A new computer needs more than unpacking: the operating system has to be updated, unnecessary pre-installed programs removed, and files, email and bookmarks moved across from the old machine. Allow two to three hours in total. Work carried out in the home is RUT-eligible.
What does a ready-to-start service include?
- Unpacking and first startup
- Installing or updating Windows or macOS
- Removing pre-installed programs the manufacturer added, often trial versions that slow the computer down
- Installing all security updates
- Installing basic programs: browser, office suite, antivirus, PDF reader
- Signing you in to your accounts and email
- Connecting to WiFi, printers and external monitors
- A walkthrough of the settings, including backup
How the files are transferred
This is what should come across from the old computer:
- Documents, including anything sitting loose on the desktop
- Photos and videos
- Email and contacts, if they are stored locally
- Bookmarks and saved passwords
- Licence keys for paid software
The transfer is done by external drive, over the network, or with a direct cable. For a normal amount of content it takes two to three hours, longer if you have many years of photos.
Programs do not come across
This catches a lot of people out: programs have to be reinstalled, they cannot simply be copied over. Have licence keys and login details ready, especially for paid software. If the key is missing you may have to buy the program again.
Go through in advance which programs you actually use. Replacing a computer is a good moment not to carry over the things you never open anyway.
Other devices
The same visit can usually cover:
- Printer and scanner, including wireless setup
- TV and streaming services, plus sound systems
- Phone and tablet: backup, transferring photos and contacts
- External monitor, docking station and keyboard
If someone is coming out anyway, it is worth doing everything in one go, since the minimum charge and call-out fee apply regardless.
Set up backup straight away
The best moment to set up a backup is the day the computer is new. There is nothing to lose yet, and the routine is in place before you need it.
Two options, ideally both:
- Cloud backup for documents and photos, running quietly in the background
- An external drive as a copy, for anything that must not disappear even if an account gets locked
After a week or so, check that the backup has actually run and that a file opens from the copy. A backup nobody has tested is not really a backup.
Common mistakes when switching
- Passwords that only lived in the old browser. Export or transfer them before the old computer is wiped.
- Email stored locally. If your mail sits in a program rather than in the cloud, it does not follow you automatically.
- Two-factor authentication apps. If you are changing phones at the same time you can lock yourself out of accounts. Move them before resetting anything.
- Files on the desktop. They often get missed when someone says "everything is in Documents."
- Giving the old computer away too early, before everything has been checked.
The old computer
Keep it for at least a few weeks after the switch, until you are completely sure everything came across. There is almost always a file, a bookmark or a program you forgot.
When you are done:
- Erase the hard drive properly. Emptying the recycle bin or doing a quick format is not enough, the data can often be recovered. Use the operating system's full reset with the option to erase data, or ask the company for secure erasure.
- Sign out of all accounts and unlink the computer from them.
- Take it for recycling. Electronics belong at a recycling centre (återvinningscentral), not in the household waste. Many companies will also take it off your hands.
If the computer is being given away or sold, secure erasure matters even more. An old computer usually holds saved passwords, email and banking details.
RUT deduction
Work carried out in your home is RUT-eligible: 50 percent off the labour cost (Skatteverket).
The computer itself, monitors, cables and accessories are materials and do not qualify. The company must hold approved F-tax (F-skatt). See computer help cost.
Common questions
What does a ready-to-start service include?
Unpacking, installing or updating the operating system, removing unnecessary pre-installed programs, updates and basic programs, and signing you in to your accounts.
How are the files moved from the old computer?
By external drive, over the network, or with a direct cable. Allow two to three hours for a normal amount of content.
Do my programs come across to the new computer?
No, they have to be reinstalled. Have licence keys ready.
How long should I keep the old computer?
At least a few weeks, until you are sure everything came across.
How do I dispose of the old computer safely?
Erase the hard drive properly, sign out of all accounts, and take it to a recycling centre.
Does the setup qualify for RUT?
Yes, if the work is done in your home. 50 percent off the labour cost (Skatteverket).
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