You don’t have to spend a fortune to remote control if everything is ok with the baby in the crib. Video devices dedicated to childcare can cost quite a bit of money. It’s a lot cheaper with an old smartphone and our NextPit instructions on how to turn it into a baby monitor.
We have already shown you several possible uses for your old smartphones, which lead a sad existence in the drawers. In these instructions, we want to talk about how you can put such a drawer for a new purpose – as a baby monitor! The idea is very similar to security cameras, but apps designed for babies often have additional features.
This is how you use your old smartphone as a surveillance camera
If you’ve already set up the software from the article linked above, ie Alfred Security Cam or WardenCam, it might be worth checking if the apps are suitable as baby monitors. Necessary features like voice control, motion detection and multi-camera control are already there. Otherwise, NextPit’s suggestion is: Check out the Cloud Baby Monitor app!
Cloud Baby Monitor – baby monitor for your baby
While many security apps basically work like WardenCam or Alfred Security Cam and offer basic security features for your home, you’ll usually find some really useful extra features in baby monitor apps.
For example, in addition to streaming video, two-way audio, and motion detection options, Cloud Baby Monitor offers an audio player that can be used to play lullabies or white noise.
The app requires a one-time payment of EUR 4.99 (Android) or EUR 5.49 (iOS). One limitation of Cloud Baby Monitor is that the app license is tied to the respective app store. So if you want to use the app on both an iPhone and an Android smartphone, you will be asked to pay twice.
The app requires creating an account. However, the signup process is quick and only asks for a password and email address (which doesn’t have to be confirmed). Account creation allows the use of multiple devices within an ecosystem (Android or Apple), both as a camera and as a monitor. This can be useful if you, as a responsible person, have to monitor several children at the same time.
The app can play songs to send the baby to dreamland. / © NextPit
The app also offers zoom control as well as special options for night operation. You can reduce the brightness of the screen and activate the flash.
By purchasing the app from the Apple App Store, Cloud Baby Monitor can be used not only on iPhone and iPad, but also on Apple TV and Apple Watch.
The app’s weaknesses include the lack of a recording feature and inferior video quality compared to other options on the market, with some artifacts during testing.
If the video recording option is important to you, the WardenCam app already recommended above is worth considering. Alternatively, you can try some of the dedicated baby monitoring alternatives, which usually require paying for a license or subscription. For example, take a look at the following apps:
The Nancy baby monitor does not offer an app for Apple Watch or Apple TV, but it can be set up without registration. / © NextPit
Both offer a free trial period, after which different types of subscriptions are available, or a one-time payment option for unlimited use.
Additional safety tips for using a smartphone as a baby monitor
A concern that is often mentioned on social media is the battery of the device in the nursery. If possible, remove the mobile phone component to reduce the risk of accident. Sometimes older mobile phones can run without battery via external power supply. Alternatively, if available, activate the mode that limits the load to a certain percentage.
Google Pixel: the hidden function only charges the battery up to 80%
Another measure that can reduce the risk of accidents is to use a low-power charger, such as a charger. For example, Apple’s 5W adapters, which put less pressure on the device and also reduce the risk of overheating during use.
For more tips on how to reuse an old phone, check out the following articles:
What do you say? Do you want to try our tips, or maybe you have a completely different suggestion for a monitoring app? Write us in the comments. Of course, this also applies if you have other ideas on how to use an old smartphone for a new purpose.