Android Authority Outlines Ways to Reuse Old Phones as Cameras, Players and PC Tools

Android Authority published the piece on Oct. 2, 2026, at 5:30 a.m. ET. It said phone upgrades are inevitable for most people, whether every two years, every three years or whenever the urge strikes. Buying a new phone may feel good, but it does not make the old one useless. The report acknowledges that an older device may be slower, have weaker battery endurance and no longer receive software updates, but says those limits do not erase its hardware.

One option is to keep the old phone as a second handset. The report said this can separate personal and work life, keeping photos, messages and apps apart, and can help with focus. For users who do not want to carry two phones, the device can serve as a backup for a family member who loses a primary phone or cracks a screen.

The report also suggested turning the phone into an Android Auto display for a car or bike that lacks a built-in system. It said the phone needs to be mounted in a convenient place, with an app such as Open Headunit, which is paid on the Play Store but available for free on GitHub. The app can connect the old phone to the main phone over a cable or wirelessly.

For dedicated gadget use, Android Authority pointed to Droid Dashcam, which can turn the handset into a car dash cam and show details such as GPS coordinates and vehicle speed. It said the phone can be mounted on the dashboard and plugged into a car charger. If the user does not drive or already has a dash cam, AlfredCamera can turn the same device into a security camera for a front door, driveway, backyard, garage or other location, streaming footage to the main phone as long as it stays charged. The report said the same setup can work as a baby monitor.

The phone can also become a dedicated music player. The report said users can load favorite playlists for offline listening, creating a distraction-free player for the gym or a run without notifications interrupting the music. It added that the device can even be dressed up as an iPod Classic, complete with a click wheel. For reading, Android Authority said a minimalist launcher, adjusted display settings and e-book apps such as Moon+ Reader and Readera can turn the phone into an e-reader, though it noted a tablet works better. The report also said the phone can double as a universal remote, with apps such as Universal TV Remote being more convenient for households with multiple TVs.

For PC users, the report listed several uses that could avoid buying extra hardware. It said a phone can replace a laptop's webcam, and on Android 14 or later, webcam mode is built in: the user plugs the phone into a PC and chooses Webcam instead of Charging only or File transfer. Apps such as DroidCam or Camo can do the same wirelessly. DroidCam can also let the phone work as a microphone, which the report described as an upgrade over many laptop microphones.

Android Authority further suggested using the phone as external storage for backing up and transferring files, with a 128GB or 256GB handset acting like a portable drive. It said apps such as Spacedesk can extend or mirror a desktop onto the phone, effectively creating a portable monitor. The report also highlighted using the phone as a Stream Deck through an app such as Touch Portal, which turns the screen into a customizable grid of shortcuts and macros. It said LocalSend can transfer files wirelessly.