MARCH 2021 PCWorld 89install software in
Windows. If you’re using
a standard account, you
won’t be able to allow a
rogue program onto your
PC accidentally (at least
not easily). For the best
security, set up your
computer (go.pcworld.
com/seup) with all the
software you need (go.
pcworld.com/pcfr) using
an admin account, but
then use a secondary
standard account to go
about your business in general life. It’s very
easy to switch over to your administrator
account quickly when you need to install
something new.
And definitely set up your friends and
family with standard accounts if you’re sharing
your computer with others. This Microsoft
help page (go.pcworld.com/mhp) explains
how to create accounts in Windows 10.
- BACK UP YOUR DATA
Finally, backing up your data is an
underappreciated but vital aspect of your
security toolkit. If a virus does manage to
breach your computer’s defenses, having a
comprehensive backup can help you restore
lost data and potentially sidestep ransomware.
There’s no single way to back up your
data. Some people take “images” of the
entire operating system. Others rely on
online backup services. And some folks
simply drag their key files over to external
hard drives (go.pcworld.com/xtrd) on the
reg. Any method works as long as you’re
doing it consistently!
We’ve got several resources that can help
you set up a data recovery plan, including
guides to the best Windows backup software
(go.pcworld.com/wbup) and the best online
backup services (go.pcworld.com/obup).
We’ve also rounded up the top free backup
services (go.pcworld.com/fbup), and we
have a guide explaining how you can back up
your data for free (go.pcworld.com/frbp)
using built-in Windows tools. Free tools
typically require a more patchwork, intensive
process than the user-friendly premium
offerings, but hey—they work.It’s important that you back up your data.