This wikiHow teaches you how to buy ringtones for iPhone in the iTunes Store, and how to make ringtones from scratch. Once a ringtone is purchased or uploaded, you can add it to your iPhone.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Buying Ringtones
Step 1. Launch iTunes Store on iPhone
Tap the iTunes Store icon, which is a white star on a magenta background.
Step 2. Tap More which is in the bottom right corner
Step 3. Tap Tones
This option is at the top of the " More " page.
Step 4. Search for the desired ringtone
This can be done by scrolling down the screen to browse the " Featured " page, or tapping the tab Search located at the bottom of the screen and enter the name of the artist, song, or movie to perform a more specific search.
Step 5. Tap the price listed to the right of the ringtone
If you are looking for a specific item, first tap the tab Ringtones which is at the top of the screen.
If you haven't set a payment method using Apple Pay, create an account first before proceeding
Step 6. Tap Done when prompted
This button will appear at the bottom of the " New Tone " menu. If you want to apply the ringtone to a specific person or function, tap one of the options below:
- Set as Default Ringtone - The selected ringtone will be set as the new default ringtone for incoming calls and FaceTime.
- Set as Default Text Tone - The selected ringtone will be set as the sound that appears when a message arrives.
- Assign to a Contact - This will bring up a list of contacts so you can assign the selected ringtone to use for a specific contact.
Step 7. Enter Touch ID or Apple ID password
Scan your finger or type in your Apple ID password when prompted. Once you do that, the ringtone will start downloading.
Step 8. Wait for the ringtone to finish downloading
When finished, the ringtone will appear in the iPhone ringtone list.
The ringtone can be seen by opening Settings, scroll down the screen and tap Sounds & Haptics (or Sounds), then tap Ringtones.
Method 2 of 3: Creating Ringtones in iTunes
Step 1. Launch iTunes
Double-click the iTunes icon, which is a colorful musical note on a white background.
- If your computer doesn't have iTunes installed, download and install the program first before you proceed.
- If a window appears telling you that iTunes needs to be updated, click Download iTunes and wait for iTunes to update. If iTunes has been updated, you will need to restart your computer.
Step 2. Find the song you want to use
Browse your music library and find the song you want to set as your ringtone.
Step 3. Play the song
Play the part of the song you want to make your ringtone, and note the beginning and end of the part of the song you want to make your ringtone.
The duration of the ringtone must not exceed 30 seconds
Step 4. Select the song
Click the song once to select it.
Step 5. Click Edit in the upper left of the window
A drop-down menu will be displayed.
Step 6. Click Song Info
This option is in the drop-down menu Edit or File. A new window will be opened.
Step 7. Click the options tab located at the top of the new window
Step 8. Check the "start" and "stop" boxes
These two boxes are in the middle of the options tab.
Step 9. Change the "Start" and "stop" times
In the " start " box, type the time you want to set the ringtone to start, then type the time it will stop in the " stop " text box.
The time duration should not exceed 30 seconds. Make sure the time set between the " start " to " stop " boxes is no more than 30 seconds
Step 10. Click OK at the bottom of the window
Step 11. Select the song
If the highlight on the song is gone, click the song again to select it.
Step 12. Click File, then select Convert.
This option is in the middle of the menu File. A pop-out menu will be displayed.
Step 13. Click Create AAC Version in the “Convert” pop-out menu
By doing so, a copy of the song will be created with a length between the " start " time and the " stop " time. Do the following if the option Create AAC Version do not appear:
- Click Edit (on Windows) or iTunes (on Mac).
- Click Preferences….
- Click Import Settings….
- Click the " Import Using " drop-down box, then click AAC Encoder.
- Click OK twice.
Step 14. Select the song that has been set as the ringtone version
Click the ringtone file once (that is, a short song) to select it.
Step 15. Open the folder where the ringtone file is saved
Click the song that is already in the AAC version, click File, then click Show in Windows Explorer (Windows) or Show in Finder (Mac). Once you do this, the folder used to store the ringtone files will be opened.
Step 16. Change the ringtone file extension to M4R
At this time, the ringtone is still in M4A format, which cannot be used for iPhone ringtones. Do the following to turn it into a ringtone file:
- Windows - Bring up file extensions by clicking View at the top of File Explorer, then check the "File name extensions" box. Right click the ringtone file, click Rename, then change ".m4a" to ".m4r" (for example, a file named "lagu.m4a" will change to "lagu.m4r"). Press Enter, then click OK when requested.
- Mac - Select a ringtone file by single-clicking it, then clicking again to edit the name. Select the ".m4a" section of the file, then change the extension to ".m4r" (for example, a file named "lagu.m4a" will change to "lagu.m4r"). Press Return, then click Use.m4r when requested.
Step 17. Add the ringtone to iPhone
Do this by opening iTunes, connecting iPhone to the computer using a USB cable, then copying and pasting the ringtone into the " Tones " heading under the iPhone name (you may first have to click the iPhone name for this option to appear).
Method 3 of 3: Creating a Ringtone in GarageBand
Step 1. Run GarageBand on iPhone
Tap the GarageBand icon, which looks like a white electric guitar on an orange background.
If you don't have GarageBand installed, download the app for free from the App Store
Step 2. Tap which is in the top right corner
- When GarageBand opens a project, first tap the " Back " button located in the upper left corner.
- If a list of folders appears without any marks ＋ in the top right corner, tap Recents in the lower left corner of the screen before you tap ＋.
Step 3. Select AUDIO RECORDER
Swipe right or left on the device screen until you find this option. Next, tap on that option to open a new Audio Recorder project.
Step 4. Tap the sound bar icon
This stack of vertical bars is at the top left of the screen. A horizontal bar will be displayed on the screen. This is the bar for the new audio track.
Step 5. Tap in the top right corner
This is not the same as icon ＋ large in the lower-left corner of the screen.
Step 6. Tap on Section A which is in the center of the screen
Doing so will open the track settings.
Step 7. Change the "Manual" option from "8" to "30"
Do this by tapping the up arrow above the "8" until the text box changes to "30".
This is to ensure that the duration of the ringtone does not exceed 30 seconds
Step 8. Tap Done which is in the top right corner
Step 9. Tap on “Loop“
It's a loop-shaped icon in the top right of the screen. A new menu will be displayed.
Step 10. Tap Music
This tab is in the upper-right corner of the menu.
Step 11. Tap and drag the song you want to use into the timeline
Tap the heading Songs, then tap and drag the song you want to use to the bottom of the screen, then drop it there.
The song should be stored in the iPhone storage space, not just stored in the iCloud library
Step 12. Select the part of the song you want to use
Drag the bar on the left towards the right or left to the point you want to use to start the song, then drag the bar on the right towards the left or right to determine the point you want to use to end the song.
Step 13. Move the song to the beginning
Tap and drag the song to the left until the far left of the song touches the screen on the left.
Step 14. Tap the icon
which is in the top left corner.
A drop-down menu will be displayed.
Step 15. Tap on My Songs
This option is in the drop-down menu. The song will be saved as a new project in the tab Recents.
Step 16. Press the song for a few moments
Tap and hold the song for at least one second, then release. This will bring up a menu above the song.
Step 17. Tap on Share which is in the menu
The Share menu will open.
Step 18. Tap Ringtone
It's a bell-shaped icon in the center of the screen.
When a warning appears that the song needs to be shortened, tap Continue before you continue.
Step 19. Rename the song
Tap the " NAME OF THE RINGTONE " text box at the top of the screen, then replace " My Song " with whatever name you like to name the ringtone.
Step 20. Tap Export
It's in the top-right corner. The ringtone will be added to the ringtone library on iPhone.
This can take a few minutes
Step 21. Use the ringtone
If a ringtone has been added to your iPhone, you can set it as a ringtone via the segment Ringtones on the menu Sounds & Haptics (or Sounds) in Settings.
