R2 Recycling Discusses How to Update Your Devices For the New Year Safely

This time of year is a big one for those saving up for that new laptop or smartphone. It’s also a dangerous time as people throw out old electronics and update their home computers with the latest models. If not done properly, both of these actions can lead to losing your data forever or worse yet, having a scavenger get hold of it and post it on the black market. When it comes to removing your data from an old device, R2 Recycling ( an electronic waste recycling firm located in Silver Spring, MD and serving the entire continental US) believes that there are a few things you need to keep in mind.

First of all, you should always transfer your data before getting rid of your device. Another thing to keep in mind is that you should use a credible, experienced computer recycling firm like R2 Recycling (which has a nationwide presence courtesy of a partnership with recyclers across the country that follow the R2 standard) when it comes to keeping your information secure. By not doing this, you are leaving your data vulnerable to access by someone who plans to profit from your personal information.

If you want to ensure that it will be impossible to recover your data from an old device, you are urged to bring your equipment to an electronics recycler that makes your information security a paramount concern. R2 Recycling performs US Department of Defense (DOD) standard wipes on all drives, or performs physical destruction on them to ensure that your personal data never ends up where you don’t want it to go.

Steps to take for proper computer recycling

R2 Recycling shares a few steps that anyone can take to give themselves peace of mind when their device has reached the end of their life cycle.

Back Up Your Data

The first step you should take is to back up your data . This includes anything from documents to pictures to music. You can copy it to an external hard drive or a cloud storage service.

For Phones and Tablets

R2 Recycling suggests you make sure you back up all your contacts, messages, email accounts, and any other information saved on your phone before resetting it. You can usually do this through the settings or an app.

After backing up your info, go ahead and delete all the files from your phone. This will prevent anyone from gaining access to personal information if they somehow got their hands on your device.

Then reset your phone by erasing everything on it. Don’t worry about putting in a password after the new device first boots up, as there’s no way someone can connect to it without also signing into iCloud or Google accounts first (which only the original owner will).

Once that’s done, go through the “Set Up” section of iCloud or Google’s websites to get all your content back on your phone. If you want to ensure that your phone is properly recycled and any information stored on it destroyed, your safest bet is to send it to the e-waste recycling professionals at R2 Recycling.

For Computers

It can be rather difficult to remove or maneuver components of a desktop or laptop computer, and this is why your best line of defense is recycling your device with a recycler that has decades of experience with data security, like R2 Recycling. This is what they’ve done for over 20 years, and they provide documentation to ensure that they stand behind their work.

How To Safely Dispose of Old Devices

In an age where more and more people use the internet, getting a computer has practically become a necessity. There is an important step you can take to dispose of your old electronics responsibly to make sure that you’re not contributing to the e-waste problem.

Recycle Them

With all of the options out there, it’s imperative to do a little research before sending out your old electronics, as experience & customer satisfaction are important factors to take into consideration. It’s important to gain the assurance that comes with knowing your electronics & laptop recycling partner will do the job properly.

Final Thoughts

These are just a few simple steps you can take to keep your data safe and ensure that all of the content on your used devices stays private. If you want more information about a trustworthy & experienced electronics recycling firm, go to http://www.r2-recycling.com for more information. By following these steps, everyone from casual computer users to those who rely on their laptops for work will be able to safely update their machines as they welcome in the new year!

Originally published at https://marketbusinessnews.com on January 17, 2022.