While many PC components like GPUs and peripherals get upgraded regularly, monitors tend to last much longer. That means that by the time you've decided you want a new monitor for color accuracy while editing photos or a higher refresh rate for gaming, your old monitor is likely getting on in years. It might be okay as a second screen for keeping chat apps open, but there are more inventive ways you can reuse that display.

You could also keep it around just in case you have to send your new monitor in for repairs, but where would be the fun in that? Let's do some DIY and turn that old monitor into a feature piece that will give you more utility than simply gathering dust.

6 Make a lightbox for perfect lighting

Have daylight-feeling light in your home at any time

One of the big reasons for monitor upgrades is if they stop working. Often, that's because the LCD screen has been damaged and either has distorted sections or won't display an image from the inputs. But the backlight is usually still functioning, and that's what we need for this first DIY project. Because of how the LCD screens in monitors and TVs are constructed, the light seems like it's being projected from further away. That makes it good as a daylight lamp once you've stripped out the non-functioning LCD layer and put the backlight assembly into a new frame.

Now, you can have realistic-feeling daylight at any time of the day, even at night. This is especially relevant during the months with the shortest days, but it's also fantastic for using as a fill light for filming or photography. Or if you don't want a daylight lamp, you could do a very similar thing but turn it into a lightbox for photography or drawing use.

5 Jazz up your PC case

The LCD layer of many monitors makes for a fantastic side panel

One of the coolest PC cases for white builds is iBuyPower's Snowblind. It has an LCD layer behind the tempered glass window, so you can customize it with motion graphics or use it to show performance metrics. While you could buy the case; if you have an old LCD monitor of the right size, you could make your own LCD side panel for your preferred PC chassis.

The build for this one is fairly involved as you have to disassemble the monitor, figure out which of the 5V power pins on the circuit boards power the LCD, and strip away any anti-glare coating on the LCD before mounting it on the underside of the side panel for your case. But the finished product makes the effort well worth it, as you will have a fully custom PC case that you can use on the glass side as a second monitor to display moving patterns, Rainmeter performance metrics, or anything else you can think of.

4 Make a smart mirror

Smart dashboards that show behind a mirror are amazing

One of the hottest smart home items right now is smart mirrors, which show information when you stand in front of them. But they're limited to what the manufacturer decides you can see, and you might want to make your own instead. With an old monitor of the right size, a Raspberry Pi, and a piece of two-way glass or acrylic, you can make your own smart mirror running Magic Mirror.

Once you've stripped the monitor down to its essential parts, mount it behind your two-way glass and frame it as you would any other mirror. Then, it's time to customize the software to your liking. This could show everything from the weather to tracking the stock market or anything else you want to see. There are over 1,000 Magic Mirror modules to choose from, so you can make the coolest customized dashboard you can imagine.

3 Use it as a smart home panel

With a Raspberry Pi and some setup, you can have a centralized family calendar

Smart home displays are another good way to recycle an old monitor. By adding a Raspberry Pi and a suitable operating system like DAKboard, you can get a custom display of the size you want. You also get control over what's actually displayed on the screen and which features you want to enable. DAKboard says it runs best on a Pi3B+ or Pi4B with 2GB or more of memory or a Pi5, but you might want slightly more memory, so it's a smoother experience. That also gives you enough power to run YouTube videos, etc, on the display. Once you've got the OS set up, you can start adding calendars and any other widgets you want to show, making a pretty neat smart screen.

2 Make a digital art frame

Don't let them hide on your phone, show off the contents of your Camera Roll

If you don't want a full smart display, another good use for an old monitor is to turn it into a digital picture frame. Again, it's time to use a Raspberry Pi because it's still the best SBC for most users, thanks to the wide community support. If anything goes wrong with the build, there is usually an easily searched fix, which is handy for any skill level when doing DIY computing.

If you have a monitor with a 16:10 aspect ratio, that would be best, as it's not far away from the 3:2 aspect that most DSLRs or smartphones use as their default for taking photos, but don't worry too much if it's 16:9. It's worth getting the Raspberry Pi set up and working correctly before stripping the bezels and casing off the monitor, as it makes things easier in the long run.

Then, all you need is a frame to house the panel, the Raspberry Pi, and the necessary cables to assemble everything and mount it to the wall. If you want to go the extra mile, running the power cable through your wall will make it look seamless and will astonish visitors who will be expecting it to be battery-powered.

1 Turn it into a privacy screen

Make it so nobody but you can see what you're doing

If you're particularly security-conscious or just want a cool DIY project to make use of that old monitor, how about turning it into a privacy screen? This works for any LCD-based monitor because what we really need is the polarizing filter from the glass. Without that filter, the monitor panel looks like a featureless white panel to any casual observer, making it impossible to read.

But by taking the polarizing filter off and putting it on a pair of glasses, you can make a privacy screen that only you can see. You'll need to wear the special glasses while using it, but that's a decent trade-off for the level of privacy this project allows for. Be warned, it will need a steady hand to take the filter layer off the screen, and you'll want to pay attention to the orientation of the filter so you keep the same orientation when cutting the glasses-sized sections, but other than that, it's straightforward.

You can build lots of fun projects from an old monitor

Unless your old monitor doesn't turn on or is irreparably broken, there are many DIY projects that you can do with it. You'll probably want a good tool kit and some level of electronics knowledge, but for most projects, you only need to be able to figure out which pins on the PCB provide power. Or see if anyone you know has a kid that's getting to first PC age, because giving technology to the next generation is always a viable option. If you do need to scrap it, please do so by finding your nearest e-waste recycling center, because technology uses plenty of hazardous chemicals and elements that are better kept out of the landfill.