Your laptop has become your best friend. But sometimes, it just isn’t enough. Sometimes, you want to use your computer in places where you wouldn’t normally go.
In this blog post, we’ll show you how to convert work laptop to personal. Get started right away by following our simple instructions below.
How To Convert Work Laptop To Personal (21 Ways!)
Every business laptop comes with multiple layers of security protection to keep corporate data safe from prying eyes.
Once you begin work at an organization, you must turn off any personal security measures on your phone and laptop so that there is no chance of unauthorized access.
However, once you leave the company after working there for some time, things become harder because it becomes difficult to balance between work and personal time.
The limitations on the laptop make it difficult to install any third-party applications or use other devices like USB sticks which might be needed for daily activities like viewing movies, playing games, editing documents, etc.
Luckily, there is a solution for this issue by modifying your work computer. Here are some ways you can turn your work computer into a personal one. You can use several different methods to turn your work computer into a personal one.
One easy way to get rid of any traces of work-related information is to completely erase everything from your hard drive. This will ensure that no trace of the company remains on your computer.
If you want to keep some programs or file types, you can turn off the security settings on your computer so that they’re compatible with it.
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1) Disable Windows Defender
You may already have an anti-virus program installed on your PC, but it won’t necessarily keep your files safe from hackers.
You need a lot of anti-virus programs to ensure that your computer will be safe from viruses. Antiviruses scan for malware, spyware, etc., and protect the computer from them.
However, if you’re going to be using your computer at work, it’s best to install multiple anti-virus software packages.
However, you don’t need these security precautions when you’re working for yourself or if your laptop is used exclusively at home. Antivirus software uses up a lot of processing power and RAM which can slow down your PC.
The best thing to do is to remove any extra anti-virus programs and turn on Windows Defender, which is a native security program in Windows OS.
If you enable Windows Defender, you’ll be protected against malicious websites, ransomware, and other forms of malware. It also helps protect against spyware.
2) Use TrueCrypt To Encrypt Data
TrueCrypt allows you to protect all the sensitive files on your work laptop by encrypting them so they cannot be accessed by anyone else without proper authorization.
Open source means that anyone can use, modify, and redistribute the program for free.
You can create a “virtual” encrypted disk within a single.txt document and store all your sensitive data there. You can either save encrypted file(s) on a USB drive or email them to yourself for convenient access.
You can also use TrueCrypt to create an encrypted operating system inside your current one. You won’t be able to access this virtual environment unless you’ve been given permission by the owner.
3) Disable Windows Firewall
You’ll be using a lot of secure devices at work, so you need to take precautions to keep them safe. A firewall is one way to prevent hackers from accessing your computer remotely.
It is recommended to turn off Windows Firewall if you’re using a public wireless network or working on a computer where anyone else could use it.
You should turn off the firewall if you’re using public Wi-Fi because it could be used by hackers to gain access to your computer.
4) Use Portable Applications
You don’t have any work limitations on your laptop so why not install all the third-party apps? You can save some installation steps by installing them now.
You just need to save the portable copy of your favorite software on an external hard disk or USB flash drive and use it directly from where ever you want.
It would be best if all the third-parties applications were located in one place rather than spread out across multiple locations.
5) Disable Windows Updates
You must update your computer at least once per day because new software comes out with security updates. It may be important when you’re using the office computer but it isn’t necessary once you leave the organization.
If you’re not sure whether you need an update, just turn off automatic updates for now. You can always enable them again later if you decide you really need one.
6) Use Virtual Machines
Another method of protecting your data after leaving an organization or using it for private purposes is by using virtualization software.
You can use these virtual machines to create multiple instances of Windows operating systems on one PC very easily. You don’t need to buy any expensive software to run multiple operating systems at once.
All you need is VirtualBox, a free virtual machine software. You can also create an additional workspace within your current operating system to access all the important files.
7) Use BitLocker To Secure Data
Bitlocker is another encryption feature in Windows that protects an entire partition on your hard drive. To turn on BitLocker, just right-click on the encrypted drive and select Turn on Bitlocker.
You can also use a USB drive to save the recovery key if your hard drive gets damaged or stolen.
8) Use Portable Apps For Encryption
It is better than most file encryption tools but not as easy as some portable apps.
You can therefore install third-party encryption software on your work laptop so that you can easily secure any data stored there before you send it home or ship it off to someone else.
It’s quite similar to TrueCrypt, but it doesn’t use the same methods for encrypting data.
All you have to do is download your preferred encryption software onto a USB stick or email it to yourself before you leave for vacation.
When you get home from work later, just install the app onto your personal computer and access the encrypted file directly from there without needing to re-encrypt it again.
9) Use Steganography Software
Steganography is the practice of hiding data within an image so that no one can see it. You can use this software to keep private photos hidden from people who might be looking at them.
You just need to install the steganography software and take hidden photos whenever necessary.
Afterward, encrypt the photos and then send them to your personal e-mail account or store them in a flash memory stick that you can use on any computer.
10) Use Self-Destructing Message Apps
Here’s another way of securing data at work.
To delete messages, simply use any self-destruction messaging app available online. Set a time and date for when the messages expire.
If you store all the messages in a flash memory stick and use them on your own computer without deleting them from your hard disk, then you won’t need to delete them from your PC.
Encrypted messages can be securely delivered to any recipient without revealing their contents.
11) Use Cached Data on Your Personal Laptop
When working on the company computer install third-party applications on your personal computer when needed.
You can use them for official business when you’re at work but once you’ve finished working, just shut down the apps in their respective native modes.
Next time, when your computer boots up, it will load the application quickly because it has been preloaded onto your personal laptop.
12) Create A Separate User Account
You don’t need to use a different email address for each task; however, if you’re worried about security, you can set up an additional user account and sign into that one instead.
You can use any password or login method that is available to your device and then switch to the main one when needed. Your personal activities will be kept private from the main account.
13) Use Virtual Machines For Personal Activities
Yes, using virtual computers is an easy way of running two different OSs at once. You can create virtual computers within your current computer and use them to operate a completely different OS.
You could install Windows 8 Pro on your work computer and then run another virtual machine for running older versions of Windows like XP and 7.
You won’t see anything when you log into your main account, but if you want to access your VM, you’ll need to use another account.
14) Use Quick Boot Updater To Disable Fast Startup
If you have the ability to turn off the quick start-up function, then disabling it can save you a lot of time when switching between working at your office computer and using your personal one.
Some computer manufacturers include this feature so that they can speed up their computers’ boot-up time. However, sometimes your computer may boot up faster than normal even if you’re already signed in to your main account.
If your boss has the necessary skills to hack into your computer, he may be able to see what websites you visit, which apps you use, and even read your emails.
Make sure you turn off this feature at least for two accounts on the same computer so they don’t get confused.
15) Change Work Profile To A Guest Mode
Some companies allow employees to use company computers for personal reasons but keep their personal activity hidden from the IT department so they don’t get caught doing something inappropriate.
When you get access to a company’s work profiles, you can hide your personal data using three different methods. First, open the folder where the guest account was installed. Then, delete everything inside that folder.
Later, install a VM for running Windows XP or Windows 7 on that user profile and then configure it as a Guest user. This way, all of your personal activities will be kept separate from the main user profile.
16) Create a New Theme For The Guest Account
You can change the appearance of your guest OS by changing its background image, colors, etc. So you won’t get bored by seeing the same old stuff every time you switch to another Facebook page.
Changing Windows XP or 7 theme is beyond the scope of our tutorial, but you can probably find some good resources online if you look hard enough.
After doing so, all your personal activity will be hidden from everyone else until they log into that particular account.
17) Password Protect Folders And Files With Steganography App
You can hide your private documents and folders by installing a steganography application for Windows.
The reason why you can’t use this method to protect your data is that all data remains accessible to everyone who has physical access to your computer unless you encrypt it.
If you don’t know what steganography is, you can look up “steganography” online. There are several apps that support this feature, including Wavesteg.
Once you’ve set up a password, a secret code will be hidden inside the a.wav file within the directory you specified. You can create as few or as many random files as needed or create one.wav file with multiple messages inside it.
Now, whenever someone tries to access this particular file, they will be asked for a password while all others will stay unchanged.
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18) Password Protect USB Flash Drives For Personal Files
If you have a secure flash drive with password protection, it can be used for protecting the personal data on your computer. So that no one else can see them, we’ll hide our files using encryption.
It’s one of the most important things for any employee to understand that anyone who has physical control of your company’s computers can retrieve your personal files without knowing their names if they don’t encrypt them themselves.
19) Open Private Browsing Window For Privacy on Shared Computers
You can use several different methods to protect your online identity when using public computers. One easy method is to open up a new browser tab and then close it again once you’re done.
To get started, open up Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or any other browser you’re using and switch to its private window. Open another window for your personal activities now.
To prevent others from seeing what sites you’re visiting or any of your personal files that you may have open in another window, close them before starting a new browser session.
20) Turn On File and Printer Sharing
Only if you’re the last one left at the office or are working on a public computer will preventing others from access to your personal files work.
If not, enable file sharing so that everything being transmitted over the wireless connection is encrypted by default. To enable this feature, go into Network and Internet setting from the Control Panel.
If you’re using Windows 10, you may need to go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi‑Fi and then select “Connect to a hidden network”.
A window will appear now, prompting you whether file sharing should be allowed or not. Make sure that the wireless connection is turned on and that you’re connected to it.
It will securely encrypt your data so that no others can intercept it by making use of a different encryption key.
21) Set Up VPN Connection For Online Banking And Shopping
It’s easy to use because it requires no special equipment. You just need to connect to a VPN server and log in using your credentials.
You then need to enter your bank’s or favorite online shopping site’s IP address as the location. You can now safely enter your username and password before making a purchase.
Conclusion
After reading this article, you will know these 21 effective ways to turn your work laptop into your personal laptop. They’re simple and they’re easy to implement.
However, some may expect you to use an external app as well, but most will be able to complete their purchases without using one. Following any one of these will immediately improve your conversion rates.
After that, you’ll be able to use your computer for personal activities without worrying about anyone finding out what you’re doing.
FAQs
Q1: Can I reformat the corporation laptop?
A. If you want to reformat your computer using the Windows Media Creation Tool, you can either create an ISO file, boot from it, format the entire hard drive, or restore the device by pressing the button on the backside of the laptop.
Q2: How to wipe a laptop earlier than recycling it?
A. If you need to genuinely erase data off your computer, go to the Start Menu and choose “Restore” or “Resets”. You’ll then see an option to “Reset PC”, which will delete everything on your hard drive. However, make sure you back up any important files before doing so!
