How to make ringtones for iPhone [Ultimate Guide]

Damned iPhone! It is so simple to use and there are so many handy apps available, but when you need to download music, photos or ringtones, it becomes “impossible” for an average user. It doesn’t mean that users are kind of stupid, it’s because Apple has it’s own vision on how we should interact with it’s products. We have no other choice but to learn and adjust to this rules. So, the ringtones… In this article I will show you how to make ringtones for iPhone and the easiest way of uploading them to your device. Let’s begin!

There are so many websites and services offering iPhone ringtones download, but STOP… I don’t recommend wasting money on ringtones. You can make an iPhone ringtone from any MP3 file yourself… It’s not hard and doesn’t require special Superman abilities from you. Right below I offer three different methods of doing so. Pick the one you like then follow a simple guide.

The process of making ringtones for iPhone can be described in three steps: pick (the song), cut (the excerpt), convert (to mr4 format). Yes, .mr4 is the file format for iPhone ringtones. No other file formats can be used for iPhone ring tune. Thank you Apple.

Today I give you the choice of three different methods:

1 Making ringtone in iTunes [Ugly method]
2 Using on-line service mp3cut.net [Easy method]
3 Ringtones for iPhone via iOS app [Weird method]

How to make ringtones for iPhone using iTunes

To be honest, not many people love iTunes, and even less people managed to get “friendly” with it. Unfortunately, we cannot ignore iTunes completely. It gives us a possibility to backup iPhone, restore iOS and also create ringtones.

This method doesn’t require internet connection. All you need is an MP3 file and iTunes on your computer. Nothing else. Follow the guide below and try not to ask too many questions.

STEP 1 Launch iTunes and add mp3 file to media library. Remember, your ringtone will be heard by other people, so pick something nice… something that will not make you embarrassing.

STEP 2 Listen to the music track and decide which part of it you would like to include in the ringtone. There is one RULE – iPhone ringtone should be not longer than 30 seconds. Otherwise iPhone will just ignore it. Write down the timing of the beginning and the end of the music file excerpt.

STEP 3 Right click on the music track name and choose Song Info from context menu. Then click on Options tab. Attention! Enter the timing for start and stop of the desired ringtone, and ONLY THEN click check marks for these two fields. Confirm OK.

STEP 4 Create ACC version by going to top menu File > Convert > Create ACC Version. Now you have two songs with same name in Library. Drag the one which is shorter to Desktop of your computer. As a result you’ll get a file with .m4a extension on the Desktop.

STEP 5 Rename the extension of the .m4a file on Desktop to be .m4r. Confirm “Use .m4r”. If you don’t see an extension of the file (Windows users only), uncheck “Remember each folder’s view” settings check box under Advanced settings menu (Control Panel > Folder Options > View).

Congratulations! You’ve just made a new ringtone for iPhone.

STEP 6 Now we need to transfer this ringtone to your iPhone. To do that go to iTunes and click on the icon of your device. Now grab the ringtone file from Desktop and drag it over iTunes window, release over your device (see screenshot below).

Done! You can go to iPhone Settings > Sounds and assign your new ringtones for a specific action.

Make .m4r ringtone using Online Audio Cutter?

The method above is not my favorite and not the easiest as well. I bet, you didn’t like it… So, let me show you the most pleasant and easy way of making iPhone ringtones. This time we will need a computer with internet connection, since we are about to use an Online Audio Cutter mp3cut.net. You will fall in love with this method… Just follow the short instruction below.

STEP 1 Go to mp3cut.net – The click on “Open file” button. Choose mp3 file you want to make a ringtone of.

STEP 2 Specify the beginning and the end of desired ringtone by moving blue locks below the audio chart. REMEMBER, the iPhone ringtone should not be longer that 30 seconds.

STEP 3 Convert and download iPhone ringtone – click the “iPhone ringtone” button, then “Cut”. Selected part of the track will be converted to m4r ringtone. Download it to your computer.

To transfer the ringtone to your computer, go to STEP 6 of the previous method (see above) or follow to the last chapter of this guide.

If you liked that method, let me know by clicking one of the social network buttons. Thanks!

Apps for making/downloading ringtones directly on iPhone

The App Store is overfilled with all sort of apps which let you to make new or download existing ringtones for iPhone. I’m not going to recommend any specific app, but want to describe the common principle of all apps of this kind. Let’s have a look at “Ringtones for iPhone & Maker” app closer. This application allows to make iPhone ringtones out of MP3 files from your music library, or download ringtones created by other people.

The interface is simple and doesn’t require much explanation. During first start you’ll get a brief guide any way.

The most frustrating part is that all those ringtones which you’ve created or downloaded are not available in iPhone Settings > Sounds yet. All ringtones are stored inside of the app and cannot be accessed by other apps on the iPhone. So what do I do with it now? You’ll have to follow one more “unintuitive” guide below. Sorry, it wasn’t my idea… Thanks Apple. In few words, we have to copy these ringtones from iPhone to a computer, then transfer them back to iPhone as we did earlier.

STEP 1 Connect iPhone to a computer and launch iTunes

STEP 2 Click on the icon of your device (see screenshot below)

STEP 3 Click on File Sharing from the menu on the left. Then click on the Ringtones app.

STEP 4 Choose the ringtone you’d like to save on the computer, then click “Save to…” button.

STEP 5 I hope it worked for you. To transfer ringtones back to iPhone, follow the guide below… or do exactly the same action as described in STEP 6 of the first METHOD.

How to transfer ringtones to iPhone

Whatever methods you followed, you have to have a ringtone file (m4r format) stored on your computer. Many of you would probably ask “What do I do with this file? How do I transfer it to iPhone?”. OK… It’s actually easy to do (not really intuitive though). Just follow few simple steps below:

STEP 1 Connect iPhone. Start iTunes. Click on the icon of your device.

STEP 2 Drag the ringtone file to iTunes window and release over “On My Device” field (see screenshot above).

STEP 3 To set the ringtone go to iPhone Settings > Sounds > Ringtone and pick the one from the list. Your personally created ringtones will appear at the top of the list.

Was it hard? I don’t think so! If you successfully accomplished all steps in this guide, you’re a truly iPhone ringtone specialist. Bare in mind that people around you would be hearing your ringtones, so pick a tune which will not put you into embarrassing situation. That’s it for now! Help me spread the goodness. Share this article in social networks… this way you help me to keep this project alive.