ringtones in iPhone

You can create ringtones in itunes. But only from music purchased in itunes. There are ways for windows users to use any track as a ringtone with some freeware available on the internet. You can search google.

Firenze...To answer your question...Garage Band is a Mac only program and allows Mac users the ability to create personal ringtones for their iPhones. For windows users you are able to do the same thing using anytype of music editing software such as Audacity (free). This is the windows equivalent authorized way to do the same thing that Mac users can do.

Using audacity you have to create your clip less then 30 secs long. It will save with a .mp3 extension.
Drop it into iTunes and convert using the AAC conversion option. Right click on the converted song and locate it in your windows folder.
Drag it to your desktop. You will now see that it has an extension of .m4a; this needs to be renamed to .m4r
Look in your iTunes Music Library and delete the old copy of your tone.
Drag and drop your newly converted tone back into iTunes and sync.
You have now completed the windows way of making an authorized ringtone that is the same way Mac users do.

Hope this helps, Good Luck

Save as MP3 and follow the instructions the other gave you. I do it all the time (though I use other programs to edit/save my MP3 before getting it into iTunes as described as a ringtone.

To restate the instructions again (a bit more verbose)

Locate the audio you want. It is best if it is in MP3 or WAV as there are far more editors out there for that.
Once you have your file and editor, you will need to edit it down to 30secs or less (just trim it to a section you want as your ringtone).
Save that file as MP3.
Next, open iTunes
Drag that MP3 into iTunes Music List.
Locate that file in the list.
Right click on it and choose Convert to AAC (Apples format)
This will only take a second as it is a short clip.
You should now have that clip listed twice in your list (first one MP3, second one AAC format)
Highlight the first one (may still be hightlighted from your last right click)
Right click it and Delete it (don't need it anymore). You can say don't send to recycle bin if you want to keep it on your PC.
Next right click the other copy (the AAC one) and choose Show in Windows Explorer (or something like that).
That will open your file browse window to the file.
Ok, leave that window open but go back to iTunes
In iTunes right click and delete that clip from the music library (but be sure to say Don't Send to Recycle Bin)
Next go back to the file browse window and locate that clip. Will be named YOURNAME.M4A (note be sure you are showing file extensions).
Cut the File.
Go up One directory (right now you are in a folder named Unknown Artists)
Once you go up one you should see a subfolder named Ringtones. If not, create one.
Go into the Ringtones folder.
Paste your file.
Now Rename your file from .M4A to .M4R
Now drag that file over to iTunes and drag it to the tree on the left and drop it on the branch that says Ringtones.
It should now be in your Ringtones list and can now sync to your phone.

Note, you have to have iTunes 7.5 or higher and your iPhone needs to be running firmware 1.1.2 or higher.

The parts about removing from your music list first before dragging into Ringtones section are important.

Well searching Google for that file the first link just so happens to be Audacity's page about it.

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/faq?s=install&item=lame-mp3

LOL....thanks for the help on this one...I'm at work and had to try and recall the steps from memory, and trying to remember where some of that stuff is can be over whelming. If one can't create from your step by step then they have something wrong with their computer or just do not comprehend. Audacity is childs play in itself.

Any way...well stated!

I tried your method and it dosen't work. I got as far as renaming it, it dosen't show what file type it is so I can't change it, and also I don't understand the whole tree/branch thing?

Help please

I found this way to create ringtones in a previous discussion and think it is the easiest way to do it

1. Open iTunes Library
2. Double click on the song you want to turn into a ringtone. Listen to the song and write down the approximate start and end times of the section you want to save as a ringtone, up to 40 seconds long.
3. Once you have determined the approximate start and end times, pause the playback of the song, right click on the song, and select "Get Info", then "Options".
4. Add a check to the Start Time box and type in the approximate start time. Then add a check to the Stop Time box and type in the stop time. Exit the Options section by clicking OK.
5. Still in iTunes Library, double click the song again to listen and verify that the start and stop times are eorrect. If the times need a slight adjustment, repeat steps 4 and 5 until you are satisfied.
6. Right click on the song again and select "Convert selection to AAC". This will create a new, separate, shortened song with the same name at the top of the iTunes library.
7. Right click on the new shortened song and select "Show in Windows Explorer". The title will appear in Explorer followed by _1.m4a . _*(If you don't see the file name extention ".m4a" in Explorer, you will need to go to Control panel (Classic view), Folder Options, View, and then uncheck the box next to "Hide extensions for known file types").*_
8. Right click on the songtitle_1.m4a file in Explorer and select Rename. Change the file name extension "m4a" to "m4r" and press Enter. You will get a warning about changing the file name extension, but click YES.
9. Now stay in that same Windows Explorer window and double click the new .m4r song. Instantly, iTunes will pop up, the song will appear in Ringtones, and it will start playing. (If it doesn't, try adding a "Ringtones" folder in "iTunes Music" directory.
10. Sync your iPhone with the computer and the new ringtone will appear under the Custom section.
Hope this helps.

Message was edited by: DoubleD123

So easy to follow instructions right up to the convert to ACC bit. When I click this it just says cannot convert protected files. Anyway round this? Is it just because its a itunes download?

You cannot do it with songs bought from iTunes but everything else should work

Also, it may have already been said, but make sure at the end of the process to make it so you can listen to the whole song again.

Go back to get info, and uncheck the "start" and "stop" times so for the future you can play the whole song in your library and playlists, and still have the modified one in the ringtones folder.

Hi and thanks so much for your post. I followed all your directions and everything worked all the way down to the song playing when I doubled clicked on the song from the windows explorer, only problem it doesn't appear as a ringtone. Help please

try this best thing ever, its only $15 bucks.

http://www.download.com/iPhoneRingToneMaker/3000-2169_4-10720152.html?tag=lst-5