New 2026 Data: Over Half of Security Shoppers Now Want DIY — Where an Old Phone Fits In

For years, buying a home security system meant scheduling a technician, signing a multi-year monitoring contract, and drilling holes in the wall. That's no longer the default. According to a survey of 1,380 U.S. adults conducted March 26–31, 2026 by Security.org, 51% of people actively shopping for a home security system now prefer to install it themselves, versus 26% who prefer professional installation. Among people who already went the professional route, 74% say they've considered switching to DIY.

That's a meaningful shift in how homeowners and renters think about protecting their property — and it lines up with something a lot of people already have sitting in a drawer: an old phone that can be turned into a security camera for free, with no contract and no technician visit at all.

What the 2026 numbers actually show

The Security.org study (margin of error ±2.6 percentage points at 95% confidence) asked shoppers why they'd choose a self-installed system over a professionally installed one. The top reasons were:

• Lower cost — 70%
• Installing on their own schedule — 43%
• More control over the system — 36%
• No long-term contracts — 31%
• Avoiding a technician visit — 29%
• Not wanting a stranger in the home — 29%
• Easier to relocate the system — 27%

Notice what's missing from that list: nobody said they wanted fewer features or less protection. People aren't choosing DIY because they're settling — they're choosing it because it removes friction (cost, scheduling, contracts, a stranger in the house) without giving up the outcome they actually want, which is knowing what's happening at their own property.

The same survey found that most DIY-open consumers feel ready for it: 78% report being "very" or "somewhat" comfortable installing a system themselves. The main hesitations are practical rather than principled — 59% worry about making an installation mistake, and 55% worry the system won't work properly afterward. Those are solvable problems, not reasons to go back to a contract.

Why "self-monitored" doesn't mean "less secure"

It's worth separating two things that used to be bundled together: professional installation and professional monitoring. A self-installed camera can still send you real-time alerts, store footage off-device, and let you check in on your property from anywhere — you're just the one deciding when and how, instead of routing that decision through a monitoring company's call center and a monthly invoice.

This is exactly the gap an old phone can fill. Nearly every modern smartphone already has a camera, a microphone, Wi-Fi, and a battery — the same core hardware inside a purpose-built security camera, minus the box it ships in. Apps like iCameraPlus turn that old phone into a 24/7 camera with continuous recording, an off-device archive so footage survives even if the phone is damaged or stolen, remote live view, and motion alerts — the same feature set people are paying monthly fees for, running on hardware you already paid off years ago.

If you haven't set one up yet, our guide on how to turn a spare phone into a home security camera walks through the setup end to end.

The other reason this trend matters: what's in your drawer

Part of why DIY security is having a moment is that the hardware people already own has quietly gotten good enough to compete with dedicated devices. That matters beyond convenience — it also matters for what happens to old phones that would otherwise sit unused or get thrown out.

According to the Global E-waste Monitor 2024, published jointly by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the world generated 62 million tonnes of electronic waste in 2022 — and less than a quarter of it (22.3%) was documented as properly collected and recycled. The report also found e-waste generation is rising by roughly 2.6 million tonnes a year, on pace to hit 82 million tonnes by 2030, growing about five times faster than documented recycling capacity.

A phone that gets a second job as a security camera is a phone that isn't adding to that pile, at least not yet. It's a small thing measured against 62 million tonnes globally, but it's also a genuinely useful thing — the phone still does real work instead of sitting in a drawer losing charge.

What "DIY" should still include

The survey data is a useful reminder that skipping professional installation doesn't mean skipping the basics. Whether you're setting up a purpose-built camera or repurposing an old phone, a self-installed system is only as good as where it's pointed and how it's maintained:

• Cover the approach, not just the door. A camera aimed at your porch is more useful than one aimed at an empty driveway. See our guide on where to place a home security camera for the highest-value spots.
• Keep footage somewhere other than the camera itself. If the device is stolen or damaged, on-device-only storage disappears with it — one reason an off-device archive matters as much as the live feed.
• Check the connection, not just the picture. A camera that only works while you're watching it live isn't doing much when you're not. Confirm alerts and continuous recording are actually running before you count on the system.
• Plan for power. A camera on a dying battery is a camera that goes dark at the worst possible time. Keep repurposed phones plugged in continuously rather than relying on battery life.

The bottom line

The shift toward DIY isn't shoppers settling for less protection — it's people deciding that cost, control, and convenience matter as much as the hardware itself. And for a growing number of homeowners and renters, the most convenient starting point isn't a new purchase at all. It's the phone already sitting in the drawer.

Turning an old phone into a security camera won't replace every layer of a home security setup, but it's a genuinely useful, no-contract way to start — and it fits exactly the trend the 2026 data describes.

Sources

• Security.org, "2026 DIY Home Security Systems Market Report and Statistics" (survey conducted March 26–31, 2026; n=1,380 U.S. adults)
• UNITAR / ITU, "The Global E-waste Monitor 2024"
• UNITAR press release, "Global E-waste Monitor 2024: Electronic Waste Rising Five Times Faster than Documented E-waste Recycling"