12 Creative Ways to Use an Old iPad
Upgrading to a new iPad is always exciting. More often than not, you're getting a more powerful device that will help you at work or school and in many other aspects of your everyday life.
But with every new iPad, there's always the question of what you should do with your older model. After all, you don't want to throw away such a powerful and expensive device, especially if it's still working fine.
Fortunately, there are many ways to use an iPad. All you need to do is get creative.
Apple makes such good products that you can keep using older iPads even if they don't get any more software updates, and thanks to how durable iPads can be, you can easily turn your old iPad into something else and give it a new life.
Whether you want another monitor, a little help in the kitchen, or a new nightstand clock, read on for a dozen unique ways to use your older iPad.
Turn Your iPad Into a Picture Frame
Digital picture frames have become extremely popular, but they can also be pricey. The good news is that if you have an old iPad lying around, you can turn it into your own photo or video frame.
To do this, you'll need an app like LiveFrame, which will continuously show the photos in your library. Next, you'll need a stand or mount so your iPad can show the world your pictures. If you have an older case, you can use that or get a cheap one on Amazon.
Last but not least, put your new frame in your favorite room or office to see your favorite memories in front of you.
Use Your Old iPad as a Second Monitor
Nowadays, if you really want to increase your productivity, you need more than one monitor. Or at least, that's what many people say.
If you're one of those people, then your old iPad is the perfect second monitor for you. If you have a fairly modern iPad, you'll be able to connect it to your Mac with its Screen Mirroring feature, which you can find in your Mac's Control Center.
Afterward, you'll be able to mirror your Mac or use your iPad as a second monitor to increase your productivity. Granted, the smaller screen might make it harder to use in some cases, but this is the perfect way to get your productivity set up with you when you're on the go.
Your iPad Is the Perfect Smart Home Controller
Whether you're an expert or just getting the hang of the smart home world, your old iPad is the perfect companion for you.
You can leave your old iPad as a designated smart home controller, so you don't have to take out your iPhone to control the lights, thermostat, or smart outlets.
Whatever it is you use, you can control it with an app right on your older iPad.
Use Your iPad as a Security Camera
If you're never home or are planning to take a trip somewhere, you can turn your old iPad into a powerful security camera.
If you have a modern iPad, you'll be able to make the most of it with the camera on the back or the front, both of which have pretty decent quality.
You can test your new security camera with an app like FaceTime to see if everything looks good and then get a better monitoring app like Presence Video Security Camera. Of course, your old iPad might not be as good as an actual security camera, but it'll still get the job done.
Turn Your iPad into an eReader
While most of us still love the look and feel of a physical book, there's no doubt that digital books are extremely popular right now. After all, what's not to love? You get to carry thousands of books with you without worrying about space or weight.
And while there are dozens of eReaders in the market, there's probably no better option than your older iPad.
Compared to actual eReaders, the display on an iPad is far superior. You'll get to enjoy all your books in great detail, and your comic books will look amazing and feature bright colors, which is something you won't get with a Kindle.
Besides that, you can also access free ebooks, manga, and audiobooks without any trouble. Granted, unless you have an iPad mini, your iPad will definitely be tiresome to hold while reading for a long time, but it's a small price to pay for all the other benefits.
Give Your Old iPad to Your Kids
Most parents don't like to give their children smartphones, but if you still want to let your kids play with technology, what better way to do it than with an older iPad?
You can turn your old iPad into a kid's device so they can play, watch their favorite shows, and even learn or do their homework.
As long as you keep an eye out for what they're using the iPad for, letting them use your old tablet can be really beneficial for them.
And if you don't have kids, a second-hand iPad is still a great gift to give to your nieces or nephews or your older relatives who don't really care that much about performance.
Make Your Old iPad Your Cooking Companion
Do you enjoy cooking but find it hard to remember the recipes? Then, your iPad is the best companion you can ask for.
By having your iPad in the kitchen at all times, you'll find all the recipes, cooking videos, and tutorials you need in a matter of seconds. For instance, you can get started with an app like Tasty and find over 10,000 different recipes to try.
Once you're done with your cooking, you can easily take a photo of it and share it on social media.
To make the most out of your iPad, you can also turn it into a digital frame or a smart home controller when you're done cooking. It's the perfect way to squeeze all the power your old iPad has left.
Turn Your iPad Into a Clock
If you don't have many uses left for an older iPad, you can always turn it into a clock.
Whether you want to find a way to always show your iPad's clock on your nightstand or you want to use an app like Night Clock, having a big display showing the time is great, especially on those restless nights.
And, of course, the loud speakers on the iPad make it the perfect alarm clock. You probably won't struggle waking up once your old iPad starts the alarm.
Use Your iPad as a Dedicated Music Player
Speaking of the iPad's amazing speakers, you can use your iPad to just play music for you.
Whether you use Spotify or Apple Music, you can play your favorite tunes in any part of your home with just a few taps. Or, if you want to avoid getting your iPad, you can simply set Siri up and ask it to start playing your favorite playlist.
And once you're done jamming in your living room, you can take your iPad to your bedroom and start playing some white noise or ASMR videos to help you fall asleep faster.
Turn Your iPad Into a Journal
Do you also have an old Apple Pencil lying around? Why not combine it with your iPad and turn it into a journal?
With the Apple Pencil, you can easily start jotting down your thoughts or ideas without even having to unlock the iPad.
For most of us, Apple's Notes app is more than enough, but you can take it to the next level by using an app like Notability so you can also take notes of your classes or meetings.
What's more, all your notes can be synced to iCloud, so you'll have access to your notes on all your Apple devices, so you can keep updating them even if you're far from your old iPad.
Turn Your iPad Into a Dash Cam
Do you want to feel like you have a Tesla? Well, then, your iPad is the way to go. You can actually mount your iPad into your car and easily turn it into a dash cam with the right equipment.
First, you'll need to get a car mount for your car. There are plenty of options on Amazon, like this tablet holder from eSamcore.
Next, you'll need the right app for the job. You can find many dash cam apps on the App Store, but you can get started by trying Driver, which comes with a Dash Cam Mode and a Pocket Drives mode, which will help you keep control of your location, speed, and the weather.
After that, set it all up and turn your old car into a smart car with nothing but your iPad.
Trade Your Old iPad for a New One
If everything else fails, you can always use Apple Trade In to trade your old iPad for a new one.
Granted, Apple won't give you thousands of dollars for your old iPad. Even if you have a higher-end iPad Pro, you'll only get up to $580 for it.
It would definitely be better to try to sell it, but if you don't want to go through all that trouble, it's best to go to the Apple Trade In web page and see how much Apple is willing to give you for your old device.
It probably won't be much, but it's at least a bit of extra cash for your next Apple product.
