The Apple iPad is an exceptionally long-lived gadget. There is no purpose to improve them incessantly and in my private expertise these tablets do not present a lot battery put on over time both.

The truth is, I now have a five-year improve cycle, and my authentic iPad 2 stayed in use for a decade, because it was handed down from one member of the family to the following. Which is all a option to say that even if you happen to get a brand new and glossy iPad, there’s in all probability one thing cool or helpful you are able to do with the outdated one which’s price greater than merely promoting it.

Turning it into a sensible residence controller

Several Apple HomeKit devices. Credit score: Apple

Having a central, shared display screen anybody can use within the residence to regulate your good residence gadgets is a genuinely helpful factor to have. With an iPad, you may basically set up no matter app is utilized by your good residence ecosystem, and simply go away it open or not less than entrance and heart on the house display screen for anybody who wants to regulate one thing.

Sadly, you may not use an iPad as an Apple HomeKit hub, nevertheless it’s nonetheless excellent for HomeKit UI duties, paired with a hub gadget like an Apple TV or HomePod.

Utilizing it as a digital photograph body

There are many low cost digital photograph frames you should purchase on-line or in shops, however why spend $50 or extra on a digital photograph body when you should use an outdated iPad you already personal? The screens on iPads are glorious, and there are such a lot of mounting choices that you just will not have a tough time making one thing elegant and engaging.

The one small niggle right here is that the built-in instruments for pictures in iPadOS aren’t actually fitted to this objective. You may arrange a primary slideshow and get a barebones photograph body expertise going, however to do it proper you will want a third-party app. If you need one freed from advertisements, a paid one is the precise option to go. I haven’t got any particular suggestion, since there are fairly a couple of choices, however Synched Photo Frame has a single once-off charge, and is an effective instance of the kind of app you ought to be searching for.

One factor to remember is that your outdated iPad remains to be greater than only a photograph body, so you may have it idle as a body, however then decide it up any time or hand it to a visitor to make use of for one thing else like internet searching.

Transforming it right into a kitchen assistant

Couple cooking in kitchen and looking at ipad for salad recipes. Credit score: Jacktamrong/Shutterstock.com

I’ve truly discovered that my important private iPad is my most helpful cooking and kitchen software. I’ve a number of digital cookbooks on it, I consistently use Siri to set timers and reminders, and, in fact, I search for data and movies once I’m unsure. So dedicating an outdated iPad to your kitchen for everybody to make use of is not a foul thought in any respect.

Turning it right into a second monitor

A Macbook, CRT monitor, and iPad connected together. Credit score: Sydney Louw Butler/How-To Geek

I truly use my private important iPad as a second monitor for my MacBook once I’m working away from my desk, however in case you have an outdated iPad this can be a nice option to give it a everlasting and helpful additional life. In any case, moveable screens aren’t low cost!

If in case you have a Mac, you should use the built-in SideCar characteristic to show it into an prolonged show. If in case you have a Home windows system, then you definitely’ll have to make use of a third-party software like Duet Display. Sure USB-C iPads also can act as HDMI displays, however utilizing a USB-C HDMI seize dongle and a third-party app like Orion.

Repurposing it as a drawing and sketching pad

Two Apple Pencils on a Macbook Pro Credit score: mokjc / Shutterstock.com

There are such a lot of nice drawing apps for iPad, that it is the excellent resolution as a devoted drawing pad. The thought is in fact to make use of an Apple Pencil, assuming you have got an iPad suitable with one of many Pencil fashions. Nonetheless, if you happen to do not need to spend that a lot additional, you will get fairly far with a “dumb” stylus in apps like ProCreate.

One other intriguing possibility is to make use of an app like EasyCanvas to show your outdated iPad right into a PC-connected drawing pill, just like how Wacom’s gadgets work. Letting you draw immediately in software program like PhotoShop.

Turning it right into a retro or cloud gaming console

An iPad running G-Police next a  physical original copy of the game and a PS4 controller Credit score: Sydney Louw Butler / How-To Geek

Due to Apple’s relaxed stance on emulators, I have been having fun with using my iPad as a retro gamng machine. Not solely is the everyday iPad greater than highly effective sufficient to emulate most retro methods, the 4:3 facet ratio that the overwhelming majority of iPads have is ideal for video games from the CRT period of console gaming. There’s superlative controller help in iPadOS, and it is easy to hook it as much as exterior shows (relying on the mannequin) and exterior audio.


There are additionally quite a few nice cloud gaming companies, which suggests enjoying the newest video games by way of Wi-Fi in your pill. So long as you mood your expectations, an iPad generally is a really nice gaming possibility.


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