How do you turn an old phone into a new device?

Most old phones end up in a drawer, but that's a waste of potential. You can turn your smart devices into a bike display, a game console, a repeater, or a camera. With a few simple tricks, any forgotten phone can be given a new lease of life.

How many phones have you had in your life? Some people sell them, others keep them in a drawer. But an old phone doesn't have to be useless. You can turn it into something very useful.

Bicycle display
But your old phone is ideal: you can turn it into a screen for navigation, music or podcasts. You can connect it via hotspot or download files offline. For the full experience, set it up as an Android Auto cycling screen.

Automatic backup
We can use our old phone as a wireless disk. With Syncthing, files are automatically synchronized. It's not a true backup, if I delete a file, it disappears everywhere, but it still reduces the risk of data loss if the main phone gets damaged or we forget it.

Portable game console
Mobile gaming is booming, with many indie games coming to phones. To avoid draining the battery of our main phone, we use our old one to play games. With the extendable controller, we can turn it into a Switch-like console. The premium Backbone Pro controller costs around 155 euros and allows for up to 40 hours of wireless play, while the cheaper GameSir models are a great choice.

Wi-Fi repeater
If you have a corner of your home without a signal, you can turn your old phone into a Wi-Fi repeater. Place it where the signal is strong, and it will extend the connection to weaker parts.

Better webcam
Most laptop cameras are crap. Even a 4MP camera on a phone is better than most built-in cameras. With a USB cable, you can turn your old Android into a webcam for Zoom or Google Meet.

Even more options

An old phone can become a music player for the kids, a smart remote, or even an e-book reader. With a little imagination, any device can be given a new life.