If you have an older iPhone lying around your house collecting dust, you may be sitting on a (digital) gold mine. Even if you moved on to the latest iPhone model, a spare phone can come in handy in unexpected ways.Any old, functioning device can be used in many different ways, so before you give up on your spare iPhone, here are a few ways in which you can repurpose it that don’t involve passing it along to somebody else.
Turn it into a security camera
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A great way to repurpose an older iPhone that you don’t have any use for is to turn it into a security camera. Using home security camera apps like AlfredCamera, you can set up any spare phones (as well as tablets and webcams) to be wireless cameras.
AlfredCamera is pretty easy to use: all you have to do is download the app from the App Store on both your primary and spare device, add the latter as a camera, then pair both devices before you test the live feed. You can then mount your older iPhone facing home and monitor the live feed from your primary device. You can use AlfredCamera on Android devices as well, if you want to set up multiple angles.
Make it a dedicated camera device
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Compartmentalizing can be key to productivity, so why not extend that to your older iPhone? If it’s in good enough condition, you can repurpose your iPhone as a dedicated camera device for work or study calls and meetings, especially if you use the iPhone’s Continuity Camera with your Mac. Turning the older iPhone into a webcam for meetings also means you can set it up at a more convenient angle compared to your laptop.
When I was studying during the pandemic, I used an iPhone 6 that was stripped of everything but my essential study apps and resources to do things like join group video calls and record voice notes during virtual lectures. This helped me study distraction-free from apps and notifications on my primary iPhone, so I was actually focusing on getting work done.
Shoot time-lapse videos
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An interesting way to repurpose an iPhone you’re no longer using, especially a model with a good camera, is to use it for any audiovisual projects you may be working on. Your spare iPhone can be used to shoot longer time-lapse videos that you don’t want to use your primary device for. This is a trick I tried a few years ago with my old iPod Touch and iPhone 7 for a study project involving a sunset time-lapse. This is especially useful if you want to go about your day while using your primary phone without disruptions.
Another use case of an older iPhone for photographers is to use it for multi-angle videos or photoshoots that you may be experimenting with on your own. This can be a little tricky to pull off if your backup iPhone is significantly older than your primary device, but setting up multi-angle shots can also be done with other Apple devices, such as an iPad.
Use it as a music player
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A few years ago, I temporarily reserved my iPhone 6 as a music remote control (with a speaker) for a few months when I couldn’t access my Alexa, since I was trying to take a break from scrolling on my primary iPhone. Beyond being a productivity hack, I realized how much use I was getting out of a spare device that I wrote off as nonfunctional. You can use a spare device to engage in media by only keeping the essential apps and files, which is also a way to reduce excessive screen time on your primary phone.With good audio output, you can turn any iPhone into a music player on its own. And if your device is compatible, you can even take advantage of StandBy Mode to have a neat music player display (or turn it into a dedicated digital clock!)
Make it your car-only device
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The best use I got out of an older iPhone that my family has moved on from has been turning it into our dedicated car device for long road trips. This phone is reserved for things like long car playlists, navigation apps, and downloaded podcasts, depending on our mood for the trip.
We have also cleared everything but the necessary apps and media needed for a long road trip, so there’s enough storage for downloading media like music when we drive to low-connectivity areas as well. By this same logic, I’ve also used an iPhone to record videos during a concert when I was running out of storage space on my primary iPhone, which was the best use I got out of the older device since I stopped using it.
Repurposing an iPhone for the sole purpose of using it in your car also means you can save your primary iPhone or other device for emergencies or calls without interrupting music or voice navigation. But if you forget your backup car device, don’t skip out on going hands-free with your iPhone, especially if you’re driving alone.
Use it as a gaming device
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One of the best uses you can get out of an older iPhone is to use it for your gaming needs. It can be as simple as only downloading your favorite games so you can reserve the older device for some downtime, but if you want to take it to the next level, you can look into how you can turn your iPhone into a game console. This can also be a productive way to avoid overcrowding your primary device with games and cut down your screen time on gaming by keeping the older device out of sight during work or study.
Alternatively, you can reserve an older iPhone to support games (and even offline media) for younger members of your household, with the added security blanket of Apple’s Family Sharing if you want to keep their screen time and purchases in check.
Repurposing an older device, be it an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, is not only a great alternative to minimizing your digital waste but can also lead to some interesting uses out of it. If all else fails, you can always resell, donate, or recycle your old iPhone.