How to turn your old Android phone into a security camera

Having a smartphone means enjoying an open door to a large number of functions, too devices agglutinated in the same device. It’s a media player, serves as a camera, provides internet access, puts us in touch with all of us who use smartphones and can also be extended when the mobile has stopped being used as the primary device.

It makes sense to accumulate several smartphones because, although we insist on extending their useful life, sooner or later some find themselves in the drawer. And it shouldn’t be either since an “old” Android maintains a second life. For example, it is a game console for a child, it can also become a dashboard camera or a car camera. And with a few apps and a pinch of configuration, we can turn an old Android into a security or surveillance face.

Find the best place to watch

It’s not that security cameras are very expensive since there are models that offer excellent service for a price of around thirty dollars. But, if we already have a device capable of supplying power to one of these camerasWhy not use it? This is what happens with any Android smartphone that has a working rear camera. It is, the mobile must be able to take photos and also videos; In addition, it is essential that you connect to the internet (this allows you to access the live video).

Before preparing the mobile to act as a surveillance camera, you must find the right place to place it. In this sense, the rear camera should focus on the area to be monitored make sure the phone is seen as little as possible and that it is not too far from an outlet (it must be connected to the mains).

The WiFi connection must be active whenever the Android mobile operates as a surveillance camera; although it can work offline if you have enough storage to save the recordings (although we will not receive alerts in case it detects movement we will also not be able to access the show in real time, which is essential to keep calm outside the house). A good recommendation is to buy a prepaid SIM card in case of power failure: with what the mobile has a battery and its data connection, we will get a very economical autonomous monitoring system.

Once you’ve determined the best place to put the smartphone (on a shelf pointing towards the door, for example), it’s time to prepare it at the software level. For that, nothing like using certain applications.

Camy: your personalized surveillance camera

After trying several apps of this style, our first recommendation is Camy, an app that works perfectly for the use we are looking for: turn an old mobile into a surveillance camera

. And it does it very simply: just install the Camy application on Android which will act as a security camera. Then the application is installed on the mobile with which we will access the live broadcast. And voila: a simple QR code capture gives access to remote control of the recording.

You can see what’s going on at home from anywhere from Camy offers live streaming to mobiles that have checked in via QR. Besides, it offers recording service, one can switch between rear and front cameras, it has motion detection and one can even use the surveillance camera at night; either thanks to the included low light filter, or remote camera flash activated.

Camy is really worth it: it is free to download (with ads), it is suitable for Android and also for iOS, it offers its functions free of charge and has a premium service to which is added a supplement, such as streaming. 1080p. Of course, you can use it perfectly without paying a dime. We recommend it.

Alfred: surveillance camera

Our second recommended app is a well-known app on Android, it’s also one of the most used and best reviewed. This popularity is in line with everything the app offers: it is powerful, versatile, the live streaming works without interruption and Allows you to replace a surveillance camera with any old Android mobile (above version 4.1+).

Alfred’s operation is very similar to Camy’s: you need the mobile that captures the video and another that will act as a viewer. To link them, simply sign in using the Google account once the app is installed on both. And, as long as Alfred is open on the old Android, we can access live video from mobile phones which act as viewer.

Monitor the house with the rear camera and also the front camera, receive alerts thanks to motion detection, Alfred transmits video and sound, has night surveillance and It has a walkie-talkie function to establish a call between the two devices. This way it is possible to warn anyone who is at home. Or scare off thieves, trying not to enter.

With these two applications, it is more than enough to use an old Android mobile as a security camera. If you are looking for more options, you can download some of the following options:

One last recommendation: connect the surveillance system to your mobile only when you leave home. While the apps are safe, it never hurts to take precautions. This will prevent anyone from seeing what you are doing while you are at home.