Every work laptop has different security measures to safeguard the company’s helpful information. So, if you have a work laptop and don’t know how to convert work laptop to personal laptop, I will help you to do it.
Once you get hired by a company, you will be advised to follow the company’s guidelines and policy on the work laptop. This guideline is to avoid the risk of exposing the company’s vital secrets.
But, when you leave the job, the restrictions on your work laptop will remain. In addition, these restrictions might affect the usage of your work laptop for personal purposes.
In this article, you will learn the various ways in which you can convert your work laptop to a personal laptop.
Why Need to Convert Work Laptop to Personal Laptop?
Restrictions set on the work laptop will not make it convenient for use as a personal laptop. Below are the reasons you might need to convert your work laptop to a personal one.
To Avoid Being Monitored by Company:
When you use a work laptop, the company monitors your activities on the laptop. They have the employee tracking software installed on the laptop. The software makes things you do on the laptop exposed to them. When you convert your work laptop to a personal laptop, your private affairs are safe from them.
To Avoid Restrictions:
All work laptops are restricted and limited features like not being able to play games. Some apps might not work on them because it is for the company’s activity. You can only carry out private activities using a personal laptop. These personal activities include playing games, watching movies, and streaming social media services.
10 Ways to Convert Work Laptop to Personal
Every work laptop is well monitored and restricted. This restriction ensures the organization’s data and information stay within the organization. If you need to use a work laptop for personal needs, here are a few ways you can do it.
1. Use Virtual Machines:
A virtual machine allows you to create different Windows instances on one laptop. In addition, they enable you to secure your data when you want to convert it to a personal laptop.
You need to install VirtualBox. VirtualBox is a free virtual machine software required to use virtual machines. This software will enable you to create different versions of the Windows operating system on your laptop. Then, you can use any of the created operating systems for personal use.
2. Creating Separate User Account:
Creating a separate user account on a work laptop will help you convert the laptop for personal use. This account will keep your personal activities private and secure.
You can switch your account whenever you need to. The data and information in both accounts will be safe and cannot be accessed without proper authorization.
3. Changing Work Profile To A Guest Mode:
Organizations track work laptops to regulate how employees use their laptops. To keep your personal activities hidden from the work profile, go to the installation directory of your laptop.
You can then install a virtual machine for running windows. After this, you can change the work profile to a guest account.
4. Disable Windows Defender:
When working for an organization, you must install many antivirus programs on the laptop. This antivirus is to protect the company’s data and information. The antivirus scanners ensure no harmful software gets into the computer. They also protect the laptop from software like spyware, ransomware, etc.
To convert the laptop to a personal one, you need to disable the laptop’s windows defender. In addition, all the antivirus installed on the laptop must use a lot of power and memory and can slow down your computer.
5. Disable Windows Firewall:
Windows firewall prevents hackers from accessing your laptop. However, if you are using public wifi, it is advised you disable the windows firewall.
Companies enable windows firewalls as a security measure. This firewall is to keep data and information safe. If you want to convert a work laptop to a personal one, you must disable the windows firewall.
6. Browse With Incognito Mode:
Incognito mode is another smart way of converting a work laptop for personal use. Nobody will be able to see your browsing history. Incognito mode does not keep any records or history of searches.
To turn on incognito mode, open your browser and turn on a private or incognito mode. You can then open a new tab and begin browsing.
7. Use Cached Data On Personal Laptop:
If you are using a work laptop, you can install third-party apps on your laptop when needed. These apps can be used for official as well as personal purposes.
After performing any task, you can close the apps in their native mode. Booting your laptop will take a few minutes to launch because it is already cached on your laptop.
8. Install Personal Productivity Apps:
Personal productivity apps help in using apps like e-mail and word processors. Many personal productivity apps are available, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
Once you have installed the productivity apps, you can start using them to get your work done.
9. Set Up VPN Connection:
Setting up a VPN connection is simple and easy to use. All you need to do is set up a VPN connection and sign in using your information.
The VPN connection will change your location, and you can use your laptop for personal tasks.
10. Re-installing Windows:
The best way to switch your work laptop to personal use is to re-install windows. Unfortunately, re-installing windows will wipe out all the laptop’s previous data and become new.
But, if you have sensitive information on the laptop, you can copy it to a flash drive before you re-install your windows.
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Benefits of converting a corporate laptop to a personal laptop:
Converting a corporate or work laptop into a personal one has several advantages. Below are some of the benefits
No Limitations or Restrictions:
When you convert a corporate laptop to a personal laptop, you will be able to do anything on your laptop, like install any software or play video games. This means there are no limitations or restrictions on your personal laptop.
Also, you will not be scared of losing the company’s important information to anyone and spying on your work. That’s why people should convert their company laptop into a personal laptop.
More Features than Work Laptop
A work laptop is designed to fit the needs of the company only. Therefore, other apps or features might not work on the work laptop. For instance, a work laptop may not be able to download movies or download applications.
Using a personal laptop would be easier to do such things because it is designed for every user’s satisfaction. But a work laptop is designed for the company’s satisfaction.
Less Maintenance Cost:
Maintaining a work laptop might be expensive because of its unique IT design. Companies spend a lot on work laptops because it is specially made for them.
Getting it repaired or restored would cost the company a lot of money if it gets spoilt or hacked. On the other hand, a personal laptop does not need a high maintenance cost because it does not need a unique IT design.
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How To Reset Company Laptop for Personal Use?
If your company laptop is running slow or you simply want to start from scratch, you can reset it for personal use. This will wipe all of the company data and settings from the device, so be sure to back up any important files first.
Once you’ve backed up your data, follow these steps to reset your company laptop:
Step 1: Go to the “Settings” menu on your laptop and select “Update & Security.
Step 2: After clicking on Update & Security, you will see a new page with a lot of options like this image. Now, you need to click on the “Recovery” option. Under the “Reset this PC” section, click on “Get started.
Step 4: After clicking “Reset this PC,” a new tab will be open with two options: “Keep my files” and “Remove everything” option. If you want to keep all your files and need to reset your laptop, go to the first option or click on “Remove everything.”
Step 4: Then click “Reset. Follow the prompts to complete the reset process.
Once the reset is complete, your company laptop will be wiped clean, and you can start using it for personal use.
Be sure to keep your important data backed up in case you need to reset the device again in the future.
Is Safe to Use a Work Laptop for Personal Works?
A work laptop is strictly for office work. It is a vital asset to your company as it makes you do your job quickly and effectively. Using a work laptop for personal use is risky. Your browser history and open files will not be hidden from your employers.
You might also risk exposing the company’s vital information by opening harmful files. You may also download some noncertified applications which might have some viruses. Hackers use this method to steal company data.
Using a work laptop for personal use also depends on the organization’s policy on work laptops. Ensure you read up on the company’s work laptop policy before you make decisions for yourself. Even if you are permitted to use it for personal use, ensure you are very careful.
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Some Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes, it’s safe to reset your laptop. It’s always a good idea to reset your company laptop for personal use. This includes backing up your data first to avoid any potential problems. Restoring your laptop can erase any data, so be careful what you choose to restore. Finally, if everything goes wrong and you need to start from scratch, there is always the option of a fresh install.
Factory reset does not delete everything on a laptop. The data will still be on the hard drive, but your laptop cannot access it. You can only erase everything on your laptop if you re-install windows.
Yes, you can connect your laptop to a monitor. You will need to get the appropriate HDML or USB cable that fits your laptop. The cable will be used to connect your laptop to a monitor.
Companies can see what you do on laptops with the help of the employee monitoring software. They can see every site you visit and every file you access. The only way to stop them from viewing your activities on your laptop is to browse in incognito mode.
Conclusion
Most people find it challenging to carry out personal assignments on their laptops because of their employers. If you plan to use a work laptop for personal use, you can adopt any of the methods listed above. They are a fast and legal way of using a work laptop.
Following the simple steps above, you will be able to run your private activities on the laptop without worry. Your employer and the IT department will not know what you have been up to.
