Declutter your digital life: how cleaning your devices boosts speed and saves space

Spring means many things. The return of nicer weather. A change in your wardrobe. A return to the great outdoors. Heck, some of us might even chance our arm and crack out the barbeque, because why not?

But for many of us, this season also gives us the fear, because one member of our household is about to suggest the two words that no one wants to hear at the exact same time it has just got sunny outside:

Spring clean.

Those words herald a seemingly endless process of clearing out drawers filled with old batteries and keys belonging to homes you once lived in, trying on clothes earmarked for the charity shop and an industrial level of cleaning not seen since 2020.

But we have to admit, it makes sense to do this decluttering once a year to keep our homes in tip-top shape. So why don’t we do the same for our devices?

If you find your device has been getting slower, it can prompt thoughts of needing a new one. Over time, laptops, phones and tablets get bogged down with files and apps that are no longer needed. This slows them down and sometimes makes them unstable to use.

But don’t trade in your tech just yet! Sometimes all you need is to spring clean your device to enhance your device’s speed, extend battery life and free up storage. You won’t even need a pair of marigolds or a feather duster.

According to research by O2, nearly half of British mobile phone users are paying for additional mobile storage. It reveals the true cost of being a digital hoarder: millennials are paying more than six times more than boomers pay (£33.36 vs £4.80) over the course of a year for extra storage.

Read on to discover the benefits of cleaning your devices, including some useful tricks to keep your electronics in tip-top shape!

Is your device running low on space? No matter how much storage space a device has, over time it starts to run out. Apps, app data, downloads, screenshots, saved memes and other content can take up valuable room, so cleaning up old junk will free up space for fun and new stuff. Otherwise, you might find that you can’t take photos or install apps.

Here are a few tips to save device space:

1. Say no to automatic saving: Check to see which apps automatically save images, apps like WhatsApp can add images to your photo album without you even realising.

2. Clean out the voice notes, videos and photos from your chat history: These can unexpectedly take up a lot of space on your device, so remember to occasionally have a clear-out and delete any content you don’t need to avoid unnecessary build-up.

3. Once you’ve listened to it, delete it: Podcast downloads can easily pile up when you subscribe to them weekly, so try to delete episodes once you’ve listened. File sizes can be between 25MB and 50MB per episode, so these can very quickly dominate your device storage.

4. Steer clear of filming in 4K: This will require significantly more storage space than lower resolutions like 1080p, especially if you like to take numerous videos, because it has four times the number of pixels, meaning more data to store per frame.

5. Organise and delete unneeded apps: Regularly take stock of how much storage your apps are using. If you’ve not used an app in several weeks, consider whether you really need it.

6. Delete videos you’ll never rewatch: Gig-goers especially are renowned for taking photos at gigs, and while it’s great to capture those memories, do you really need 20 video clips of one song?

If your computer or phone feels slower than before, it could be because there are too many processes affecting its performance. A virus running in the background can also slow everything down. If you give your device a spring clean, apps will start up and run faster and more smoothly – and you’ll also remove any threats to your tech.

All this background noise on your device can also contribute to slower WiFi when you try to connect, so the benefits to your device’s performance are numerous.

Here are a few tips for faster performance:

1. Empty the cache: Regularly clear your app and browser cache to free up memory and keep things running smoothly.

2. Update your software: Running the latest versions of your apps or software ensures your device benefits from performance fixes and speed optimisations.

3. Limit background processes: Disable unnecessary background app refresh or startup items, especially on older devices.

Wouldn’t it be nice if your battery lasted longer? Well, cleaning your device can significantly extend your battery life. Remove unnecessary apps, potential malware and processes that consume your device’s battery, and you won’t need to recharge as often.

Here are a few tips to improve battery performance:

1. Delete battery-draining apps: Some apps or applications constantly run in the background and hog battery power on your laptop, phone or tablet. Ditch the ones you rarely use, especially social media or location-based apps.

2. Lower screen brightness: Your display can be one of the biggest battery consumers. Turn down the brightness or enable auto-brightness to save power.

3. Turn off unused features: Disable Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS or mobile data, if you’re not using them. They quietly drain your battery, even in standby mode.

Many apps run in the background even when you don’t actively use them. They might also have access to user data including your location, contacts, browsing history and photos. Deleting apps you don’t need will remove unwanted data collection and free up some space too.

Here are a few tips to protect your privacy:

1. Uninstall unused apps with excessive permissions: Old or rarely used apps may still have access to your location, contacts or camera. If you don’t need them, delete them.

2. Review app permissions: Head into your settings and check what data your apps can access. Remove and revoke anything unnecessary.

3. Clear browsing history and cache: As well as speeding up your device, regularly clearing your browser history and cookies can prevent websites from tracking your activity.

4. Remove old accounts and stored logins: Go through your saved passwords or auto-logins and delete accounts you no longer use. Old accounts can be entry points for hackers, especially if you’ve used the same passwords on multiple accounts.

When you take care of your device and keep it clean, it lasts longer and means you don’t have to break the bank replacing it. Having to buy a new phone every three years instead of every two years is much more manageable, especially if there are lots of devices in your household!

As viruses and malware can slow down your device, removing them can make everything run smoother. That’s why running a security check is crucial when spring cleaning your device. But cleaning your device from potential malware is only reacting to existing threats. Protect your newly cleaned devices against any future threats with antivirus software.

With a protected device you don’t need to worry about security issues. Installing security software automatically detects any malware on your device, making spring cleaning your device easier while protecting you online. Now, that’s a win-win!

Kick things up a notch with our award-winning Advanced Security add-on for £3 a month. It’s packed with premium features that’ll keep you safe on as many devices as you need – even when you’re not connected to your home WiFi. Sign up here for Virgin Media Advanced Security to start your no-commitment three-month trial today. No bank or credit card details are required for the trial. Then download it on all your online devices to get going.

Don’t forget that for Virgin Media broadband customers, Essential Security is always on guard, picking up on scam websites and warning you before your devices are exposed to anything malicious. That means your family can browse to the max, knowing we’ve got your backs. The best bit? It’s built into your home’s WiFi network, at no extra cost – and it’s automatically activated when you join us, so you don’t need to lift a finger. Manage your Essential Security, including parental controls, from My Virgin Media.