By João Carrasqueira, Published 3 days ago
Having an old laptop at home that you don’t know what to do with can be frustrating since it’s just sitting there taking up space. You might be tempted to just throw it away or recycle it, but before you do that, there are a few ways you can re-use that old laptop to give it a new life and make it useful again.
Depending on your needs and level of technical expertise, there’s quite a lot you can do with an old laptop. Here are some of the things you can try.
8 Install ChromeOS
A lighter operating system for an old PC
If you have an old computer that can’t run Windows 11 or is too slow with it, but you still want to use it for basic computer things, a great option is to install ChromeOS Flex on it. ChromeOS is a much lighter operating system than Windows 11, but it’s still actively supported and keeps getting updates, making it perfect for an old PC that still goes on the internet. It won’t be as great as the best laptops on the market, but it will definitely be better.
ChromeOS Flex is ideal if you want to turn that old laptop into a YouTube or video streaming machine, and if you have a Google TV device, ChromeOS should also make it easy to cast content to your TV, so this can be your new media player device instead of using to use the Google TV UI. It’s also a great option for a kid that doesn’t need a powerful PC for their school work, or someone who’s getting a computer for the first time.
You don’t need to throw away an old laptop. By installing ChromeOS Flex on it, you can turn it into a Chromebook, instead.
ChromeOS also gives you access to the Linux terminal and apps, so you get it all in one nice package. You could also install a Linux distribution instead, but ChromeOS is a bit more user friendly.
7 Install the real ChromeOS
Run Android apps
ChromeOS Flex is Google’s official solution for getting ChromeOS on any laptop, but it’s got one major limitation: While regular ChromeOS can run Android apps, ChromeOS Flex can’t. Thankfully, the fan community has come forth with a better solution that lets you install the real ChromeOS on your laptop.
This unofficial approach requires a bit more tinkering to install, but if you’re comfortable with the process, it’s definitely rewarding. If you have an old Windows tablet, especially, since you’ll be able to use proper tablet apps on it.
6 Make it a photo frame
You’ll have to get creative
Digital photo frames aren’t necessarily expensive, but if you already have a laptop at home, why spend any money at all? By using the screen saver feature in Windows, you can turn your laptop into a photo frame using only the photos you want, and you can choose to have those photos stored locally or use something like OneDrive to continuously update your library.
Of course, a chunky laptop may not make for the prettiest photo frame, but if you can get creative and hide the main body somehow, it’s a totally valid solution.
Repurpose your old laptop and add some life to your home space by turning it into a frame for your favorite photos.
5 Turn it into a home lab
It can do a wide range of things
A home lab is usually a somewhat expensive endeavor since you’d usually want fairly powerful hardware, but if you want to save some money and you’re just getting started, turning your old laptop into a home lab is a great option. This makes your PC a server that can host all kinds of workloads, like being a game server, email server, or surveillance system.
There are a few options for setting up a home lab, but one of the most popular is Proxmox. We’ve covered a wide range of uses for it in the past, but if you’re just getting started, you may want to check out our beginner’s guide first.
If you’ve got a Proxmox server lying around, you can make your life easier with these ten projects
4 Use it as a second monitor
Boost your productivity
It’s a somewhat unknown feature, but most Windows 10 and Windows 11 laptops come with the ability to be used as a wireless monitor, and this is a great way to repurpose your old laptop to boost your productivity on a new one.
All you need to do is install the Wireless Display feature using the Settings app and then open the Wireless Display app (also called Connect on some Windows versions) and your old PC will be ready for casting your screen. You can also set it up so it happens automatically and you don’t need to open the app every time.
Working with two screens is a huge productivity boost since you can have two apps side by side with a lot more room to breathe, making it easy to reference an article while writing a report, for example.
Need a second screen in a pinch? You can use your laptop
3 Play your retro games on it
It doesn’t take a lot of power
Your old computer may be slow for day-to-day work, but playing retro games is thankfully a pretty light workload for the most part, depending on the platforms you want to play. If you miss the old NES, SNES, and Game Boy games, any old PC can handle those games gracefully these days.
You can use software like Emulation Station and a Bluetooth controller to control your PC and play all your games without needing to use a mouse and keyboard, essentially turning it into an retro console with all your favorite games on it. There are other options like Batocera, though setup is a little more involved for that. Either way, your computer will be a great machine for old games, since they don’t need a lot of power.
EmulationStation can turn your old PC into a proper source of nostalgic fun
2 Use it as a home server or NAS
Store your files and make them more accessible
Even if the processor of your old PC isn’t that good for keeping up with most tasks anymore, there’s a good chance the hard drive inside it is still totally fine and can be used for storage. If you could use an extra place to store your files and you want to make them accessible to devices on your network, you can turn your laptop into a home server.
Depending on the operating system you want to use, setup may take a bit of work, but having some extra storage that’s always available can make it much easier to share files with other people in the house. It’s also a good way to create a backup of important files in case anything happens to your main PC.
We’ll show you how to take your old laptop and configure it as a small, quiet home server.
Another option you have is turning the PC into a proper NAS using software like Unraid, though it’s really up to you what setup works the best. Setting up a NAS can be more difficult, but it does have some extra features that could come in handy.
1 Build your own smart home hub
Home Assistant to the rescue
This one is a personal favorite of mine because I actually turned one of my old PCs into a smart home hub for a guide, and I’ve kept using it ever since. If you have an old, low-power computer, whether it’s a laptop or not, turning it into a Home Assistant hub is a great way to repurpose it. Home Assistant is an operating system that can connect all the smart home devices in your home, even across ecosystems that would usually be separate.
I’ve set mine up to be able to control my TVs, control playback on smart speakers and displays, and turn my bedroom light on or off, and I have a pretty light setup in terms of smart devices. Home Assistant can do a lot for you if you have a lot to manage, and it’s awesome. I highly recommend it.
Your old PC can become useful in a whole new way, while reducing your reliance on cloud services to control your smart home.
Your old laptop still has life in it
Just because a laptop is old, it doesn’t mean it has to be useless. The options I just went through are fantastic ways to extend the life of your device in one way or another depending on your needs. I ahve a clear favorite with the smart home hub, but all of these serve a specific purpose that may make you love your old laptop again. And anything that avoids more trash piling up is a good thing.
Story from Xda-developers.com
João Carrasqueira
João has been covering the tech world for over 5 years, with a heavy focus on laptops and the Windows ecosystem. I also love all things tech and videogames, especially Nintendo, which he’s always happy to talk about.
It’s been a long time, but I remember having an old Compaq desktop PC running Windows XP, which was the family computer in my house. It had a 20GB hard drive and, if my memory serves, 512MB of RAM, yet it allowed me to play some of the games I remember most fondly, such as Rollcage and Lego Racers.
I’ve been interested in tech for as long as I can remember, whether it’s computers or phones. I’d always look for ways to enhance the performance of my computer or try new versions of Windows, and I joined the Windows Insider Program the day the first build was released.
I love all things tech, and Windows has always been my home, so both software and hardware are things that interest me deeply. I’m also a huge fan of console gaming, with a big focus on Nintendo, whose games have a level of charm that most other companies don’t replicate, despite their lesser technical prowess.
