Proper care and maintenance will help ensure your laptop continues to support you in your work for as long as possible. Here are some handy hints for getting the best from your laptop.
Summary
- Care and cleaning: cleaning and day-to-day care advice for ensuring your laptop stays in good working order.
- Powering your laptop: info on managing the power use of your laptop, including advice on use of the Hibernation feature in the power menu.
- Carrying your laptop: tips for safely transporting your laptop and power options for travelling with it, including when to use the Hibernate mode to conserve battery.
- “My laptop gets warm, and the fans keep coming on!”: detailing why it is perfectly normal for the fans on your laptop to come on and how the cooling system helps to protect it.
- Further support: information from Dell and Microsoft about ongoing care of your SWAE device and the power options available within Windows.
Care and cleaning
- Cables, USBs, dongles, etc, must be inserted carefully into the laptop.
- Despite being called a laptop, avoid using your laptop on soft surfaces like sofas, beds or your lap as these can block the vents on the side/bottom of the laptop and reduce the airflow used to keep your laptop cool.
- Do not pile things on the laptop. Unnecessary pressure can push the screen into the keyboard and damage it.
- Avoid touching the screen, unless it is a touchscreen device, especially with pens.
- Do not insert items (especially metal objects) into the openings of the laptop that are not intended for those ports.
- Keep food/drinks away from the laptop to avoid damage from spillages, crumbs, etc.
- Do not place anything on the keyboard before closing the laptop (pens, folders, etc).
- Close the laptop carefully, from the centre top front edge of the screen.
- Laptop screens are made of polarized glass, which could break if the laptop is dropped or other significant impact.
- Keep the laptop dry and away from extreme temperatures or direct sunlight as heat can damage them as much as moisture.
- Screen cleaning: gently wipe with a clean and soft microfiber cloth. Do not use window cleaner or any type of household cleaner.
- Keyboard or chassis cleaning: Wipe the surface gently with a clean and soft microfiber cloth.
- Air vent cleaning: Use a soft cloth to gently remove any dust or debris.
Powering your laptop
- Always use the charger/adapter that came with your laptop or docking station as this is designed to work with your laptop, has been safety tested, etc.
- Avoid covering the charger/adapter, as this reduces cooling. Do not keep the adapter attached inside a carrying case.
- Be mindful of where power leads are plugged in. Cables can be a trip hazard.
- Ensure any cables are securely connected at both ends when in use.
- If you are likely to be away from your laptop for long periods (an hour or more), we recommend that you put it into Hibernate mode, which can be found in the power menu. Hibernation uses less power than the Sleep option.
Carrying your laptop:
- Before packing your laptop, remove any devices that are plugged in, such as USB drives or the charger. Protruding devices can damage to the laptop ports and/or the devices themselves.
- It is best to close the laptop when taking it from one location to another.
- Use a laptop sleeve, carrying case or backpack (with laptop padding) to transport your laptop.
- Before travelling with your laptop, either power down/turn off (if you’re likely to be travelling for a long time) or use the Hibernate mode (for shorter trips, like between meetings).
- For longer journeys, gently place your laptop into a carrying case or backpack (with laptop padding) to avoid damaging the chassis or screen.
- Do not place anything in the carrying case that could press directly against the laptop as this can cause pressure and damage the laptop.
“My laptop gets warm, and the fans keep coming on!”
This is all perfectly normal; the cooling system in a laptop is designed to keep the components at a safe temperature and prevent overheating, which can damage the processor and other key parts. The fan is used to blow air over those components, which helps to dissipate the heat caused by regular daily use.
Further support
The university’s chosen provider of laptops and related equipment is Dell, who have published some specific guidance on the care and maintenance of their devices. Links can be found below: