Whether you’ve upgraded your iPad, inherited a spare, or impulse-bought a second, it doesn’t matter. Regardless, you now have two iPads. What can you do with them, and is it okay to have both?
While most people do not need two tablets in their daily lives, you can get significant value from a second iPad. Depending on your lifestyle, you could use a spare tablet as a keyboard, camera, or digital picture frame – or as part of an improved workstation.
And those are only the first couple of ideas for your second iPad. Read on to learn how to revolutionize your work life with a new tablet and how to let it take your home life to the next level. Not only that, but we’ll also take a look at what you can do instead of having two iPads, and why that might be right for you.
What Can I Do With Two iPads?
First, it’s okay to have two iPads. There’s no law against that, and nobody will tease you for having them. Not only that but owning two of the same device can be highly beneficial.
Imagine that, one day, you lose your iPad. Maybe you forget on the bus, or perhaps you look away for a second at the restaurant, and it’s stolen when you look back. Sure, that’s unfortunate. But at least you have a spare.
By syncing your Apple devices and backing up your data correctly, you can quickly recover from a lost device. And if you already have a spare tablet, getting back into your original groove is so much easier.
A spare iPad is excellent for peace of mind, mainly if you rely on a tablet in your daily life.
Similarly, keeping a spare iPad around is excellent if you have kids. You can certainly teach them to use an iPad responsibly. It’s a great skill to have, particularly with more and more schools bringing tablets into the classroom.
And we all know that kids break stuff. So, having a spare tablet means that it isn’t always such a big deal if the first one winds up with a cracked screen. Likewise, it means that you and your kids can both use a tablet simultaneously.
But, of course, nobody wants their device to get lost or stolen, and we don’t want a perfectly usable iPad to sit around gathering dust either. And some of us don’t have kids or might not want to give them our spare tablet either.
So, then, what can you do with a spare iPad? How can we make two iPads work well for you?
Use A Spare Tablet To Extend Your Screen
You could use your spare tablet as a second screen with a lightning cable. While it might not be large enough to be an excellent second monitor, it works well for video calls. That’s especially the case since you can easily pick up and move an iPad around. At the same time, monitors are heavier and less maneuverable.
Not only that, but even a “tiny” second screen can be helpful in day-to-day life. With one, you can have a monitor devoted to anything from your research to your emails to even your gaming clan’s chatroom.
Even if you don’t need the extended screen, a second iPad can still help. For example, you could connect it to your Mac – or the first iPad – to function as a keyboard.
As well as saving screen space on the original iPad, doing that saves you money. For starters, you don’t need to buy a new keyboard. Likewise, the second iPad can still function as a tablet if you need to work on it.
Use The Second iPad As A Camera
An iPad also has a built-in camera. And while nobody looks cool taking a photo with their tablet, that doesn’t mean that their high-resolution camera is any less valuable.
If you have a reliable way to keep it charged, you could use your spare iPad as a dashcam. Monitoring the traffic as you drive can provide valuable evidence if you’re ever in an accident.
Similarly, you could also use a second tablet as a security camera since you can sync it to your Apple account. It is easy to review the footage it records. Again, in case of break-ins or other incidents, another security camera can be a lifesaver.
Build A Digital Picture Frame
With a spare iPad, you can also make a digital picture frame. Suppose you sync the device to your Apple account. In that case, it’s a straightforward process to display a specific gallery you have saved on the cloud. Or you could have it rotate through pictures you saved on the device itself.
Either way, a photo slideshow is a great way to furnish a room. Not only that, but building an attractive frame for one makes for a fun-filled and exciting project. Or you could buy one online and immediately get to displaying your favorite photos.
Have A Media Server
Last, you could also use a second iPad as a media server. Depending on the device’s storage, you can download thousands of media files onto it. Instead of paying costly subscriptions to store your data, rather keep it on your spare tablet.
Not only that, but with the correct apps, you can stream the media stored on that iPad. That way, you could watch a movie saved on the tablet from your TV. Talk about convenience!
Use It As A Gaming Console
I own a second site that’s dedicated to Mobile Gaming and I wrote quite a few articles on how I use my iPad as a Nintendo Switch Replacement, as a retro gaming machine or to play games that are no longer supported on the Mac. There’s also a guide on how to play Diablo 1 on your iPad if you own a mouse and keyboard for it.
The iPad, even the base model from a few years ago, is still an extremely powerful device and can be a great distraction from having to be productive all day!
Should I Get Rid Of My Second iPad?
Of course, sometimes having no use for an extra iPad means it will just collect dust and you might feel like it’s better to get rid of it . That’s alright – DIY isn’t everyone’s thing, especially if there are already other gadgets in those niches.
In that case, we recommend selling the second iPad. The extra cash never hurts, and you can always buy a different, more helpful device with the money later. Either that, or you could pay a bill, invest the money, or donate to a good cause.
Remember never to sell a gift, though. If you wind up with two iPads and want to sell one, don’t sell the one you got for your birthday.
If the person who gave it to you finds out you sold their gift, they could be deeply offended. Presents have sentimental value, too, not only a price tag.
But speaking of gifts, you could give a spare iPad to somebody else. A new tablet is an excellent present, and a second-hand one is a great gift too.
Ensure that you wipe your data off the tablet first and factory reset it. Otherwise, things could get awkward depending on what you kept on that iPad – and it’s also just common courtesy. Nobody wants to have to delete somebody else’s files, and you wouldn’t want another person to look over your private documents either.
Last, if you’re considering getting a second iPad, it’s also a great idea to review your other options. For what are you planning to use a second tablet? And could those jobs be done better with a phone or laptop instead?
Conclusion
To conclude, it is okay to have two iPads. A spare tablet can be beneficial. After all, it’s a second screen that functions as a miniature MacBook.
