Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET's key takeawaysAn old Android phone (or iPhone) can work as a free dashcam.Dashcam apps enable loop recording, GPS, and timestamps.A solid mount and charger help the setup to work best.I don't review phones as much as I did at the start of my tech journalism career, but at one point, I was flipping between two or three devices a month. So, today, I have a lot of old Android phones and iPhones stashed away in forgotten totes. Lately, though, I've been repurposing some of them. I even turned a spare Pixel into a security camera. That got me thinking: Can a phone be a dashcam?Also: How I turned my old Android phone into a streaming stick for free - in 6 easy stepsTurns out, it's possible and free if a few accessories, such as a phone mount, are already on hand. Obviously, a dedicated dashcam is the cleaner long-term solution for most drivers, but as a free weekend experiment, my old Android phone works surprisingly well. How I turned my phone into a dashcam for freeWhat you'll need: For this setup, I used a Pixel 9a phone, a USB-C charging cable, a car charger, a windshield or dashboard phone mount, and a free dashcam app from Google Play. I used Droid Dashcam because it supports loop recording. First, I decided to treat my Pixel like a single-purpose device. A phone-turned-dashcam does not need Snapchat, work email, photos, games, or 47 notifications from apps and services. So, I backed up anything important and factory reset the phone. Then, after setting up the phone again, I removed all unnecessary apps, turned off notifications, and enabled Do Not Disturb.To factory reset an Android phone, go to Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data.To remove any unnecessary apps, press and hold the app icon, tap App info, and select Uninstall.To turn off notifications, go to Settings > Notifications and disable everything, including lock-screen notification previews.To enable Do Not Disturb, go to Settings > Notifications > Do Not Disturb and turn it on.The goal? One phone with one job and no pop-ups or notifications interrupting recording.Also: I looked into OBD2 fuel savers, and found a much safer solution to save car gas instead