13 Uses For Old Tablets You No Longer Use

We’ve never been in an age where technological innovation is growing quite as fast as this one. It seems that every year the previous models of tablets and laptops are outpaced by revolutionary new ones. The question arises, what are you to do with an old tablet when you upgrade to one of the latest smart devices?

There’s always something you can do with an old tablet, and we’re here to step in and show off ways to repurpose your device and bring it back into your life. We’ll be covering the top 13 ways that you can repurpose your old Android tablet or Apple iPad and stop you from having it lay around uselessly at home or in your dorm.

Stick with us as we cover 13 uses for your old tablet, but first…

Why You Shouldn’t Throw Away Your Old Tablet

If you find yourself in the habit of purchasing a new device every couple of years, with an ever-growing pile of old tablets at your home, don’t throw them away! While they may be subpar compared to the newest generation of devices, there’s plenty you can do with an old tablet that makes it worth keeping around.

An old Android tablet or iPad can go a long way and improve other parts of your life that you haven’t even thought of! We’re not just talking about giving an old tablet to your teenager to save some money or as an easy way to browse the internet, but other amazing tips and tricks.

13 Incredible Uses For An Old Tablet

No matter how old your tablet is, you can use them in the following 13 different ways. All you need is a tablet you’re not using it for anything else like an Android device or iPad in working condition. If you have a Google photos gallery, alarm clock, or edited images on Adobe Illustrator then make sure to port them over to another one.

Let’s not waste any more time and dive right into our favorite ways to repurpose your tablet and bring it back into your life!

Make it into a security camera display

Do you have a camera feed installed connected to your home? Instead of connecting the live feed to your phone or a full security camera system, you can dedicate your old tablet to be a constant hub of security cameras and have an easier time looking over your property.

You could keep the device on a tablet stand next to your bedside, with easy access to the feed if you are suspicious of anything going on. Tablets offer a larger screen size that makes discerning details easier than if you had used your phone instead.

Tablets are more useful than for just watching Netflix or doing 3D designs, they can be your go-to motion detection security device too!

Transform it into a full-time video conferencing station

In our modern age, video recording, and conferencing have become one of the go-to ways of communication in business. If your work requires you to travel frequently, bringing an old tablet as a full-time station for video calls is a great way to ensure you’re available to chat anytime.

Need to join that engineering meeting? Save your primary phone’s battery by using your old tablet instead! All you need is a compatible web browser for the video conferencing application you’re using and you’re set!

Use it as a digital photo frame

One of the most common uses for an old tablet is to transform it into a digital photo frame. These digital picture frames are all the rage these days and are an amazing way to show off a rotating gallery of personal images.

Make sure to get your tablet connected to wi-fi and then easily stream your images to the photo frame tablet, or switch it onto airplane mode and set it to scroll through your photos. If you hang it onto your wall mount with a touch charger and you can just leave it there forever!

You can add a splash of design flair with Cricut Explore Air 2, and place it at your family members’ homes to keep them up to date with images from your latest business trip or vacation!

Let it be your window to the world!

With the internet and smart technology, your old tablet can act as your window into the world! There are numerous streams and videos that depict the outside world, which can imbue a sense of serenity if you’re stuck in a cubicle all day.

You can use your tablet to live stream the Internation Space Station’s view of Earth, the wildlife park of an African safari, or a tranquil view of the Scottish Highlands with the touch of a finger. Using your tablet as a digital picture frame that shows off the outside world is a great use of any old devices you may have.

Read your books on it

In the modern age, we often have less time for reading books than we’ve had before with all the technology available to us. Why not combine the two and make your tablet into a dedicated e-reader?!

Nowadays, you can use a phone or tablet as a place to read books or comics and catch up on all the great novels that are being released. Smart devices also have the convenient option of downloading and buying e-books from the Google Play Store or Apple Store – canceling out the need for doing to a bookstore.

You can even hook your tablet e-reader to one of your smart home devices and narrate the book for you while you’re enjoying a coffee. Tablets make for a great e-reader once you have the relevant apps, as their touchscreen capabilities make it easy to flip through pages.

Make it into a dedicated calendar and schedule planner

Does your work life get busy quickly and difficult to manage? Using an old device like a tablet as your dedicated calendar or schedule planner is a portable and efficient way to get on top of your to-dos and repurpose a tablet!

Over the past few years, the digital age means that your work can reach you everywhere and anytime – having a calendar is necessary. While a real calendar is often bulky, the flexibility and usefulness of having a calendar and schedule planner on your tablet can’t be understated.

With a tablet calendar and schedule, you can easily add and remove tasks, update information, and link to conference calls, all while still being able to carry your device around too!

Pass it on to your kids as an e-learning tool

This tip is likely a first instinct of many when they’re thinking about reusing their tablet. Children are becoming connected to a phone or tablet far quicker than before so having an older device they can use is often cheaper and easier than buying a new one.

While your children could use it to play games, we recommend using it as a dedicated e-learning tool with programs like ABC Mouse. Once they’re old enough, it makes for a great birthday or Christmas gift that will breathe new life into an old Android tablet or iPad.

Play thousands of games on it

While you can still play games on your new device, games usually take up quite a bit of space. You can easily download games like Roblox or Clash of Clans on your old tablet and play them separately from your regular tablet.

Think of it as a gaming catalog that you can share with your family and friends, giving it to them when they’re wanting for something to do at a family dinner or get-together.

Donate it to friends or family

Another go-to option for reusing and repurposing your old Android tablet or iPad is to donate it to friends or family members. If you’ve overheard someone you know struggling to find a tablet to use for their work or school then it may be the most charitable option to give it to them to use.

Tablets are extremely useful, and the power to connect to the internet is something that everyone should have access to. So if you suspect that a friend or family is wanting a tablet, give new life to your old device and donate it to them to use!

Sell it locally or online

If you need some extra cash, there’s always the option to sell your tablet locally or through online platforms like Craigslist. There’s always somebody who would pay for an old tablet if you’re offering it at the right price.

If you do plan to sell your old phone or tablet, always make sure that the device is still in working condition. Make note of any defects, physical or otherwise, when you put it up to be sold and consider a reasonable price.

Transform it into a public hot spot source

A tablet is a great device to transform into a mobile hotspot when you’re traveling often and find yourself frequenting a lot of places that are lacking wifi hotspots. If you keep your tablet on in a backpack or case and turn on its hotspot, you can connect your phone to it and go anywhere with a strong source of the internet!

If you purchase a good package for your tablet, you may find that it is cheaper overall to hotspot from your tablet rather than use your own phone’s data.

Increase scientific research with your tablet

This one is a bit left-field but extremely fascinating! Modern scientific research depends on computing power to more efficiently complete tasks like searching for extraterrestrial life in the vastness of space or conducting scientific research like improving cancer treatments.

These are only a sample of the amazing things that scientists search for that your old tablet can contribute its computing power to! If you’ve always enjoyed studying online and want to dedicate a tablet to research projects this is a worthy effort!

Use it as a universal smart remote for your gadgets

Your home is likely filled with an abundance of household gadgets that all need separate remotes to function – your TV, home assistant, air conditioner, and home security camera. Why not combine them all with a universal remote, and use your old tablet as the remote as well?

There are many ways to do this, but the most common is to install the applications that your devices use onto on tablet, and have that on a tablet stand for easy access when needed. You can even add the overclocking app for your desktop computer here too!

Frequently Asked Questions

We often receive a flurry of questions about some of the topics we’ve written about, and old uses for your tablet are no exception. We’ve compiled some of the most frequent questions together and answered them to the best of our abilities.

Otherwise, feel free to check out our articles for the best Windows tablets under $500 and the best tablets for streaming movies.

What should I do with a broken tablet?

If your tablet is still under warranty, then it’s worth checking if the defect or portion that is broken is still under warranty conditions. Otherwise, many other places accept broken tablets to be recycled which are happy to accept a tablet.

What should you do with an old tablet?

There are plenty of ways to do with an old tablet, and we’ve covered quite a few of them here in this article. If none of them work for you, then we recommend that you default to either selling, donating, or giving it to your friends or family.

How do I dispose of a tablet?

We recommend you look up the local recyclers in the area, and see how they plan to dispose of a tablet. From there it’s best to contact them and then go and drop it off. Recycling electronics are always better than throwing them away.

Parting Shot/Conclusion – What to do with an old tablet?

There we go! We’ve listed the top 13 ways to repurpose your old tablet, and hopefully, you’ve brewed up some ideas on how to make use of your tablet. But we recommend never throwing the tablet away, as there’s always something that you can do to utilize it.

Are you interested in more information? Check out the articles we’ve written like the best tablets for artists, the best tablets for 8 year old, and the top cheap tablets with keyboards.