Topics
Reference topics
This reference is split into four topics, each with its own set of questions. The first covers what you do with your laptop every day, almost without thinking. The second is about dust, smudges and heat that quietly get in the way of its work. The third briefly explains how to treat the battery. The fourth deals with trips, bags and those weeks when the laptop sits unused.
A laptop has no instinct for self-preservation. It works wherever you leave it and breathes only as freely as the surface underneath allows.
We chose these topics based on situations nearly every laptop owner runs into during the first year. We write in general terms and don't replace your user manual: when it comes to charging, temperature or cleaning products, the manufacturer of your model always has the final word.
Every day
Small, repeated actions affect a laptop more than rare accidents do. Here's how to set it down, close it and carry it.
- Where to set your laptop
Why a hard table beats your lap, a pillow or the couch, and what happens when the vents are blocked.
- How to close the lid
Why you should clear pens and earbuds off the keyboard before closing, and never lift an open laptop by the edge of the screen.
- Your first evening with a new device
Five easy steps on the home page: paperwork, updates, backups, a good spot and a sleeve.
Cleaning and heat
Dust, crumbs and finger oils gradually interfere with cooling and spoil the look. This topic covers outside care and signs of overheating.
- Step-by-step outside cleaning
A hands-on article: screen, keyboard, case and vents, with no harsh chemicals and no opening the case.
- When your laptop runs hot and loud
Answers about which signs point to overheating and what you can safely do yourself without touching internal parts.
- Cooling terms
Glossary entries on vents and how air moves through the case.
Battery and power
Only the basics: batteries dislike heat and severe cold, and it's best to use the charger that came with your laptop.
- The battery in plain words
What the battery, power adapter and sleep mode are, and why storing a laptop for a long time with a fully drained battery is a bad idea.
- Charging and the outlet
A short answer on whether to keep your laptop plugged in all the time, with a pointer to the manufacturer's advice.
- New pages on power
A feed of recent pages, where posts about the battery and gentle power use are flagged.
Travel and storage
On a trip, a laptop gets shaken, squeezed and carried from freezing cold into warm rooms. Here's how to prepare it for the road and for a long break.
- Your laptop on a business trip
A collection for frequent travelers: sleeves, carry-on bags, hotel desks and temperature swings.
- From winter cold into a warm room
Why you shouldn't turn on a laptop that's been out in the cold right away, and how much patience it takes to let it warm up.
- Page archive
All finished pages by date, including notes on storing a laptop you won't be using for a while.
Read next
- Guides
A hands-on article on cleaning the outside of a laptop without damaging anything, plus the article catalogue.
- Reference
A laptop owner's glossary: hinge, display panel, vents, sleep mode, diagnostics, warranty and more.
- Collections
Reading paths for students, for business travelers and for families where a child uses the laptop.
Sources
- Laptop manufacturers' user manuals (general terms)
- Manufacturers' battery care recommendations (general terms)
Information is current as of the date this page was prepared. Laptops from different manufacturers are built differently, so before you do anything with your device, check the user manual for your specific model and follow it.