What to do after upgrading to Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 is finally here and while technically the only thing you have to do is to open the Windows Store and click Download to update. There are a few things you want to do after upgrading to Windows 8.1 to keep your PC secure and working properly with the correct settings.

Below is a list with 6 things every user should pay attention to post the Windows 8.1 upgrade:

Install latest updates

Although, Microsoft is already done coding its operating system, the company will continue providing updates to improve the performance and security of Windows. On day one, for example, there are already 3 new updates for Windows 8.1 (x86/x64), which provide performance and reliability improvements for the OS and one update that deals with Runtimeboker.exe crashing Windows 8.1.

Windows RT 8.1 also is getting 4 updates to deal with some security issues, Flash Player, an update that installs the Microsoft Camera Codec Pack to enable viewing of many new file formats, and an update to enhance system performance. For more information, check out this article from Microsoft watcher, Richard Hay.

Update drivers

Now the next tip is to update all your device drivers to the latest version (when possible). To do this go to your PC manufacturer website, navigate through the download and drivers section, find your computer model, and grab all the latest drivers that work with Windows 8.1.

Install apps

Microsoft is also updating all its built-in apps for Windows 8.1, from Xbox Music app, to Reading List, to Windows Help+Tips, Mail, and everything in between. So the next thing you want to do is to sign-in to the new Windows Store with your Microsoft account and update all the apps. To do this, simply use  +i, click App updates (important! Make sure that “Automatically update my apps” option is enabled), then click or tap Check for updates, select all the apps and click Install.

At this point you can reinstall all your previous desktop applications that you use everyday. These could include: Microsoft Office 2013, video player app like VLC, Google Chrome, Firefox, QuickTime, Photoshop, iTunes, etc.

Antivirus

In Windows 8.1, Microsoft continues to include its free antivirus software, Windows Defender, that way you are always protected from viruses, Trojans, and malware. The AV works great, but if it doesn’t live to your expectations, you can install the one you like. (Don’t worry, once you install a second antivirus in your PC, Windows Defender will get disabled automatically.)

Cleanup

Now is the time to clean up and reclaim some hard drive space. If you didn’t install Windows 8.1 from scratch, you probably have the previous installations files wasting valuable space in your hard drive. Typically, these files are stored inside a folder called Windows.OLD and even though you can simply delete this folder, the best way is to use the Disk Cleanup tool in Windows.

To do this go to This PC, right-click the C:\ drive (where Windows 8.1 is installed) and click on Properties. Then click the Disk Cleanup button, click Clean up system files, check all the files to delete including: Previous Windows installation(s) and Temporary Windows installation files, click OK, and wait for the process to complete.

Backup

You’re now practically done, the last thing I will suggest is to create a backup of all your hard work in case something catastrophic happens with your PC. Creating system image in Windows 8.1 hasn’t change from Windows 8, so if you want to do this you can use this guide: How to create a Windows 8.1 system image backup (step-by-step).

SEE ALSO: You can find my full review on Windows 8.1 here