A new web platform called ScreenWall aims to give a second life to the old phones, tablets, and monitors many people have sitting in drawers. Built by German software engineer Tuan Anh Bui, the tool turns any compatible device with an internet connection into a widget display, without requiring users to install any software.
The pitch is simplicity. Users can build clocks, status boards, ambient screens, or shared displays from hardware they already own, connecting a device by scanning a QR code or entering a six-digit pairing code for screens without a camera, such as an old monitor attached to a thin client.
How It Works
ScreenWall is currently in beta and free to use, with some restrictions on the number of widgets a user can deploy. The platform ships with demo widgets including a clock, a weather display, and a split-flap style information board. Existing widgets can be customized with JavaScript, and new ones can be written the same way. Data sources can be connected via JSON files.
Setup involves adding a widget to a workspace called a wall, then pairing a display device to it. Once paired, ScreenWall detects the device’s resolution and represents it as a blue square on the wall, which users drag onto the widget they want displayed. The screen stays awake using the standard Screen Wake Lock API found in modern browsers, so the display will not sleep or shut down while the widget is active.
Rough Edges
The platform’s reliance on a browser tab and a live web connection creates some friction. Because devices connect via a web link, any reboot or closed tab requires re-pairing, and the pairing code is randomized each time a screen is reopened. In hands-on testing, closing the browser tab or locking a device caused it to appear disconnected on the wall, and reconnecting sometimes created duplicate displays that needed manual cleanup. Bui confirmed that a device keeps its unique identifier only as long as its browser tab remains open, so users planning long-term deployments need to avoid closing that tab.
Another practical note: ScreenWall does not automatically enable do-not-disturb mode on repurposed smartphones or tablets, so notifications can still pop up over a widget unless users configure that setting themselves.
What’s Next
Bui said he has not settled on a monetization plan but is considering releasing a self-hosted version, citing privacy concerns among tinkerers who may want to run the tool offline rather than through a hosted service. He described the project as born out of personal curiosity about reducing electronic waste, and said future development may be shaped by community feedback as stability and compatibility improve.