(Credit: Zain bin Awais/PCMag Composite; Deagreez/David Arky/captainsecret/via Getty Images)
Did you get a new desktop or laptop recently? I wish I could say you're ready to go, but out of the box, no computer is perfect. Windows-based PCs, especially, need some adjustments, additions, and alterations before they're ready for the rigors of everyday use.
You need to make your new system safe, as well as personalize it with your own preferences. Look closely, and you'll spot junk programs on the drive to remove, while there's other software that you should install right away. If you haven't been introduced to Windows, or it's been a while since you set up a new PC, we'll walk you through the process. If your new baby is a Mac, you've got a much shorter to-do list.
1. First Start: Figure Out Your Accounts
After you've made the basic initial connections (power, plus monitor, keyboard, and mouse as needed), Windows will prompt you to set various settings, such as your language, time zone, and clock and calendar. Microsoft will push you to create a login—preferably by signing up for or using an existing Microsoft account. The upside is that by using the account, you can sync your wallpapers and settings among all the Windows PCs you own. It's linking your PC to the cloud.
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)You may not want that. Instead, consider creating a local account. This isn't as easy as it should be, but the secret is to disconnect from the internet when setting up Windows. You may also want multiple accounts on the PC for use by the kids or other family members. You don't have to set that up now; you can do so at any time.
2. Do an Initial Scrub: De-Bloat or Reset the System
Big-name system vendors typically install software on their consumer PCs at the factory. These "extras" go by many names: bundleware, begware, bloatware, shovelware, and perhaps the most accurate, crapware. That's because a lot of it is just that: pure clutter.
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)Vendors install it under the guise of helping you out, but mostly they do it to get money from software makers, who pay them to preinstall it. The major system builders are reducing the amount of extra software (or at least ensuring it doesn't appear all over your system), but there is still a long way to go. You're pretty much guaranteed to find extra pre-loaded software on a retail-bought consumer system, less so on a business-oriented one.
Here's how to rid your PC of crapware. You can do it piece by piece as indicated at the link, but if a new PC has a lot of extra software installed, you might use the built-in Windows Reset tool first to restore the operating system to its basics. It will hopefully be free of all the extras—but it will leave the Microsoft-supplied stuff. You can uninstall what of that you don't want manually.
Don't confuse crapware with trialware—a trial version of software you might actually want that is active for a limited time. It might be worth keeping, especially if it's a free trial of a solid security product. (More about that in a moment.)
3. Get Current: Download Windows Updates
At some point, your PC will notify you that Windows updates are available, typically within five minutes after you successfully boot up. Grab those updates. Check for them via Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. You may be behind, depending on when Windows was physically installed on the computer. You may have several large updates to download. Let this process run its course. Walk away, eat some leftovers, and go watch Pluribus (IYKYK). It will take a while.
When the downloads are done, run Windows Update again. At this stage, updates tend to beget updates. Running it three times should be sufficient. By now, you should have a truly pristine Windows system. Delay updates by seven days if they're becoming too frequent, or set active hours so that updates occur only overnight or on weekends.
(Credit: RoseRodionova/Shutterstock)Also, you may want to consider updating your BIOS/UEFI. The Basic Input/Output System or Unified Extensible Firmware Interface sits in a chip on your PC's motherboard and stores the settings that enable it to start up and operate. It won't need frequent updates, but ensure it's running the most current version when you first start using your PC.
4. Activate Shields: Set Up Security Software
You should invest in protection to safeguard your system from malware. Our current Editors' Choice security packages include familiar names like Bitdefender and Norton. Each contains much more than anti-malware tools, such as firewalls, antispam tools, and even parental controls to keep kids who are online in line.
If you don't want to pay, you still need protection. There are numerous decent free antivirus programs available. Our current recommendation is Avast One Basic.
While the Microsoft Defender antivirus built into Windows has made significant strides in recent years, it's advisable to opt for a third-party antivirus that offers more comprehensive protection. (When you install the third-party antivirus, Windows Defender goes dormant. It only comes back to life if it detects that another antivirus isn't running. Running multiple antivirus products isn't always good for Windows.)
It used to be that you really needed personal firewall software to protect your PC from illicit access via the internet. You may even get one as part of a security suite. But you don't really need an extra firewall these days. The tool integrated into Windows does the trick, along with the firewall you likely have running on your home networking router.
5. Spread a Safety Net: Set Up Windows Recovery
In the past, when something catastrophic happened to Windows, some techies preferred to reinstall the OS. That's not something you do in Windows 10 or 11. Instead, use the Recovery utility to get a fresh start. Back up your pristine Windows system now, so you can restore everything quickly in the event of a disaster.
Here's a step-by-step guide on creating a recovery drive for future use, along with instructions on using that drive for a full restore. Depending on the system, Windows will either prompt you to connect an external USB drive or use a local drive partition for backup purposes.
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)Windows can also help you create a system image, which can help recover your baseline system in case it won't boot up. You can navigate quickly to that function by typing Control Panel\System and Security\Backup and Restore (Windows 7) into the Windows search box or File Explorer. (Yes, it says Windows 7, don't panic.) Making an image is like taking a snapshot of your current system—we recommend doing it now, at the beginning of your new PC's life. Restoring from the backup won't restore your apps and files created after you made the image, but using this as the basis will make recovery much faster.
6. Time to Move In: Transfer Over Your Files
Windows used to make it simple to move files from your old computer to the new one with the Windows Easy Transfer utility. However, this is not available in Windows 10 or 11, so Microsoft recommends using Laplink's PCmover Express instead. You can use the free version, but to transfer your old programs, you need the $29.95 commercial version.
You can always use old-school sneakernet method—copy files from the old PC to a USB drive, then walk them over and copy them onto your new machine—but if you've got a lot of files, this could take a while. A better alternative is to use your home network to transfer files.
The easiest method, however, is to already have all your old PC files backed up to a cloud storage and file-sharing service like Dropbox, IDrive (PCMag's Editors' Choice pick), Google Drive (also Editors' Choice), or Microsoft OneDrive (which is an Editors' Choice, is rated 5 stars, and comes integrated with Windows). Run your cloud storage app on all your PCs (including mobile devices) to back up all your files. Install the service on your new PC, and then all your files across all devices will appear. Once the files are transferred, you've also got your file backup system in place. It's a win/win.
7. Which Web Window? Pick Out a Better Browser
You have your choice of web browser and shouldn't settle.
Windows comes with Edge as its pre-installed primary web browser. In fact, you can't uninstall Edge because, Microsoft claims, too many things rely on having at least one browser installed. Edge now uses the same underlying engine as Google Chrome, so you know that web pages will most likely render the way they're supposed to; plus, you can use extensions. You can always install Chrome, as 71.1% of people do, but when it comes to extensibility and supporting standards, Mozilla Firefox wrote the book.
(Credit: Bob Al-Greene)You may have also noticed new browsers have been released that feature built-in artificial intelligence (AI) options. We have yet to see an AI-specific browser worth considering. The browsers mentioned above already have numerous AI features, if you want to experiment with features like Microsoft's Copilot or Google's Gemini.
8. Replicating Your Environment: Get Your Programs in Place
We can't tell you what software is most necessary for your needs. We can say, generically, that no PC is complete without at least an office suite, a photo-editing tool, and a web browser. There are free alternatives for almost any program you might need, many of which are web-based, so you can use them right in the browser. (See our no-cost favorites in The Best Free Software.)
If you want the same setup as your previous machine, check the Program Files folder on the C: drive of your old Windows PC, as well as the Start menu. Create a list of the programs. You'll also want to carry over the settings and login info for all your communications, such as emails and direct messages.
(Credit: Shutterstock/Andrey Suslov)Two other key pieces of software to consider: a VPN to keep your internet traffic private; and a password manager to help you keep track of the hundreds of credentials you'll need to log in at services across the web and on your PC.
Some software you subscribe to, like office suites, may be limited to access from a certain number of machines. Check that the software is de-authorized on your old PC if you won't be using it there ever again. (Uninstalling it should do the trick, in most cases.)
9. Tune-Up Time: Make Essential Tweaks in Windows
With the right hardware, Windows is impressively fast, but tweaks can further enhance performance on any system. In the past, Windows could have benefited a lot from using third-party tune-up software. You can still find plenty of such utilities that allow a one-click optimize, but none of them is a game-changer these days.
Many of the tools you need to optimize Windows 10 and 11 are built right in. They just lack that one-click option. Read all about the best options in How to Tune Up Your Windows PC for Free. That includes using the disk defragmenter (if you have a classic hard drive), freeing up extra drive space, and setting what apps launch at startup. (That story is geared toward Windows 10, but many of the same tips apply to Windows 11.) We also have 12 Tips to Speed Up Windows, including hardware options such as adding more RAM. (Max it out, if you can afford to!)
Perhaps the best tip for improving performance is to go to Settings and type in "adjust appearance" to access the system's Performance Options. Under Visual Effects, you can experiment with turning off animations, fades, and shadows...whatever you can live without. Windows may not look as visually appealing, but it might run a bit faster, depending on the hardware your system is equipped with. If it's a robust new PC, you may not notice much difference, but this tweak could help with an older, refurbished, or extreme-budget model.
10. Upgrade Your Desk: Check Out the Bundled Gear
Getting a new PC is the perfect opportunity to reassess the hardware peripherals attached to your old PC. Before you start plugging things from your old Windows 7, 8, or 10 machine into your new Windows 11 system, consider them carefully. Do you really need that antique flatbed scanner now that the pictures you take are all on your smartphone? Old USB hubs, decade-old inkjet printers, and low-capacity portable hard drives could probably all stand a refresh, if not outright recycling.
(Credit: Mike Epstein)Moving old hardware to a new PC means you need the latest drivers—that's the software that enables peripherals to work well with Windows. If you're connecting old hardware, even if Windows recognizes it and everything seems to be working, seek out the latest drivers. It's a job best done manually or via Windows Update (Windows 11 tends to be pretty good about driver installs these days), but you can also use a utility like Iobit Driver Booster or DriverPack to assist.
Not everything new is automatically good. That mouse and keyboard that came bundled with your new desktop PC should be considered suspect. PC vendors aren't known for including highly ergonomic or well-built input devices; they tend to be throw-ins. Consider something from our collection of best wireless keyboards, or best mechanical keyboards instead. Invest in an ergonomic keyboard and mouse, even if your new PC is a laptop, especially if you don't frequently move around. Your wrists will thank you later.
11. Make 'Future You' Happy: Register Everything
It's no guarantee of great technical support, but if you register your PC with the manufacturer, as well as register the software and peripherals with their respective creators, you stand a better chance of being recognized when the time comes to call for help. Getting a vendor to honor a warranty often depends on knowing when you bought or received the product. It's smart to be registered in case there's a recall—you don't want to be the only person walking around with a laptop battery that might catch on fire, do you?
It's also smart to purchase your new PC with a credit card that offers its own extended warranty option, because an extended warranty from a reseller is typically not worth it.
Registering online is relatively painless. One downside is that registration can also put your name on endless mailing lists, so if that bothers you, deselect that option when signing up, or create a special email address to use for filtering them. For example, Gmail users can stick a random period into the first part of their email address (along the lines of your.name@gmail.com). Use that altered address, and mail will still come to the account, but you can filter messages sent to that address into special folders.
But Wait: What to Do With Your Old PC?
You can probably put your old PC to good use. Turn it into something new (a Linux workstation! A home server! A hotspot!), give it to someone in need, or recycle it (if you trust recyclers anymore). There are numerous options; we list several in Creative Uses for an Old PC.
(Credit: Filip_Krstic/Getty Images)Regardless, sanitize the hard drive before passing it on. At the very least, format the drive(s) before recycling the old PC. If you're sending it off with Windows 10, perform a full factory reset to return the system to its original, out-of-the-box settings. If you're extra paranoid, formatting isn't enough to ensure that your old data on a drive is completely unrecoverable. Specialty software, such as Darik's Boot and Nuke or Active@ KillDisk - Hard Drive Eraser, can do the job for free, but it may take hours.
There's always the Swiss cheese option: Take the drive out to the workshop and drill a hole through it. Or snap that SSD in half, if you must. You could take more extreme physical destruction measures, but that's probably overkill, even for your data.
Editors' Note: Joel Santo Domingo contributed to this story.