Beyond the Bin: Creative Ways to Repurpose Your Old Smartphone
An old smartphone doesn’t need to languish in a drawer or head for landfill. With a little creativity, it can become a dedicated tool that extends its life and reduces waste. Older devices still have plenty of power for single-purpose tasks, from boosting home security to streamlining entertainment. Repurposing also shrinks your environmental footprint by keeping electronics out of the waste stream and extracting more value from the materials already used.
In this guide, we’ll explore inventive, practical ways to give a retired phone a fresh role — think smart home controller, baby monitor, backup sat-nav, or portable media hub. With the right apps and a few modest accessories, your old handset can pull its weight brilliantly, proving that innovation isn’t always about buying new. Sometimes it’s about reimagining what you already own — and enjoying the small satisfaction of turning “spare” into “spare brilliant.”
Turn it into a security camera
With the right app, an old smartphone can serve as a Wi-Fi-enabled security camera or baby monitor. Apps like Alfred, Manything, or Presence let you stream live video, record motion-triggered clips, and even receive alerts. Mount it near an entryway, in the garage, or as a discreet indoor monitor.
Make it a dedicated media player
Load your favourite playlists, podcasts, or audiobooks and connect it to a speaker system. Without the distractions of calls and notifications, it becomes the perfect portable jukebox for the kitchen, workshop, or garden. Pair it with a Bluetooth speaker for a fully wireless setup.
Create a smart home remote
Install apps for your smart lights, thermostat, or security system and keep the device in a central spot. It can serve as a dedicated control hub without draining the battery on your primary phone.
Use it for navigation
Repurpose your old phone as a dedicated GPS device for the car. Preload maps for offline use, keep it mounted on the dashboard, and avoid interrupting navigation when your main phone rings or needs charging.
Turn it into a learning tool
For children, load educational apps, e-books, and kid-friendly videos. This allows safe, controlled access to content without giving them your everyday phone. A simple case and screen protector keep it durable for little hands.
Make it a portable scanner
With a good scanning app, your old phone can digitise receipts, documents, and photographs. Store them directly in the cloud for easy access and organisation, freeing your main device from the extra task.
Keep it as a backup device
Even if you don’t repurpose it daily, keeping a fully charged, functional old phone in a drawer means you have an instant backup in case of loss or damage to your current one.
Set it up as a gaming device
Install your favourite mobile games or emulators and enjoy uninterrupted play without worrying about calls or messages. Add a clip-on controller for a more console-like experience.
Give Your Old Phone a New Life
Repurposing a spare smartphone is smart for your wallet and kinder to the planet. With a few tweaks and the right apps, you can turn it into a security cam, media hub, or kids’ learning device — no landfill required. Keep software updated, add a fresh screen protector, and pop on a sturdy case to extend its second life.
Need help setting it up or choosing accessories? Visit Phone Repair NZ. Our team can kit you out with mounts, chargers, cases, and protectors that suit your new use-case — and we’ll handle the fiddly bits if you prefer. Unsure where to start? Get in touch and we’ll guide you, step by step.