The best ways to give an old iPhone a second life

Before you throw away your old iPhone, consider it a treasure waiting to be unlocked.

Your old-looking device isn’t just electronic junk. It’s a versatile gadget ready for an exciting second life. From turning it into a smart home hub to a standalone digital companion, an old iPhone can be repurposed in countless creative ways that breathe new life into technology you never thought possible.

Here are some great ways to use up your old iPhone.

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1. Turn it into a ‘dumb phone’

Smartphones are incredibly powerful, but they can also be overwhelming. Constant notifications and social media updates make it difficult to focus or enjoy the present. If you’re finding that your iPhone is more of a time waster than a productivity tool, why not turn it into a “dumb phone”? A “text phone” is a basic mobile device that focuses on essential communication functions like calling and texting, reducing digital distractions with limited internet access and apps, helping you reduce screen time and stay focused.

Steps to disable apps and notifications

Disable notifications:

• open settings
• Tap Notifications
• Choose Every application And Turn off Allow Notifications

Delete unwanted applications

• Press and hold. Application icon On the home screen
• Tap Remove the app

Factory reset (optional)

• Backup your dataIf necessary
• Go to settings > General > Transfer or restart the iPhone > Delete all content and settings

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2. Give it to your children

Finally, you may want to give your child their own smartphone. While a new phone can be expensive, handing in your old iPhone is a great way to introduce yourself to technology and keep your budget in mind.

Using Family Sharing and Parental Controls, you can carefully monitor what apps and content your child has access to. Plus, it’s a great way to bring them into the Apple ecosystem.

Steps to set up Family Sharing and Parental Controls

Set up Family Sharing:

• open settings And tap your name at the top.
• Choose Family sharing And tap Add a family member To invite your child.
• Select if your child does not have an Apple ID Create an account for a child And follow the prompts to set up their account.
• If you already have an Apple ID, tap Invite people And choose how you want to send the invitation (AirDrop, Messages or Mail).

Enable parental controls:

• open settings And scroll down to tap. Screen time
• Tap under the family section Your child’s name
• If Screen Time is not already enabled, tap Turn on Screen Time
• Follow the prompts to set it up as your child’s device.
• Tap Content and privacy restrictions
• If prompted, enter yours Screen time password (You’ll need to create one if you haven’t already)
• switch on Content and privacy restrictions
• Now you can. Customize settings Settings such as app restrictions, content restrictions, and timeout settings as needed.
• For application restrictions, tap Application limitationsThen select categories or individual apps to set time limits.
• Go to Restrict explicit content or purchases in their respective departments Subject to content and privacy restrictions

This process helps you effectively manage your child’s device usage and access relevant content.

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3. Use it again as a webcam

In recent years, Apple’s Continuity Camera feature has made it easy to use your iPhone as a webcam for your Mac or Apple TV. While newer models work well for this purpose, older iPhones can still serve as excellent webcams, especially for online meetings and video calls.

Your old iPhone can provide better video quality than buying an external webcam. iOS 18 lets older iPhones act as a dedicated continuous camera for Apple TV, perfect for FaceTime or Zoom calls with family and friends.

Steps to use your iPhone as a webcam

• Download webcam apps Consider apps like Epoccam or DroidCam from the App Store
• Connect your iPhone: Follow the app’s instructions to connect your iPhone to your computer via USB or Wi-Fi
• Select your iPhone in Video Settings. In your video conferencing app (like Zoom or FaceTime), select your iPhone as the camera source

Your old iPhone can provide better video quality than buying an external webcam.

4. Make it a standalone music player

Why use your original iPhone for music when you can repurpose your old one as a dedicated MP3 player? By setting up your old iPhone as a music player, you can enjoy your favorite tunes or podcasts without text messages or social media notifications. It’s the perfect solution for exercise, long drives or when you just want to hang out with music.

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5. Use as a remote or smart home control

If you own an Apple TV, you already know that your iPhone can act as a remote control. However, tethering your main phone to the remote can be inconvenient. By turning your old iPhone into a standalone Apple TV remote, you can still enjoy controlling your TV without using your original phone.

Steps to set up your old iPhone as a remote control

Configure the Apple TV remote feature

• Make sure that both devices are cConnected to the same Wi-Fi network.
• open control center On an older iPhone (swipe down from the top right corner)
• Tap on Apple TV remote icon And follow the prompts to connect

Manage smart home devices:

• take down Modern home applications as a Apple Home or specific to your devices (eg, Philips Hue).
• follow Application instructions To add and control devices

Even an old iPhone can be the hub of all your smart home devices, from adjusting lights and thermostats to checking security cameras.

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6. Save it for play

Smartphones have revolutionized mobile gaming, and your old iPhone can be a great portable gaming console. Many classic and modern games run smoothly on older iPhone models, and you can access a large library of high-quality games through subscription services like Apple Arcade. It’s a fun and inexpensive way to enjoy mobile games without draining your original iPhone’s battery life.

7. Turn it into an e-reader

For book lovers, using an old iPhone as a dedicated e-reader is a great option. You can install apps like Kindle or Apple Books from the App Store. The iPhone display is perfect for reading books and graphic novels, and since you’re not using the original iPhone, there are no distractions like notifications to interrupt your reading.

You can disable all apps and notifications on the old device, which makes for a peaceful reading experience. Plus, you can still connect your AirPods to listen to audiobooks on the go.

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Just because you upgrade to a new iPhone doesn’t mean you have to throw away the old one. From increasing your productivity to controlling your smart home, there are countless ways to reuse it. In this way, you can extend the life span and increase the value of your purchase.

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