Reuse your old smartphone as a security camera
Don't throw away your old phone — in 10 minutes it becomes a full Wi-Fi security camera. Free, no subscription, no cloud.
- 1. Factory-reset the old phone
Back up anything you still need, then wipe the phone. A fresh device is faster, has more free storage and no other apps competing for battery.
- 2. Remove unnecessary apps and accounts
Sign out of personal accounts (email, banking, photos) and remove apps you don't need. This makes the phone safer if someone finds the camera.
- 3. Install GuardianCam
Open watch-cam.lovable.app in the browser and choose 'Add to Home screen' / 'Install app'. It runs like a native app — no store required.
- 4. Pick a good spot
Position the phone so its rear camera sees the area you want to watch. Doorways, hallways, cribs, garages and driveways work great.
- 5. Mount the phone
Use a cheap gooseneck holder, a small tripod, a suction mount or double-sided tape. Keep the lens clean and unobstructed.
- 6. Keep it powered
Always leave the phone on a charger. Camera + streaming drains a battery in a few hours. A 1 A wall charger is enough.
- 7. Connect it to Wi-Fi
Prefer 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi for range or 5 GHz for higher quality. Streaming over mobile data works but uses ~0.3–1.5 GB per hour.
- 8. Grant camera, mic and notification permissions
The browser will ask on the first start. Also enable 'Keep screen awake' in Background mode — or the dim timer, so the screen looks off but keeps filming.
- 9. Set a PIN and enable motion alerts
Turn on the camera lock so no one stops the stream. Enable auto-record on motion with the target you care about (people, animals, vehicles).
- 10. Pair the Monitor phone
On your daily phone, open GuardianCam, pick Monitor and enter the 6-digit code from the camera. Save it — it auto-reconnects next time.