Even while it would be tempting to use your new computer right away, there are a few things you should do before utilizing it.

Rather, take care of these five issues before moving further:

Upgrade Your Antivirus Software

The phrase “install an antimalware program” crossed our minds, but practically all machines already have one installed. With Windows already pre-installed, the majority of computers are ready to use.

The problem is that it will not be updated. Most likely not, anyhow. Thus, once it’s configured, go to the scanner’s settings and update the “definitions”—the instructions that train the software on how to recognize and eliminate new Trojan horses, worms, viruses, and other threats.

Install any Windows updates that are available.

Yes, you would hope that your brand-new computer will come with all the updates, but most likely not. Microsoft updates Windows with security and non-security patches at least once a month, and frequently more!

The automatic download and installation of updates is setup in the Windows Update program. Although this is usually a positive thing, in the initial hours of using your new computer, it might be a bit overwhelming to have this happening in the background. Thankfully, changing Windows Update settings is simple, and we typically advise users to do this.

Set up a program for file recovery.

You may be surprised by this one. Installing a recovery program seems sense if you haven’t even used your computer yet, let alone lost anything.

The main drawback of file recovery software is that it’s best to install it before you actually need it. Here’s why. Installing the software after the file has been deleted may cause the deleted file’s location on the hard disk to be overwritten, making it impossible for you to undelete. You don’t want to take that chance.

Sign up on an Online Backup Service

Online backup services automatically save the data you wish to be protected on secure servers located away from your home or place of business. They combine software tools and subscription services.

The greatest and most economical long-term approach for safeguarding your data is to use an online backup service.

Remove any programs that you don’t want.

You may already have noticed that your computer came with a lot of…well, let’s just say “extra” software.

Apart from using up some hard drive space, leaving these programs installed won’t harm anything. As a matter of fact, a lot of these preinstalled apps bog down and take up processor and memory resources that you could be using for other purposes.

Depending on the version of Windows you are using, navigate to Settings in the Control Panel and remove those apps.