The quiet days between Christmas and New Year are perfect for a job most of us put off all year: tidying up our digital lives. A declutter makes your devices faster, your accounts safer and your files easier to find. Here’s a checklist you can work through in an afternoon.
1. Clear out your storage
A nearly full phone or computer runs slowly and can’t install updates.
On your computer:
- Empty the Downloads folder of old installers and files you no longer need.
- Empty the Recycle Bin (Windows) or Bin (Mac).
- Uninstall programs you never use.
- On Windows, run Storage Sense (Settings → System → Storage). On a Mac, go to System Settings → General → Storage.
On your phone:
- Delete apps you haven’t opened in months.
- Clear out old videos, which take the most space.
- Clear WhatsApp media (Settings → Storage and data → Manage storage).
2. Tame your inbox
- Unsubscribe from newsletters you never read. Use the unsubscribe link at the bottom, but only for senders you recognise.
- Search and bulk delete. Search for a sender’s name, select all and delete.
- Empty Spam and Deleted Items.
- Create a few folders or labels for things you need to keep: receipts, travel, household.
3. Sort your photos
- Delete blurry shots, duplicates and screenshots you no longer need.
- Make a few albums for the year’s highlights.
- Check your backup is switched on. iCloud Photos, Google Photos or OneDrive should show “backed up” or “up to date”.
4. Security spring clean
This is the most important part.
- Change reused passwords. If you use the same password on several sites, change them, starting with email, banking and shopping.
- Use a password manager to create and remember strong, unique passwords.
- Turn on 2-step verification for email, banking, social media and shopping accounts.
- Switch to passkeys where they’re offered.
- Check for breaches at haveibeenpwned.com. Enter your email address to see if it’s appeared in a known data breach.
- Close old accounts you no longer use. Fewer accounts means fewer ways in.
5. Updates
Install every waiting update on your computer, phone, tablet, browser, router and smart devices. Updates fix security holes.
If you’re still on Windows 10, security updates for home PCs ended on 13 October 2026. Make upgrading or replacing it your first job of 2027.
6. Check your backups
A backup you’ve never tested is just a hope.
- Confirm your cloud backup has run recently.
- If you use an external drive, plug it in and run a backup now.
- Test it: try restoring one file or photo.
- Aim for the 3-2-1 rule: three copies, on two types of storage, with one kept somewhere else.
7. Tidy your apps and browser
- Review app permissions on your phone. Does that game really need your location and contacts?
- Remove browser extensions you don’t use. They can slow things down and some snoop on your browsing.
- Clear out old bookmarks and close those 47 open tabs.
💡 Tip: if you only have time for one thing, secure your email account. Give it a strong, unique password and 2-step verification. Your email can reset every other password you own.
Wrapping up
A digital declutter isn’t glamorous, but it pays off all year: faster devices, safer accounts and files you can actually find. Put the kettle on and work through the list.
Next in the series: 2026 in Tech: The Year in Review
Sources: NCSC: Cyber Aware · Have I Been Pwned
