How to use an old phone as a baby monitor, for free

To use an old phone as a baby monitor, put it on its charger across the room from the crib, open Monitor in its browser as the baby station, and pair your own phone with the code it shows. You can then watch and listen from your phone or laptop, get an alert when the baby makes noise, and talk back. It is free, with no subscription and no camera to buy.

That old phone in a drawer has everything a monitor needs: a camera, a microphone, a speaker and Wi-Fi. Here is how to set it up well, and what it cannot do.

What you need

An old phone or tablet with a working camera and microphone. iPhone and Android both work, in the browser.
Its charger, with a cable long enough to reach an outlet without running near the crib.
Something to hold it: a small phone stand, a tripod, or a shelf with a good view.
Your own phone or laptop to watch from.
Home Wi-Fi for both devices.

Step 1: Get the old phone ready

Charge it fully and install any updates it offers. Then turn on Do Not Disturb, or silence its notifications, so it does not buzz or chime in the nursery at night. Turn the screen brightness down so it does not light up the room.

You do not need to reset the phone or remove your old apps, but you can if you want a clean start.

Step 2: Put it in the right place

Where the phone sits matters more than any setting.

High and looking down. A shelf or dresser across the room gives you a view of the whole mattress, so you can see the baby wherever they roll.
Out of reach. Keep the phone and its cord at least 3 feet (about 1 meter) from any part of the crib. Cords are a strangulation hazard, and babies reach farther than you expect.
Never in or on the crib. Not clipped to the rail, not tucked in a corner.
Near an outlet. It will be plugged in the whole time.

Step 3: Same Wi-Fi, then pair

Put both devices on your home Wi-Fi.
On the old phone, open Monitor and start the baby station. Allow the camera and microphone when the browser asks.
The baby station shows a code and a QR code.
On your own phone or laptop, open Monitor and enter the code, or scan the QR code.

That is it: you should see and hear the room. Several parents can watch at once, so a partner or grandparent can follow along on their own phone.

Step 4: Set the noise alert

Monitor gives you a gentle alert when the baby makes noise, and you can adjust how sensitive it is. Turn it up if you want to hear every sigh. Turn it down if every rustle sets it off.

Test it before the first night. Leave the room with your phone, make a little noise by the crib, and check that the alert comes through the way you want.

If you play white noise in the nursery, test with it on. Steady sound can set off the alert, so you may need a lower setting.

Step 5: Night view, talking back and a lullaby

Night view is for the dark. An ordinary phone camera cannot see in total darkness, so a dim night light in the room helps a lot.
Talk back lets you soothe the baby from the other room. Try the volume during the day first, so your voice is not a sudden loud surprise at 3 a.m.
Play a lullaby when the baby needs help settling.

Step 6: Keep it plugged in and open

Sending live video uses a lot of battery, so keep the baby station on its charger all the time. Leave Monitor open and in front on the old phone, rather than switching to other apps. Before you settle in for the evening, glance at your phone and check the picture is live.

Is it private?

Yes. The video goes directly between your devices, peer to peer and encrypted. It never touches our servers and is never recorded or stored.

That is also why Monitor can be free. Since the video never passes through us, it costs us nothing. More on that in why these apps are free.

The tradeoff is that there is nothing to look back on. Monitor shows you what is happening now, and keeps no clips or history.

What Monitor is not

Please read this part.

Monitor is not a medical device. It does not track breathing, heart rate or oxygen, and it cannot tell you if something is wrong with your baby. It does not replace safe sleep practices or an adult's supervision. Keep following safe sleep advice: baby on their back, on a firm, flat surface, with nothing loose in the crib. If you have questions about safe sleep, ask your pediatrician.

It needs both devices online. If the Wi-Fi drops or the old phone loses power, the video stops. A dedicated baby monitor with its own radio does not depend on your Wi-Fi, which is a real advantage.

Some networks cannot connect directly. Most home networks do. There is no relay server today, so if your devices cannot connect, put both on the same Wi-Fi. If we ever add a relay, it will be at cost.

No recording and no sleep tracking. If you want sleep reports or saved video, Monitor does not do that.

Other ways to do it

Plenty of good options exist, and some will suit you better. Prices below are as listed or reported in 2026, and they change.

Baby Monitor 3G is a well-established app with no subscription. It is listed at $7.99 as a one-time purchase on the App Store and on Google Play, bought separately for each, so a family with an iPhone and an Android phone pays twice.
Cloud Baby Monitor is also a one-time purchase per platform, listed at $6.99 on the App Store and $6.49 on Google Play. Some users report delays and dropouts.
Nanit uses its own camera. Live video and alerts come with the camera, and sleep insights and video history are paid plans, reported at about $100 to $300 a year. If you want those insights, Nanit does things Monitor does not.
A dedicated monitor with its own screen and radio works without Wi-Fi and with little setup, at the cost of buying one.

For a side by side look, see free baby monitor apps with no subscription.

White noise and other free help

If you use white noise in the nursery, Still makes rain, ocean, and white, pink or brown noise for free, with a sleep timer that fades out. It is easiest to play it from a different device than the baby station. Keep the volume low and the speaker across the room. Our guide to white, pink and brown noise for sleep explains the difference.

If grandparents and friends are taking turns on babysitting nights, When helps you find a time that works for everyone. For more, see free apps for new parents.

Questions

Can I use an old phone as a baby monitor for free?

Yes. Open OpenApps Monitor in the old phone's browser as the baby station, place it across the room from the crib on its charger, and pair your own phone with its code. There is no subscription and no camera to buy.

Do both phones need to be on the same Wi-Fi?

Same Wi-Fi is the simplest setup, and the one we suggest. Most home networks connect the two devices directly. There is no relay server today, so if your devices cannot connect, put both on the same Wi-Fi.

Where should I put the old phone in the nursery?

High on a shelf or dresser across the room, looking down at the whole mattress. Keep the phone and its cord at least 3 feet (about 1 meter) from any part of the crib, and never put it in or on the crib.

Does the old phone need to stay plugged in?

Yes. Live video uses a lot of battery, so keep the baby station on its charger. Any old iPhone or Android phone with a working camera and microphone can run OpenApps Monitor in its browser.

Can Monitor track my baby's breathing?

No. OpenApps Monitor is not a medical device. It does not track breathing, heart rate or oxygen, and it does not replace safe sleep practices or an adult's supervision.