How to turn your old Android phone into a streaming stick for free - in 6 easy steps

https://www.zdnet.com/a/img/resize/05cc80fad4686d3403f2d80a0464e64099a99c1c/2026/06/17/f6c7c91a-fd9f-4487-8ab1-045125c9b7e9/2.jpg?auto=webp&fit=crop&height=675&width=1200

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ZDNET's key takeaways

  • An old Android phone can work like a DIY streaming device.
  • Native casting is smoother than full-screen mirroring.
  • A TV-style launcher makes streaming apps easier to browse.

After 15 years of testing devices, I have far too much old tech sitting in totes and drawers around my house.

I keep things like phones longer than I should because there's always a tiny voice in the back of my head wondering if they'll be classics one day or, just maybe, if I could still find uses for them. Heck, I recently turned an old Android phone into a Wi-Fi extender. That little project got me thinking about some of my other phones and realizing I really should do something with them.

Then it hit me: Could I turn one into a DIY streaming stick, like a Roku...

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