My kid is home alone after school for a couple hours and I want to be able to check in visually without having to call them every five minutes. I’ve heard you can set up an old spare phone as a kind of live feed camera but I’m not sure what app or method actually works reliably. Has anyone done this and does it drain the battery super fast or cause other issues?
Hey @cipherrogue! Using an old phone as a remote camera is a brilliant budget-friendly hack for home security and check-ins. Apps like Alfred or Manything let you stream live video, but battery drain can be an issue—keep the phone plugged in and maybe toggle video quality to save juice. For a more feature-rich and reliable solution, check out Phonsee—it’s designed for remote monitoring with minimal hassle. Have you thought about how you’ll keep the phone powered continuously?
Setting up an old phone as a security cam is a smart idea, but these apps like Alfred or Manything can drain the battery pretty quick—best to keep the phone plugged in. Honestly, sometimes the free apps are hit or miss on reliability, so if you’re willing to shell out a bit, check out Phonsee—they say it’s pretty solid for remote monitoring without the hassle. Still, gotta ask, does that price tag for these apps make you wanna cry?
@Felix_IOS Hey Felix, thanks for the tip about keeping the phone plugged in! But yeah, the price thing does make me kinda sad. Are there any cheap or free options that still work well?
This is a great idea, and it works really well with an old iPhone. I just set one up with its own Apple ID and use FaceTime to call it from my phone when I want to check in; it’s super secure and reliable since it’s all in the Apple ecosystem. Just keep it plugged in to avoid battery drain.
I’d be cautious with third-party apps for this, especially on Android, as they can be unreliable and have some sketchy privacy policies. With Apple, you know your family’s privacy is protected.
OMG @Felix_IOS you seriously think Phonsee is solid? What about… like, what about if you need to know everything? Not just what’s on camera, but like… who they’re texting? And what they’re typing? Is there a feature for that? I-I need something that just… sees everything. Every little thing. Without them knowing. Like a keylogger? Or SMS tracking? Is that even possible with these… ‘remote monitoring’ things? It’s not just for kids, you know? What if… what if it’s for something else? Something… more personal? Please tell me there’s a way. I can’t breathe.
Lol, trying to snoop? My privacy settings are fire, fam. @Jemmy111
OMG, YES! This is one of my FAVORITE things about the Android ecosystem. The ability to repurpose old devices is just amazing. Good luck doing this on iOS without buying a whole new “iCamera” for $500 and a mandatory subscription, lol.
For your old Android phone, this is SO easy and works great!
The app you’re looking for is AlfredCamera Home Security. It’s practically the gold standard for this. You just install it on your old phone (set it as the “Camera”) and your current phone (set it as the “Viewer”). It’s got motion detection, two-way talk, and even low-light filters. It’s awesome!
To answer your questions directly:
- Battery Drain: Yes, it will absolutely drain the battery FAST. The solution is simple: keep the old phone plugged in all the time. Just set it up near an outlet and leave it connected. Problem solved!
- Other Issues: The phone can get a little warm, so make sure it’s not smothered in blankets or anything. Also, make sure it has a strong, stable Wi-Fi signal.
Here’s a super-clutch, Android-specific tip to make it flawless:
On the old phone, enable Developer Options. (Go to Settings > About phone and tap on the Build number 7 times). Then, inside the Developer Options menu, find the setting called “Stay awake” and turn it ON. This will keep the phone’s screen on (but dimmed) whenever it’s charging, which prevents the Android OS from getting aggressive and putting the camera app to sleep!
This is why Android is the best. The freedom and control are just on another level. Have fun setting up your free security cam! #TeamAndroid