How do I create a custom ringtone for my iPhone?

Question

The iPhone has a very limited selection of default ringtones.

How do I create a new ringtone for my iPhone?

Answer 1

1. If the song/sound you want to use isn't already in your iTunes library, add it to your iTunes library first.

2. If you want to use just a part of the song/sound, right click it, select "Get Info", then "Options" tab, and enter a start and stop time there. Remember, ringtones can't be over 40 seconds!

3. On the File menu, select "Convert" > "Create AAC Version". If you don't have this option, go to Edit, Preferences, General tab, and click the Import Settings button. Make sure the import setting is set to "iTunes Plus" (AAC).

4. This will create a new file in your iTunes library. Delete it from your iTunes library now, but be sure to check "keep file" in the delete dialog so the file itself isn't removed, just the library entry.

5. Navigate to where the file was created on disk, somewhere like music\iTunes\iTunes Music\{artist}\{album}

6. Rename the file from .m4a to .m4r

7. Drag and drop this .m4r file into the Ringtones folder of your iTunes (or, just double-click it and iTunes will handle it automatically).

8. Sync your iPhone. Make sure that "Sync Ringtones" is selected in the phone sync options (mine was off by default).

After syncing, you can select your new ringtone in Settings, Sounds at the Custom section at the top.

Answer 2

Alternatively, if you're using a Mac, you could just fire up Garageband. Here's a quick tutorial on Lifehacker:

http://lifehacker.com/334073/create-custom-iphone-ringtones-the-free-and-apple-way

Answer 3

Honestly, on windows iRinger is one of the easiest ways. Choose an audio file select the segment you want, adjust, click "Export" and it's in iTunes

Simple and easy

Answer 4

This solution requires Mac OS X, but is otherwise free:

1. Open the audio file you want to make into a ringtone in QuickTime Player. If the file is a song in iTunes, control-click on the file and select "Show in Finder", then open QuickTime Player and drag the file from the Finder to the QuickTime Player icon in the dock.

2. If the audio file is longer than 40 seconds, you will need to trim it down:

   1. In the menu bar, select Edit -> Trim... and the scrubber will turn into a selector for the desired start and end.

   2. Move the start and end so the selection is not more than 40 seconds. It's best to err on the side of caution and not go above 39.75 seconds.

   3. Click "Trim"

3. From the menu bar, select File -> Export... and save as an "Audio Only" file on your desktop or other convenient location.

4. Download MakeiPhoneRingtone from Rogue Amoeba and launch the app.

5. Drag the file exported from QuickTime Player into the MakeiPhoneRingtone window. It will be automatically converted to the appropriate file format to be a ringtone and imported into iTunes.

I have successfully created several ringtones for my iPhone using this method.

Answer 5

You can create or import a song in the IOS version of Garageband directly on your phone, and then export it as a ringtone which will appear in the ringtone list under Settings.

Once you have created your song by using any of the virtual instruments or importing an actual song:

1. Go to My Songs (the top left icon), and long-press on the song your created.
2. A Share menu will appear which contains among other options an item named Ringtone.
3. Enter the ringtone name and save it.
4. Go to Settings > Sounds and assign your new ringtone.

No need to pay anything, you don't need a Mac or iTunes, and you are only using free Apple software.

There is a more detailed tutorial here.

Answer 6

iPhone ringtones are just AAC songs, no longer than 40 seconds, with an M4R extension, instead of the usual M4A that iTunes uses.

You can make the ringtones using iTunes itself. Just make a copy of the song and set the start and end position so that the song doesn't run longer than 40 seconds.

There are some apps that do that for you. I have use Ringer and Ringtones, on the Mac, and both worked pretty well.

Answer 7

The easiest solution is to get Fission.app and use it to crop the tracks (as ringtones can only be up to 40 seconds long) and export it in .m4r ringtone format.

Fission.app is not free, but there’s a trial version.

That said, if you’re looking for a solution that doesn’t require third-party software, see your own answer.

Answer 8

One other option that costs $1.99 in the App Store -- iRingtones

I use it and like it. Although I wish I knew about the GarageBand method before. :-)

Answer 9

I haven't used it recently, but in the past I've had good results with this website: http://audiko.net/

Assuming it still works with the iPhone 4, it's rather an easier process: you just upload your MP3, trim it to your liking using the flash interface, download the ringtone file, and drag it into iTunes. Good luck!

Answer 10

For those of you with jailbroken iOS devices, there are at least three paid Cydia apps that can do both the ringtone conversion and adding (the adding part is not allowed for App store apps) directly on the device: AnyRing, Bridge and AudioExplorer+. (Disclosure: I am the developer of AudioExplorer+). You would of course still need to transfer the audio file to the device, but jailbroken devices also offer more ways to do this (like scp for example).

Answer 11

I always use Ringer.org to make free ringtones for my iPhone. It's completely free and easy.

Answer 12

We can make our own custom ringtones using garageband that you might already know. But it can only access the music that are non Apple music. When you create a ringtone .m4r on a computer and then sending into music app via the iTunes, the sound quality reduces. So the best solution is to use garageband. But the song should be in your music library before you can do that. And to add music into your library of your iPhone through iTunes you need to turn off iCloud music library that deletes all the Apple music in your device. So here is the solution

1. Connect your iPhone to pc/macbook.
2. Open iTunes in it.
3. Open the iPhone and go to apps on the side menubar.
4. Now go to garageband app and add the song that you want.
5. After adding the song disconnect the iPhone.
6. Now the song is available in your garageband library.

It is the best way to make a custom ringtone.

Answer 13

I like this way to do it because it is simple and once you have the script installed you can do it all in itunes without having to navigate anywhere else.

I use Doug's apple scripts " make ringable " script.

make ringable script page

You download the script, put it in the script folder. he has instruction on how to do this and use his scripts on his web site. Before you use the script, in itunes select the song you want to use and use command I to open up the metadata info box for it. adjust the start and stop point for the section you want to use ( 40 seconds or shorter ) and close the info box.

To make a ringtone out of the song you just manipulated you single click on the song so it highlighted then click on the script menu in the tool bar at the top of iTunes, click on the "make ringable" script in the drop down menu. Follow the instructions in the pop up box. It makes a ringtone of the song you selected and places it in the tones library. You can then go back and set the song time parameters back to where they were. When you sync your iphone choose to sync tones and voilà you have your new ringtone(s) on your phone.

If you like it and use it, Donate to Doug on his web page for the time and effort he put into writing the script. I did.

Answer 14

I've used this method before, and I find it very reliable. I didn't create it though, and I don't want to take credit for it (plus I don't have the required pictures to match) so here is a very useful link that you can use to learn how to make your very own ringtones, using iTunes!