Frequently Asked Questions

Hardware is anything you can physically touch — the keyboard, monitor, mouse, and the parts inside your computer. Software is the programs and apps that run on the hardware. You cannot touch software, but you interact with it every time you open a browser, write a document, or play a game. Think of hardware as the car and software as the directions — you need both to get somewhere.

A slow computer can be caused by several things. Common reasons include: too many programs running at the same time, a full or nearly full hard drive, old software that has not been updated, a virus or malware, or simply a computer that needs to be restarted. Try restarting your computer first — this fixes many slowness issues. If it is still slow, try closing unused programs or running a disk cleanup.

You should install updates as soon as they become available — especially for your operating system (Windows/macOS) and web browser. Updates often include important security fixes that protect your computer from hackers and viruses. Most computers can be set to update automatically so you do not have to remember.

A strong password is at least 12 characters long and uses a mix of: uppercase letters (A–Z), lowercase letters (a–z), numbers (0–9), and special symbols (!, @, #, $, etc.). Avoid using your name, birthday, or common words like "password" or "123456." A helpful trick is to use a passphrase — three or four random words combined, like Apple!River44Bike. Use a different password for every account.

A computer virus is a harmful program that can damage your files, steal your information, or slow down your computer. You can protect yourself by: installing antivirus software and keeping it updated, not clicking suspicious links in emails or on websites, downloading programs only from trusted sources, and keeping your operating system and browser up to date.

Cloud storage lets you save your files on the internet instead of (or in addition to) your computer's hard drive. This means you can access them from any device — your phone, another computer, or a tablet. Popular cloud storage services include Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, and OneDrive. Many offer free storage up to a certain amount.

Phishing is a type of online scam where criminals pretend to be a trusted company or person to trick you into sharing your password, credit card number, or other personal information. It usually comes as a fake email or text message. To avoid phishing: do not click links in suspicious emails, check the sender's email address carefully, and go directly to a company's official website if you are unsure. When in doubt, do not click!