Here Are Ways You Can Repurpose an Old Tablet or iPad

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From iPads to Android tablets like Amazon Fire or Samsung’s Galaxy tablets, many of us have gone through many generations of devices and upgraded to newer and better versions over the years. That leaves a lot of people left wondering what to do with their old tablets. Even though your teenager might roll their eyes at an old tablet, there are actually some pretty incredible and versatile uses for them.

What You Can Do With Your Old Tablet or iPad

Credit: iPads For Soldiers

1. Trade It In

What to do with old tablets when you want the newest version from Slickdeals? Even the oldest tablet could have some value left in it. The manufacturers and retailers make it easy to see how much money your tablet is worth.

• Apple: Apple gives a guesstimate as to how much value your tablet has or you can fill out a form to get a better price expectation.
• Samsung: On the trade-in page, you can receive an estimate on how much your old device is worth if you trade it in for a newer version. Your device doesn’t even have to be in perfect condition. If you have a cracked screen you can still trade it in, but for a lower amount.
• Best Buy: This retailer has a simple-to-use estimator for the value of your trade-in. You select the brand, model, condition, color, etc. and it will give an instant value estimator for your product.
• Amazon: The retail giant accepts trade-ins for a variety of electronics, and even offers generous credits for Amazon-specific devices like the Fire tablet. You can visit the trade-in section of the website, select your item, and list the condition with a few other specifics. Then Amazon provides a value that will be given to you via an Amazon gift card and you’ll get a 20% discount on the latest Amazon Fire Tablet purchase.
• Microsoft: This retailer accepts all brands of tablets, including Apple, Dell and Samsung. You just need to fill out a quick questionnaire about the make, model, and condition of the tablet. Then you’ll be presented with a trade-in price, and the amount will be sent to you once you complete the purchase requirements and send your device back. If your product has no value, Microsoft offers to recycle it for free.

2. Donate It

That old tablet of yours sitting around gathering dust could end up helping a military member overseas connect with family or give technology to an underserved school community.

• Military Donations: There are a variety of ways to donate to the troops. Cell Phones for Soldiers, Tech for Troops, and iPads for Soldiers are just a few.
• Low-Income Students: Some school districts would be thrilled to get your old tablet just taking up space. You can search for non-profit organizations online, but the best place to start is with a local school district to ask how the process works locally.
• Domestic Violence Survivors: There are organizations that help get phones and tablets into the hands of domestic violence survivors so they have a connection with their loved ones.
• Medical Donations: That outdated tablet could literally help save lives across Africa and Asia if you donate through Medic. It will be sent to health care workers in these struggling regions.
• Check the Organization: If you are concerned about the legitimacy of a non-profit organization, search the IRS website’s “Search for Tax Exempt Organizations” tool to verify.

3. Use as a Digital Photo Frame

As long as the screen on the tablet isn’t broken, you can use your outdated tablet as a digital photo frame. If your tablet has a strong WiFi connection and access to the cloud where photos are stored, you can make this a rotating digital picture frame without any added cost. New digital frames cost around $100, so you’re already saving money.

4. Convert to a Dedicated eReader

Use an old tablet to load up on all those books you’ve been meaning to read but never seem to have the time to do. For the best reading experience, remove all unnecessary apps and turn off all notifications so you can have an interruption-free reading experience.

5. Enlist as a Kitchen Companion

What better way to put your tablet to work than to use it as a handy kitchen companion while you cook? Use your tablet for recipe searches, watch YouTube cooking tutorials, or watch your favorite show while you whisk away at dessert.

6. Create a Smart Home Hub

Say goodbye to remotes and buttons throughout the house and get it all coordinated on your old tablet. Mount it on the wall in a common area so everyone has access. It can’t control fights over the thermostat, however.

7. Keep as a Collector’s Item

If it’s in good working condition and you have the original box, store it away in a safe, cool, dry place. In 30 years it could be a collector’s item and may be worth thousands of dollars. Just look at the pagers, brick phones, and gaming systems from the 80s and 90s that are now available as vintage items.

8. Add to Your Monitors

For some busy computer users, there are just never enough monitors. You can use an old tablet to become an extension of your desktop monitor system. Check out Apple’s Sidecar “how to” and see if your tablet will work for this.

9. Use as a Universal Remote

Stop digging for remotes in the couch cushions and turn your tablet into a universal remote. You can set up Roku, FireTV, and more streaming vendors to just put the remote control on the tablet. As long as it can hook up to WiFi, it’s usable.
Since it’s going to be used a lot, consider buying a protective cover like an Otter Box to avoid breaking the fragile screen or damaging it with spilled drinks.

10. Make It Your Weatherman

If you live in an area prone to constant weather changes, turn your old tablets into your own Severe Weather Home Headquarters.

• If the tablet was made before 2012, it might not be equipped with Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) from the National Weather Service (NWS), so download the NWS app.
• Download your favorite local television station weather app.
• Keep it stored and charged in your “safe space” or basement.
• This will allow you to use the tablet just for emergency alerts, saving data and power on your more updated mobile devices if a bad storm is impacting your area.

Worried About Security?

Credit: Pexels

• Back up data. Make sure all data, documents, and photos are backed up elsewhere.
• Delete files. Once you’re 100% sure it’s backed up, delete all of those items from your tablet.
• Delete all apps and make sure to select the “delete all data” option and not just remove the app from the screen.
• Wipe out everything on the hard drive. This will be slightly different for each vendor, but within the general settings there should be an option similar to “Erase all Content and Settings.”
• Force a factory reset on the device so you’ll be 100% sure your information is gone.

What to do with old iPads is up to you, but there are great deals to be found on the newer devices through Slickdeals.