XDA ran a piece this month on getting Linux running on an iPhone 6S, and the point stuck: an old iPhone is not e-waste, it is a small always-on Linux-adjacent device that already has a camera, a microphone, a Wi-Fi radio and a battery. Even without the Linux hack, the App Store already has apps that turn that hardware into a security camera, a home dashboard, a baby monitor, a dashcam or a bedside sleep tracker. We picked seven iOS apps that make the switch smooth and tested each on an iPhone 8 running the last supported iOS build.
What to look for when repurposing an old iPhone
- Reliable background operation. iOS aggressively closes background apps. The best repurpose apps handle wake-up and keep-alive without draining the battery.
- Local video capture where possible. For security-camera or baby-monitor use, storing footage on the LAN or the device beats round-tripping to a cloud subscription.
- Landscape-first UI. A dashboard or photo frame will sit on a shelf in landscape. Portrait-only UIs are painful.
- Charge-safe mode. Old iPhones will be plugged in 24/7. Look for apps that recognize charging state and dim the display.
- No forced accounts. Anything that requires a monthly subscription to unlock the core loop should be a “consider” not a default.
- iOS version support. Anything for an iPhone 6/6S/7 has to run on iOS 12 or 15 at best.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfred Home Security Camera | Wi-Fi security camera | Yes | $5.99/mo Premium | 4.7/5 |
| Home Assistant | Living-room control dashboard | Free (self-hosted) | Free | 4.6/5 |
| DAKboard | Wall-mounted display | Yes | $4.95/mo Plus | 4.4/5 |
| Sleep Cycle | Bedside sleep tracker | Yes | $39.99/yr Premium | 4.7/5 |
| Nexar | AI dashcam | Yes | $9.99/mo Beam | 4.6/5 |
| Google Photos | Digital photo frame | 15 GB free | $1.99/mo 100 GB | 4.6/5 |
| Cloud Baby Monitor | Wi-Fi baby monitor | 3-day trial | $2.49 in-app | 4.6/5 |
The apps
1. Alfred Home Security Camera – Best security camera
Alfred Home Security Camera turns an old iPhone into a Wi-Fi security cam and a paired newer phone into the viewer. Motion detection is on-device, notifications go to the viewer instantly, and Alfred does not require a hub or a subscription for the basic loop. The Premium tier adds continuous recording and higher resolution, but the free tier alone covers a front door or a garage.
Where it falls short: Alfred saves motion events to their cloud by default; local-only recording needs the Premium tier.
Pricing:
- Free with ads.
- Premium around $5.99/month.
Download: App Store
Bottom line: Start here if the drawer iPhone is going to point at something.
2. Home Assistant – Best home dashboard
Home Assistant is the reference open-source home automation platform, and the iOS companion app is a great way to give an old iPhone a permanent job. Mount the phone by the front door and it becomes the touchscreen for lights, thermostats, cameras and door locks. The Home Assistant server runs on a Raspberry Pi or a NAS; the iPhone is just a smart display for it.
Where it falls short: You need a Home Assistant server somewhere on the LAN. Setting one up takes an afternoon.
Pricing:
- Free companion app.
- Home Assistant Cloud (optional) around $6.50/month.
Download: App Store
Bottom line: The right choice if you already run Home Assistant.
3. DAKboard – Best all-in-one wall display
DAKboard turns the iPhone into a wall display with a calendar, weather, news, photos and a family task list. The free tier gives you one screen with one layout; the Plus tier adds more screens and Google Fit integration.
Where it falls short: Layouts are template-based, not fully custom. Some Reddit users grumble about the paid tier for a “just show my calendar” use case.
Pricing:
- Free tier for a single screen.
- Plus around $4.95/month.
Download: App Store
Bottom line: Buy DAKboard if you want a wall dashboard without wiring one from scratch.
4. Sleep Cycle – Best bedside sleep tracker
Sleep Cycle uses the iPhone microphone to track breathing and sound patterns, then wakes you at the shallowest point of a sleep cycle. Leaving the app on an old iPhone plugged in next to the bed frees your primary phone for its own charging.
Where it falls short: The app depends on room quietness. Fans and shared bedrooms produce noisier data.
Pricing:
- Free basic use.
- Premium around $39.99/year.
Download: App Store
Bottom line: Pick Sleep Cycle if the drawer phone is going on the nightstand.
5. Nexar – Best AI dashcam
Nexar turns an old iPhone into a dashcam that records the road and saves 30-day rolling footage with unlimited cloud storage on the free tier. The AI collision detection tags incidents automatically. The one paid extra is the Beam plan for higher-resolution uploads, which most drivers do not need.
Where it falls short: Requires a decent windshield mount and a lightning power cable running to the car’s USB port.
Pricing:
- Free with unlimited cloud storage.
- Beam around $9.99/month.
Download: App Store
Bottom line: The best of the dashcam apps if you already own a mount.
6. Google Photos – Best digital photo frame
Google Photos on the iPhone can run a full-screen slideshow from any album, and the app respects landscape orientation and always-on charging. Pair the phone with a wireless charging stand and it becomes a photo frame that syncs to your Google account.
Where it falls short: The slideshow view times out on iOS eventually; a Guided Access session keeps it awake but is a workaround.
Pricing:
- 15 GB free across Google.
- 100 GB around $1.99/month.
Download: App Store
Bottom line: Cheapest way to build a family photo frame.
7. Cloud Baby Monitor – Best baby monitor
Cloud Baby Monitor turns an old iPhone into a Wi-Fi baby monitor with two-way audio, cry detection and video streaming to the parent’s iPhone or iPad. The pairing works over Wi-Fi and cellular, and the one-time paid unlock removes the trial cap.
Where it falls short: No Android viewer, so both parent and baby-side devices need to be iOS.
Pricing:
- 3-day free trial.
- Full app around $2.49 in-app unlock.
Download: App Store
Bottom line: Best baby-monitor pick if the household is all-Apple.
How to pick the right one
- If you want the simplest option: Alfred Home Security Camera.
- If the phone will sit by the front door: Home Assistant.
- If it goes on a shelf as a dashboard: DAKboard.
- If it goes on the bedside table: Sleep Cycle.
- If it lives in the car: Nexar.
- If it becomes a photo frame: Google Photos.
- If you have a new baby: Cloud Baby Monitor.
- If you tried a smart-home hub and gave up on it: Home Assistant, because the iPhone is the touchscreen and you decide what to add.
FAQ
Which is the best free app to repurpose an old iPhone?
Alfred Home Security Camera for a camera, Home Assistant for a dashboard, and Google Photos for a photo frame. All three have a genuine free tier.
Does this work on iOS 12?
Older versions of Alfred, Google Photos and Cloud Baby Monitor still run on iOS 12. Newer builds may require iOS 14 or 15 minimum. Check the app’s compatibility on the App Store listing before installing.
Do I need to jailbreak the iPhone?
No. Every app above installs from the App Store on stock iOS. The XDA Linux-on-iPhone story is a separate hobby, not a requirement for repurposing.
Will the old iPhone drain the battery running these apps all day?
Plug it in. Every use case above assumes the iPhone is on a charger. Modern iPhones handle 24/7 charging fine, but the battery health will decline faster than a normally-used phone.
Can I use the iPhone as a security camera with a different viewer app?
Alfred and Presence both use their own paired viewer app. If you want a standard RTSP camera, apps like Camo or iVCam turn the iPhone into a general webcam over USB or Wi-Fi.
