5 unexpected uses for your old smartwatch
Breathe new life into your old tech with these handy tips.
Upgrading to a new wearable can be exciting, but it often leaves your previous device with nothing to do. Unfortunately, it is at this point that users may toss their old smartwatch in a drawer and forget about it. But it doesn't have to stay there.
Your old smartwatch remains a versatile piece of hardware. Even if it no longer receives major OS updates, you can still use it as a dedicated AI tool, an easy-access note-taking device, a child monitoring tool, or a sleep tracker. Most of these alternative uses take only a few minutes to configure and require a supplementary app or two, though some functions rely on a cellular plan or a companion phone for full operation.
Use your old smartwatch as a dedicated AI voice assistant
If you rely on artificial intelligence tools like Gemini or ChatGPT, one practical use for an older wearable is turning it into a dedicated assistant device. This setup lets you query your AI without pulling out your primary phone. Gemini serves as the primary option on Wear OS devices, while Siri is the default on Apple Watch.
On watches running Wear OS 4 or later, ensure Gemini is installed and updated. Once voice activation is enabled, saying "Hey Google" prompts a response. Alternatively, you can configure the side button to launch Gemini by navigating to Settings, selecting Button and gestures, choosing Double press, and assigning it to Gemini.
On the Apple Watch, activating Siri involves raising your wrist and saying "Hey Siri" or pressing the Digital Crown. Third-party options like Wrist AI add ChatGPT or Gemini functionality, though free tiers impose daily chat limits. For Wear OS devices, accessing ChatGPT typically requires sideloading an application and utilizing an API key.
Turn your old smartwatch to a quick note taker
An older wearable can function efficiently as a dedicated note-taking device by leveraging speech-to-text transcriptions. Instead of reaching into your pocket whenever an idea strikes, you can simply raise your wrist and speak.
Most smartwatches feature preinstalled voice recorder applications. On an Apple Watch, activating Siri and asking to record a voice memo initiates the process immediately.
Transcriptions for recorded notes are available on both Wear OS and watchOS devices, though a connected phone is required to process them. Samsung watches support speech-to-text transcriptions within the voice recorder app with a ten-minute limit. Completed recordings sync across your linked devices automatically.
Use your old smartwatch to track your sleep
Nightly sleep tracking normally requires sacrificing your charging routine, which can leave your primary watch with a drained battery in the morning. Utilizing an older secondary watch for sleep tracking allows you to keep your main device charged during the night.
Configuration takes only a few minutes. Apple Watch users can enable sleep tracking through the Health app on a paired iPhone, while Galaxy Watch users can set up tracking via the native sleep tile. Keep in mind that older hardware may lack the advanced sensors found in newer models.
Consumer wearable sensors are not medical-grade diagnostic tools. Any concerning anomalies found in sleep reports should be discussed with a qualified medical professional rather than interpreted as a formal diagnosis.
Your old smartwatch can monitor your child
An older LTE-enabled smartwatch can find a new life on a child's wrist, allowing them to make calls, send texts, and share locations without needing a smartphone of their own after initial configuration.
Samsung watches feature a dedicated Kids mode providing parental controls such as location tracking, app approval, and School Time limits, though compatibility requires an LTE Galaxy Watch 6 or newer.
Apple offers a comparable feature named Apple Watch for Your Kids, supported on cellular models starting from the Series 4 or SE running watchOS 7. It provides location tracking, communication controls, and a Schooltime restriction mode.
Cellular capabilities require a dedicated carrier plan and additional monthly fees, and cellular support for standalone smartwatch usage varies by carrier.
Sell your old watch for cash
If none of the alternative uses suit your needs, selling the device remains a viable option to recoup some of its original cost.
Peer-to-peer marketplaces like eBay typically offer higher payouts but require more effort, including writing listings, photographing the item, managing buyer questions, handling shipping logistics, and paying platform fees.
Alternatively, trade-in programs and buyback services offer less payout flexibility in exchange for greater convenience. After submitting device details for an online quote, you mail the hardware in for inspection before receiving payment.
Before selling, trading in, or recycling your wearable, ensure you unpair it from your phone and perform a factory reset to erase all personal data.
