Fixing common problems yourself: storage full, slow laptop, frozen apps

At home someone else may have fixed things for you. On your own, most tech problems can be solved in a few minutes with a calm, step-by-step routine, before you pay anyone or panic before a deadline.

First rule: save, then restart

• If an app is struggling but still responding, save your work and close it normally before anything else.
• Restarting clears many temporary glitches: Microsoft lists restarting and closing unused programs among its first fixes for a slow PC.
• On Android, Google suggests holding the power button for about 30 seconds until the phone restarts if it is unresponsive.
• Check for updates for the operating system and the problem app; Google and Microsoft both put updates near the top of their fix lists.

Frozen app on a laptop

• Mac: first try Command and Q to quit normally (Apple).
• Mac: if that fails, press Option, Command and Esc together, select the app and click Force Quit (Apple).
• Mac: if the whole computer will not respond, hold the power button for up to 10 seconds until it turns off, then turn it on again (Apple).
• Windows: press Ctrl, Shift and Esc to open Task Manager, select the app marked Not responding and click End task (Computer Hope).
• Force quitting can lose unsaved work, so use it only when the app is truly stuck (Computer Hope).

Phone storage full

• iPhone: go to Settings, General, then iPhone Storage to see which apps and content use the most space and any recommendations (Apple).
• iPhone: offloading an app frees the space it uses but keeps its documents and data; deleting removes both (Apple).
• Android: in Files by Google, use Clean to clear junk files, delete duplicates, remove unused apps and delete old screenshots (Google).
• Videos are often among the biggest files: once they are safely backed up, delete them from the phone.
• Apple notes that the phone removes cached and temporary files automatically when it needs more space, so do not waste time hunting for them.

Slow Windows laptop: a checklist

• Install Windows updates (including optional driver updates), then restart (Microsoft).
• Close unused apps and browser tabs; too many open tabs is a common cause.
• Check free space in Settings, then Storage, and use Storage Sense or Disk Cleanup to remove temporary files (Microsoft).
• Uninstall apps you no longer use, and move rarely used files to an external drive (Microsoft).
• Turn off apps you do not need at start-up; if one keeps returning, run a malware scan (Microsoft).
• Run a Windows Security quick scan, then an advanced scan if needed (Microsoft).

Knowing when to stop

• If a fix needs a factory reset, back up first: Google warns a factory reset erases all data and apps.
• Do not download 'cleaner' or 'speed booster' apps from pop-ups or adverts; use the built-in tools above.
• If the same problem returns after restarts, updates and freeing space, contact your university IT service desk, which is usually free for students.
• Write down what you tried and any error message: it makes getting help much faster.