of Installed memory (RAM) is displayed 

Find out more about how to install more memory on your desktop or laptop computer.

A memory (RAM) upgrade is ideal for improving responsiveness, running apps faster, and multitasking with ease. Because nearly every computer operation relies on memory, it’s essential to have a surplus of RAM to allow for sudden peaks in memory demand; and that’s why a memory upgrade is one of the best ways to improve PC performance. Use this guide to see how much memory you need.

Your computer should now be up-to-date with the latest versions of all your apps and games. This will help you not just to run programs faster, but also to browse the internet more safely.

We’re all guilty of it – the pop-up window interrupts our work flow or online shopping telling us our system is out of date, asking if we’d like to restart our computer or laptop. It’s never a convenient time, so we click through and plan on doing it later. That’s if we remember. But there’s a reason our devices are so insistent we update our operating systems.

Why staying up to date is so important

First and foremost, the thing to remember is that upgrades and updates are not the same thing. If you’re a Windows or Mac user, you’re probably familiar with the process when a new upgrade to your operating system becomes available. Many Mac users, for example, like to wait a little while before upgrading, even if the upgrade is free, to make sure they’re ready for the changes it will include (or possibly to let other people experience any bugs first!).  And for the most part, upgrades are not required. You may be comfortable with your existing operating system, or be working with a machine that doesn’t have the oomph to handle the latest upgrade.

Updates, however, are not to be ignored. These are issued for highly functional reasons. Sometimes they include enhancements or general improvements, but often, they fix dangerous bugs in the operating system, or even more important, patch vulnerabilities cyberattacks can take advantage of. It’s this latter reason in particular why you should update your operating system as soon as possible when you’re alerted to do so. Or even better, make sure you’ve set up your machine to update automatically.

So what issues can an update fix?

Security issues

Outdated software is a goldmine for hackers. Companies know this and when they locate a weakness in their own system, they will update the operating system to close those weaknesses and shut down that avenue of attack. But if you don’t update your device, that vulnerability still exists, and hackers know that many users are lackadaisical about updating. Nearly 40% of adults don’t update their computers or mobile devices. Some of the biggest malware attacks in recent years have been as dangerous as they were because of unpatched/out-of-date software.

Performance improvements

Here’s a reason to want to updates when the opportunity arises. Often, these updates fix bugs that are slowing down your software or causing minor inconveniences you may not even be aware of (or, perhaps worse, you are aware of but may not know there’s a fix for).

Incompatibility

Software changes all the time. Running outdated software may mean you’ll run into issues when that software tries to interact with, for example, files from a newer system that are unsupported by older systems. It’s not as scary as vulnerability to a cyberattack, but it’s an annoyance that can be avoided, so why not update?

Don’t just rely on patching

It’s worth noting that a strong cybersecurity solution can help keep you safe if you miss a patch or update to your existing software. Sophos Home secures against the sorts of cyberattacks that prey upon unpatched or out-of-date operating systems. And together, an up-to-date operating system and a powerful security solution will keep the bad guys at bay so you can surf safely.

When updating isn’t an option

Another inevitability of software: eventually, it is no longer supported by the manufacturer. As Popular Science says, “all software goes to heaven.” Nothing lasts forever, even operating systems. At this point, it really does become imperative for users to move on.  All of the risks we’ve already mentioned above when you don’t update your software become even more unavoidable. With no more patches, no more updates, and no more security improvements, running End of Life (EOL) software means you’re jumping without a parachute on the internet.

Developers certainly leave time before this happens – most give significant warning when software is reaching EOL, and will support older versions of their software for as long as it’s feasible.

In the end, though, your favorite operating system will inevitably become unusable. You’ve essentially got two options: upgrade to the latest version or buy a new device.

The former works if the current computer can handle the latest version of the software you prefer. Whether Windows or Mac, there’s always a newer version to replace the outdated one (and if you’ve hung onto an older OS long enough to reach EOL, probably several newer versions!). Windows sometimes makes the upgrades free but will often charge; Mac generally makes the upgrades free, but not every Mac will be able to meet the minimum requirements for the upgrade. Both companies usually support several editions back from the most recent version, though, so chances are if you can’t run the newest version, you can find a slightly older version still supported.

And of course if your computer is old enough to be running an EOL operating system, there might be enough technological upgrades that have become standard in the years between to make it time to move on to a newer device. Just remember to back up your information safely and securely before moving to a new machine.