The end of August often means getting back into a more regular routine. Holiday things are put away, appointments and paperwork start again, and a few habits that were left aside during the summer come back too.
It is also a good time to take a quick look at the digital devices around the home.
There is no need to spend a whole day cleaning everything up or replace a phone that still works perfectly well. A few simple checks are often enough to avoid small problems at the wrong time.
And it can also be a good excuse to stop by and see your parents or someone close to you, and check with them that everything is working properly.
Start by Asking if Something Is Causing a Problem
Before launching updates or changing settings, the most useful thing is often to ask a very simple question:
“Is there anything bothering you with your phone or computer at the moment?”
An app that no longer opens, photos that are difficult to find, a message that keeps appearing or a printer that has stopped working properly may seem like minor issues.
For someone who does not use technology very much, however, that small problem may have been there for several weeks simply because they do not know how to fix it or do not want to ask.
Starting with what is actually causing trouble is often more useful than doing a big technical clean-up.
Check That Backups Really Exist
We regularly hear that photos and documents should be backed up. But there can be a big difference between assuming a backup exists and knowing that it is actually working.
On a phone, a few minutes are enough to check whether recent photos are properly syncing with the service being used.
On a computer, you can check where important documents are stored and make sure they are not kept only on the machine itself.
This is especially useful for family photos, administrative documents and files that would be difficult to replace.
Do Updates Without Changing Everything
A device that works properly does not need to be completely reconfigured every September.
It is still a good idea to check for system updates and updates to the main apps. They often fix problems and improve security.
After an important update, simply take a few minutes to make sure the usual things still work: calls, messages, email, web browsing, important apps or the printer.
When helping someone close to you, it is also better not to change the home screen, icons and familiar habits at the same time. A phone that is “better organised” is not necessarily easier to use if its owner can no longer find anything.
Check the Available Storage Space
Phones and computers tend to fill up slowly over time.
A few videos received through messaging apps, forgotten downloads or several years of photos can eventually take up a large part of the available storage.
When space becomes very limited, the device can slow down and some updates may become difficult to install.
Before deleting anything, it is better to identify what is actually taking up space. Important photos and documents should of course be backed up before any major clean-up.
Check Important Contacts
This is one of those details we rarely think about while everything is working.
On a parent’s or relative’s phone, take the opportunity to check that a few essential contacts are easy to find and still up to date: family, their doctor if relevant, a trusted neighbour or people they call regularly.
The aim is not to turn the contact list into a perfectly organised directory, simply to make the people who really matter easy to find.
Talk Briefly About Suspicious Messages
Fake delivery messages, banking scams and alarming emails are still very common.
Rather than explaining a long list of rules, one simple piece of advice works well:
if a message asks for payment, a security code or immediate action, it is better not to use the link in the message.
If there is any doubt, open the organisation’s usual app or website directly instead.
And when helping a parent who is not very comfortable with this kind of message, reminding them that they can simply call someone before clicking is often more useful than trying to teach them how to recognise every possible scam.
Keep the Habits That Already Work
Helping someone with technology does not necessarily mean installing the latest apps or showing them every feature on their phone.
If someone mainly uses calls, messages, a few photos and two or three apps, that is perfectly fine.
What matters is that those few things work properly and remain easy to use.
A successful digital back-to-school is not about having a perfectly optimised device. It is mainly about having a phone or computer that can be used without wondering every time whether something is going to work.
Sometimes a Short Visit Is Enough
If you visit your parents or someone close to you in the coming weeks, simply take a quiet moment to ask whether everything is going well with their phone or computer.
Sometimes ten minutes are enough to solve the small problem that has been there since the beginning of summer, check a backup or reassure someone about a strange message they received a few days earlier.
There is no need to turn it into an IT session. A coffee, a few questions and two or three checks can already make the return to routine much easier.