Is your old phone too old to trade in for a shiny new iPhone 16 or similar upgrade? If you can’t get much cash back, consider this popular alternative. Instead, employ your smartphone as a free security camera for your home.
Breathe new life into your phone with a quick wipe and download the app. you can Add a dedicated phone mount If you want too. Then you’ll have a handy security camera to monitor your home office, play area, entryway, and other important areas. Read the complete walkthrough.
Step 1: Install the security camera app on your old smartphone
First, you need to choose a security camera app. Most apps offer many of the same features, including local streaming, cloud streaming, local or remote video recording and storage, and motion detection and alerts. Once set up, you’ll be able to monitor your living space and control your security cameras from anywhere directly from your new phone.
One of the best app options to set up your phone as a security camera is Alfred. It’s cross-platform, so your old phone can Android smartphone or iPhone. The same applies to new mobile phones.
Alfred is free to use and offers remote viewing of live feeds, motion detection with alerts, free cloud storage, two-way audio feed, and use of both front and rear cameras. To unlock additional features such as high-resolution viewing and recording, zoom functionality, ad removal, and 30 days of cloud storage, you can: Upgrade to Alfred Premium.
1. Download Alfred (Android, iOS) on both old and new phones. There’s no need to use your phone as a surveillance tool. You can also download Alfred to your tablet or PC if you want to monitor from it. Make sure the app is on both devices.
2. On new phones, you can swipe the introduction and start. choice viewer and tap Next.
3. Once you are redirected to the sign-in page, click . Sign in with Google (Requires a Google Account), sign in using your Google Account credentials.
4. Repeat the same steps on your old phone, but viewerselect camera. And be sure to sign in to the same Google Account.
read more: 7 spots where you should not install home security cameras
Alfred’s app supports night vision, people recognition, and more.
Once both phones are signed into Alfred, setup is almost complete. Alfred has simplified the camera options to include only a few settings. On iOS, you can only enable motion detection, select front and rear cameras, and enable or disable audio. If you’re using an Android device, these options include enabling continuous focus, automatically reopening Alfred if your phone restarts, setting the resolution, and turning off a passcode lock. You can also enable it.
From your new phone, you can change a few more settings, like turning notifications on or off, setting your camera or viewer name, and adding other users. trust circle (Grant others access to your video feed), remove your camera, see how many times your camera has been disconnected, set the sensitivity of your motion detection, and enable your camera’s low-light filter.
If Alfred doesn’t really do it for you, you may want to consider other camera app options. Other apps that can upgrade security cameras on older phones include:
- Faceter: Faceter is a surveillance app that provides quick setup and cloud storage for Apple and Android smartphones.
- Epoccam: EpocCam is a super fast cam app made for content creators, but can be used for a variety of purposes. It is currently made exclusively for the iPhone.
- iVCam by E2ESoft: iVCam is a more open-source cam solution that’s perfect for people who want to really play around and customize their camera settings. However, like EpocCam, it focuses more on webcam-related activities than security.
Step 2: Choose where to install your new smartphone security camera
Once you have your stream up and running, you need to set up and position your camera. You may want to focus on the main points of entry into your home, your backyard, areas where you store valuables, or areas that seem particularly vulnerable. You can also set the IP camera as a baby monitor.
If you have multiple older phones, you can set up multiple cameras to ensure fairly robust video coverage.
Step 3: Attach and power on your security camera smartphone
To mount and position the camera, use a small smartphone tripod Or use a suction cup car mount to help you mount your camera in an inconspicuous location. To expand your horizons, wide angle lens for mobile phonewhich can be purchased online for $5 to $20.
Streaming video is very power-intensive and leaves your phone running 24/7. To prevent your phone from breaking down in the first few hours, you need to keep your phone close to a power source. a 10ft micro usb or lightning cable It gives you more flexibility in where you place it.
That’s it. You can now use the security camera app on your new phone to view the feed from your old phone’s camera. Now you can make your home safer for very little money.
Finally: Old smartphones and security concerns
Smartphones can eventually become vulnerable to attacks as security updates eventually expire. If you’re still online, like if you’re using your old phone as a security camera, that’s a problem.
First of all, we recommend you to erase personal data from your phone before turning it into a camera. Then, automate updates where possible. Third, consider giving your phone an end-of-life date and then recycling it. These days, companies are trying to push security updates for five to seven years after release (some even longer in recent years). If you want to learn more, we have a complete guide on this subject.
Finally, if you’re excited about using your smartphone for home security purposes, download an app like Hidden Camera Detector to automatically search for telltale signs that a camera is monitoring your room. Remember, you can also. Airbnb may ban indoor surveillance cameras, but if you still want to check them out during your trip, we don’t blame you.
For more information, please check 6 easy tips to get the most out of your home security cameras and best DIY home security system.
