{
  "id": 20017643,
  "title": "Who needs a NAS? Just use your old phone",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/who-needs-a-nas-just-use-your-old-phone",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-11-14T17:15:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "XDA Developers",
    "slug": "xda-developers",
    "url": "https://www.xda-developers.com/who-needs-a-nas-just-use-your-old-phone/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A phone can function as a NAS, although it may not be suitable for heavy users. A NAS, at its core, provides a storage space that remains connected to the network, allowing multiple devices in the home to access data. Many home users have straightforward data requirements such as storing files, being accessible from various devices, synchronizing folders, and streaming media via Plex. While an old Android phone cannot run Docker containers, it can still perform these tasks adequately. Although not superior to a NAS, an old phone can serve as a suitable alternative if one is in a tight spot and wishes to utilize existing hardware. Converting an old Android phone into a NAS is simpler than anticipated. The Android ecosystem offers numerous powerful apps that can transform a spare phone into a cost-effective NAS. By downloading an advanced file explorer app like CX File Explorer or Solid Explorer, an old phone can be turned into an SMB server, making it accessible across multiple devices, much like a Synology NAS. This network storage device can be mapped to Mac’s Finder or Windows’ File Explorer or other smartphones, functioning as a shared network drive. For older devices, an external SSD with a Type-C port can be connected to access the storage directly over the network. The primary purpose of using storage connected to the home network is to facilitate wireless or LAN communication among all owned devices, enabling file synchronization between computers or between a phone and a laptop. Tools like Syncthing can be installed on the phone-turned-NAS, along with the client devices for file synchronization. It is likely that one wants to use the NAS to stream media on the living room TV. Surprisingly, the phone can accomplish this task as well. Plex offers an official media server app for Android, while third-party media server solutions like Jellyfin are also available if one desires to experiment further. In essence, the phone will transform into a media server that can transmit movies to other devices on the local network. Though not inherently designed as network storage devices, phones can function effectively with some adjustments. However, for 24/7 access, the phone must remain plugged in, which might be inconvenient due to the power consumption being lower than that of a typical NAS. To maintain network storage functionality, the phone should stay awake while charging, and server apps should have battery optimization disabled. Since a USB drive will be connected constantly, and the older phone likely lacks wireless charging, a USB adapter will be necessary to connect the drive and the charger simultaneously. Additionally, the phone should be connected to a 5GHz Wi-Fi network for smoother playback of larger files, and a fixed local IP should be assigned for easier access. While a small smartphone might seem powerful enough to act as a NAS, treating it as a full-fledged NAS would push its limits. For example, if the phone can stream a single 4K video stream without buffering, adding another stream would strain the device. With a smartphone imitating a NAS, numerous advanced features and tools will be missing, like the option to set up RAID. Compared to a standard NAS with several TBs of storage, the storage pool will be limited to the portable drive's capacity. If one understands the limitations before proceeding, they won't be disappointed. If this proves too restrictive, there are alternative options as well. The Synology BeeStation and WD MyCloud are network storage products that offer a middle ground for those seeking something simpler than a traditional NAS. Instead of repurposing a phone, one can reuse an old PC, albeit with superior software. Lastly, if storage and file sync are the primary needs and remote file storage is acceptable, the cloud remains a convenient option.",
  "summary": "A simple home server you already own",
  "key_points": [
    "An old phone can act as a NAS, though not as robust as a dedicated NAS device.",
    "Android phones with apps like CX File Explorer or Solid Explorer can become SMB servers.",
    "Phones can stream media via Plex or Jellyfin for LAN playback."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}