Use this guide if you have an older tablet or laptop that still switches on but no longer earns its place as your main device. Have the device, its charger and any old passwords or account details to hand.
Step by step
Check what the device can still do safely
Charge it fully, switch it on and look in Settings for the software version and whether updates are still offered. A device that still gets security updates can go online for anything; one that no longer does is best kept to low-risk jobs such as offline photos, music or reading downloaded books. Also note battery health: if it dies within an hour, plan a job where it sits on a charger, such as a fixed screen in the kitchen.
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