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The 13-Step Digital Declutter

Metadata

  • Author: Darien Graham-Smith
  • Full Title: The 13-Step Digital Declutter
  • Category: #Type/Highlight/Article
  • URL: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jul/30/13-step-digital-declutter-clean-up-online

Highlights

  • Use free tools to clear out bloat
  • Deactivate unused online accounts
  • Get off unwanted mailing lists
  • Free up space in your Gmail account
  • Clear out browser extensions
  • Track down space-wasting documents
  • Windows users can use a free utility called WinDirStat;
  • Deleting dozens of old accounts individually can be a chore, however. Account Killer is a free service that can help you quit hundreds of popular services with a few clicks. Simply type in the name of a website – or browse the complete list provided – and you’ll see a colour-coded button. For “white-listed” services, Account Killer provides a link directly to the relevant deletion page.
  • Remove optional Windows features
  • To review and remove installed language packs, open the Start menu and type “lpksetup”.
  • Windows 10 also comes with numerous preinstalled Store apps. Clearing these out involves typing in a few commands but it’s easy to do: see here for instructions. For the nuclear option, search the Start menu for “Reset this PC”: this will remove all installed apps and revert your PC to a pristine state, while keeping your personal files safe.
  • Prevent programs launching on startup
  • Keep your photos in the cloud
  • Clean up your feeds