How To Convert Work Laptop To Personal Use
Have you recently retired from your job or acquired an outdated business laptop that you no longer use for office purposes? However, there are no simple processes or suggestions for converting a professional laptop to a personal laptop. A simple reset or reformat can suffice, but several considerations to consider before proceeding with the conversion.
Can I use my work laptop for personal needs?
It’s wonderful to get a new laptop, especially if you don’t already have one. Checking emails and the web for the latest news is tremendously convenient, but where do you draw between innocent quick checks and exploiting business property?
First and foremost, you should be aware that the laptop is not yours. Just because you know the password and get to take it home with you every night after work doesn’t mean it’s yours to use as you like.
Check the corporate rules to see how you can use that computer before leaping to conclusions. Most corporate regulations prohibit employees from using their laptops for personal purposes but double-check. You can find this type of policy in the company’s handbook.
Even if it says you can use it, you shouldn’t use it carelessly because your employer can always watch it. Employers rarely go out of their way to inform you that your laptop is being monitored, but it never hurts to inquire.
Even if you are merely an employee at a company, you are entitled to some level of privacy. It has been proven that understanding what kind of monitoring occurs on your laptop positively impacts your relationship with your boss.
However, based on our study, there are a few options for converting a work laptop to personal use. A computer has all the functions you need to reset or remove anything. Before restoring important files, you can reformat, reset, or delete undesirable data from your laptop.
Please read the entire article and follow the procedures we’ve outlined.
How to convert laptop work to personal?
1. Factory Resetting.
The simplest solution is to remove all work-related data and restore factory settings. It will delete all company-related applications, allowing you to make your computer completely personal.
However, if you wish to save some applications or files, you can turn off the security settings on your laptop and use it with third-party software and flash drives.
Steps:
- Go to Main Menu
- Tap Setting
- Select Update & Security and tap Recovery
- Tap Reset this PC and Get Started
- Scroll down and select Remove everything or Keep Files
- Tap on Confirm Reset, then it will bring Reset Processed and Finished
- Then select Restart your PC
2. Disable Window Defender.
Window Defender is a Windows security program that provides real-time protection and improves the security of your laptop. When preparing the business laptop for personal usage, delete all other security software and enable Windows Defender.
Steps:
- Select Main Menu and go to window setting
- Tap update & security, which will bring window security
- Select Virus & threat protection
- Tap Manage setting and Tick off at (real-time protection, cloud derived protection, automatic sample protection)
3. Use TrueCrypt to Encrypt Data.
TrueCrypt encrypts all of the data on your business laptop, making it inaccessible to anyone without your permission.
It is free and open-source software that encrypts files, directories, drives, and entire partitions.
You can save all your sensitive data on a virtual encrypted disk created within a file.
You can save the encrypted files on a USB drive or email them to yourself for convenience.
Steps:
- Download True Crypt and Accept the agreement
- Tap Extract and Install, then select Run True Crypt
- Create Volume (standard or hidden) and press Next & select device or partition (encryption options); then select volume size and create a volume password
- Tap Large files and select volume Format
- Select Done
4. Use Virtual Machine.
Virtual machines make it simple to run two distinct operating systems on the same computer.
You may utilize your present operating system to create virtual computers that run another operating system.
For example, you could install Windows 8 Professional on your business laptop and utilize a virtual machine to run earlier Windows versions such as XP or 7.
Steps:
- Go to Main Menu and tap Window PowerShell (Admin)
- Select System Info and press Enter Key
- Tap Hyper V and again press Enter Key, then Turn Window Features on or off
- Select Open, a card opens, then Tick Hyper V
- Click on OK, then Restart Now
You can watch the video below to know how to install Window PowerShell
5. Use a Portable Application.
The software is designed to be portable from one computer to another. It is the simplest method of converting a work laptop to a personal laptop. Save relevant apps to a pen drive or network-attached storage device and use them. Instead of many disks strewn about, you’ll have all of your third-party software in one place.
6. Use Steganography Software.
Steganography is a technique for encrypting data in a photograph so that no one can see it.