Why You Should Delete Old Apps and Files

We store everything in our phones–saved media, files, and data stored inside apps. While this makes it convenient to document our life on social media or quickly retrieve a class file, it can also slow down your iPhone or Android device.

Even worse: A phone with tons of data and images stored on it is the holy grail for cybercriminals, who can hack into it and ransom your photos and personal information (like credit card numbers stored in an app) back to you. They can steal your identity and go shopping with your credit card or PayPal balance. They can decide to sell your data on the dark web. Whatever they do will severely disrupt your life. In addition to making sure you
use a strong password on your phone, it’s a good idea to delete any apps from your phone that are obsolete for your life now.

Your device will also run faster if unused apps and files are deleted. Most phones will list when you last visited each app. Did you download an app for a class or for a trip taken last year? If you don’t need it, delete it! Also, relocate content from your phone to an external storage service. Did you know that faculty, students, and staff get 5TB of OneDrive storage? Take advantage of this highly secure free cloud service today! Contact the UFIT Help Desk if you need assistance using OneDrive.

Prepare for Hurricane Ian

With Hurricane Ian potentially impacting much of the State of Florida, now is the time to prepare while it is still in the Gulf of Mexico. Gators, know that updated news about campus closings and other important information is available at https://updates.emergency.ufl.edu/. This link is also featured as the top header on UF’s homepage and will remain so throughout this weather emergency.

Here are some tech recommendations to consider when campus is in the path of a storm:

Conserve your laptop battery by exiting out of unused apps and turning on your device’s power-saving mode. Contact your local IT staff if you need assistance making these changes
Connect with your area’s building emergency coordinator for directions on how to secure work areas prior to a weather event or university closing
Update your desktop phone’s voicemail so colleagues have an alternative method for contacting you if necessary. Check out UFIT’s Unity Phones help page for setting up and accessing voicemail when away from the office
Back up important work files using one of UF’s free cloud storage options, like UF Dropbox or OneDrive

Stay safe, Gators!