Should I tell you the truth? Do not use your work laptop as a personal one. It is quite obvious that working in an alliance, Business Corporation or in any organization look up to laptops for efficiency.
But using the very same laptop for your personal usage is not only unsafe but it is prone to breach your personal security, data, and passwords if you continue using.
Work laptop cannot be an all-rounder. Therefore, it becomes important to know how to convert a work laptop to a personal one! If you are wondering about how to do that, this article would certainly guide you step by step.
Here lie the answers!
Converting Work Laptop To Personal
Below is the comprehensive list that makes the laptop personal as far as the internal specifications are concerned. From including the third-party apps to turning off/on a few options you have the privilege to opt for any. Read on!
1. Inactive the Anti-Virus
You might be thinking that anti-viruses are important for laptop safety and smooth performance. You are thinking right! However, these programs run on extensive RAM and can slow down your system as well.
Besides, when talking about converting the laptop from work to personal you do not need that much enhanced security. Aside from the built-in antivirus software, all that add-on that you have installed to ensure protection would not be useful if you just want the laptop for personal usage. Simply enable the Window’s own defender and that would be enough!
2. Keep your Data Safe
Keeping your official files secured even after leaving work is highly important. You would not want anyone to get access to the confidential documents, do you? If you are converting your work laptop to the personal one it is important to encrypt the personal data. For that TrueCrypt makes its productivity useful.
It is a software program that instantly makes your data unreachable for alien users. You can encrypt your files, folders, and even the whole partition of the disk to become intact. However, BitLocker is another option that is reliable.
3. No use of Firewall
As a professional you need to be updated. But for personal laptop use you do not require the updated windows approach. There is no such company data that you are protecting now. Therefore, it is better to disable the windows update. Besides, firewalls have a major role to play in preventing hackers from getting access. But for personal laptops, disable windows firewall updates especially if you use public Wi-Fi.
4. Use Dongle Devices
Uninstalling software doesn’t mean you will not need them ever. As per your requirement and the type of personal work you may lean on the protection that would keep the laptop well-protected, especially if you visit multiple sites. TrueCrypt is reliable, robust and efficient, but it is not portable.
Use the USB device for saving the software in the drive and use it whenever needed. Portable security always serves the best for laptop conversion from work to personal.
5. Still Keep The Laptop Protected
If you have left the company but still have the laptop with you the next step should be to keep it as robust for malware protection as it was when you worked on it professionally.
For that virtual machine is the best option that makes sense. To keep your data intact, virtual machines make different Windows OS versions. Install it and keep personal usage still reliable.
6. Change the Profile
Changing the work profile is another important and highlighted step that comes as advancement towards changing the laptop from work to personal use!
It is quite apparent that companies dedicate a profile to work on so that the activities, work efficiently and many other aspects can be monitored ideally. However, as a personal use, you do not require that.
To change that, open the directory of the guest post of the guest account featuring many other directories. Simply delete all of them. With the help of virtual machine software, make a separate version of your operating system. It is your guest account.
7. Make the Visible Hidden
Have you heard about Incognito or about the Steganography Software? If not, it’s about time. In fact it is the simplest way to keep your data including photos, videos, sound files and anything that is personal encrypted. Download Steganography software and keep the safety ensured even after disabling Firewall and windows update.
For Incognito, open up any browser and turn on the ‘Private Browsing Mode’. The option may be available as the ‘Incognito Mode’. Whichever name you have, just enable it. If you use the private browser on your laptop you have the assurance that none is spying and breaking into your data. Moreover, no one can see what you have searched on the browser, only you have the access authorized.
8. Change the profile
Why use the work profile when you are using a laptop for personal purposes? It is not a crucial step however to keep the security around it is important. Use a password that is easy to remember and hard to break. Simply switch the account and make sure the security is fully robust.
9. Reinstall the Windows
One of the reliable and efficient methods for converting work laptop top personal is to reinstall the windows. It also makes sure that you have a new and fresh start over things that are now into your fuller personalized control.
Is using a work laptop for personal use safe?
You do not want to break the rules right? To be honest, using the work laptop for home is not a wise idea ‘IF’ you have not kept up with the proper security and password management system in mind.
Besides, the policy used by the company also matters. If you want to use the laptop for business-related tasks and activities, it’s airtight. Otherwise it is not the expected way to separate personal and professional information. However, if your company is allowed to take the laptop home, you can follow the aforementioned steps for dedicated, protected and smart laptop use that is reliable too.
Conclusion
So these were the simple and user-friendly ways by which you can convert your work laptop into a personal one. Just follow the guideline and make sure the laptop is as personalized as it was when you dedicated it to a company. Pick up your way and work like a boost while at home!
Each method is proven and all that you need is to opt for the most user-friendly one.