Tekzilla How To: Make Your Own iPhone Ringtones in iTunes
Tekzilla co-host Veronica Belmont explains the step-by-step process of converting an iTunes song into a ringtone… right in iTunes.
Check out the video for all the details, and Tekzilla Daily for many more helpful how-to’s. Text highlights after the jump!
- Go to Preferences (under iTunes on Mac, Edit on Windows)
- Set import settings to AAC
- Select the song you want to use as your ringtone
- Right click and choose “Get Info” (cmd/ctrl-i)
- Pick the Option tab
- Set the start and stop time for your ringtone (no more than 30 seconds total!)
- Right click the song again and choose “Create AAC Version”
- When your 30 second extract pops up in iTunes (under the same name, check carefully!), select it
- Right click the new 30 second extract and choose “Reveal in Finder/Windows Explorer (cmd/ctrl-r)
- Change the extension from .m4a to .m4r
- Import or drag and drop it back into iTunes, and voila, you have your new ringtone!
December 27th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
If you have a mac, Just drag a song into Garageband, crop, and then hit share>Ringtone to iTunes.
December 27th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Sheesh!
December 27th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
on my mac, after i convert it to an m4r and drag it into itunes, it just plays as a 30 second song, it doesn’t turn into a ringtone.. help?
December 27th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
@ryan I had the same problem. I deleted the clip, but don’t move to trash. Then “add to library”.
December 27th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
that fixed it, thanks
December 27th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
Anyone heard of iRinger? Free, easier, and gives you more options like fade in/out, volume boost, etc. Website: Http//www.iringer.net
December 27th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
I suck at links. Here it is again: Http://www.iringer.net
December 28th, 2008 at 5:06 am
I’ve been creating ringtones from iringer for about a year now. LOL it’s supper easy. iTunes way sucks. Thanks for another waste of time topic. U guys really suck!!!!!!
December 28th, 2008 at 9:11 am
Agreed way easier ways to make ring tones this is the Apple way apple u guys are only killin yourselves
December 28th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Pity. iRinger has no mac version
December 28th, 2008 at 9:40 am
Whenever I hear someone’s phone play a song, I usually rip it out of their hands and chuck it into a brick wall. Especially if it’s ****** sh*t like rap of hip-hop.
December 28th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Steve ide love to see that lol
December 28th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Try audiko. http://www.audiko.net
You can use it on a mac and windows. You can search for ringtones, so if you have a ringtone from a song you don’t have it’s very easy to do. There is a specific iTunes version. All you have to do is just click on it and iTunes automatically thinks it’s a ringtone. You don’t have to sign up for anything. It’s awsome. If the link doesn’t work, just google it but I’m sure it works.
December 28th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Renee You said “@ryan I had the same problem. I deleted the clip, but don’t move to trash. Then “add to library”.
When you deleted the file did you keep the file in iTunes or move it to the Recycle Bin? How and where did you find the file after you deleted it?
December 28th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Audiko.net is amazing!!! So easy it took me like a minute to get 5 free ringtones!
December 28th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
@Jordan: “If you have a mac, Just drag a song into Garageband, crop, and then hit share>Ringtone to iTunes.”
Thats the way I make my ringtones to. So much easier.
December 28th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
VERY old news. I could do this back in July. Way to go Tekzilla. Hopefully, this will bring the loophole to light so apple can KILL MY RINGTONE COLLECTION.
Sheesh.
December 29th, 2008 at 1:09 am
hey, i was wondering if anybody can help. i created the clip and imported it into itunes but i cant drag it into the ringtone section. could it be a problem when i did the conversion? in the step where you press ctrl r the clip pops up but there isnt an extension after the name of the clip so i just renamed it and put m4r after it. what am i doing wrong besides EVERYTHING???? please help.
January 26th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
i dont know how to convert an acc version to a m4a so i can convert it to a m4r… help
February 11th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Wow this is awsome… I have tried those websites where you make your own. you have to upload a file then save etc. takes forever .. Follow the instrucionts its so easy… Actually after I hit ctr r and renamed it with right file ext. all I did was double click right there and poof its in my ringtones.
February 12th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
I can’t change the extension on the file. It wont allow me to do it. what am i doing wrong?
February 16th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
go to control panel,then Appearance and themes, click folder options, then hit file types, scroll down to the m4_ section and hit advanced for each, then check the always show extension option. you should be able to see the extensions after that.
February 24th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
I make ringtones for iPhone by following this solution: http://www.iphone-ringtone-maker.com/create-ringtone-for-iphone.html
March 15th, 2009 at 1:03 am
@17
Selfish little prick.
May 10th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
if you can not change the file extension in windows because it is not shown, here is the solution. you have to tell windows to always show file extensions. to do this, go to my documents or any other folder. go to tools>folder options. click the view tab. untick “hide extensions for known file types.” after you do this you will be able to view the file extension and change it.
May 24th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
@11
Selfish little prick.
May 29th, 2009 at 9:45 am
that helped!
May 30th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Great! I ever wanted to create iTunes songs as our unique iPhone ringtone, but I can not know how to do. A friend recommend me a best iPhone ringtone maker, which really let me create ringtone for iPhone from almost all popular video and audio. Moreover, it can create iPhone ringtone from iTunes protected songs. Very supernatural! http://www.iphone-ringtone-maker.info/how-to-create-a-ringtone-for-iphone-with-m4r-ringtone-maker-for-iphone.html
May 31st, 2009 at 1:11 am
Used Tekzilla directions. I’m on Windows Vista. I’m unable to change extension from .m4a to .m4r in Windows Explorer. Any suggestions? Please help!
May 31st, 2009 at 1:33 am
Please disregard my earlier Q! I found my answer after reviewing Eddy’s message above.
June 1st, 2009 at 1:50 am
Good! I like it. Thanks!
June 10th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
I followed the instructions, and Voila! I got 5 new ringtones added to my iPhone. Here’s the thing – I came back a few days later and did the exact same thing and CAN NOT get the damned iTunes to take the new RT. They are no longer in lenght than the ‘older’ RT, and no more megs either, but no dice. Anyone have any ideas?
June 15th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
This doesnt work for me at all….i get my 30 second clip and then when i convert to AAC i try to rename it and it isnt in a .m4a file like it says it will be?…. any help is much appreciated
June 18th, 2009 at 6:59 am
free ringtones for your iPhone itonez.net
July 3rd, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Maybe I’m trying too hard…I just bought my 3G today and I’m overwhelming myself. I’m a brand new I-Phone user…
I followed all of the steps, sync’d with my laptop and it’s showing as a song, not a ringtone. How do I fix that?
July 6th, 2009 at 3:23 am
Anyone heard of ImTOO iPhone Ringtone Maker? My friend said it can create iPhone ringtone from many files. http://www.imtoo.com/iphone-ringtone-maker.html
July 9th, 2009 at 12:52 am
I have got my ringtones on to my iPhone and selected them, but the phone defaults to the first standard ringtone (Marimba). I can hear them as a guide, but the phone doesnt seem to accept them as it should. Any suggestions?
July 13th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Im doing all those steps, but im using windows vista, and doesnt give me the option to change the m4a to m4r….. how do i do that?
July 25th, 2009 at 12:13 am
ahhh i love you guys haha im a bit computer illiterate still trying to work out the phone…thanks so much for your help!!
July 27th, 2009 at 1:20 am
The best, easiest and fastest way to make custom ringtones for iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS. Use iPhone ringtone maker to turn any of your favorite music or sound into iPhone ringtone.
http://www.softdiggs.com/iphone-ringtone-maker.php
August 3rd, 2009 at 8:56 pm
awesome! Thanks!
August 25th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
I still have the AAC version on the computer, and I have double clicked the renamed version on the desktop. The ringtone is in the ringtone file, but when I go to transfer them to the iPhone, some of them are not listed in that list. When I sync, they don’t sync to the phone. I must be leaving out a step, but which one?
September 15th, 2009 at 3:11 am
wow i was going to get an iphone but i believe it is going to be way to complicated for me. i guess i will stick with my instinct.
September 19th, 2009 at 1:02 am
Boo
September 22nd, 2009 at 4:54 pm
i used http://www.iringer.net to convert an mp3 to an m4r, since the “renaming as .m4r” technique won’t work for me(running windows xp). iringer wouldn’t convert m4a’s smoothly though, so try mp3’s if that’s not working.
September 28th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Ok, I follow the instructions all the way to the very last one. When I drag and drop it into my iTunes folder, nothing happens. The file is there, but it doesn’t magically appear in ringtones on either the iTunes in my computer, or on my phone. And I realize I’ve not synched, so, I’m not really expecting it to be on the phone. However, I would expect it to be in the iTunes program somewhere that would be a ringtone…I don’t think we are to “Viola” yet. So, what do I do next?? Thanks in advance for the help!!
September 29th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
I am to ‘celo’
October 19th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
http://www.iphone-ringtone-maker.net is the best.you can pick the clip of the song you want and make it fade in and out. and theres even more optionss!
October 29th, 2009 at 3:12 am
hi, someone recommend me iPhone Ringtone Maker. I used it to create ringtone clip from any video/audio and turn it into iPhone ringtone. works excellent. you can have a try. http://www.flash-video-soft.com/ringtone-maker/
November 11th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Hello all. I’ve had no problems creatingand inputting the clip of the tune I require and also setting it as my ring tone. The only problem I am having is setting one ofr my message and another for an alarm. I am presuming only one can be on ‘custom’ within ring tones at any one time. If anyone knows how to upload more than one even just in ring tones so I can swap around, please enlighten me! Ta. Have fun!!!
November 19th, 2009 at 5:31 am
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