Deleting your personal files from your work computer should not be an overlooked step. calvidindexter via Getty Images
Leaving one job for another requires many steps. After you’ve navigated the hurdles of stressful job interviews, negotiated a job offer, and prepared for your transition, there’s one more crucial step before you say goodbye to your old job: deleting your files.
Often employee handbooks dictate what you can and cannot delete, so you need to be careful not to run afoul of those policies. And to remove everything you should.
“Employees should be very careful not to accidentally or intentionally delete or copy an employer’s proprietary materials, such as emails, contacts, files, documents, software and the like,” said Joanna Grama, associate vice president of Vantage Technology Consulting. Group. “If I had worked on a large project that I was proud of, and wanted to use a result of that project in my work portfolio, I would ask my employer for a copy for that purpose, and also ask them to give written permission that I can use the copy for certain purposes.”
But once you’ve checked out what you can delete or take with you, here are five things you should ideally erase from your work computer so you can leave work in peace.
1. Personal files such as photos and tax documents
Ideally, you shouldn’t use your work laptop for personal items, but as the boundaries between work and home blur, it can be easy to forget about this.
If you are planning a move out, you will first want to delete any personal files such as family photos.
“In general, if allowed in an employee handbook, employees should delete their personal files from a work computer/phone before leaving an employer,” Grama said. “If I were to store photos of my kids on my work phone, I would want to move those files to my own personal storage and delete them from the work device.”
If you have downloaded sensitive documents to print at your office, such as your W-2 or other tax papers, make sure you delete those as well. “We strongly recommend deleting personal files, tax documents, contacts and personal photos,” said Nick Santora, CEO of security awareness training platform Curricula.
2. Your browser history
Want to get rid of embarrassing Google searches? Grama also recommended deleting your browsing history and any passwords your browser has saved for you.
For Chrome, select History, then ‘Clear browsing data’, then select the appropriate time range. In Firefox, once you select History, you have the option to ‘clear recent history’.
3. Any personal apps, software or extensions you have downloaded
If you downloaded a banking app or Venmo on a work phone, make sure you delete it before you leave. Also consider similar items on your laptop.
“If I had downloaded applications, software or browser extensions for personal use and not for business purposes, I would probably delete those from the work device as well,” Grama advised. “On my last day, I also logged out of all running applications I use for work and emptied the computer’s trash.”
As part of your clean-up process, you may want to consider whether you need to update the email address you use to subscribe to services or newsletters.
“If the newsletter is one that I still want to receive after I leave the employer and it is not a newsletter for my employer, then I want to change the email address to a personal one,” Grama said. “If I no longer wish to receive the newsletter, I can unsubscribe, just to keep my work email clean for anyone checking it when I leave.”
4. Apps and cookies for personal messages
Your employer may be able to access your personal messaging apps, such as Apple Messages or Google Hangouts, if you leave them on your work computer. So make sure you disable these as well.
“Many people log into their personal accounts (think iMessage) on their work computer,” says Andrew Stanek, data science manager at Pave, a rewards startup. “I always recommend logging out and clearing your cookies so they don’t remain on the work computer.”
Web browsers also store cookies, which contain information about your website activity and preferences.
In Chrome, select Chrome from the main menu, then ‘Clear browsing data’. From there you have the option to clear all your cookies. In Firefox, click Privacy & Security and then click the ‘Cookies and Site Data’ option. In Safari, choose “Clear History” from the Safari tab of the drop-down menu.
5. Passwords
If you’ve ever used your work computer for anything personal, you probably have a password saved. Make sure you wipe these off before you leave.
“Typically, work computers will also occasionally be used as a personal device. This means that your passwords and account for personal websites may also remain unless you deliberately delete them from the device,” Santora said. “It is best to disconnect any type of iCloud or Google Sync to ensure that none of your personal information remains with your former employer.”
