With the recent Windows 10 update Microsoft has worked hard to boost the security of its operating system. Windows 10 has more built-in security protections to help safeguard you against viruses, phishing, and malware. And it’s the most secure Windows version ever. Also, Microsoft pushes day to day updates to include New Features and Security improvements. Which helps you to stay current and your system to feel fresh. But From daily use, we also have to take care of some things to make Windows 10 More secure, Reliable and optimized. Here we have collected some tips to safe Secure and optimize Windows 10 performance and make Windows more secure and protected.
Windows 10 security guide
Here are some of the common settings you must enable and apply to secure Windows 10 laptops from hackers or unnecessary Data loss.
Turn On The System protection
Windows 10 disables System Protection by default, so if something happens to cause a problem with Windows, you won’t be able to ‘undo’ it. So before you do anything else You Must create the Restore Point as soon as your Windows installation is ready and name it Clean installation. Then you can continue installing drivers and applications. In case one of the drivers causes issues on the system, you can always go back to the Clean installation restore point.
Keep Windows 10 Up to Date
The first and most important thing to protect your Windows 10 is Regularly checked for the latest security updates and patches available for your Windows operating system and install them. Windows 10 is set to check and install updates automatically but you can also manually check and install available Windows updates.
- Press Windows + I to open the settings app,
- Click Update & Security, then Windows updates
- Now click on check for updates button.
- Windows will check for the latest available updates and instill them.
- It is a very important step to install the latest security and stability fix for your operating system.
Keep your software and Installed Drivers Updated
It is important to have not only your Windows operating system up to date but the software you are using. Therefore make sure you have the latest updates and security patches for your main programs and applications. Malicious hackers try to exploit popular software, such as Java, Adobe Flash, Adobe Shockwave, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Quicktime or popular web browsers like Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer, always make sure you have the latest available patches Installed.
Also Check and update your installed Device Drivers Like the most popular device drivers Display Driver, Audio driver, and Network Adapter. So that Windows can Run Smoothly And give your better performance.
Uninstall unwanted software
Make sure your Windows has not installed any unwanted software applications. Many manufacturers fill their PCs with all manner of software and most of it to put it politely isn’t much use. So before going online with your laptop, remove any software you think you won’t use.
To Remove Unwanted Software applications Go to Start -> Settings -> System -> Apps and features and look through the list. Anything from Microsoft Corporation is worth leaving for now since it’s probably part of Windows 10 and potentially useful. Here Remove all unwanted applications.
Review Windows 10’s privacy settings
Windows 10 has a handful of privacy settings that are questionable at best. These are only potentially problematic when you’re online when certain information about you and your PC will be shared with Microsoft. So it’s best to review and disable any you don’t like before connecting your laptop to your home network. To Do this
- open settings and Click on Privacy.
- Here you can Turn on or Off windows 10 Privacy.
- We Recommend all Options Off to make Windows more secure.
Use a standard user account to access Windows
It is recommended to use standard accounts for your computer to prevent users from making changes that affect everyone who uses the computer. Such as deleting important Windows files necessary for the system. In case you want to install an application or make security changes, Windows will ask you to provide the credentials for an administrator account.
So it’s advisable to create a Standard user account for each person who’ll use your PC which has limited Standard Rights than all-powerful Administrator ones. And also recommend that you set a strong password for your Windows user account.
Keep your User Account Control turned ON
Many users have the tendency to turn off User Account Control after installing/reinstalling the Windows operating system. But This is not recommended for your windows privacy. UAC monitors what changes are going to be made to your computer. When important changes appear, such as installing a program or removing an application, the UAC pops up asking for administrator-level permission. In case your user account is infected with malware, UAC helps you by keeping suspicious programs and activities from making changes on the system
So Instead of disabling the UAC, We recommend you can decrease the intensity level using a slider in the Control Panel.
Use Bit Locker to encrypt your hard drive
Even if you set a password to your Windows account, hackers can still get access to your private files and documents. They can simply do this by booting into their own operating system Linux. For example from a special disc or USB flash drive. For this, you can use the Windows 10 Bit Locker Feature To Encrypt your hard drive and protect your files.
To enable the Bit Locker for your System Drive simply open This PC. Right-click on System Drive and select Turn on Bit Locker. Read how to enable and manage BitLocker on Windows 10.
Install the Latest Updated Antivirus
Make sure that you have an updated anti-virus or anti-malware program, that can detect and prevents threats more quickly. This helps you to prevent malicious PC attacks and reduce identity theft. Here best free antivirus for Windows 10.
Use a firewall
Windows firewall helps to protect your PC and network connection. Firewall filters and monitors data from the internet and block information that is not allowed. This helps to provide protection from unauthorized remote, logins, email hijacking, backdoor access to certain applications on network machines, and viruses. So it is highly recommended to have some type of firewall on your PC.
Use different passwords on different Web Accounts
Generally, we have the habit of having the same password but it is extremely dangerous. As if in case the password is leaked, someone can access to each and every account you access. So it is suggested to avoid this habit and make use of a strong password and different passwords on different sites.
Perform frequent backups for Windows 10
The steps above are meant to keep Windows safe from malicious software and online threats. But you may still encounter hardware issues that could endanger your private information. To make sure your data stays safe, you should Perform Regular backups for Windows 10 include important files folder. Backing up your PC regularly protects you from unexpected crashes.
To set it up, access your Windows Control Panel and then click Backup and Restore Under System and Security to access the location. From this place, you can set an automatic backup, create a schedule and even choose a network location or External Hard Drive for your backup files.
So if in case your PC crashes this will help you to prevent the situation of data loss.
These are Some Best Tips to safe, secure and optimize Windows 10 computers. Have any query suggestions or new tips for secure Windows 10 Feel Free to comment below.
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