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How to make custom ringtones for your iPhone

Darkstar2007

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This guide is intended to help users make custom ringtones for their iPhone.

1. Start iTunes and find the DRM-free song you want to convert to a ringtone. Right-click on it and select the Get Info option.
2. On the Options tab locate the Start Time and End Time options. This is where you want to specify the portion of the song you wanted converted into a ringtone. Check both of the boxes, and make sure your ringtone is under 30-seconds. Press OK when finished.
3. Right-click on the song you just modified, and choose the "Convert to AAC" option. If you don't see this in the context menu navigate to "Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Importing", and make sure the AAC Encoder is selected in the Import Using menu.
4. Once the song has finished being converted to the new format it will appear in your music list, and the "Time" should reflect the correct duration of the ringtone (which should be less than 30-seconds). Now navigate to your iTunes music folder to find the converted song.
5. Make sure you're able to see the files extension (.M4A). If you don't see the extension go to Tools -> Folder Options -> View (Organize -> Folder and Search Options on Vista), and uncheck the Hide extensions for known file types box. Then click OK.
6. Copy the music file (with the .M4A extension) to your desktop. Once you've done that convert the file to .M4R which will make iTunes recognize it as a ringtone. Make sure there are no symbols (underscores, hyphens, etc...) in the file name.
7. In iTunes go to File -> Add File to Library, and then browse for the file from step 6. Once you've selected it press the Open button. iTunes will place the ringtone in the respective section in your library.
8. Sync your iPhone with iTunes and your newly created ringtone should get transferred over. If it doesn't be sure to check the Ringtones tab in the iPhone configuration section of iTunes to verify that it is setup to sync your ringtones. The iTunes method may be too difficult, or aggravating for some users, so a ringtone maker app might be the best course for some.
9. Enjoy your custom ringtones!!!
 
Last edited:
Thank you guys....

Ok converted it to 29 secs.....then dragged on to desktop...changed filename to M4r as others said M4a isn't the correct file format ???..put it in ym itunes folder and it created ringtones with my song in it.

Sync'd my iphone and nothing showing on my actual i phone in ringtones ???? any ideas ????
 
Thank you guys....

Ok converted it to 29 secs.....then dragged on to desktop...changed filename to M4r as others said M4a isn't the correct file format ???..put it in ym itunes folder and it created ringtones with my song in it.

Sync'd my iphone and nothing showing on my actual i phone in ringtones ???? any ideas ????

did you add it in the ringtone tab? first you have to do that, then select your phone and on the ringtone tab there it should show up if you did it right
 
A thing to note. For those on a Mac machine, if you have Snow Leopard or Lion, you have Garage Band. In Garage Band, you can create Ringtones with a few clicks of the mouse and import them directly into your iTunes library. You can use either iTunes songs (DRM or not, doesnt matter) or create your own from loops or your own musical talent.

I am not sitting in front of my Mac right now, so I cannot give a step by step, but the Help within the program does give a nice step by step.
 
darn it! it worked for my girlfriends iPhone4, but not on my 4s. arghhhhhh! Is there something new with the 4s that doesn't allow this to work?
 
I'm almost there. The last step is killing me- I checked the box to sync my ringtones and got a message that all songs on my device would be deleted. Since I only had a few songs, I tried it anyway. sure enough, it deleted the songs. also, the folder that was made for the ringtones is just called TONES. is that correct? i just dragged the ringtone from my library to the device's Tones folder. But since i can't sync without deleting my music files, i have no Tones folder showing up on my phone. Any suggestions on what I'm doing wrong. I feel I almost have it!
 
The OP's method has worked for me.

I now have a custom ringtone and a few alerts on my iPhone 4S.
 
It works for me but only if the sound clip/song is in stereo. I have some sound clips I downloaded, but are in mono and they don't sync to the phone. From what I gathered, they must also be in stereo for the phone to pick it up.
 
This guide is intended to help users make custom ringtones for their iPhone.

1. Start iTunes and find the DRM-free song you want to convert to a ringtone. Right-click on it and select the Get Info option.
2. On the Options tab locate the Start Time and End Time options. This is where you want to specify the portion of the song you wanted converted into a ringtone. Check both of the boxes, and make sure your ringtone is under 30-seconds. Press OK when finished.
3. Right-click on the song you just modified, and choose the "Convert to AAC" option. If you don't see this in the context menu navigate to "Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Importing", and make sure the AAC Encoder is selected in the Import Using menu.
4. Once the song has finished being converted to the new format it will appear in your music list, and the "Time" should reflect the correct duration of the ringtone (which should be less than 30-seconds). Now navigate to your iTunes music folder to find the converted song.
5. Make sure you're able to see the files extension (.M4A). If you don't see the extension go to Tools -> Folder Options -> View (Organize -> Folder and Search Options on Vista), and uncheck the Hide extensions for known file types box. Then click OK.
6. Copy the music file (with the .M4A extension) to your desktop. Once you've done that convert the file to .M4R which will make iTunes recognize it as a ringtone. Make sure there are no symbols (underscores, hyphens, etc...) in the file name.
7. In iTunes go to File -> Add File to Library, and then browse for the file from step 6. Once you've selected it press the Open button. iTunes will place the ringtone in the respective section in your library.
8. Sync your iPhone with iTunes and your newly created ringtone should get transferred over. If it doesn't be sure to check the Ringtones tab in the iPhone configuration section of iTunes to verify that it is setup to sync your ringtones. The iTunes method may be too difficult, or aggravating for some users, so a ringtone maker app might be the best course for some.
9. Enjoy your custom ringtones!!!

i Used tht procedure bt my file is nt changing to m4r .....
 
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