How To Create A Custom Ringtone For Your iPhone/iPod/iPad (Mac)

Article ID = 93
Article Title = How To Create A Custom Ringtone For Your iPhone/iPod/iPad (Mac)
Article Author(s) = Graham Needham (BH)
Article Created On = 28th November 2012
Article Last Updated = 1st July 2015
Article URL = https://www.macstrategy.com/article.php?93

Article Brief Description:
How to create a custom ringtone for your iPhone/iPod/iPad using a Macintosh with iTunes

How to create a custom ringtone for your iPhone/iPod/iPad (Mac)

Follow these steps to easily create your own custom ringtones and sounds:

Obtain the file of the track you want to create the ringtone from and copy it to your Desktop:

You can use pretty much any audio or video file for this e.g. MP3, MP4, AAC, M4A, M4V, MOV, MPG, MPEG, AVI - see a full list of supported formats here
If your audio is in FLAC format convert it to M4A first using XLD
If your audio is in iTunes simply drag the track you want to use from the list in the Library to your Desktop

Locate the file on your Desktop

NOTE: If it is an audio/music track that was purchased online e.g. from the iTunes Music Store you will need to remove the track information/metadata before you continue otherwise it will not be recognised as a ringtone - on a Mac you can do this easily using Tag Stripper Buy it now on the Mac App Store

(£1.49)

Control/right click on the file and select Open With… > QuickTime Player from the pop-up menu
Once the file has opened in QuickTime Player increase the width of the file window so that it is as wide as possible on your screen

Go to Edit menu > Trim… (the file window will then show a trim display)

Drag the left and right markers to define which part you want as a ringtone

NOTE: The key is to make the length less than 30 seconds for ringtones and 2-5 seconds for text tones

Click the "Trim" button on the right

NOTE: Check the length of the trimmed file is less than 30 seconds for ringtones and 2-5 seconds for text tones (total time is shown on the left)

Go to File menu > Export
Enter a filename for your new file
Select "Audio only" from the 'Format' pop-up menu
Save the file to your Desktop
Locate the new (trimmed) file on your Desktop
Change or add the extension ".m4r" to end of the filename
Open iTunes (or bring it to the front)
Click on Library in the top left
Drag the new (trimmed) file on your Desktop to the iTunes window
In iTunes
- If you use iTunes 10.7 or earlier click on "Tones" in the list on the left (If Tones is not visible go to iTunes menu > Preferences > General tab and make sure "Tones" is ticked in the 'Show' section)
- If you use iTunes 11.x select Tones from the pop-up menu in the top left of the iTunes window
- If you use iTunes 12.x or later go to View menu > Tones
Check your new (trimmed) file is listed in Tones and edit it's information/name as required
Sync your iPod/iPhone/iPad

NOTE: When your iPod/iPhone/iPad is connected make sure Tones are being synced:

If you use iTunes 10.7 or earlier (open iTunes and) select your iPod/iPhone/iPad in the list on the left, click on "Tones" along the top and make sure "Sync Tones" is ticked
If you use iTunes 11.x (open iTunes and) select your iPod/iPhone/iPad in the list on the left (go to View menu > Show Sidebar to see this list) or click your device's button in the top right of the iTunes window, then click on "Tones" along the top and make sure "Sync Tones" is ticked
If you use iTunes 12.x or later (open iTunes and) iOS devices now appear on a device menu to the right of the three dots "•••" icon in the top left. If you have more than one device connected clicking on the device icon will reveal a device menu which you can select your device from. Once you have selected your device, as normal, device information will be shown on the right and synchronisation options will appear as a list on the left. In this list click on "Tones" and make sure "Sync Tones" is ticked

Setting tones on your iPhone/iPad/iPod

Go to Settings > Sounds > and set the required track for each type of sound:

Ringtone
Text Tone
New Voicemail (not available on all devices)
New Mail
Sent Mail
Tweet
Facebook Post
Calendar Alerts
Reminder Alerts

NOTE: You can also set custom ringtones for individuals. Go to Contacts > select the contact > tap Edit and then select your required ringtone for that individual by tapping "ringtone".
NOTE: You can also set a custom ringtone for use as an alarm sound. Go to Clock > tap Alarm > create/edit an alarm and then select your required ringtone for that alarm by tapping "Sound".

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