Tech Talk: Take Control of Your Phone

It’s Your Device…Control What Others Put On It

By Jarren Ringle

When you get a new smartphone, tablet, or computer it comes with a basic set of applications.  That may include things you don’t want or trial packages.  But usually what is installed “from the factory” will work and not create problems.

Many times, there are things we had on other devices, and we install those on the new device.  Depending on our new device, the startup process may automatically install the things we had on the old device by default.

Sometimes we let others add things to our devices.  The person may have good intentions, and they think because they like it we will too.  Or our grandkids use the smartphone, and they want games to play.  Or we add something our healthcare provider wants us to use.  Or we want to shop at a certain store or play a new game our friends play.

Soon we will have a collection of applications represented by the icons you see on your device’s screen.  I have been asked multiple times by folks “What does this do?” while pointing to an icon on their phone. 

Here’s where we get into trouble.  Having apps on our devices we don’t want or use can create issues.  The obvious issue is the app and its data consume storage on the device.  If we don’t want or need the app, deleting the app and its data will give back storage that can be better used for things we do want.

Sometimes these unwanted/unneeded apps are security risks.  They may have access to things we don’t want shared.  Or they nag us to buy other products or add-ins that we don’t need or want.  If the apps are not kept current (updated) they may have security issues.  Out-of-date apps may present issues with the apps we do want and use.

So what do we do?  Here are a few steps to follow.

• First, delete the apps you don’t need or want.  Don’t forget to delete the app data when you delete them.  Please note that you shouldn’t delete the factory-installed apps as doing so may affect the device’s performance.

• Second, install only the apps you need or want.  If you install an app and you don’t like or want it, delete it.

• If someone wants to install something on your device, ask them why.  What does it do?  Why do you need it? 

Remember it’s your phone, tablet, etc.  You are the one that it needs to work for and the way you want it to.