The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and systems for repurposing IR transmitters. In one aspect, a method is performed at a first electronic device with a camera, one or more IR transmitters, one or more processors, and memory coupled to the one or more processors. The method includes operating the first electronic device in a first mode, the first mode including illuminating an environment proximate the first electronic device via at least one of the one or more IR transmitters to generate an image, via the camera, of at least a portion of the environment. The method further includes operating the first electronic device in a second mode, the second mode including communicating information to a second electronic device via at least one of the one or more IR transmitters.