If you’ve got an older Galaxy phone sitting in a drawer, you can turn old Samsung phone into a smart home sensor instead of letting it collect dust. Samsung’s upcycling feature repurposes built-in microphones and light sensors so your “spare” phone can trigger alerts and automations around your home—no soldering, no DIY hub hacking, just a clean software setup.
This guide walks you through the official method to repurpose Galaxy smartphone into smart home device using Samsung’s SmartThings ecosystem, with clear steps, real use cases, and practical tips.
What is Galaxy Upcycle?
Galaxy Upcycle is Samsung’s approach to giving older Galaxy devices a second life. The “at home” version—Galaxy Upcycling at Home—lets compatible phones become smart home devices by using their existing sensors for sound detection and light measurement. You enable it through SmartThings and then choose whether the phone behaves like a light sensor or a sound sensor (or both, depending on what the upcycle app offers on your device).
The point is simple: instead of buying another sensor, you convert old phone into IoT device and integrate it into routines you already run in SmartThings.
What you need before you start
Compatibility and basics
- A supported Galaxy phone (Samsung states S, Note, and Z series released from 2018—S9/Note9 or later—running Android 9+).
- The feature is described as a beta service that launched in the US, UK, and Korea (availability can vary).
- A “current” phone to manage everything (you’ll use the SmartThings interface to add and automate the sensor phone).
Home setup tips
- Stable Wi-Fi where the sensor phone will live.
- Continuous power (a charger and a safe place to mount the phone). Samsung notes battery optimization considerations for long-running detection.
Step-by-step: Set your old phone up as a sensor
1) Prep the old phone
- Update the phone, charge it fully, and connect it to Wi-Fi.
- Remove anything that could interfere with detection (like a thick case covering the microphone).
- Decide where it will “listen” or “measure light” best (nursery, hallway, living room, etc.).
2) Start onboarding from your main device
Initiate the Setup via SmartThings Labs Launch the SmartThings app on your primary phone to access the control center. Navigate to the Menu, select SmartApps, and locate SmartThings Labs (often nestled within the options or “More” menu). Select the Galaxy Upcycle feature to generate a unique pairing QR code.
- Why this matters: This QR code system is the seamless bridge for onboarding your legacy phone, effectively eliminating the need for manual code entry or navigating complex pairing sub-menus.
3) Complete the Galaxy Upcycle QR code setup
On the old phone, scan the QR code shown on your main device. Then install the “Galaxy Upcycle” app on the old phone and pick the feature you want (light or sound).
If you’re searching for a quick checklist later, this exact flow is essentially the SmartThings Labs Galaxy Upcycle setup used in SmartThings’ own guide.
4) Configure it as a light sensor
Choose Light sensor on the old phone; it will appear as a device back on your main phone. In SmartThings’ walkthrough, the device card shows a brightness score across levels—use that to decide when lights should turn on.
This is the practical way to build a SmartThings automation using light sensor for nighttime lighting, stairway safety, or “movie time” dimming.
5) Configure it as a sound sensor
Choose Sound sensor and confirm it appears in your device list. SmartThings documents detection for multiple sound types, including baby crying, dog barking, cat meowing, glass breaking, and a knock.
Now you can create SmartThings automation using sound sensor for alerts and safety routines (for example, sending a notification or turning on a hallway light when a knock is detected).
Also Read: Google Messages vs Samsung Messages: Best Android Messaging App?
Practical placements that actually work
- Put the phone at chest height in the room you want to monitor, plugged in, with the microphone unobstructed.
- For light detection, aim it toward the room (not directly at a lamp) so brightness changes are more meaningful.
- For sound detection, avoid placing it right next to speakers, TVs, or noisy fans.
Once this is running, you’ve effectively built an old Galaxy phone light sensor and an old Galaxy phone sound sensor using hardware you already own.
Privacy and reliability (don’t skip this)
Samsung describes that devices can send alerts and that users may be able to save certain sound recordings in the experience—so treat this like any always-on sensor: place it thoughtfully, and review settings and permissions.
Also remember: SmartThings notes these Labs functions are experimental and may change or be removed, so keep expectations realistic if menus shift.
Popular SmartThings + Galaxy Upcycle Use Cases People Search For
If you’re wondering how to use Galaxy Upcycle app in a practical way, think of your spare device as a flexible SmartThings add-on you can place where you need extra awareness. For example, SmartThings light sensor using old phone is perfect for a hallway or living room, where Galaxy Upcycling at Home light level brightness can trigger SmartThings automations to switch lamps on at dusk—based on the SmartThings device card brightness level you see in the app.
On the sound side, SmartThings sound sensor using old phone can be useful for specific alerts: you might set it up to use old Samsung phone as baby cry sensor, use old Samsung phone as dog bark sensor, or even use old Samsung phone as glass break sensor—all without buying extra hardware. If your device is compatible (check Galaxy Upcycling at Home supported phones) and meets the software requirement (Galaxy Upcycling at Home Android 9), you can even turn old Galaxy S9 into smart home sensor and keep it running on a charger in the room you care about most.
Overall, this is a reliable way to repurpose old Samsung phone for smart home needs—whether you want an old Samsung phone sensor for smart lights or an old Samsung phone sensor for home alerts—while keeping the setup clean and integrated inside SmartThings.
Conclusion
With Samsung’s upcycling tools, you can turn an old Galaxy into a dependable home helper—measuring light, detecting important sounds, and triggering routines without buying extra hardware. Set it up once, mount it safely, keep it powered, and you’ll have a smart sensor that’s both practical and satisfying to repurpose.
FAQs
Q: Can this be used as a motion detector too?
Answer: Only if your specific setup provides motion sensing.
Q: Will it work without Wi-Fi?
Answer: These features are designed for connected smart-home control.
Q: Can I run it outdoors on a covered patio?
Answer: Use only where heat and moisture won’t damage the device.
Q: Does it replace a dedicated security system?
Answer: It’s best treated as a helpful add-on, not a full replacement.
Q: Can I use it to trigger routines by time only?
Answer: Yes, time-based routines are a separate automation style.
