9 Clever Uses For Your Old Bluetooth Speakers – BGR

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Bluetooth speakers have been around long enough to become part of our everyday lives, which means many of us now have older models collecting dust. As new designs arrive with smarter assistants, better water resistance, and stronger batteries, those early wireless speakers that were once regarded as cutting-edge often end up forgotten in drawers or closets, before being tossed away later during spring cleaning. Be that as it may, even if they’re not worth reselling, these small devices still hold plenty of practical value.

Instead of tossing them out or leaving them to lose charge for good, you can give those old Bluetooth speakers new life through a handful of clever repurposing ideas. Whether that means upgrading another device’s audio, integrating them into your smart home setup with other gadgets, or using them for tasks they were never designed for, there are surprisingly creative ways to make your retired speakers work for you again. Not only can these uses be quite easy to carry out, but they are also very inexpensive as well, since they only have simple requirements like changing settings, affordable adapters, or free apps.

So, whether you’re a casual listener, a sustainability enthusiast, or simply hate letting old gadgets go to waste, here are nine practical and clever ways to repurpose your old Bluetooth speakers and put them back in everyday rotation.

If you have a small TV or an older model without modern soundbar support, an old Bluetooth speaker can make an immediate improvement to your sound setup. Many TVs now include Bluetooth audio output options, meaning you can wirelessly pair your speaker directly through the settings menu. The setup process only takes a handful of steps to connect compatible models, letting you send all TV audio to your speaker without extra cables.

If your television doesn’t support Bluetooth natively, adding an easily affordable transmitter to its headphone or optical output can solve that problem. Once paired, you’ll notice a clearer, more focused sound profile that’s ideal for bedrooms, guest rooms, or smaller apartments where installing a full-size soundbar doesn’t make sense. Any wireless Bluetooth speaker should be able to connect and handle TV audio easily, though using a wired model will always provide the best audio performance and optimal syncing.

Along with breathing new life into an old speaker, this gives your TV a new audio experience for next to nothing. There are other ways to repurpose old TVs, but this is a nice way to give your current unit extra value if you don’t want to give up on it just yet.

Listening to vinyl records has surged back into popularity, but setting up a proper turntable system often requires amplifiers, preamps, and bulky speakers. However, if you own an old Bluetooth speaker, you can make your record player wireless and simplify the entire setup.

Many modern turntables already include built-in Bluetooth transmitters — such as Audio-Technica’s AT-LP60XBT, one of the best Bluetooth record players in 2024 – and connecting them to a speaker is very straightforward.

If your record player doesn’t have Bluetooth built-in, a small transmitter connected to your turntable’s output jack can stream music to your speaker just as effectively. You won’t get audiophile-grade fidelity, but for casual spins in a living room or studio, the sound quality is still satisfying. If you’re the type of music lover who isn’t bothered by minor compression loss, the added convenience of a wireless Bluetooth speaker far outweighs a small drop in quality.

If you’ve held onto multiple Bluetooth speakers, especially ones from the same brand, you may be able to link them for synchronized playback. Brands like JBL and Ultimate Ears have built multi-speaker connectivity directly into their ecosystems, so you can group older units and fill multiple rooms with sound.

JBL’s Partyboost feature allows you to connect two or more compatible speakers together, like the Charge 5 and Xtreme 3. Meanwhile, Ultimate Ears’ PartyUp function lets you sync over 150 Boom or Megaboom models using the UE app, including the Epicboom. Even if you only have two speakers, pairing them in stereo mode can dramatically widen your soundstage. As a result, you’ll be turning a couple of older gadgets into a compact hi-fi system.

For homes with mixed brands, some third-party apps like AmpMe and SoundSeeder can simulate similar multi-room playback using your phone as a sync controller. While your old Bluetooth speaker might not be one of the best wireless speakers for audiophiles, this is a way to expand your listening experience without investing in pricey smart speaker ecosystems.

Good sleep and focus often depend on consistent background noise, and an old Bluetooth speaker can double as a personal white-noise generator, pairing effectively with the other ways to get a better night’s sleep. By pairing your phone and using a white-noise app or website, you can stream looping ambient sounds all night long.

Apps such as myNoise and White Noise Lite offer customizable mixes, from rainfall to static hums, that can play indefinitely without interruptions. Speakers connected to phones can perform nearly as well as dedicated white-noise machines for people with mild sleep issues. Websites like myNoise even allow you to fine-tune volume and frequency bands, giving you full control over the sound environment.

If you don’t need medical-grade noise-masking performance, repurposing an old speaker for ambient playback is both economical and effective. You can even set a nightly automation on your phone to start and stop playback, turning a forgotten gadget into a practical sleep aid.

Backyard or living room projectors are fun, but while many of the best portable models from the last few years are still usable today, the built-in speakers often sound weak or tinny. Instead of investing more money in a far more expensive model, repurposing an old Bluetooth speaker as a wireless audio companion can immediately upgrade the experience without the added cost. This is because most modern portable projectors already include Bluetooth output for external audio. By pairing your speaker through the settings menu, you can produce a more immersive, balanced soundstage for casual movie nights or gaming sessions.

If your projector doesn’t have native Bluetooth output, adding a small transmitter via the projector’s headphone or audio-out port should solve the issue. This is another great example of how pairing another device with a Bluetooth speaker is incredibly easy. The setup instructions for many brands have no more than three or four steps.

Such effortless setup can give your outdoor movie nights richer sound, and is a fantastic instance of how old tech can perfectly complement newer gadgets with minimal cost.

If your old Bluetooth speaker includes a built-in microphone, it can easily double as a makeshift conference speakerphone for remote work or video calls. By connecting it to your laptop, phone, or tablet via Bluetooth, you’ll instantly enjoy clearer sound output than most integrated computer speakers. For a variety of conference and meeting software, like Zoom or Google Meet, you can select any connected Bluetooth device as both your microphone and speaker during a meeting with its own simple connection process.

For speakers without built-in mics, you can still use them as the output device while relying on your computer’s mic or a dedicated USB microphone. Combining the two creates a more professional, balanced sound setup for calls and virtual presentations. Because Bluetooth-based audio can actually reduce echo and improve voice clarity, when devices are positioned correctly, this setup can actually be more beneficial than having your input and output taken care of by the same device.

Repurposing an old Bluetooth speaker for this role is especially useful for hybrid workers who want better sound on a budget. It not only helps eliminate ear fatigue from prolonged headphone use, but also offers a more natural, open-room audio experience.

Wearing earbuds while biking or hiking can limit your awareness of your surroundings, but mounting a small Bluetooth speaker instead lets you enjoy music or podcasts safely. Compact, clip-style models such as older JBL Clip or Bose SoundLink Micro speakers can easily attach to backpacks, belts, or handlebars. The JBL Clip 4, for instance, packs both a durable and water-resistant build that makes such speakers perfect for outdoor activities.

If your old speaker doesn’t have a built-in clip, inexpensive mounts are available for bicycles and hiking gear to secure various speaker sizes and withstand bumpy rides. Paired with your smartphone’s playlist or navigation app, setups like these still deliver ambient, open-air sound without isolating you from what’s happening around you, keeping you safe from any unexpected dangers or distractions. Altogether, this creative reuse adds an extra layer of safety while keeping workouts or trail walks enjoyable. 

If you’re an Apple user, you can repurpose an old Bluetooth speaker into an AirPlay-compatible receiver using a Raspberry Pi. The process involves installing an open-source program like Shairport Sync, which turns your Pi into an AirPlay endpoint that streams audio directly from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. The setup process is fairly easy to follow, and the project requires minimal coding experience.

Once the Pi is configured, you simply pair it with your Bluetooth speaker, allowing any AirPlay-compatible app; including Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube; to stream wirelessly. Raspberry Pi models 3 and 4 also support simultaneous Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections, which is crucial for seamless playback. 

This clever setup effectively bridges Apple’s ecosystem with non-AirPlay speakers, extending their usefulness in modern smart home environments. All for less than the cost of a single smart speaker, it’s an affordable DIY project that’s creative, sustainable, and functional.

One of the most creative ways to repurpose an old Bluetooth speaker is by using it as a motion or door-alert system for your home. Both Amazon Alexa and Google Nest smart devices allow users to set up custom routines that play specific sounds or announcements when certain triggers occur — like motion detected by a smart camera or someone pressing a doorbell. You can then pair your old Bluetooth speaker as the default audio output, turning it into a wireless alert speaker that plays chimes or voice cues anywhere in your home. 

Many brands have specific setup processes to connect with Alexa that are easy enough to follow, so you can hook it up to deliver detection sounds through particular speakers, to make the process even easier. All in all, whether you’re getting package delivery notifications, doorbell alerts, or motion warnings, this can conveniently increase your household awareness of goings on. Without purchasing a new device, it’s a perfect fusion of practicality and tech recycling.

When assembling this list of clever, real-world ways to repurpose old Bluetooth speakers, we focused on verified, functional ideas. Every suggested use was chosen based on feasibility, accessibility, and cost. We verified setup instructions using official pairing and configuration guides, ensuring that each idea can be implemented by the average reader without specialized technical knowledge.

We prioritized solutions that extend the functional lifespan of tech that might otherwise be discarded, encouraging readers to save money and reduce e-waste at the same time. This list balances creativity with practicality, proving that even aging gadgets can find new purpose when paired with a bit of ingenuity and the right tools.