Surveillance camera, alarm clock, intercom... These are just a few uses you can give to your old cell phone! In this post, we'll explore The 10 best ideas to give your phone a second lifeSo dust it off and get ready to tap into all the potential it still has to offer.
Top 10 ideas to give your phone a second life

Do you have your old phone sitting in a drawer, not knowing what to do with it? Instead of letting it gather dust, you can turn it into a useful tool for your everyday life. Not sure how? Here are 10 best ideas to give your phone a second life. With a little creativity, you can reuse all its potential.
Turn it into a surveillance camera
One of the best ways to give your phone a second life is to turn it into a surveillance camera. This idea is perfect if you need monitor in real time what happens in your home or businessTo do this, you just have to download an application like Alfred Security Camera and follow these steps:
- Download the app on your old phone and your primary phone.
- Sign in to both with the same account.
- Set the old phone as Camera and the main phone as Viewfinder.
- Place your phone in a strategic location in your home or business and connect it to Wi-Fi.
- Make sure you can see what the camera on your old phone captures on your primary phone.
- You can also enable motion detection to receive real-time alerts.
Use it as a smart alarm clock

If you always use your main phone as an alarm clock, maybe you can give it a rest and use your old phone as a dedicated alarmYou probably have a native alarm app, but you can always download an app that has more customization options.
For instance, alarms o Sleep Cycle are mobile apps packed with cool features that will help you get up on time. Both are capable of Turn your old cell phone into a smart alarm clock, as they offer options such as challenge alarms (which force you to solve a math problem before going off), sleep tracking, snore detection, and more.
Give your phone a second life as an intercom
If you have a Wi-Fi-enabled doorbell, your old phone can be a great way to see who's at your door without having to move. All you have to do is Download your smart doorbell's mobile app on your old phone and set it up as a display.This way, you'll receive real-time alerts and can even communicate with visitors from anywhere in your home.
Turn it into an entertainment center

Another idea to give your phone a second life is to transform it into an entertainment center. For example, you can connect it to a Bluetooth speaker and use it as your primary device for playing music from apps like Spotify or YouTube. And if your phone has enough storage, you can even download playlists to enjoy offline.
Photo frame or table clock
If you don't know what to do with your old cell phone, why not use it as a photo frame or table clock? All you need is a stand to put it on and Place it on your desk or living room as a decorative elementSome devices have a Sleep Mode, which displays only the time on the screen to reduce battery consumption. What do you think of this idea?
Use it as a universal remote control
Another excellent idea to give your mobile a second life is to use it as a Universal remote controlIn fact, many cell phones come with infrared and a native app to use them as a remote control for TVs and other devices. There are also apps like Unified Remote, which allows you to control different devices connected to your Wi-Fi network.
Let your phone have a second life as a dedicated GPS for your car!

Give your old phone a second life by turning it into a dedicated GPS for your car! This is one of the most useful ideas and can save a lot of battery on your primary phone. Simply install an offline map app, like Google Maps or Here WeGo, download the route and that's it, Your old mobile phone will now be an always-available navigation tool..
To get the most out of this idea, remember to activate the location on your mobile and adjust settings to make your battery last longerIt's also a good idea to have a phone holder in your car to secure your device for better viewing. And remember to bring your power cable to charge it during long trips.
Turn it into a retro console
Are you a fan of classic video games? Then your phone can become an excellent retro console. To do this, all you have to do is Download a Nintendo, Sega, or PlayStation emulator, and use it solely to play your favorite titles. Something that greatly improves the gaming experience is connecting a Bluetooth controller to your phone. If you need help with this, check out our article How to connect PS4 controller to Android.
Give your phone a second life as a baby monitor

Another clever use for your old cell phone is as a baby monitor. Basically, what you're doing is Turn your old device into a surveillance camera to monitor your baby in real time from your main phone.. For this, you will need an application like Sleeping o 3G Baby Monitor and follow these steps:
- Install the app on your old phone and your primary phone.
- Sign in with the same account, and set up your old phone as a camera and the other phone as a monitor.
- Place the old cell phone in the baby's room, near where he or she sleeps, and connect it to Wi-Fi.
- Make sure you can see what's happening in the room from your primary phone.
Turn it into an e-book reader
One last idea to give your phone a second life is to use it as an e-book reader—if you like to read, of course. The advantage of not using your main phone to read is that you avoid distractions such as notifications and calls.Plus, you can use the entire storage capacity of your old phone to store your digital library.
Since I was very young I have been very curious about everything related to scientific and technological advances, especially those that make our lives easier and more entertaining. I love staying up to date with the latest news and trends, and sharing my experiences, opinions and advice about the equipment and gadgets I use. This led me to become a web writer a little over five years ago, primarily focused on Android devices and Windows operating systems. I have learned to explain in simple words what is complicated so that my readers can understand it easily.