How to Make iPhone Ringtones


Everywhere you go, people are giving great reviews about the new Apple iPhone. So to be in with the crowd, experience the fad of having an iPhone, or actually getting impressed with its features, you bought yourself one. Obviously the phone is amazing, not just the style, but also because of its cool features. You have installed some "must have" iPhone Apps and love to use them, but particularly one application may be increasing, your phone bill. Every time you wish to get a new ringtone, you have to pay at least twice as much for it. The music library in your iPhone has tons of songs, but you can't use it. Or can you? Actually, with a bit of creative tricks, which is not illegal in any way, you can create a personal collection of iPhone ringtones. You can use your non-DRM songs from your music library and convert them into ringtones for free. So, in order to know how to make iPhone ringtones on PCs and/or Mac, take a look at the instructions mentioned below.

Get iPhone Ringtones with iTunes

As we mentioned that you can convert your non-DRM songs, which means the songs in your music library that you haven't bought from the iTunes Store, into a ringtone. Turn on your Mac or Windows computer and follow the steps accordingly.

  1. Open iTunes and find the song which you wish to keep as your ringtone.
  2. Play the song to find out which part you wish to select for the ringtone. Personally, I like the first few lines after the introduction music of a song or the chorus.
  3. Here, you will note both the start and stop times of the clip. Next, right click on the song to select Get Info option.
  4. Click on the Options tab and type the start time for the ringtone in the text box.
  5. This box is next to the Start Time. You will have to write in the minutes:seconds format, i.e. 1:47.
  6. After the start time is added, type the end time for the ringtone in the text box to Stop Time in the same manner.
  7. One important tip, make sure your ringtone's size is not longer than 40 seconds. Now click on OK
  8. Again right click on the song you chose and then select Convert Selection to AAC. Let the iTunes convert the song for you, as it will make a duplicate version.
  9. Right click on the ringtone and choose Delete option and then click on Keep Files option.
  10. You will have to find the file, which is generally in the User folder. Go to Music iTunes iTunes Music and locate the file with a m4a extension.
  11. Now you have to replace this m4a extension of the ringtone with M4R. There are 2 options to go about it: either double click and rename the file (double click slowly), or right click to select Get Info on Mac and Rename on PC.
  12. Next click on the Use .m4r when the application prompts you that this change will affect the use of the file.
  13. Again double click on the ringtone file and wait till iTunes automatically adds the song to the ringtone's folder in the music library.
  14. Connect your iPhone and let the application sync your custom ringtone. Voila, now you know how to make iPhone ringtones on Mac and/or Windows PC.
Get iPhone Ringtones from MP3

One of the drawbacks of Musical Instrument Digital Interface, (MIDI) file format is that your iPhone won't recognize it for a ringtone. However, we have tricks so that you can use your MIDI songs as a ringtone. All you have to do is convert it into MP3 song format and then convert the MP3 format into your iPhone ringtone. And here's how to make custom iPhone ringtones from MP3.
  1. Convert MIDI song to MP3. You will need an MP3 recorder software application. You can download "Free Sound Recorder" software for Windows XP Operating System from the Internet.
  2. Play the MIDI song you want to as the ringtone in Windows Media Player. Record it with the new software you just downloaded.
  3. When you record the song, the software will do so into MP3 format. Once finished, save the song to your desktop.
  4. Convert MP3 to ACC file format. Connect your phone to the PC or laptop with a data cable. Open iTunes application and save the new MP3 song in your music library.
  5. Right click the song and choose Get Info option. Next click on Options tab and enter the specific start and stop times of the ringtone (similar to what we just did above).
  6. One important tip, make sure your ringtone's size is not longer than 15 seconds. Now click on OK
  7. Go to main menu of iTunes to select Advanced option and select Create ACC Version. Your MP3 song will be converted into the 15 second or less ACC format song.
  8. Save it in your music list by choosing ACC Audio File format.
  9. Convert ACC to M4R format. Drag and drop the ACC version song to your desktop. As you do so, your file will automatically change the extension to M4A format.
  10. You will have to rename the M4A extension into M4R extension on the desktop. Now delete the 15 seconds ACC file from your music list.
  11. Again drag and drop the new M4R file from your desktop to the music library. As you do so, your file will automatically copy it to your Ringtones folder.
  12. This is when your ringtone will be created. Now all you have to do is sync your iPhone, as you select the Sync option.
  13. Next, disconnect your phone from the PC or laptop and navigate to Settings Sounds Ringtone to see it in the list. Just select the ringtone and you're done.
Now that your ringtone is set, would you like to see some amazing Apps for iPhone? If yes, then read the article on must have iPhone Apps for more information.

There you have it, these were the steps for how to make iPhone ringtones at home. If you are facing any issues while syncing your new ringtones to the phone, you can change the extension back to M4A and try to sync again. Remember, any song that is in DRM format is copy protected and can't be changed into a ringtone. So make sure you use a song which you got from a CD.

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