How to Turn Spare Phones into a Secure Baby Monitor

Introduction

Instead of spending $150 to $300 on dedicated baby monitors that quickly become electronic waste, you can turn an unused Android phone or tablet into an encrypted baby monitor in about 5 minutes.

This guide walks you through pairing your devices, ensuring steady power, and configuring the live video and audio feed.

What You Need

• Baby Unit: A spare Android phone or tablet (Android 7.0 or newer) with a working camera and microphone.
• Parent Unit: Your everyday Android phone or tablet.
• Power Adapter: A reliable charger and cable to keep the baby unit powered continuously.
• Wi-Fi or Cellular Connection: Both devices connected to the internet.

Step 1: Install Baby Zzz's on Both Devices

Install Baby Zzz's from Google Play on both devices.

Create an account on the parent unit. You will receive an email verification link to verify your identity.

Step 2: Configure the Baby Unit (Cameras Screen)

1. Launch Baby Zzz's on your spare device and log into your account.
2. Tap the Cameras tab in the bottom toolbar.
3. Tap the "+" button to create a new camera name (e.g., "Nursery Crib") or select an existing one.
4. Grant runtime permissions for Camera and Microphone when prompted.
5. Tap "Start Stream" to begin broadcasting.
6. Plug the device into its wall charger so the battery remains at 100% throughout the night.

Step 3: Position the Camera Safely

Step 4: Watch from the Parent Unit (Monitor Screen)

1. Open Baby Zzz's on your everyday phone or tablet and log in.
2. Tap the Monitor tab in the bottom toolbar.
3. Under "Select Camera(s)", check your nursery camera (or select "All Cameras" to watch several cameras at once).
4. Tap "View Camera(s)" to connect your direct, encrypted peer-to-peer stream.

Tap the video to show its controls: hold the microphone button to talk to your baby, and tap the music note to start sleep sounds or a lullaby on the nursery phone. Leave the app and the sound keeps playing, with the video in a picture-in-picture window.

Step 5: Inviting a Partner or Caregiver

Want both parents to monitor at the same time? Tap the Profile icon in the top right, select Settings, tap the round people button at the bottom right, then Add Member. Enter their email address and tap Add user: we email them a signed invitation link (valid for 24 hours), and once they accept they can watch your cameras with their own account.

Step 6: Crying Alerts

The nursery phone listens for crying while it streams, and your phone gets an alert even when Baby Zzz's is closed. Crying alerts are on by default: allow notifications when the app asks.

• On your phone, Settings → Baby alerts chooses per camera whether crying is an Alarm, a Notification or Off, and whether any noise alerts you too. For the alarm to ring in Do Not Disturb, allow the access the app asks for.
• On the nursery phone, Settings → This phone as a camera turns listening on or off and sets its sensitivity.
• Every alert has Snooze 30 min, right in the notification.

The sound is analysed on the nursery phone: only the alert leaves it. Alerts can be missed (a phone without network, notifications turned off), so they never replace checking on your baby.