An iPhone ringtone is a short audio file in the M4R format, at most 40 seconds long. To make one, cut the part of the song you want, save it as M4R, and copy it to your iPhone from a computer. The free Ringtone Maker on this site does the cutting and saving in your browser, so you only need a few minutes and a cable.
What you need
- The song as a file on your computer: an MP3, M4A, WAV or FLAC, or a video that contains the sound. Songs from streaming services and DRM-protected purchases cannot be used, because they are not ordinary files.
- A Mac, or a Windows PC with iTunes or the Apple Devices app.
- A USB cable for your iPhone (or Wi-Fi syncing, if you have set it up).
Step 1: Get the audio (only if it is in a video)
If the sound you want is in a video you recorded or saved, you can open the video directly in the ringtone maker in the next step; its sound track is used. If you would like a separate audio file to keep, open Video to MP3, choose the video, pick MP3 or M4A and a quality, and click Extract audio, then Download.
Step 2: Cut the ringtone
- Open the Ringtone Maker and choose the song.
- The waveform appears and the first 30 seconds are selected. Drag across the waveform to select a different part, or type the times into From (m:ss) and To (m:ss), for example 1:02 and 1:32.
- Fade in and Fade out are set to 1 s, which stops the ringtone starting or ending abruptly. Change them to None, 0.5 s or 3 s if you prefer.
- Under Save as, keep M4R (iPhone ringtone). Choose MP3 instead if the ringtone is for an Android phone.
- Click Make ringtone, listen to the preview, then click Download.
If the selection is longer than 40 seconds, you are asked to choose a shorter part, because the iPhone will not accept it.
The same cutting is available in the general Audio Cutter, which also lets you remove a part from the middle and save as WAV, FLAC or OGG, but only the Ringtone Maker page offers M4R.
Step 3: Copy the ringtone to your iPhone
On a Mac (macOS Catalina or later)
- Connect the iPhone and unlock it. Tap Trust if asked.
- Open Finder and select your iPhone in the sidebar.
- Drag the .m4r file onto the iPhone’s window. It is copied as a ringtone.
On Windows
- Install the Apple Devices app or iTunes from the Microsoft Store, if you do not have it.
- Connect the iPhone, unlock it and trust the computer.
- Select the iPhone in the app. In iTunes, open the list of items under On My Device and drag the .m4r file onto Tones. In the Apple Devices app, drag the file onto the device’s window.
Step 4: Set it as your ringtone
On the iPhone, open Settings, then Sounds & Haptics, then Ringtone. Your new tone appears at the top of the list. You can also set it for a single contact: open the contact, tap Edit, then Ringtone.
Tips for better results
- Start at a strong moment. Callers only hear the first few seconds, so begin with the chorus or a recognisable riff rather than a quiet intro.
- Keep it around 30 seconds. That is the usual length; the maximum is 40.
- Use the best source you have. A good MP3 or a lossless file gives a cleaner ringtone than audio taken from a low-quality video.
- Keep the fades short. A 3-second fade in can make the start of the ringtone almost silent, which is easy to miss.
Common problems and fixes
The ringtone does not show up in Settings
Check that the file ends in .m4r and is no longer than 40 seconds. Disconnect and reconnect the iPhone, then drag the file again. In iTunes, make sure you dropped it on Tones under On My Device.
The file was saved as .mp3 or .m4a
Go back to the Ringtone Maker and choose M4R (iPhone ringtone) under Save as. Renaming a file’s extension is not enough unless it already contains AAC audio.
The song I want will not open
Tracks from Apple Music, Spotify and other streaming apps are protected and cannot be opened as files. Use a song you own as a plain file, or a recording of your own.
The ringtone is too quiet
Some songs are mastered quietly at the start. Choose a louder part of the song, such as the chorus.
Alternatives
- GarageBand (free on iPhone) can export any song in your Files app as a ringtone directly on the phone, with no computer: open the song in a project, trim it, then use Share and Ringtone.
- The Tone Store in the iTunes Store app sells ready-made ringtones from popular songs.
- Newer iOS versions may offer extra ways to set a sound as a ringtone directly from the phone; check Apple’s support pages for your version.
FAQ
Is my song uploaded?
No. The song is cut and saved in your browser, on your device.
How long can an iPhone ringtone be?
Up to 40 seconds. About 30 seconds is the usual length, and a ringtone set as a text tone works best when it is much shorter.
Can I make a ringtone from a video?
Yes. Open the video in the Ringtone Maker, and its sound track is used. Or extract the audio first with Video to MP3.
Does this work for Android?
Yes. Save as MP3, copy the file to the phone’s Ringtones folder or open it in the Files app, then choose it under Settings, Sound, Phone ringtone. The names of these menus vary by phone maker.