How To

It’s that time of year again – time for a significant portion of the population to get ready to head back to school. If you’re one of those people, or a parent of one of those people, you’re probably most worried about making sure you have all the right supplies handy. Once you’ve got the gear sorted out, you’re going to want to make sure both your gadgets and your data are secure.

Regardless of whether you’re a parent or a student, you’re going to want to set up your devices so that they’re ready to be used safely. There are a lot of small changes you can make as you’re setting up your laptop to ensure it’s set up securely, and this guide will walk you through the process. If it’s a new iPhone that’s in your hot little hands, there are also several things you can do to improve its data security. Theft and loss are common with smartphones, so it’s a good idea to take a moment to help you recover your device if such a thing should happen.

Once you’re at school, there are additional threats to the security of your data, whether you’re using your own machine or public computers. There are a few things you can do to specifically protect your devices and data when you’re at school, which we recommend taking a stab at before the protection is needed.

If you’re a parent, you may have additional concerns about keeping your child safe and sound, and using computers in an age-appropriate way. There are ways you can talk to your kids and set up good boundaries, regardless of their age, to keep them safe (or from spending all their time staring at a screen!).

Armed with knowledge, you can start the school year with no more worry than whether you’ll be able to find your classes, or whether your favorite t-shirt is still cool.