6 of the most effective ways to make the most of your old iPad: Turning an outdated device into something useful.
The iPad is one of Apple's longest-lasting devices. Users don't need to upgrade frequently, and in the experience of many, the iPad's battery also lasts a long time.
This also means that even if you've just bought a brand-new iPad, your old one can still do a lot of interesting and useful things—making it worth far more than reselling it.
Turn your iPad into a smart home control panel.
A central, shared display screen in the home to control smart home devices is incredibly convenient. With an iPad, you simply install the appropriate app for your ecosystem and place it in an easily accessible location so anyone can quickly adjust settings.
Although the iPad no longer functions as a HomeKit hub, it remains perfect for the HomeKit control interface when paired with Apple TV or HomePod.
Use it as a digital photo frame.
Instead of spending $50 on a digital photo frame, an old iPad with a nice screen and plenty of hanging/hanging options will provide a much better experience.
However, the built-in Photos app isn't really suitable for creating professional photo frames. You can install a third-party app for more features—Synchred Photo Frame is one example, with a one-time purchase and no ads.
The biggest advantage is that the iPad is still… an iPad. When needed, you can pick it up to browse the web or give it to a customer for quick operation.
Use as a cooking assistant in the kitchen.
Many people use iPads in the kitchen because they're so convenient. You can open digital cookbooks, call Siri to set timers, look up recipes, or watch instructional videos. Keeping an old iPad as a 'cooking assistant' for the whole family is also a sensible idea.
Turn it into a secondary display.
If you're working remotely or want to expand your workspace, an older iPad can be a very useful secondary display—while buying an external portable monitor can be quite expensive.
- With a Mac, you use the Sidecar feature to extend the screen.
- With Windows, you can use Duet Display.
- Some USB-C iPads can also function as HDMI displays via an adapter and the Orion app.
Used as a digital drawing tablet.
The iPad's drawing app store is extensive, making it an ideal drawing tablet. If the iPad supports the Apple Pencil, that's even better; otherwise, a simple stylus is sufficient for many apps like Procreate.
Additionally, apps like EasyCanvas can turn your iPad into a PC-connected drawing tablet, similar to Wacom tablets, allowing you to draw directly in Photoshop or other graphic design software.
Transform it into a retro gaming console or cloud gaming device.
Thanks to Apple's loosening of restrictions on emulators, the iPad is now perfect for playing retro games. The iPad's chip is more than capable of running classic systems, and the 4:3 aspect ratio is ideal for CRT-era games. iPadOS offers excellent controller support, and depending on the model, you can even output the video to a larger screen.
Furthermore, with cloud gaming services, you can also play modern games over Wi-Fi. With reasonable expectations, the iPad can absolutely become a pretty decent gaming device.
