Turn an old phone into a baby monitor
Put an unused phone to work in the nursery.
The phone in your drawer can be the baby monitor. Install Vaava on the old phone and on the one you carry, and you get live audio, cry alerts, hold-to-talk, and optional video over your home Wi-Fi. It works with old iPhones and old Android phones, costs nothing, and the audio stays on your own network.
What you need
You only need two phones: your spare device and your everyday phone, plus a home Wi-Fi network. Both run the regular Vaava app, with no separate baby-monitor app to install.
The old phone can be an iPhone that runs iOS 15 or later, which covers the iPhone 6s and newer, or an Android phone on Android 8.0 or later. It does not need a SIM card or a phone plan, only your Wi-Fi.
Both devices need to be on the same local Wi-Fi network. If you also want to log feeds and sleep without creating a login, see how to use Vaava without an account.
Set up the old phone in the nursery
Install Vaava on your spare phone, open the baby monitor screen, and select the baby unit role.
Place the phone where its microphone has an unobstructed path to the crib. If you turn on optional live video, angle the camera to keep the sleep area in view.
Keep the spare phone plugged into a charger. Streaming audio and video uses continuous power, so leaving the phone plugged in prevents the battery from draining during naps or overnight sleep.
Listen in on your current phone
Open the monitor screen on your primary phone and select the parent unit role. Your phone finds the baby unit on your home Wi-Fi automatically.
Adjust the listening volume and test cry alerts before stepping away. Make a sound near the nursery phone to verify that your parent unit alerts you.
You can keep audio listening in the background while using other apps or locking your phone screen.
Privacy and connection limits
Free local monitoring streams directly between your two phones over Wi-Fi. No audio or video passes through a server, and nothing is recorded or stored.
Because local monitoring stays on your local network, both phones must be on the same Wi-Fi. If you need to check in while away from home, optional Vaava Plus adds encrypted remote monitoring over the internet.
For more details on two-device setups and features, read our guide on using two phones as a baby monitor.
FAQ
Can I use an old phone as a baby monitor for free?
Yes. If you have a spare iPhone or Android device, you can install Vaava and use it as a dedicated baby unit for free. It streams live audio and optional video directly to your current phone over your home Wi-Fi.
Does the old phone need a SIM card?
No. The old phone does not need a SIM card or cellular service. It only needs a working Wi-Fi connection to stream audio and alerts to your parent phone.
Should I keep the old phone plugged in?
Yes. The baby unit keeps its microphone and screen on, which drains an older battery fast. Plugged in, it lasts through naps and the whole night.
What minimum phone versions does Vaava support?
iOS 15 or later on iPhone, which means iPhone 6s or newer, and Android 8.0 or later on Android.
Related guides
Ready to try it?
