I turned my old phone into a makeshift security camera for when I'm away

Jul 02, 2025

I discovered an easy way to use my old smartphone camera for CCTV surveillance and was eager to try it out. It made sense because the phone was sitting in my drawer collecting dust, saving me from spending money on a real camera or trying to convert my webcam into one.

The process required little work. The only thing I needed was a free app called Alfred Security, which is easily downloadable from the Google Play Store. After downloading the app on both my old and new phones, I needed to adjust some settings to get it up and running.

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I started with the viewer phone and permitted Alfred to access my camera, location, and files. After that, I needed to specify what I'm using the camera for, from options like pet monitoring, home security, and family monitoring.

I then chose the device I wanted to connect to and selected 'Mobile device' instead of 'AlfredCam' or a computer. The app then gave me two pairing options, and I picked the QR scanner because it's more straightforward to set up than using the login details.

A simple DIY project to monitor your surroundings

Adding Alfred to the camera phone required the exact steps of downloading the app, logging in with the same Google account, and permitting it to access my information.

I then clicked on the link to the viewer tab, and it opened a camera app to scan the QR code on the viewing app. The two devices paired instantly, and I could view the old phone's camera from the app.

It's actually really useful, and super easy to do, too.

Getting the devices to link was just the first step, and I still needed to optimize the settings and test how it works in a practical environment. After reviewing the camera phone settings, I selected the rear lens as the default because it offers superior resolution for recording video. I then enabled the microphone setting to record audio and paused the recording when the camera was in motion. I left the low-light filter on its default setting and enabled activity detection, so I'd be notified when the camera detected movement. It made sense to turn on power saving, which turns off the display to conserve battery life.

Placing the camera in a strategic spot was trickier than I expected. My old Samsung is discreet enough to fit anywhere, but its battery life limits its placement. I could place it anywhere to record for a few hours without external power. If I wanted a long-term solution, I'd need to connect to a charger, which meant placing it closer to a wall socket.

Adding the charger had drawbacks because the cable was harder to hide and drew attention to the phone. My long 10 ft cable provided ample maneuverability, and I eventually set the phone on my bookshelf to monitor my front door. Setting the phone in the perfect position was another challenge. It was impossible to stand the phone upright due to the plugged-in charger, so I settled for placing it horizontally to achieve the widest viewing angle.

The only way for it to stay in position was to prop it up on the books. The built-in stand on my case would have worked just as well if I wanted to use the front camera, but I was willing to sacrifice practically for better visuals. After setting up the camera phone, it was time to leave the room and see how the viewing app performed.

It was really easy to do, too.

Viewing the camera was easy with the phones connected, and I just needed to tweak a few settings to get it right. I turned on event alerts and vibrations, so I'd know when my camera phone detected movement. For a free app, I was impressed by Alfred's features. The viewing app features utilities to rotate the camera instantly, turn on the flashlight, and switch to low-light mode. It also has a siren function, which can be used to scare away potential intruders or animals with a loud sound.

Some of the more advanced features, such as record and playback, require a subscription. However, this is understandable considering the extensive amount of content available for free. I also liked that it's easy to switch how the app functions and turn the camera phone into a viewer and vice versa, depending on my mood.

Alfred Security also features a web-based WebViewer, which allows me to access the camera from my laptop while sitting at my desk. I was amazed at its simplicity: I only needed to navigate to the correct page and log in with my Google account.

The WebViewer then opened an interface displaying a live feed from my camera phone. It can play sounds from the camera phone's microphone and includes similar viewing options to the regular app, such as rotation, screenshot, and the siren. The only difference is the speed settings on the side, which display the number of bytes and frames per second.

I think the Alfred app is ideal for turning your old phone into a CCTV camera because it's free and user-friendly. Setting up both devices takes just a few minutes, and you can switch them around at any time to turn the camera phone into the viewer or vice versa. The free version gets the job done and offers notifications when it tracks movement. You'll need to upgrade to the subscription-based version to unlock features like video playback, recording, and AI frame. The only drawback to using your phone as a camera is getting it to stand in the perfect position without falling, and it might take a few tries to get it right.

You don't need to spend money on smart home displays if you take this DIY route instead.

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Not a privacy risk at all.

Ffs ...

The problem with using old phones for cameras is they won't last, they are not designed to have the camera on 24/7. It will overheat the battery and you will get battery bulge in a year or two. Obviously some phones will do better then others, but I find it's not good for a phone that is already long in the tooth. You can buy a cheap camera without a battery for Alfred, I recommend going down that path, speaking from experience here.

I have a couple of old phones with removable batteries. Those would prevent the battery bulge/risk of fire issues from phones with built-in batteries

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