shauni92x

Q: Can't set song as ringtone.

I have the iPhone 6 and I recently purchased a song from iTunes to use as my ringtone, It is in my purchased music however it just won't let me use it as a ringtone.

iPhone 6, iOS 8

Posted on Oct 12, 2014 1:33 AM

Close

Q: Can't set song as ringtone.

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

Page 1 Next
  • by WiseJD,Helpful

    WiseJD WiseJD Oct 12, 2014 4:07 AM in response to shauni92x
    Level 4 (1,666 points)
    Oct 12, 2014 4:07 AM in response to shauni92x

    When you look at your iTunes while preparing to do a Synch you can move the song to the area within iTunes for Custom Ringtones.

     

    Here is a complete process which has many more steps then you may need, but it should help.

     

    1. Open iTunes.
    2. Play the song from which you want to make your tone and note the start and stop times you want.  The total time needs to be 30 seconds or less.
    3. Select the song and press command-I, or right-click the song (2-finger click if you are using the trackpad) and select Get Info.
    4. Select the Options tab and copy the Stop time to the clipboard or to another document. You will use this later to restore the original time to your song.  Enter your chosen start and stop times for the tone and make sure they are clicked. Increase the Volume Adjustment if the song is not very loud (you may need to experiment with this). Click OK.
    5. Right-click the song again, or select it and click File (in the top menu) –> Create New Version –> Create AAC Version.  The menu may only show an option to Create MP3 Version, or some other format.  If so, click iTunes (in the menu at the top of the screen) –> Preferences –> General.  Where it says When a CD is inserted, click Import Settings, then under Import Using: select AAC Encoder and iTunes Plus for the setting and click OK.
    6. After you create your new version it will appear as a duplicate track except the time will reflect your adjustment.
    7. If you want to change the title, do it now.  I tried changing the title after deleting it from iTunes (the next two steps), but when I brought it back in to iTunes, iTunes used the title it had had before.
    8. Right-click the original song and restore the start and stop times to their original values.  If you don’t, iTunes will only play the part you selected for the tone.
    9. Right-click the short track you just created and select Show in Finder. Move the file to a location outside of the iTunes folder, such as the desktop, or a folder for your homemade ringtones. 
    10. Delete the track in iTunes.
    11. In the folder where you have moved it, select the file and click on it again (don’t double-click) so you can edit the filename.  Change the extension from .m4a to .m4r (and confirm when asked). If you don’t see the extension, make sure you are in Finder.  Click Finder –> Preferences –> Advanced and check Show All File Extensions. Do not simply add an extension if you don’t see the current one.
    12. In iTunes, click on File –> Add to Library (or press command-O) and find/select it there.  Open your Tones library to see if it is there. If Tones is not an option in your Library selector button (upper left corner of the iTunes window), click iTunes –> Preferences –> General and check Tones in the Show selection.
    13. Connect your iPhone to your computer and click the iPhone button in iTunes. Click the Tones button in the banner menu and check Sync Tones.  Click All Tones or click Selected Tones and make sure the ones you want are checked.
    14. Click on Apply at the bottom of the window to sync your phone.
    15. When the your has synced (or “sunc”?), open it and tap Settings –> Sounds –> Ringtone, and your new tone should be there.  Tap it and listen to see if it starts the way you want and is the correct volume. If everything is fine you can treat it like any other ringtone.   Text tones, mail tones, individual ring-tones, etc., all access the same menu of sounds.
    16. If you want to do it over, you can delete it from your phone the same way you would delete any song or tone.  Go back to step 12, click Selected Tones, uncheck any tones you want to delete from your phone and click Apply to sync the phone again.  Then delete that tone from iTunes on your computer.
  • by lorifrompace,

    lorifrompace lorifrompace Oct 12, 2014 4:50 AM in response to shauni92x
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 12, 2014 4:50 AM in response to shauni92x

    I'm having the same problem with my new iPhone 6.  I can see the custom tone in my tone group, but when I edit a contact with the custom ringtone (I see the ringtone assigned to the contact). The default tone rings.

  • by shauni92x,

    shauni92x shauni92x Oct 18, 2014 8:37 AM in response to WiseJD
    Level 1 (3 points)
    Oct 18, 2014 8:37 AM in response to WiseJD

    Thanks very much 

  • by schuras,

    schuras schuras Nov 26, 2014 1:46 PM in response to WiseJD
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 26, 2014 1:46 PM in response to WiseJD

    I'm trying this process, but the purchased song is already an AAC file, and when I go to "Create New Version," the only option I get is to "Create AIFF Version." Any thoughts?

  • by schuras,

    schuras schuras Nov 26, 2014 1:48 PM in response to schuras
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 26, 2014 1:48 PM in response to schuras

    Ignore that last reply; I see my error.

  • by Mojopriest1975,

    Mojopriest1975 Mojopriest1975 Mar 11, 2015 4:31 PM in response to shauni92x
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 11, 2015 4:31 PM in response to shauni92x

    ive finally circum and got a iphone which i said i would never get am i happy with it ya lol well ive purchased a song from itunes cost me 79p when i could ave downloaded it for free and converted it for free also but never mind that ive got itunes on my desktop etc etc clicked on song to shorten it even tho tone is 17 seconds long then when i try the next step to convert it via aac or what ever it is there aint no option for it so what do i do dont get me wrong im slowly circumming to the iphone coz of facetime which is good but tell me why is it that as far as i know u have to buy songs from itunes and pay silly prices when i had a android fone i could have any song as a ringtone and do it just like that but apple make you go all round the houses to do this so if there is anyway of getting this tone as my ringtone some help would be very much appreciated

  • by Meg St._Clair,

    Meg St._Clair Meg St._Clair Mar 11, 2015 7:26 PM in response to Mojopriest1975
    Level 9 (59,566 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 11, 2015 7:26 PM in response to Mojopriest1975

    Mojopriest1975 wrote:

     

    some help would be very much appreciated

    Start by reposting using standard punctuation so that your post is understandable.

     

    The steps in the post by WiseJD should guide you through the process. Have you worked through them?

  • by Gerd Majora,

    Gerd Majora Gerd Majora Apr 20, 2015 1:27 PM in response to WiseJD
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 20, 2015 1:27 PM in response to WiseJD

    Hi there! This is insane! Bought RINGTONE in iTunes Store on iPhone 5 running iOS 8.3. Tried for 15 mins to activate sound (27 secs) as ringtone. Used your description to change extension to .m4r. Re-import puts the file under music no matter what. iTunes 12.1.2 seems the know the trick. W?T?F???

    Result: This does not make any sense! Why would iTunes Store sell ringtones at 0,99 € that only a complete nerd will be able to use on his iPhone by spending 30 mins hacking!? What is the problem here? Does Apple not want their phones to ring in any other sound than the build in tones!?

  • by Makingmecrazy,

    Makingmecrazy Makingmecrazy Jun 1, 2015 10:37 AM in response to Gerd Majora
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 1, 2015 10:37 AM in response to Gerd Majora

    Right W?T?F? I purchased a song from I tunes, then

    try for 4 hours trying to add it as my Husband's ringtone . this making so crazy and if take a tutorial YouTube one more time I going lose it- Screaming Help!!!!

  • by ChrisJ4203,

    ChrisJ4203 ChrisJ4203 Jun 1, 2015 10:42 AM in response to Makingmecrazy
    Level 9 (59,586 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 1, 2015 10:42 AM in response to Makingmecrazy

    If you purchased a song, rather than a ringtone, then you need to follow the information in the post from WiseJD to convert the song to a ringtone. There are other methods as well, including using software such as Garageband on the Mac computer or directly on the phone or iPad.

  • by Makingmecrazy,

    Makingmecrazy Makingmecrazy Jun 1, 2015 12:42 PM in response to ChrisJ4203
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 1, 2015 12:42 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

    Thanks I going try wise JD  instruction  and hope I have my song  from I tunes as my husband ringtone , it was wedding song

  • by Briansyddall,

    Briansyddall Briansyddall Jun 1, 2015 1:40 PM in response to shauni92x
    Level 6 (9,255 points)
    Apple Watch
    Jun 1, 2015 1:40 PM in response to shauni92x

    Hi Was the song you download a ringtone or a full song If it was a ringtone go to applerestoretonesapple.com Cheers Brian

  • by anilraghavendra,

    anilraghavendra anilraghavendra Aug 28, 2015 7:19 AM in response to shauni92x
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 28, 2015 7:19 AM in response to shauni92x

    i was able to add the new tone created by me to the tones library

    but when i try to sync it to my iphone6 it says -- " XXX" WAS NOT COPIED TO THE IPHONE BECAUSE IT CANNOT BE PLAYED ON THIS IPHONE

    what did i miss..

    someone please reply

  • by YamialysStandinInnaromfulofppl,

    YamialysStandinInnaromfulofppl YamialysStandinInnaromfulofppl Oct 24, 2015 7:46 AM in response to WiseJD
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 24, 2015 7:46 AM in response to WiseJD

    I when I go to file and create a new version I have the create AAC version option. The problem is it's grey so I cant click it so i can't have a choice to do that can you please help me. I am using Windows

Page 1 Next