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When Smartphones get old, those are usually eating dust in some corners of our homes, and that may be because of several reasons;

• You have got a new smartphone, which would obviously be necessary because most phones become outdated after a few years of use and change in technology.
• Your old smartphone's battery is not keeping up with your day-to-day activities, which again gets you in trouble because you need to have an alternative phone or power bank in that case.

Smartphones are constantly evolving to the point where they are no longer useful or relevant. But it is also not practical to throw a smartphone just because it is not so relevant to today's necessities. 

There are several ways by which we can use old smartphones and there is no need to throw them out in the garbage. If you have a used smartphone, like iPhone, Windows, or Android phone, there are many cool things you can do with old phones that will make them useful again.

1. Use it as a dedicated Media Player:
   Turn your old smartphone into a dedicated Media Player. Load it with your favorite music, podcasts, audiobooks, or videos, and use it while working out, commuting, or relaxing at home. You can also use it as a dedicated music player for your car because usually, our car has to be connected to our mobile phones, which again drains our battery. 
   
   So, if you have an old smartphone, you can use it dedicatedly in your car for playing music and using maps on the go.
    
2. Use it as a Security Camera:
   Transform your smartphone into a home security camera. There are various apps available that can turn your old device into a monitoring camera, allowing you to keep an eye on your home remotely. I used this kind of system when I had to keep an eye on my bike, which used to be outside my old residence, where local people were not so friendly. 
   
   I used to sit in another room as my internet used to work in another room so I had set up my office in that room, but I had my smartphone connected to my laptop, so I was able to keep an eye over my bike even if I was not in the same room.
   
   You can even insert a sim card in your own smartphone or connect it with your home wifi, in that case, you will be able to monitor your home from other parts of the world as well.
    
3. eBook Reader:
   Use your old smartphone as an eBook reader. Install eBook apps and read your favorite books wherever you go. This comes in handy especially when you are traveling via flights because you cannot connect your phone to the internet, and if you have your favorite eBooks installed on your phone, in that case, you don't need to connect it to the internet and can also read them on your leisure.
   
   One more thing is that you will not drain your primary phone's battery because you will be using your old phone for reading eBooks.
    
4. Use it as a Remote Control:
   Turn your old smartphone into a universal remote control for your TV, or DVD player, or other devices using apps designated for this purpose. I checked out one such device online, which is able to push buttons or switches on or off when installed. Therefore, you can use your phone as a remote control for your switches as well.
    
5. Use it as a Kitchen Helper:
   Keep your old smartphone in the kitchen and use it as a recipe reference, cooking timer, or for watching cooking tutorials. I used it for watching my favorite cartoons on youtube and also for searching for new recipes. This helped me in keeping my primary phone on charge, and there was also no danger of my primary phone getting covered with oil vapors.
    
6. Use your old phone as a Digital Photo Frame:
   Load your old smartphone with your favorite photos and set it up as a digital photo frame on your desk or wall. You may have to check the battery levels in between, but it is one of the great ways to use it, as you can change the photos as per occasion as well, or can also start a slideshow for all the photos that you have on your phone.
    
7. Use it as a Gaming Device:
   Use your old smartphone as a dedicated gaming device for casual games or retro emulators. I used to play Mario on my old Android phone which was really awesome because it used to remind me of the good old days.
    
8. Give it to your kids:
   Securely remove sensitive data and install educational or entertaining apps to create a dedicated device for your child to use. You can also install several tracking apps that can help you track your kids wherever they go. Keep them informed about this tracking so that they are also aware not to uninstall those apps. This could really help in some emergency cases. 
   
   For example, once one of my friend's kid's school took them for a picnic, and their school bus got stranded in an unknown location because of some breakdown, but luckily my friend had kept a tracking app and was able to rescue the whole team because she had the last location in her tracking device by informing the authorities when the bus didn't come on time.
    
9. Use it as a Fitness Tracker:
   Utilize your phone as a fitness tracker by installing health and fitness apps that can monitor your daily activities. This will also save your primary phone from too much information and battery drain.
    
10. Use it as an Emergency Backup Phone:
    Keep your old smartphone charged and ready as a backup phone in case your primary device runs out of battery or malfunctions.
     
11. Use it for DIY Projects:
    Get creative and explore DIY projects like turning your old smartphone into a mini-computer, a home automation hub, or a smart mirror. I used to use my old smartphone as a separate chat phone so that people are not able to know what I usually use for chatting.
    
    I also used to install different software to check if I can expand its overall functionality. You can even use it as a personal assistant by downloading to-do lists and time trackers.
     
12. Use it as a Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot:
    If your old smartphone can still connect to the internet, you can use it as a portable Wi-Fi hotspot to provide internet access to other devices while you are on the go.
     
13. Use it as a Language Translator:
    Install language translation apps and use your old smartphone as a portable language translator when traveling to foreign countries.
     
14. Use it as a Weather Station:
    Transform your old smartphone into a weather station by installing weather apps that provide real-time forecasts and weather updates.
     
15. Use it as a Baby Monitor:
    Use your old smartphone as a baby monitor by installing baby monitor apps, which can help you keep an eye and ear on your little one.
     
16. Use it as a Digital Notebook:
    Turn your smartphone into a digital notebook or journal, where you can jot down ideas, make to-do lists, and store important information.
     
17. Use it as a Barcode/QR Scanner:
    Utilize your old smartphone as a barcode or QR code scanner for price comparisons or to access online information quickly.
     
18. Install Offline Maps and Navigation:
    Load your old smartphone with offline maps and navigation apps to use as a backup navigation tool in areas with poor internet connectivity. If you are traveling to a city where there is metro connectivity or some local transport, in that case, you can download apps that give transit maps as well.
     
19. Use it as a Voice Recorder:
    Use your smartphone as a voice recorder to capture lectures, interviews, or personal notes.
     
20. Use it as a Bird Watching Tool:
    Use your smartphone's camera and bird identification apps to aid in birdwatching and learn more about the feathered visitors in your area. Just like Ash used to do it using its portable Pokemon Identifying Device Poke-Dex (if I remember it correctly) :)

Remember to wipe all personal data from your old smartphone before repurposing it, and in any case, I suggest not to donate or gift it because even if your data is deleted, still it can be recovered by hackers. Therefore, it is always better to keep your smartphones with yourself or destroy them by breaking them apart and also removing their batteries.