How to Create Custom Ringtones for the iPhone

Lee Stanton October 23, 2021

The first iPhone was released in 2007. However, Apple has yet to provide us with a quick way to use an audio file as a ringtone. In their defense, the methods available are pretty straightforward and achieve the desired result. If you want to know how to create a ringtone for your iPhone, we’ve outlined the steps for the simplest way.

How to Create Custom Ringtones for the iPhone

This article will show you how to turn your favorite audio file into a ringtone, and we will describe the steps for setting specific ringtones for contacts and text messages. You will also learn how to purchase and download ringtones from iTunes.

How to Change Your Ringtone?

Before we dive into creating custom ringtones, let’s first cover how to change the existing one. If you’re already familiar with this process, feel free to skip ahead to the next section.

Launch the “Settings” app.
Tap on “Sounds & Haptics.”
Select the sound you wish to change to under “Sounds and Vibrations Patterns.”
Tap on a ringtone or alert to hear how it sounds then set the one you like as your new ringtone.

Redownload Ringtones Purchased With Your Apple ID

One of the great things about Apple products is you can quickly recover previous downloads and purchases. This is how your re-download old ringtones on your iPhone:

Launch the “Settings” app.
Tap on “Sounds & Haptics.”
Click on any sound from “Sounds and Vibration Patterns.”
Click on “Download All Purchased Tones.”

How Do I Make an Audio File a Ringtone on My iPhone?

To convert and use an audio file as your new ringtone, try the following from macOS or Windows:

Install the latest version of iTunes.
Select an audio file that is a maximum of 40 seconds long, otherwise, iTunes will not copy it to your phone.
- If the file is longer than 40 seconds, and you wish to use a section of it, you can use an audio editor to cut it to the part you want to use.
- Your file will need to be in ACC or extension .m4r format before it can be used as a ringtone; jump to step 9 if this is the case. To convert your audio file to ACC format:
Drag and drop the file to iTunes, then find it under “Library” > “Songs.”
Select the file then click on “File” > “Convert” > “Create AAC Version.”
Now you’ll have two copies of the same audio file in your library; the original and the AAC version just created. To differentiate the two, in the library right-click on the headings and select “Kind” to enable the column.
Right-click on the one that says, “MPEG audio file” (MP3) to remove it from your library if you wish.
- To change the ACC file’s extension so that iTunes recognizes it as a ringtone:
From the iTunes library, drag and drop the ACC file onto your desktop.
Change the file’s extension to .m4r.
To transfer the file onto your ringtone, connect your iPhone to your Mac or PC using your USB cable.
Unlock your iPhone. If this is the first time you’ve connected your iPhone to your computer, you’ll be asked to confirm that your iPhone can be trusted – then enter your iPhone’s pin.
Via iTunes, click on the device icon displayed towards the left of the Library’s navigation bar.
Under the “My Device” section in the left sidebar, select “Tones.”
Drag and drop your .m4r file to the “Tones” section in iTunes. Use copy and paste if drag and drop doesn’t work.
- The new ringtone will be synched to your phone and it will display under “Tones.”
To choose your new ringtone launch the “Settings” app.
Click on “Sounds & Haptics” > “Ringtone” then click on your custom ringtone to set it as your default ringtone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Although iOS devices are well known for their simplicity, it isn’t always easy to figure out certain functions. If you still have questions about iPhone ringtones, keep reading.

How to Make iPhone Ringtones on a PC?

The following steps are identical to the steps above. To convert one of your audio files into a ringtone for your iPhone, do the following:

1. Ensure you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your PC.

2. Select an audio file that is a maximum of 40 seconds long; otherwise, iTunes will not copy it to your phone.

· If the file is longer than 40 seconds, and you wish to use a section, you can use an audio editor to cut it to the part you want to use.

· Your file will need to be in ACC or extension .m4r format before you can use it as a ringtone; jump to step 9 if this is the case. To convert your audio file to ACC format:

3. Drag and drop the file to iTunes, then find it under “Library” > “Songs.

”

4. Select the file, then click on “File” > “Convert” > “Create AAC Version.”

5. Now, you’ll have two copies of the same audio file in your library; the original and the AAC version just created. In the library, to differentiate the two, right-click on the headings and select “Kind” to enable the column.

6. Right-click on the one that says “MPEG audio file” (MP3) to remove it from your library if you wish.

· To change the ACC file’s extension so that iTunes recognizes it as a ringtone:

7. From the iTunes library, drag and drop the ACC file onto your desktop.

8. Change the file’s extension to .m4r.

9. To transfer the file onto your ringtone, connect your iPhone to your Mac or PC using your USB cable.

10. Unlock your iPhone. If this is the first time you’ve connected your iPhone to your computer, you’ll need to confirm that your iPhone can be trusted – then enter your iPhone’s pin.

11. Via iTunes, click on the device icon displayed towards the left of the Library’s navigation bar.

12. Under the “My Device” section in the left sidebar, select “Tones.”

13. Drag and drop your .m4r file to the “Tones” section in iTunes. Use copy and paste if the drag and drop method doesn’t work.

· The new ringtone will be synched to your phone, and it will display under “Tones.”

14. To choose your new ringtone, launch the “Settings” app.

15. Click on “Sounds & Haptics” > “Ringtone,” then click on your custom ringtone to set it as your default ringtone.

How Do I Make My Own iPhone Ringtones for Free?

The following outlines how to create a new ringtone via the Music app using macOS:

1. From the Mac dock, select the “Music app.”

2. Find the song you want to set as your ringtone in your Songs, Albums, Artists, Playlists, and Genres. You’re not able to use Apple Music songs due to copyright.

3. On the downloaded song, right-click.

4. Select “Get Info” > “Options.”

5. Check the “Start and Stop time” boxes, then choose your ringtone’s start and stop points. The entire length should not exceed 40 seconds.

6. Then hit “OK.”

7. Select the song, then click on “File” from the Mac toolbar.

8. Select “Convert” > “Create AAC version.”

9. Now, drag the AAC version of the song onto your desktop.

10. Right-click on it, then “Rename.”

11. Change its current .m4a extension to .m4r, then confirm the change in the pop-up box.

Save the Ringtone to Your iPhone

1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac using a USB cable. If this is your first time doing so, you’ll be asked whether you wish to trust the connection.

2. Then navigate to “Finder.”

3. Under “Locations,” select your phone.

4. Now, drag the ringtone file into your iPhone’s sync window. It will now be available as a ringtone on your phone.

Set Your New Ringtone

1. Launch the “Settings” app.

2. Select “Sounds & Haptics.”

3. Locate your audio file and click on it to set it as the new ringtone.

How Do I Set a Text Tone for a Specific Contact?

1. Launch the “Contacts” app, then find and click on the person’s name to open their contact card.

2. At the top-right corner, click on “Edit.”

3. Select “Ringtone” or “Text Tone” to set a new sound.

How Do I Set an Alert for Text Messages?

1. Launch the “Settings” app.

2. Navigate to “Sounds & Haptics” or “Sounds.”

3. Click on “Text Tone” then one of the following:

· “Vibration” then select an option,

· A sound underneath “Alert Tones,” or

· “Tone Store” to get an alert tone from iTunes.

Can You Buy Ringtones on iTunes?

To buy an iPhone ringtone from iTunes:

1. Launch the iTunes store app.

2. Click on the three-dotted horizontal menu.

3. Select “Tones.”

4. Find the ringtone you want, then select the price.

5. Choose a ringtone to automatically set it or select “Done” to decide later.

6. You may need to provide your Apple ID password to complete the purchase.

Original iPhone Ringtones

Though setting up unique ringtones for incoming calls and text message alerts is not a quick process, thankfully, Apple still allows it. Using your own ringtone as opposed to the “Opening” default one everyone uses can stop you from reaching for your phone every time someone else’s rings!

Now that you know how to create your own iPhone ringtone, did you create a ringtone exactly the way you wanted it? Have you received any compliments or comments about your ringtone? We’d love to hear about it; let us know in the comments section below.