5 Easy Ways to Keep Your Laptop Safe While Traveling

By Maria Azua
POPSUGAR Photography | Mark Popovich
POPSUGAR Photography | Mark Popovich

Whether you're traveling for work or for fun, you're probably likely to bring your laptop. The opportunity to get some work done in the airport definitely outweighs the annoyance of carrying around your laptop. Plus, if you're traveling abroad or are going to be away from your family and friends, Skype and Facebook will be open on your computer the entire time. Keep your laptop safe throughout your travels, by following the five tips ahead.

  1. Use the right bag: Your favorite laptop case might not be the most convenient bag to carry your computer on a flight. Current TSA guidelines strongly recommend that you opt for a "checkpoint-friendly" laptop bag, which are designed to make routine security screenings as simple as possible and let you keep your laptop in its case.
  2. Secure Safe WiFi: Although you'll be taking advantage of complementary guest WiFi every chance you get, make sure to limit any activity that puts your personal information at risk. This includes checking bank account statements, credit scores, and paying bills while using an open network. If you're traveling for work purposes, ask your company's IT team to hook you up with a VPN (Virtual Private Network) so you can access necessary files easily on a secure network.
  3. Enable Your Location Services: Turn on your location services on iCloud.com before you leave, so you can track your MacBook. It'll save you if you happen to leave your laptop bag behind in a cab or restaurant. This feature also gives you the ability to lock or erase the contents of your laptop if you lose it.
  4. Update Everything: Before your trip, update your computer and anti-virus software, so that you don't have to do it on a guest WiFi service. This will also save you time when you're logging into guest WiFi, since some buildings and universities require you to go through a routine security scan.
  5. Personalize it: Make your laptop distinguishable to yourself and the people you're traveling with by marking it with a unique decal or sticker. You don't want your laptop to look tempting to possible thieves, but you should be able to easily pick out your own computer from a table with 10 laptops on it.