Give your old iPhone a new life with these 8 tips

Did you buy a new iPhone? Cool! Don’t just throw away your old device, because you can easily reuse it. This is how you give your old iPhone a new life.

You can still do all this with an old iPhone

From recycling and selling to reading books and using as a webcam, you can do everything with old iPhones. Tap one of the links below to go directly to the relevant tip or just read on for the entire article.

1. Hand in old iPhone

We start with a super sympathetic tip, namely recycling. By handing in your old iPhone, you reduce the mountain of electronic waste (e-waste), you reduce carbon dioxide emissions and you ensure that scarce raw materials are reused. After all, an old telephone is packed with precious materials, such as gold, platinum and silver.

You can hand in an old iPhone in several ways. The most accessible is the bin with electronic waste in the supermarket and hardware store. You can also send the device to Apple for recycling. Then you get a discount on your next purchase, or a gift card (which you can use when it suits you).

You can also have an old iPhone recycled by charities. Parties such as CliniClowns, KiKa and Stichting Opkikker collect smartphones for sale. The proceeds are used, for example, for research or to help sick children. You can check which collection points have charities in your area on the website of collector Eeko.

Also interesting: Apple Trade In: that’s how much your iPhone is still worth according to Apple

2. Sell old iPhone

Old smartphones are worth money. Especially if your device still looks neat, you can probably get a good amount for it. Age also plays a role, because an old model is logically worth less than a fresh one.

You can sell an old iPhone in several ways. The simplest way is to sell the device to a friend or family member. You can also look for a buyer via trading websites such as Marktplaats.

If you don’t feel like (long) negotiations and people at the door, you can also sell your old iPhone to specialized companies. This works very simply. First, register your device and tell us about its (outward) condition. The buyer then makes an offer. If you like this amount, send the iPhone.

The buyer then checks the device. If your promises are correct, the promised amount will be paid into your bank account. Well-known buyers are reBuy, Rephone and Swappie.

Tip: Don’t forget to empty your old iPhone beforehand. That way, the buyer can start fresh and your data is not lying around. In addition, you ensure that your old iPhone is no longer linked to your Apple ID account.

Read more: Emptying an iPhone: this is how you prepare a device for sale

3. Keep on hand

Just because you put your old iPhone in a drawer, doesn’t mean you’ll never use it again. After all, it is very handy to have a spare device on hand, because you never know when you will need it. For example, your new phone could break or – even worse – be stolen.

A spare device is also nice for traveling or during festivals. You don’t have to worry about scratches on your primary device, because it’s safe at home. Furthermore, an old iPhone also serves as an iPod. All you have to do is download the songs from a music service (such as Apple Music or Spotify) on the device so that you can listen offline anytime and anywhere.

4. Keep an eye out

So much for the traditional tips. There are also more creative uses for old iPhones. For example, you can also use your device as a (security) camera. In fact, a little iPhone makes better images than a dedicated security camera.

Using an iPhone as a camera is not complicated at all. You start by installing a good app, like Alfred. Then you put your old iPhone on the charger permanently, make sure there is a stable WiFi signal and hang the device in a logical place. Now you can always keep an eye on things from a distance.

Also read: Tip: This is how you use an old iPhone as a security camera

5. Webcam

The best webcam might be your old iPhone. If you have a somewhat recent model, chances are it will record better audio and video than your laptop’s built-in webcam. Especially if you regularly hold video meetings, it is wise to pay some attention to your recording equipment.

You can easily use an old iPhone as a webcam. You will need a webcam app, such as Camo or EpocCam, and a phone holder for this. Then connect the old device to your computer and indicate in the video calling program (such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet) that you are calling via your iPhone.

Also make sure that the device has continuous power – after all, you don’t want it to fail halfway through the video calling.

Read more: How to use iPhone as a webcam for your Mac

6. E-reader

Reading enthusiasts can also use their old iPhone as an e-reader. After all, electronic books weigh nothing and are also often cheaper than their physical counterparts. On top of that, you can buy e-books anywhere and anytime and you don’t have to deal with shipping times. And are you a member of the (summer) library? Then you can borrow electronic books directly via the Bieb app on your smartphone.

That said, using your old iPhone as a permanent e-reader is not a good idea. If you read a lot of e-books, it’s better to buy an e-reader made for that purpose. After all, this reads much more pleasantly, especially when you read mainly in the evening.

7. Remote Control

Do you have an Apple TV (or TV with AirPlay 2 support) at home? Then we don’t have to explain to you that the Siri Remote does not always work smoothly.

Instead, you can use your old iPhone as a remote. To do this, you’ll need to add the Apple TV Remote control to your Control Center. Go to the Settings app and choose “Control Panel”. Then tap Add next to Apple TV Remote. Now you can control your Apple TV media player or compatible smart TV from Control Center.

8. Gift

Does your old iPhone still look good? Then you can undoubtedly make someone else happy with it. For example, give the device to your child or a nephew/niece. Optionally, you can limit the functions of the device by setting parental controls. In this way you prevent the (very young) receiver from coming into contact with potentially offensive material.

Switch safely

Now that you know what to do with your old iPhone, it’s time to get ready for the new one. In the video below we show you how to safely transfer all your files and contacts from the old to the new model. Transferring WhatsApp conversations is a bit more difficult.

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