Cannot Add m4r file to itunes

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Level 1

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Cannot Add m4r file to itunes

Hello everyone. I've been playing around with adding new ring tones to my iphone 10s, but I've been having a lot of trouble.

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-12051

I've reviewed this guide, an audio file was created in audacity and it was saved as an m4r file directly so I was able to skip many of the steps. Also tried to add the file to the library through the file option, but it didn't work either.

But I cannot drag the file into itunes (i tried the sidebar as well, no luck). I can't drag the file directly into the tones section of my iphone either, because it says

So I'm a tad frustrated. The guide says drag it to media location\tones but I have no idea where that is on my computer, as my itunes does not have a tones folder, so maybe if I can get that working it'll help. I'm fairly new to using an iphone in general.

Any advice would be appreciated. THank you,

Using windows 10, itunes, 12.9

iPhone XS

Posted on Sep 26, 2019 2:43 PM

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Answer 1

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turingtest2

Level 10

272,881 points

Sep 26, 2019 7:03 PM in response to CaptainGee

.m4r is the file extension. Of itself that doesn't determine the internal format and consistency of the file which should be AAC and ideally 128K or 256K. iTunes won't open or play .m4r files. If you change the extension to .m4a, and it is a valid AAC file then it should play in iTunes. If iTunes won't add the file with a .m4a extension that tells you again the iTunes doesn't like think the internal structure is correct. What was the original source? Groove might play a valid media file regardless of whether the content is in a format implied by the file extension.

tt2

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Answer 2

turingtest2

Level 10

272,881 points

Sep 26, 2019 4:34 PM in response to CaptainGee

What is the duration and format of the file? Since iTunes 12.7 ringtone files are not added to the library directly. It should be possible to copy well formatted tone files to your device. The implication of the error message is that you've found the correct method to add the file to the device, but the file isn't a valid a ringtone, or any other content that iTunes recognises.

tt2

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Answer 3

CaptainGee Author

Level 1

9 points

Sep 26, 2019 6:00 PM in response to turingtest2

The duration of the file is 22 seconds. Its an m4r file.

I can't even get itunes to play the file using the "open with" command. I even changed the default open program from groove to itunes and that still won't even play it. when I double click it just opens itunes and then does nothing. When I switched it from groove to itunes as default, though it did say "ringtone" instead of "m4r" in the file type.

it does play in groove, however.

I'm really grateful for your assistance. :)

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Answer 4

CaptainGee Author

Level 1

9 points

Sep 26, 2019 9:05 PM in response to turingtest2

Understood.

So I started from the beginning. I put a .wav file of the original recording into itunes. I could add it, it played fine. I then converted it to AAC. I dragged it onto my desktop, and deleted the original wav out of itunes. Then I changed the extension from m4a to m4r. Then I tried to drag that previously working file into itunes, and it wouldn't go.

The original source was from a wav file recorded in audacity.

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Answer 5

turingtest2

Level 10

272,881 points

Sep 27, 2019 2:05 AM in response to CaptainGee

Once you've changed the extension to .m4r iTunes won't accept the file back into the library, so cannot play it, but it should be able to add it to an iOS device using drag & drop or copy & paste.

tt2

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