10 tech habits everyone should have but most people skip
Ten foundational technology habits — from backups to browser hygiene — that improve your security, speed, and peace of mind with minimal effort.
Most people interact with technology dozens of times a day but have never been told the basics of keeping it working well and securely. These ten habits are not advanced, they take minutes to set up and require almost nothing ongoing. Together, they cover the majority of situations where everyday tech goes wrong.
1. Turn on automatic photo backup
Your phone photos exist in one place. If the phone is lost, stolen, or damaged, they are gone. Enabling automatic backup to Google Photos, iCloud, or another cloud service means every photo is saved to a second location within seconds of being taken. It takes one tap to enable and nothing after that.
2. Use a unique password for every account
Using the same password on multiple sites means a breach at one service exposes every account that uses that password. A password manager generates and remembers unique passwords for every site, so you never have to choose between convenience and security.
3. Enable two-factor authentication on your email
Your email address resets every other password. If someone breaks into your email, they can request password resets for your bank, social media, shopping accounts, and everything else. A 2FA code sent to your phone or generated by an app stops this attack cold.
4. Keep your phone's OS updated
System updates patch security vulnerabilities that are often actively exploited by the time the patch arrives. Delaying updates for weeks or months leaves known, documented weaknesses open. Enable automatic updates in settings, or set a reminder to check monthly.
5. Back up your phone before any major change
Before a major OS update, taking your phone in for repair, or selling it, create a backup. It takes a few minutes and saves hours of reconstruction if something goes wrong. Both iCloud and Google One offer full device backup with a tap.
6. Learn to spot a phishing message
Phishing messages impersonate banks, couriers, tech companies, and government agencies to trick you into entering credentials or clicking malicious links. The common signs: unexpected urgency, a slightly wrong sender address, a link that does not match the domain of the company it claims to be from. When in doubt, go directly to the service's website rather than clicking any link.
7. Use HTTPS and check for it
The padlock icon in your browser address bar indicates an HTTPS connection, meaning traffic between your device and the site is encrypted. Avoid entering passwords or payment details on sites without it. Most major sites now use HTTPS by default; if a login page shows "http://" rather than "https://", leave the page.
8. Restart your devices regularly
Routers, phones, and computers all benefit from occasional restarts, which clear temporary files, apply pending updates, and stop runaway processes that have built up over days or weeks. A weekly restart of your router and a monthly restart of your phone requires almost no effort and resolves a large proportion of unexplained slowness and connectivity problems.
9. Know how to remotely lock or erase your phone
Before you need it, set up and test remote device management. On iPhone, "Find My" is in settings; on Android, "Find My Device" is under your Google account. If your phone is stolen, you can lock it or wipe it remotely so your data cannot be accessed. Confirm the feature is active before you need it, not after.
10. Read app permissions before installing
When an app requests access to your location, contacts, microphone, or camera on first launch, ask whether the app actually needs that access to do its job. A flashlight app does not need your contacts. A recipe app does not need your location. Declining unnecessary permissions at install time is faster and easier than auditing them months later.
General guidance applicable to most consumer devices and software. Specific steps vary by device model and software version.
Sources
- Beginners Tech Tips — Smartphone storage and security overview — https://www.beginnertechtips.com/smartphone-storage-options/
- ExpressVPN Blog — VPN and privacy fundamentals — https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/vpn-data-usage/
- Security.org — Mobile privacy and VPN testing — https://www.security.org/vpn/best/android/
