Library of Congress Federal Credit Union

What to Delete, Update, and Review

There is something about fall that makes people want to reset.

We clean out closets, switch over calendars, pull out sweaters, and tell ourselves this is finally the year we will organize that one drawer. You know the drawer. The one with old chargers, mystery keys, expired coupons, and at least three things no one in the house can identify.

Your digital life could probably use a little reset too.

Old apps, saved cards, outdated passwords, unused accounts, and privacy settings can pile up quietly. You may not notice them day to day, but they can affect how well your personal and financial information is protected.

The good news is that a digital cleanup does not have to be complicated. A few small updates can help protect your accounts, reduce clutter, and give you a little more peace of mind.

Delete Apps You No Longer Use

Start with your phone or tablet. Scroll through your apps and look for anything you no longer use.

Old shopping apps, games, editing tools, fitness apps, budgeting apps, and travel apps may still have access to information such as your email address, location, contacts, photos, or saved payment details. If you do not use the app anymore, delete it.

Before deleting, check whether you need to cancel a subscription or close an account connected to the app. Deleting the app from your phone does not always cancel the service or stop future charges. When in doubt, limit permissions to only what the app truly needs.

Update Old Passwords

Passwords are easy to ignore until there is a problem. But old, weak, or reused passwords can put multiple accounts at risk.

Start with your most important accounts: email, financial accounts, payment apps, school portals, work accounts, and anything connected to personal information or money.

Use strong, unique passwords for each account. Try not to reuse the same password across several sites. If one account is compromised, scammers may try that same password somewhere else.

If available, turn on multi-factor authentication. It adds an extra step when logging in, but that extra step can help keep someone else out of your account.

And because no one’s brain was designed to remember 47 complicated passwords and still know what day the recycling goes out, a password manager may help too.

Review Saved Payment Methods

Saved payment methods are convenient. They make it easy to order groceries, renew subscriptions, buy school supplies, book travel, or check out quickly from your favorite stores.

But convenience can become clutter.

Take a few minutes to review where your debit card, credit card, or account information may be saved. Look at shopping sites, food delivery apps, streaming services, travel accounts, online wallets, and subscription platforms.

Remove cards from websites or apps you no longer use. This is also a good time to review recurring charges. You may find a subscription you forgot about, a trial that turned into a monthly fee, or a service you no longer need.

It is not glamorous, but finding even one unused charge can feel like discovering money in a coat pocket.

Check Your Devices and Software

Software updates are easy to postpone. Most of us have clicked “remind me later” more times than we care to admit.

But updates often include security fixes that help protect your device from known risks. Keeping your phone, laptop, tablet, browser, and apps updated is one of the simplest ways to improve your digital security.

If possible, turn on automatic updates. That way your devices can stay more current without adding another task to your list.

Review Account Alerts and Privacy Settings

Account alerts can help you spot unusual activity sooner. Review the alerts available for your financial accounts, credit cards, payment apps, and other important services.

You may be able to set alerts for large purchases, low balances, transfers, deposits, password changes, or unusual activity. Make sure your contact information is current so alerts go to the right email address or phone number.

This is also a good time to review privacy settings on your most-used apps and accounts, including social media, shopping sites, email, cloud storage, payment apps, and location-sharing services. Check what information is visible, who can contact you, and whether your location is being shared.

A Simple Digital Cleanup Checklist

You do not have to tackle your entire digital life in one afternoon. Start with a few small things and build from there. This fall, try to:

• Delete apps you no longer use.
• Cancel subscriptions connected to apps or services you no longer need.
• Remove saved cards from old shopping sites, food delivery apps, or travel accounts.
• Update passwords for your email, financial accounts, and payment apps.
• Turn on multi-factor authentication where it is available.
• Review app permissions for location, contacts, camera, microphone, and photos.
• Update your phone, laptop, tablet, browser, and apps.
• Make sure account alerts are going to the right phone number or email address.
• Check privacy settings on social media, email, shopping, and payment apps.
• Wipe old phones, tablets, or laptops before donating, recycling, or selling them.

And if that list feels like a lot, pick three. Three is still progress.

The Bottom Line

A digital fall cleanup does not have to be perfect or complicated. Start with one or two small steps, such as deleting an unused app, updating an old password, or reviewing where your card information is saved. A little attention now can help protect your accounts, your personal information, and your peace of mind later.