An old MacBook can serve as a home network-attached storage (NAS) system for media, shared files or backups, giving the computer a new use. The article outlines options ranging from macOS’s built-in file sharing to a more advanced Linux setup, while stressing that older hardware and drives may be unreliable.

For a basic setup, enable File Sharing in macOS and choose which folders and users can access; external drives can also be shared. Plex can organise and stream a media library, though older Macs with limited memory may struggle to transcode 4K video, so the article recommends Original quality. A Linux-based system using Debian with CasaOS or Umbrel offers more tools and remote browser management, but replaces macOS; Nextcloud and Jellyfin are among the possible additions.