Sometimes the most simple solution is the best one. This is almost always the case with our high tech devices. Here’s why.
Sometimes the most simple solutions are the best. This is almost always the case with our high tech devices.
The phrase muttered by technologists and made popular by the IT Crowd: ‘have you tried turning it off and on again’ can alleviate a host of problems, experts say.
In addition, if you schedule automatic reboots you can prevent issues from arising in the first place.
A restart works because it wipes away the current state of the software. Any code that‘s stuck in a misbehaving state will be swept away, too.
When you restart, the computer or device will bring the system up from scratch, restarting all the software from square one so it will work just as well as it was working before.
Smartphones and tablets
Both Android and Apple products use their resources extremely effectively, because of this it is not necessary to clear RAM or app caches. But just like their large desktop brethren, these devices remain essentially computers. If they run non-stop it can slow performance, connectivity issues as well as other glitches.
If you have a specific issue, like a certain app or page not loading the first step should be to restart your device. It is not essential to be constantly restarting your phone or tablet but doing it once every week or so will keep you ahead of the curve.
How to reboot android phones and tablets
The easiest way to restart your device is to hold down the power button until the menu pops up. Once this happens tap Restart. If this doesn’t happen, holding down the power button for 30 seconds will turn your phone off, then you can just start it again normally.
In a handy tool, some android phones also offer the option to schedule automatic reboots. If you have a Samsung Galaxy you can go to settings and search for auto-restart at set times. It can also be found in settings, then battery and device care, by tapping the three dots and selecting automation. This feature lets you pick a day and time for a regular automatic reboot.
How to reboot iPhones and iPads
To restart these devices you need to hold down the power button and either volume until the slide button which says power off pops up. Press the power button then push it again to start the device.
You can always try a force restart if the slider does not appear.
Desktops and laptops
It is recommended for computers to have a full backup and restart once a year to avoid clutter and keep things working smoothly.
However, regular restarts can help.
Most modern computers will prompt you when a restart is required – such as after installing new software. It is recommended to turn off your desktop or laptop each night as this keeps things running smoothly.
Windows PC
A Windows PC should be restarted about once a week to keep them running smoothly. This can be done by clicking the start menu, clicking on power, then choosing restart.
macOS
Apple only recommends restarting their devices when you encounter a problem. However, a weekly restart is a good option if you are in the habit of leaving your device on the whole time.
You can restart your computer by clicking the Apple icon in the top left corner then selecting restart.
Smart TV
Much like computers mentioned above, Smart TV manufacturers only recommend restarting when you encounter a problem. Things like the interface running slow or an app refusing to load are some of these typical problems.
The easiest way to reboot your TV is to turn it off, unplug it, wait 30 seconds, plug it back in and turn it back on.
Originally published as Have you tried turning it off and on again? The easiest fix for tech issues
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