The Pros and Cons of Hand-Me-Down Tech

Are you doing anyone a favor by gifting them outdated gear?

Edward C. Baig,

AARP

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Published June 02, 2026

old technology devices in the shape of a dinosaur

If old tech is nearly useless for you, why would it be any different for the next person?

Rob Dobi

Key takeaways

Free hand-me-down tech can bring hidden hassles like missing passwords, slow performance or outdated software.
Older devices may lack security updates or app support, increasing risk as products reach their end of life.
Even freely-given gear can require spending on batteries, repairs or upgrades that outweigh its value.

My brother-in-law gave me his old laptop, which is very nice. It’s old, but for what I need it for, I think it’s good enough. However, I forgot the password, and there is no recovery disk. —Keri B.

Keri, it was indeed very kind of your brother-in-law to give you his old computer, as is the case whenever a friend or relative passes along laptops or other devices they no longer use. A fair number of smartphones get handed down, too, often from grandparents and parents to kids, though in some families it’s just the opposite: The youngsters want the latest and greatest models, so they donate their handsets to grandma and grandpa.

In most cases, whoever gives away the tech has good intentions. After all, why let a machine that still functions, at least to some degree, sit idle? A 2025 CNET survey found that 31 percent of U.S. adults hang on to past-their-prime smartphones, video game consoles, laptops and tech accessories, mainly because they don’t know what to do with them.

Are you introducing problems?

But when you give away a hand-me-down tech device, are you really doing the other person any favors? Or merely passing along your problems to the recipient?

The answer depends on several factors, most notably why you are disposing of the thing in the first place. Just how old is it? Does it still carry a warranty? Is the battery spent or the display in rotten shape? Do programs and apps run sluggishly or stop running altogether?

If a machine is nearly useless for you, why should it be any different for the next person?

You should consider safety as well. Does the manufacturer still issue periodic feature and security updates, or firmware updates, since almost all the tech products I’m aware of eventually reach the end of their lifespan? State-of-the-art programs likely will not run on it. And at that point, the device could become an easy target for malicious hackers.

Ask the Tech Guru 

Last fall, after 10 years, Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 10 PCs, and instructed customers to either migrate to Windows 11, which was not possible on every older machine, or to purchase a new computer.

And Amazon recently ended support for Kindle e-readers dating back to 2012 or earlier. You can still read on the devices but can no longer purchase or download new e-book titles.

Economics are also important. You may be getting hand-me-down tech for free, but will you have to put any money into it: to replace a battery, say, or make other repairs? Think about the secondhand car you acquired way back when. If you were lucky, it served you well, but maybe it was a clunker that cost you a small fortune to keep running.

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You mentioned, Keri, that you don’t know the computer’s password and no longer have a recovery disk. So that’s another hassle that you or others in a similar boat must contend with. You may have to swallow your pride and ask your brother-in-law for his old password, if he even remembers it.

Certain software may be available to download online, but you must access the computer first.

If you can’t get in, you may have to factory-reset the machine and start from scratch. Doing so means any programs your brother-in-law had on it that you could have theoretically taken advantage of are gone.

When it goes well

Of course, if you are given a product gratis that’s been well cared for and is in decent shape, you could be getting a bargain. I’ve given away two- or three-year-old phones and smartwatches to family that still perform splendidly.

Keri, you also noted that you think what your brother-in-law gave you is good enough for what you need it to do. For many of the people receiving hand-me-downs, that’s really all we can ask.

What if you’re the one giving the tech away?

First off, I applaud your generosity, presuming your motivation is not merely to dump a deadweight machine on someone else. If you donate a working machine to a loved one or another deserving person, I think that’s great.

You do have other options, too, for older tech you’re not using.

If the machine has any value at all, perhaps you can get a few bucks for it on Craigslist, eBay, Facebook Marketplace or other online outlets that accept older electronics. Just be upfront about the product’s condition, and include photos when possible. You might also be able to trade it in to reduce the cost of a new item, sometimes for cash and sometimes for gift cards. Most major retailers offer trade-in programs.

As a last resort, you can recycle the gear. You would relieve yourself of a product that is collecting dust and taking up space while also being kind to the environment. Many retailers offer recycling options as well.

I also recommend checking out the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which provides resources and guidance on recycling electronics.

However you choose to dispose of old tech, remember to back up what you have, remove the batteries and perform steps to exorcise any personal information from it. Methods for doing so vary by the type of gear you are parting with, but you will typically start by looking for transfer, reset or erase options in device settings.

Bonus tip: Apple adds wheelchair option to its current Vision Pro headset

Apple’s Vision Pro “spatial computer” mixed-reality headset blends virtual reality (VR), where the outside world is almost completely shut out, and augmented reality (AR), allowing digital objects to appear in and around your real surroundings. But its exorbitant $3,499 price tag has made the headset, which has been around for more than two years, a difficult sell.

But now Apple has introduced an accessibility feature on the Vision Pro that promises to help people with ALS or other diseases, who use power wheelchairs but cannot control a joystick, drive the chair by leveraging its precision eye-tracking system. The person in the chair can stare at up to eight directional controls that appear in their field of view to move that way. Or they can stop the chair altogether through eye-tracking. The feature will launch with Tolt and LUCI alternate drive systems in the U.S. later this year.                         

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The key takeaways were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.    

Edward C. Baig covers technology and other consumer topics. He previously worked for USA Today, BusinessWeek, U.S. News & World Report and Fortune. He is the author of Macs for Dummies and coauthor of iPhone for Dummies and iPad for Dummies. Follow him on LinkedIn, Threads and X (formerly known as Twitter).                   