10 Tech Cleanup Tasks for New Year’s Day

New York: Forget about New Year’s resolutions. Instead, use New Year’s Day to finish some easy tech chores. These tasks can make your digital life feel better. The first four tasks are quick. The last six take more time, but you can do them all in less than an hour.

1. Dump Your Computer’s Trash
How long has it been since you emptied the trash on your computer? Start with this simple two-click task. You will feel motivated to keep going on your clean-up list.

2. Close Excess Tabs and Clear Your Browser History
Hey, tab hoarders! Today is your chance to get rid of those many tabs. If you don’t want to lose them, bookmark them first. In Chrome, go to Bookmarks > Bookmark All Tabs. Don’t forget to clear your browsing data on your computer and phone.

3. Use Compressed Air to Clean Your Devices
It’s time to clean out all the crumbs and dust from your keyboard. Grab a can of compressed air and blow out your keyboard and laptop. You can also clean all ports on your laptop, phone, and tablet.

4. Tidy Up the Desktop
When was the last time you saw your clean desktop? Move all loose files into a folder. A good start is making a “2025 and older” folder and putting everything in there. If you have a little extra time, spend 10 minutes sorting your files how you like best.

5. Unsubscribe From Unwanted Emails
It feels easier to delete than unsubscribe from unwanted emails. But more emails just keep coming. Make January 1 the day you take 15 extra seconds per message to unsubscribe from some lists. If you love deal emails, set up a special email address just for them. This keeps them away from personal messages.

6. Back Up the Photos on Your Phone
Do you have photos on your phone that are older than a year? Are they automatically backed up? If not, today is the day to fix that. Spend about half an hour finding a service and setting it up for automatic backups.

7. Give Your Google Drive Files a Once-Over
If you have a Google account, chances are you have files you don’t need in Google Drive. Check “Shared with me” in Google Drive and delete files you don’t want anymore.

8. Scan Any Loose but Important Papers
Scan and save important papers that have piled up over the year. After you scan them, shred the old papers and recycle responsibly.

9. Run a Privacy Checkup
Sometimes online services change your settings without you knowing. Run a privacy checkup on your accounts, especially on social media and Google. Make sure you’re still okay with what data is shared.

10. Review and Cancel Subscriptions
Look through your subscriptions like streaming services and newsletters. Cancel any you don’t use anymore. You can often keep using them until the next payment, so be smart as you manage your budget in 2026.