If you are into technology at all, you should know by now that Apple products are meant to last – for years.
That is, if you take care of your device properly.
Your MacBook is built to perform seamlessly the entire time you own it. After all, that’s why people are willing to pay so much for them, both new and used.
However, if you don’t take care of your laptop the way you should, you run the risk of cutting its shelf life significantly.
Let’s take a look at some of the best maintenance tasks you should be following, so that when it comes time to upgrade to a newer version, you can enlist the help of a service such as Gadget Salvation and sell MacBook for cash (so you can afford Apple’s latest release of course!).
1. Time Machine It
If you are familiar with Apple computers, you will know what the Time Machine is. And, for those that are not keep reading.
Apple’s Time Machine is the built-in backup system that helps you restore your computer to a previous version should your data become compromised or lost.
By regularly backing up your MacBook’s data, you not only protect your information from being lost forever in the case of an emergency, you help sort all the data you are storing on your computer in an organized way so it doesn’t clog the internal machinery and cause slowdowns.
2. Consider Anti-Virus Software
As technology continues to advance, MacBooks become more vulnerable to attack. Despite myths that viruses never affect Apple products, the truth is, malware can get onto your laptop if you are not careful.
If you haven’t done so already, consider installing some anti-virus software onto your MacBook as an added protection against unwarranted attacks. Routinely scanning your device for infection and suspicious activity, your data will remain protected.
3. Utilize the Disk Utility
Another great, built-in feature that MacBooks have is the Disk Utility program. Designed to manage internal disks and external storage devices, Disk Utility can do a number of things to extend the life of your MacBook:
- Organize and manage data by dividing your disk into partitions
- Store files in a disk image, a single file you can use to transfer data from one computer to another
- Combine multiple hard disks into a RAID set, which acts as a single disk, to increase performance, reliability, and storage capacity
- Check and repair errors on your disks and volumes
As you can see, not only can using the Disk Utility help your MacBook outlast any other laptop you’ve ever had, it protects it from damage as well.
4. Keep it Clean
Not only is managing the interior of your MacBook important for a long-lasting gadget, but so is caring for its exterior and keeping it dust free.
Make sure to clean the monitor screen, the keyboard, and even mouse on a regular basis so dust and grime doesn’t settle into the cracks and affect your MacBook’s performance.
When cleaning, always use a damp, lint-free cloth. You don’t want any moisture getting on the inside of the computer, less you want the hardware to become water damaged and ruined.
In addition, never use any type of aerosol spray, solvent, or abrasive on your laptop. This is especially true when it comes to cleaning the monitor. If you spray harsh chemicals on your laptop’s monitor, you run the risk of scratching the monitor and messing up the pixelation.
5. Shut Down Apps
Whenever you are not using your MacBook, but are running apps in the background, you are straining your laptop and causing unnecessary wear and tear that will shorten how long your laptop lasts.
Take care to shut off things like iTunes or your web browser when you are not using them to preserve precious RAM and CPU, prevent heating up your machine more than it needs to, and save on your laptop’s overall speed and performance.
Properly caring for your MacBook is going to help extend the life of your device and make sure it runs seamlessly until you are ready for an upgrade.
So, start implementing some of these much-needed maintenance tasks into your laptop’s care regimen and see how long you can make your Apple product last.
