[Software] Computer a mess? 5 steps to quickly clean up digital junk

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Digital junk piles up too quickly. Look no further than your phone and all those blurry photos and old screenshots in your gallery. What you don't see are the invasive tracking cookies saved in your smartphone. Tap or click for a short privacy how-to everyone should read. Clutter on your computer can be even tougher to wrangle. Start with your Recycle Bin on a PC or Trash Can on a Mac. You need to manually empty that every so often. Tap or click for the files and folders you should also toss for good right now. Cleaning up your computer doesn't take a ton of time. But you have to do it the right, smart way. I can help. 1. Get sensitive files off your desktop How many documents are stored on your computer that you really wouldn’t want someone else to get their hands on? I know people who have an Excel spreadsheet loaded with their passwords stored in the open on the desktop.Maybe you keep financial records nicely organized or have a folder with all your essential medical documents. Beyond the privacy risk, think about what a pain it would be when your computer finally bites the dust. You don’t want to end up in a pinch because you never saved those files someplace safer. My recommendation: Back up anything you don’t want to lose to the cloud. Whatever option you go with, adhere to what tech pros call the 3-2-1 rule. Keep three copies of your important files: two on different storage media and one preserved in an off-site location. (Yes, the cloud counts.)If you do insist on saving private documents locally, at least give a snoop a more challenging time by naming the folder something off base like "Vacation Photos." Be sure your computer automatically locks when you're away and requires a password on startup tooPrograms take up a decent amount of space, so regularly clear out anything you’re not using. Beyond that, outdated apps could put you at risk. By keeping old programs on your computer, you’re potentially leaving a door wide open for cybercriminals to slip in. Here’s how to find space-consuming apps and uninstall them: On a Windows PC: • Click the Start button and look for the app or program. Press and hold (or right-click) the app and select Uninstall. On a Mac: • In the top left of your screen, click the Apple icon, then click About This Mac. • Select the Storage option in the middle of the pop-up box. • On the right-hand side, select Manage. You’ll see everything taking up space – and how much space it’s consuming. You can also review Apple’s recommendation for making space. • On the right, click Applications. Click on a program you no longer want and select Delete in the bottom right-hand corner, then confirm. RELATED: Upgrading to a new computer any time soon? Here are three options to delete files and totally erase your hard drive.