Here are five tech tips to help start the new year

Tip 1 – If you are like most people, your smart phone is full of photos that have never been downloaded to your computer, and you are relying on iCloud to keep them safe.

It’s easier than you may think to plug your phone into your laptop or desktop computer and save all of your photos to assure their safety.

Using Windows Plug & Play will utilize the pop-up window that shows by default in Windows when a device is connected to the computer by way of USB cord (the same cord that you use to charge your phone).

• Plug your iPhone into the computer without iTunes running. Close iTunes if it automatically opens.
• Wait for a pop-up asking you what you want to do with the device.
• Select “View Content.”
• Find your photos through the folders that are displayed.
• Copy the images from Windows to a photo file on your computer.

Using iPhone as a digital camera in Windows Explorer if your iPhone is already plugged in to your computer, you can also try this method.

• Open “Computer” or “My Computer.”
• Find the iPhone; it will appear under Portable Devices section
• Click on iPhone to find your Photos
• Select the pictures you want to copy and paste them to the desired location on your computer

Remember, if the iPhone pictures are not showing up in Windows, make sure the iPhone is unlocked first. Otherwise the iPhone will be found in Computer or My Computer but all of the content on it will be invisible and inaccessible. No more lost photos.

Tip 2 – Buy an external hard drive to back up all your information from your computer.

An external hard drive is separate from your computer and can store all your photos, videos, music and documents; so if anything happens to your computer, all of your information will be saved.

The files will have to be manually transferred to your external hard drive by plugging the drive into your computer and transferring the files. Ideally, this should be done several times a year, or more if you use your computer more frequently to store information.

If your computer crashes or is lost or stolen, all you will have to do is plug your external hard drive into your new computer and download all your files.

Tip 3 – Make sure your passwords are strong and unique. It’s said that 47 percent of all individuals have been hacked, so the key to protecting your email, online accounts, or social media accounts is to make sure your passwords are strong with letters, numbers and symbols when allowed.

Passwords are considered weak if you use the same password for more than one site (or worse, for all your accounts), a personal name or phrase that means something to you like a name of a pet or child, or any sequence with consecutive repeating words or letters.

To protect your password, as soon as you discover your email or an online account has been tampered with, the first thing you should do is always change your password so the hacker will no longer have access to your account.

Tip 4 – Clean up your email inbox and spam folder. An overflowing inbox can cause you to feel overwhelmed and your email account to run slower. Today, all email programs have filters that allow you to move and organize your incoming emails.

Move important and unimportant email to a folder of their own for future reference.

Use your spam or junk folder so you can move all unwanted emails into that folder so that all future emails do not arrive in your inbox and are automatically sent to spam.

Take the time to unsubscribe to newsletters so you will not receive them anymore.

Don’t forget to empty your spam and deleted folders often. The best way to keep your email inbox clean is, after you read your email, move it to the appropriate folder or delete it.

If your inbox has gotten the best of you and you’re not sure where to begin, set 15 minutes aside each day to delete emails. Start with your oldest emails first and move forward. You’ll be surprised how many messages you kept that are no longer needed or relevant.

There are a slew of email programs that can help you organize and manage them. Check out the reviews and ratings on cnet.com for the one best suited toyour needs. Personal email should not be a nuisance; it should invoke the same feeling you have when you receive a letter in the mail.

Tip 5 – Anti-virus software is essential to protect yourself from the thousands of viruses, trojans and malware that are detected every year. There are a plethora of free reputable anti-virus software programs that will scan your computer from dangerous downloads. These programs are updated constantly, so if you have anti-virus software from even six months ago, it’s probably outdated.

To make sure you get the best choice for your needs and one that doesn’t cause more harm, log onto cnet.com and check out their ratings and reviews. Don’t let your computer go unprotected.