If you are looking to format your laptop either to repurpose it for a specific use or sell it, there are some important things that you should keep in mind during that process. Selling a laptop is not like selling any other basic electronic, it harbors personal information that you certainly do not want in the hands of strangers.

So here are the major things you should do before formatting your laptop.

1. Save your files

This should be pretty obvious, but you are certainly going to want to save any important files on your hard drive before you wipe and format. While it isn’t necessarily crucial that you save everything on your computer — lord knows there’s probably a large amount of trash that you have compiled over time — but it can be smart to just transfer everything over to an external hard drive and then go from there. That way you don’t risk accidentally erasing something that you will need at a later date.

2. De-authorize or deactivate your software

Every computer has a number or name on it which makes it unique. This means that every time you log onto the internet, that number is stored on sites that you visit and use. The same goes for the software that you install. Due to that reason, it is crucial that you deactivate or deauthorize your old computer before you sell it. Software manufacturers are quite strict when it comes to paid programs and they want to make sure that you are paying for something that you are using. If you fail to deactivate or de-authorize a program or site on your old computer, you may not be able to easily log into that same program or site on your new computer.

3. Copy your browser settings

This one isn’t totally crucial, but it will definitely make your life a whole lot easier. Before you part ways with your old laptop, make sure that you have copied the important browser settings that you use on your primary internet browser. That way, the act of moving over from your old computer to your new one in terms of use will be very easy.

4. Save all your serial keys

Your serial keys are just as important as all of your operating system product keys. These serial keys are typically found on paid software and will allow you to login and register on those programs on your new laptop.

5. Erase your laptop

Make sure that you erase your laptop before you sell with WipeDrive. Erasing all the files on your laptop after you have saved necessary files is crucial to maintaining your own safety after the sale. After all, even if you are selling it to an honest customer, you never know what kinds of people will be working on your old laptop from that day forward. If you leave personal information on your computer, you run the risk of getting your identity stolen, and many other horrible outcomes.