Getting your new Home windows PC up and working can look like a frightening activity while you don’t know what to anticipate. That is the place we are available.
It is necessary your laptop computer performs because it ought to, so getting it proper at first throughout setup is time nicely spent.
Fortunately, Home windows has simplified this course of. So with a bit steerage from our Which Tech Assist group, you need to have your new laptop computer up and working very quickly in any respect.
Be a part of Which? Tech Assist – keep on high of your tech and get limitless professional 1-2-1 help by cellphone, e mail, distant repair and in print.
Query of the month: how do I arrange my new Home windows 11 laptop computer?
‘I used your recommendation in Which? Computing to improve my laptop computer, as my previous one was now not receiving safety help updates.
It’s been some time since I purchased a brand new mannequin and I’m not fairly positive find out how to go about setting it up. Are you able to assist?’
Which? Computing member
Our professional says:
‘We frequently get requested for assist with organising new laptops and desktop PCs, significantly at the moment of 12 months. So what we’ve achieved beneath is break up this up into our fast information to get you began, plus an extended step-by-step information, do you have to want additional assist.
Above all, don’t delay doing it. You’ve achieved the laborious work by selecting the correct mannequin out of the numerous lots of that had been on sale, so now it’s time to get pleasure from it.’
Learn how to arrange your Home windows 11 laptop computer: our fast information
Choose your area
your Choose your keyboard language
Connect with wi-fi
Identify your machine (Dwelling Laptop computer, for instance).
Personalise and defend
Register to your Microsoft account OR create a brand new account and password
to your Microsoft account OR create a brand new account and password Create a safety pin (In the event you solely wish to use your password, click on the Cancel button to skip this selection)
Choose Arrange as a brand new machine.
Privateness and promoting
The privateness and promoting choices are fully down to private selection. Learn by means of every and resolve whether or not or not you want to them lively or not.
Don’t be concerned, although, your determination could have no detrimental impact both approach – and you’ll all the time change these settings later.
Non-obligatory/non-essential settings:
Customise your expertise
Choose Skip
Backup your recordsdata with OneDrive
Choose Solely save recordsdata to this PC to skip this for now.
Microsoft Workplace
Choose No Thanks.
Producer’s registration/guarantee info
Comply with producer directions (it will differ, relying in your machine).
When you full these steps, you can be introduced with the Home windows desktop and your laptop computer will probably be prepared to make use of.
Questioning what to do together with your previous laptop? Learn how to recycle your laptop computer
Our full Home windows 11 setup information
Use our easy, step-by-step information to get your new laptop computer up and working.
First, plug in your laptop and switch it on. You may see a field asking ‘Is that this the suitable nation or area?’ Choose, for instance, United Kingdom. Then click on the Sure button.
Subsequent, choose your keyboard structure – for instance, UK. Click on Sure, then Skip.
Choose your wi-fi community (in case your laptop computer’s plugged straight into your router, it’s going to do that bit robotically), then click on the Join button.
Verify your wi-fi password. Click on Subsequent, then click on the Subsequent button once more.
Give your laptop computer a reputation – for instance, OfficePC.
Fast tip: The title can not include greater than 15 characters, and you’ll’t use numbers. You also needs to keep away from particular characters. You may skip this selection; nonetheless, we advocate that you just do it, as a result of it should make it simpler to establish your laptop computer within the community and on the units part of your Microsoft account.
Click on the Subsequent button. Verify your e mail handle to create an area account, click on Subsequent and make sure the password.
Fast tip: In case your laptop has Home windows 11 Dwelling, you need to use a Microsoft account to arrange the primary consumer account.
Click on the Create PIN button. Create the brand new Home windows 11 PIN – this allows you to log in additional shortly than typing a password – and click on OK.
Fast tip: In the event you solely wish to use your password, click on the Cancel button to skip this selection.
Tech suggestions you possibly can belief – get our free Tech publication for recommendation, information, offers and stuff the manuals don’t let you know
Choose the Arrange as new machine possibility, until you wish to restore your settings from one other machine (wherein case, simply comply with the onscreen prompts). Click on the Subsequent button.
Select your privateness settings and scroll right down to overview all of the settings. Click on the Settle for button.
Now you possibly can select the way you obtain advertisements. Click on the Settle for button.
Selected to both the Solely save recordsdata to this PC possibility. Or click on the Subsequent button if you wish to add and synchronsie recordsdata out of your Desktop and Footage and Paperwork folders with OneDrive.
Click on the No, thanks possibility, when requested if you wish to set up Workplace. You are able to do this later in case you have a Microsoft 365 subscription.
You’ll now see your Home windows 11 desktop. Congratulations on organising your new laptop computer.
Get a second display to hurry up the way in which your work – seeour decide of the very best laptop screens.
6 issues you need to do when you’ve arrange your new laptop computer
1. Take away bloatware
Laptops typically come preloaded with all types of pointless packages generally known as ‘bloatware’.
In the event you discover packages put in that you just’ve by no means used, and haven’t any intention of utilizing, these could possibly be bloatware that you may simply uninstall.
2. Guarantee you might have anti-virus software program
Your new Home windows PC will come pre-installed with Home windows Safety, Microsoft’s antivirus service. Home windows Safety could also be sufficient on your wants, nevertheless it does not price as extremely as some third-party antivirus packages in our assessments.
So it is value checking our professional decide of the very best antivirus software program to see what’s greatest for you.
3. Switch recordsdata
If you’ll now not have entry to your previous laptop computer, remember to maneuver necessary recordsdata to your new one.
Home windows Straightforward Switch by Microsoft used to allow automated transferring of knowledge from one Home windows PC to a different. Sadly, that is now not accessible in Home windows 10 or 11, nevertheless it’s nonetheless comparatively easy to maneuver recordsdata to a brand new laptop.
4. Optimise energy settings
On Home windows 11, you possibly can decide between energy modes that embody greatest battery life, greatest efficiency, or someplace within the center.
To alter the facility mode, choose Begin > Settings > System > Energy & battery.
5. Register your laptop computer
Be sure to register your laptop computer with the producer, in case there are any issues with it.
6. Promote or recycle your previous laptop computer
If you have not already traded in your laptop computer, you may make a bit of cash by promoting it.
There are additionally plenty of methods you possibly can recycle undesirable tech, and even donate it to charity.
Discover out extra – see find out how to recycle your previous smartphone, pill or laptop computer.
Be a part of Which? Tech Assist
Which? Tech Assist can assist you retain you on high of your house tech. Our specialists clarify issues clearly so to resolve points and really feel extra assured utilizing your units.
Get limitless 1-2-1 professional help:
By cellphone – clear steerage in selecting, organising, utilizing and resolving points with your house tech units.
– clear steerage in selecting, organising, utilizing and resolving points with your house tech units. By e mail – define the difficulty and we’ll e mail you again with our reply.
– define the difficulty and we’ll e mail you again with our reply. By distant repair – we join securely from our workplace to your house laptop and resolve points when you watch.
– we join securely from our workplace to your house laptop and resolve points when you watch. In print – Which? Computing journal, six points a 12 months delivered to your door.
You may be part of Which? Tech Assist for £4.99 a month. You may cancel at any time.
Extra reporting Ian Molyneaux