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If you have an old Android phone or two lying around your house collecting dust, this article is for you. Phones are versatile devices that can do just about anything, so there’s no need to buy specialized gadgets when an old phone does the trick.
1Repurpose It as a Storage Device
One of the most versatile ways to use a phone is as a storage device in place of an external drive. Sure, USB sticks are small and inexpensive, andexternal SSDscan reach insanely fast transfer speeds, but they also cost money to buy, whereas you already have an old phone. Plus, they don’t usually support Bluetooth or Wi-Fi for wireless transfers or screens and speakers to show and play your stored media.
You probably won’t get a lot of mileage from a 16GB phone, but even a 32GB phone canstore26,786 12MP photos, 10,417 songs that are 3MB each, or 168 minutes of 1080p video. The real-world numbers would be slightly lower since the operating system takes up a few gigabytes, but those are still substantial numbers. Not to mention that many old Android phones have SD card slots, allowing you toexpand the storagesignificantly.
2Use It as a Mini Smart Speaker
An old Android phone that supports Google Assistant is the perfect smart home speaker; in a way, it’s even better because you can use it unplugged. You just have to enable all ofAssistant’s hands-free featuresso that you can use it even when the phone is locked, and you’re all set.
You could permanently connect it to a Bluetooth speaker if you want it to be as loud as a real smart speaker, but it’s not necessary. Plus, you’d have to keep both devices plugged in or charged, so it’s too much of a bother if you ask me.
3Give It to Your Kid
If you don’t want to buy your child a phone because phones are an expensive commodity or for parenting reasons, I hear you. Thankfully, Android phones give you plenty of ways to manage a device other than enablingKids Modeon your own Samsung phone.
There aretools and apps you can useto manage what your kids can do on their phones and how much they can use it. This way, your child can have a way to contact you without getting glued to their screen. Old phones also make for pretty decentcameras for kids.
4Use It as a TV Remote and Streaming Device
Many old Android phones haveIR blasters, meaning you can use them as a traditional remote for devices with IR sensors, like TVs. If your old phone doesn’t have one, you can still connect it to your smart TV and usescreen mirroringto watch a TV show.
Granted, you may do this with your main phone as well, but I like to immerse myself when I watch content. It’s better to have a dedicated phone remote that isn’t logged in to anything, especially with an easily distracted family.
5Use It as a Mini Car Multimedia and Dash Cam
I’m all in favor of retrofitting touchscreens in old cars to get modern features like Android Auto, Google Maps, and Spotify. However, if you don’t want to spend money on a car stereo and spend several hours figuring out the wiring, just hook up an old phone to the stereo. The phone candouble as a dash cam, so if it’s plugged in, it can act as a permanent multimedia solution for your car that doesn’t rely on your main phone.
6Strap It to Your Bicycle
If you want theAndroid Auto experience on your bicycle, just use your old Android phone. This way, you won’t damage your main phone in the case of an accident, and the constant vibrations won’t break your camera’s optical image stabilization (OIS).
7Leave It in Your Kitchen
Akitchen tabletor phone left permanently on a phone holder above your counter is the best way to find and follow recipes or just watch YouTube. Simplyset the screen timeoutto 30 minutes and create a home screen dedicated to your favorite cooking apps and websites. You’ll always have a device ready to go in an instant, and the best part is that you won’t even care if you get tomato sauce all over the screen.
8Use It as a PC Webcam
Cheap webcams suck. What’s worse is that the drivers with some cameras (like mine) are a nightmare to install. Since even old smartphones have pretty good cameras, they can make for a solid webcam. Just grab a simplemonitor phone mountand use a spare USB port to charge the phone.
There’s actually anative webcam optionin the latest Pixel and Motorola phones; a universal wireless webcam solution is also present inWindows 11. you’re able to also try somethird-party solutions.
9Turn It Into a Security Camera or Baby Monitor
Your old phone already has everything that you need in a security camera—a solid camera, microphone, Wi-Fi, and storage. Smart security cameras are expensive and arguablymore prone to hackingthan smartphones, though you shouldn’t fully trust a phone running an outdated version of Android, either, so exercise caution. Follow our guide toturn your old phone into a security camera.
10Use It as a Cheap Handheld
If you don’t want to spend money on adedicated handheld, an old phone can do the trick. Granted, there’s a strong argument in favor of using your main phone as a handheld, but the old phone can be more convenient if you want to attach agame controllerpermanently to the phone. Your old phone is probably smaller, so it’s more portable, and you may be more careless with it when you travel.
Offloading a couple of games and emulators to the old phone also saves on storage. Not playing games on your main phone also means a longer battery life and no annoying notifications.
