Are you looking to become a better computer user? These days, people often use computers throughout the day, whether this is for leisure, work, or study. If you find that you often get frustrated, it takes you a long time to complete tasks, or you always have to ask for help, you might wonder how you can become a better computer user. It seems that for some people, computers come naturally and are almost an extension of themselves, but this is not everyone’s experience, especially if you did not grow up with computers. With this in mind, this article will offer a few tips so you can become a computer whizz.
Find Tools To Improve Performance
It would help if you also looked around for any available tools to help with any challenges you have. If you regularly work with PDFs, for example, then you are likely to have encountered the problem of struggling to edit a document. PDFs are great for sharing, but they do have limitations in that they are difficult to edit. Fortunately, there are tools available that you can use to cover a PDF into a text document, which can then be edited, updated, and used as you wish. You can learn more about converting a PDF into a text document here: https://setapp.com/how-to/ocr-pdf-to-text.
Improve Your Typing Ability
A good starting point is to improve your typing ability. It is frustrating when it takes you a long time to type anything out, and this could be holding back your productivity. Like anything in life, practice makes perfect, so it is a good idea to practice simply typing without looking at the keys and trying to use all ten fingers. There are also online programs that you can use to learn how to touch type, which should help.
Learn Keyboard Shortcuts
Leading on from this, there are also all kinds of different keyboard shortcuts that you can use to speed up your performance. The shortcuts will depend on the type of device you are using, so it is worth looking up what these are. You will want to memorize common ones like “copy,” “paste,” and “toggle,” and you might want to print off a sheet of others that could be useful when using the computer. As you start to incorporate these into your use, you will find that your productivity increases.
Organize Your Files
When you struggle to use computers, it is likely that you will struggle with the organization when it comes to your files. If you have a cluttered desktop, you struggle to find what you are looking for, and/or are running out of storage space, you should have a serious spring cleaning of your storage. You should create a filing system that will make it easy to find what you are looking for, delete what you do not want or need and have a system for file names. When you have decluttered your storage, it should help you to feel more in control and speed up the process of finding what you are looking for.
Learn Good Security Habits
It is also important that you develop good security habits. Cybercrime is a growing issue, and a staggering 95% of attacks are successful as a result of human error. Therefore, you need to learn how to use your computer safely and avoid common scams. This is something that you should research yourself, but a few basic tips include:
- Using random passwords
- Changing passwords regularly
- Using two-factor authentication
- Not opening suspicious links and attachments
- Using high-quality antivirus software
- Using a VPN
- Using a firewall
- Backing up data externally
Use A Password Manager
Following on, it can be hard to remember all of the usernames and passwords you have for different accounts, and it is time-consuming to type everything out. A smart solution to this problem is to use a password manager, which allows you to keep all of your usernames and passwords in a single encrypted key file. You can then set it up to automatically fill in your log-in information with a particular keyboard command – this will keep your data safe while making it much easier to log in.
Use Macros To Improve Typing Speed
If there is any text that you type frequently, you should know that there is a much quicker and easier way to generate this text without having to type it out time and time again. You can assign macros to generate this text with a single keystroke, which could save you a huge amount of time as well as reduce errors in your typing.
Keep Everything Up To Date
Someone with good computer habits will always ensure that their software and operating system are up to date. It is easy to get into the habit of delaying updates, but you should know that this could be dangerous. New versions of software often have important security updates, plus they often will improve performance and fix any bugs. In addition, you should uninstall any programs you do not need, clear temporary files and caches, and use disk cleanup to keep everything running smoothly.
Learn Solutions To Common Issues
It is also a good idea to learn how to solve common issues. If you always have to ask someone else or hire a professional whenever you have any kind of computer issue, you should know that most common issues are easy enough to resolve yourself. The internet is a brilliant resource for this, so look up the problem online and try to fix it yourself. Just make sure that you are getting your information from a reliable source.
These are a few tips that should help you to improve your abilities as a computer user. Whether you are using the computer for leisure, study, or work, it is important that you know how to be productive and use the device with confidence. Many people struggle, but computing is always a skill that can be learned.
