Recently, my laptop stopped charging.  I tend to work from all kinds of places: the desk, the couch, the library.  Plugging and unplugging the power cord several times a day for years tends to wear down the connections, so I wasn’t too surprised.  After doing some basic troubleshooting (checking the outlet and the cord itself), I realized that it was time to visit my local repair shop.  But there were a few more things I needed to do first.

Unless you take precautions first, handing over your computer or phone to someone else means that you’re also handing over all your data.  Most repair techs are professionals simply trying to do their jobs; however good computer security isn’t based on assuming that nothing bad will happen. Just as I wouldn’t hand a valet my house keys along with my car fob, I didn’t want to provide access to information that had nothing to do with repairing my power issue.

So, before leaving home, I took a few steps to protect my data.

Start With a Backup

Before worrying about privacy, make sure your data is backed up to something besides your computer. Save copies of anything you can’t easily replace, such as research documents, photos, and other important files.  Even when the repair seems unrelated to the hard drive, things can go wrong. A technician may discover a larger problem, a drive may fail during testing, or the operating system may eventually need to be reset. You don’t want your only copy of Great-Grandma’s photograph disappearing along with a failed computer.

Sign Out of Your Accounts

My next step was to sign out of my email accounts. Email deserves particular attention because it can provide access to an enormous amount of personal information. More importantly, email accounts are frequently used to reset passwords for other sites, such as banking or shopping.

But don’t stop with email. Think about the other websites you routinely leave signed in: genealogy websites, social media, cloud storage, financial sites and anything else containing personal information.

Simply closing the browser isn’t necessarily enough. Many websites are designed to keep you signed in when you return.  It’s worth it to delete any saved browser information, like cookies, active login sessions, saved passwords and autofill data.  You can do this from your browser Settings option, and it’s crucial to keeping accounts safe.

Don’t Forget Programs Outside Your Browser

This was one of the areas I almost overlooked. We tend to think of our internet browser as the gateway to our online lives, but many programs can remain logged in independently. Your Microsoft 365 and OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, even gaming platforms and messaging applications can all provide access to data you want to keep private.

Take a quick look at the programs running on your computer and ask yourself, “If someone opened this program right now, what could they see?”

Protect Your Passwords

If you use a password manager, make sure the vault is locked before handing over the computer. Depending on your browser and settings, you may also have passwords, addresses and even payment information saved there.

You don’t necessarily have to start deleting all your passwords. The goal is to make sure someone who has access to your computer cannot automatically access your accounts simply because you normally stay signed in.

Give the Technician Only the Access They Need

One of the simplest precautions is also one of the easiest to overlook: ask the technician what access is actually required. For a physical problem such as a damaged charging port, the technician may be able to perform at least part of the diagnosis without accessing your personal Windows account, also known as unlocking your computer.

If they do need to log in, consider creating a temporary account specifically for the repair. That can keep your everyday user profile separate from the account the technician is using. Depending on the work being performed, the technician may need administrator privileges, so ask what they require rather than automatically giving them access to your regular account.

The basic principle is simple: give the technician enough access to do the job, but no more than necessary.

If Your Computer Doesn’t Work at All

What if your computer won’t turn on and you can’t do any of these things?  Your smartphone (or another computer) can come to the rescue.

• Protect your email first. Email can be used to reset passwords for other accounts. From your phone, review logged-in devices and remotely sign the laptop out if possible.
• Secure your cloud storage. OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, and similar services may give the laptop access to files stored online. Unlink the laptop or revoke its access when possible.
• Change passwords selectively. If you can’t remotely sign out of a sensitive account, you can consider changing its password. Keep in mind that a password change doesn’t always end an existing session, but it’s worth a try.
• Check your device lists. Google, Microsoft, Apple, and other services let you review devices connected to your account. Look for your laptop and remove or sign it out where appropriate.
• Turn on two-factor authentication. It may not end an existing session, but it adds another layer of protection against new attempts to access your accounts.
• Watch for security alerts. While the laptop is away, pay attention to unexpected login notices, password resets, verification codes, or changes to your security settings.

When the Computer Comes Home

Computer security doesn’t end when the repair is finished.

If you created a temporary repair account, remove it when it is no longer needed. Sign back into the services you disconnected and make sure your normal security settings are still in place. If you gave the technician a password to one of your regular accounts, change it.

Preparing a computer for repair doesn’t have to mean spending hours wiping drives or locking down every individual file. For most routine repairs, a few sensible precautions can substantially reduce your exposure.

Back up your files. Sign out of important accounts. Lock your passwords. Disconnect unnecessary storage. And, most importantly, find out how much access the technician actually needs before you hand it over. After all, the helpdesk may need access to your computer to fix it. They probably don’t need access to your entire digital life.