October 6, 2024

How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

Posted November 29, 2007 at 7:55pm by iClarified
Using iTunes 7.5 or higher you are able to create custom ringtones for your iPhone. This method may not work after a firmware update but for now everything works great.

Follow these instructions to make your ringtone and put it on the iPhone.

Step One
Open iTunes by clicking its icon in the dock.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone


Step Two
Check to see if you have a Ringtones category within your Library. You will find this on the left side of the iTunes window. If you DO have Ringtone category then you can skip to Step Four.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

Step Three
Quit iTunes then open a new Finder window by clicking its icon in the dock.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

Select Go To Folder... from the Finder's Go menu.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

A popup window will appear. Type ~/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music/ into the entryfield and click the Go button.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

Select New Folder from the File menu.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

This will create a new folder in the Finder window. Select the folder and press the Enter key. This will allow you to rename the folder. Rename the new folder to Ringtones.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

You can now restart iTunes. You should now have a Ringtones category on the left!

Step Four
Select a song from your library that you would like to use as a ringtone.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

Hold down Control on the keyboard and click the song. From the popup menu select Get Info.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

From the window that appears select the Options tab. Check the box next to Start Time and enter a start time for your ringtone. Check the box next to Stop Time and enter a stop time for your ringtone. NOTE***: The first time i tried this I attempted a ringtone 36 seconds long. It would not sync to my iPhone. I'd recommend you keep your ringtone at around 30 seconds long.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

Step Five
Press the play button to test your ringtone and make sure it sounds okay. If it doesn't you can go back and modify the start and stop time till it does. Once you are satisfied then Control+Click the song and select Convert Selection to AAC from the popup menu.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

You will notice that a copy of the song appears in your library. This copy is the shortened song to be used as your ringtone.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

Before you forget go back into the original song's options and uncheck the Start Time and Stop Time so it will play normally.

Step Six
Right click the newly created file and select Show in Finder.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

With the newly created track still selected in iTunes press the Delete key on your keyboard. A popup will appear asking to confirm its removal from the library. Click the Remove button. Another popup will appear asking you what to do with the file. Click the Keep File button.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

Step Seven
Rename the file in your Finder window to .m4r from .m4a. Do this by selecting the file then pressing the Enter key on your keyboard.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

Step Eight
Once you have renamed the file on your desktop add it back to iTunes by double clicking on it. You will notice that the track now appears under the Ringtones category in iTunes.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

Step Nine
In iTunes select your iPhone from the list of Devices on the left. Then select the Ringtones tab.

Check the box next to Sync Ringtones and select to either sync All Ringtones or to sync only specific ones.

Finally, click the Sync button at the bottom right to sync your newly created ringtone with your iPhone.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

Step Ten
To use your new ringtone with your iPhone select Settings from your iPhone's springboard.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

Select Sounds from the Settings menu.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

Select Ringtone from the Sounds menu.
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone

You will see your newly created ringtone under the custom category! Press to select it!
How to Create Custom Ringtones for an iPhone
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Comments (27)
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Coach Factory Outlet
Coach Factory Outlet - March 13, 2012 at 10:01am
Thank you very much.I like this site.
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Longchamp le pliage - February 8, 2012 at 6:00am
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Darla
Darla - February 3, 2011 at 5:35am
You are my HERO!! Thank you!
nelson ng
nelson ng - November 27, 2009 at 12:44am
step 8 is not work for me,im using window to do that , it is not work in window?
jon bush
jon bush - August 14, 2009 at 1:00am
step 8 is not working. i can not seem to put the ring tone into the ringtone folder in itunes please help.
David
David - April 16, 2010 at 9:08am
If from the first time it went to the artist folder, delete from iTunes again, and then open the .m4r file again, now it should appear in ringtones!
Paul
Paul - February 12, 2009 at 4:21pm
This worked great on windows (not Mac) with latest iTunes and latest iPhone software. Thanks for your help as it is frustrating to not be able to create ringtones through iTunes as I am not in USA
jon bush
jon bush - August 13, 2009 at 11:57pm
step eight is not working. when i drag it back to i tunes from the desktop in an attempt to put it in the the ring tones folder it doesn't work. help please.
Viviane
Viviane - August 23, 2008 at 4:15pm
I've followed all the steps, but the file doesn't appear in the Ringtones section of my iTunes library. Also, when I use the create ringtone function in iTunes ...... store.... ( with songs purchased from the iTunes store) I get the following message: "iTunes could not connect to the iTunes store. An unknown error occured (11556)" Could this be that the create ringtones function is only available to songs bought from certain store?! Any help would be greatly appreciated since the ringtones already present on the iPhone are mainly boring.
Efizzy
Efizzy - June 11, 2008 at 7:33am
Am trapped in step eight.I cant find the songs in the ringtone tab.HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
mario
mario - May 16, 2008 at 6:53pm
I followed the procedures for creating custom ringtones (https://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=414) and everything worked great on my iphone with software version 1.1.3. I would like to know if I upgrade to the newest version of iphone software 1.1.4 will these custom ringtones still work?
Dave
Dave - January 2, 2008 at 11:51pm
Trevor 2007-12-16 14:20:49 :' Is there another way to convert to AAC?': Switch your import preferences in iTunes to import AAC then it will let you convert to AAc. I had the same trouble and figured it out Worked for me :)
kozmimato
kozmimato - December 28, 2007 at 2:20pm
Today I found fast solution how create & add easily custom rintones on FW 1.1.1 Across Installer v3.0b8 (Nullriver Soft.) I downloaded app SendSong. Open it and choose from offered albums (downloaded to iPod library before) > choose song > set ringtone > done. Back to menu and open settings > sounds > ringtone > search your new ringtone & confirm. (better is restart phone for customize ringtones of selected persons in contacts). Ringtones play longer than 40 sec ! - but long songs is not recommended :)) K
kozmimato
kozmimato - December 26, 2007 at 3:18pm
I try your very easy way, but how to Create Custom Ringtones for a 1.1.1 iPhone on iMac Intel 10.4.11 with iTunes 7.5. I was trying all, but without success. I see ringtones (is in format XXX.m4r) in iTunes Ringtone folder, but during sync I get warn: XXX was not copied because the file type is not supported by the iPhone.. ?? Exist some solution for 1.1.1 ? Thanks. K.
Nate Brady
Nate Brady - December 24, 2007 at 9:39am
Is anyone else having the following problem: If you have your default ringtone as one of Apple's preset ringtones your custom ringtones won't work for individuals. However, if you set your default ringtone to a custom ringtone all of your custom ringtones for individual contacts work? Drop me an e-mail!
jz
jz - December 18, 2007 at 7:52pm
awesome!
peggie
peggie - December 18, 2007 at 4:49pm
Ok, I checked this again after I read the following hint here: "aed0101, try working through the rest of the tutorial and see if the Ringtones category appears after double clicking the newly created ringtone. " And guess what, it worked! Thanks!
iClarified
iClarified - December 16, 2007 at 2:22pm
Fady, you are deleting the short clip you created in step 5. It is the correct procedure to move to trash. Peggie, the tutorial was created on Leopard with iTunes 7.5 and a 1.1.2 iPhone. Leopard isn't the problem. Have you tried to continue through the rest of the steps to see if the ringtones category will appear when you add your created ringtone to iTunes?
Trevor
Trevor - December 16, 2007 at 2:20pm
Everything seems to work except the part where you are supposed to convert the song to AAC and I control click on the song and there is no option that will let me convert it to AAC. I do have a MP3 option, so I that and followed the steps up to the end .m4r and such and when I click on the song it will bring up itunes but the song will not appear in the ringtone section or any other. whats the deal? Is there another way to convert to AAC?
peggie
peggie - December 16, 2007 at 2:05pm
Same for me. Leopard, iTunes 7.5, no Ringtones folder appears. Guess it´s a Leopard thing then....
Fady
Fady - December 14, 2007 at 7:10pm
Are you sure you want to move the file to the trash or keep the file... that is the original file correct?
iClarified
iClarified - December 8, 2007 at 1:12pm
There is a tutorial for windows users now. Check the iPhone tutorial category on this site :)
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