Level 1

38 points

iOS 17 Purchased Text Tones Missing

Since the update to iOS 17, the text tones purchased in the Apple iTunes Store are missing. If you go to the “Settings / Message Tones” section, only the Apple standard tones are available. However, if you go to “Settings / Ringtone” the purchased message tones are also available. However, it is not possible to reassign the purchased message tones to a contact as a message tone. Dubiously, however, the existing contacts are linked to the message tones purchased from iOS 16, only when you create a new emergency contact is it not possible to assign them to the purchased message tones because they are not listed. And even if you open a file in Contacts, add a sound to a new message, buy it in the iTunes Store (download an already purchased sound), it is not added to the contact as a message sound, even if you click on Assign message sound to a contact in the selection . NO change, such a programming error shouldn't happen to Apple. After all, you pay 99p for each message tone, in my case it's 30 tones.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iPhone 14 Pro Max

Posted on Sep 20, 2023 8:25 AM

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IdrisSeabright

Community+ 2026

Level 10

199,461 points

Posted on Dec 7, 2023 12:37 PM

melan161 wrote:

i'm purchased multiple ringtones and also was using classic ringtones for specific contacts they're all gone now there's absolutely no ringtone when people call me and there's no text tone the phone just vibrates is this going to be fixed and when will the update be available this is unacceptable for as much money as we pay for the expensive iPhones for us not to use items we purchased

If you upgrade your phone to iOS 17.1.1, current as of this writing, you will be able to use purchased (or home made) tones as text tones as long as they are less than 30 seconds long.

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107 replies

plmrgn01

Level 1

8 points

Oct 1, 2023 5:40 AM in response to MajinVader

Request a refund for any purchases of tones you cant use and they will get it fixed quickly

Oct 26, 2023 11:00 AM in response to maylandly

Have you restarted your phone since you did the update?

I have everything back and it all works fine.

Sep 20, 2023 8:31 AM in response to happyfish7uk

Your observations are accurate.

I suggest that you submit feedback to Apple:

Product Feedback - Apple

Note that iOS 17 is not yet an option for selection in the drop down menu. Just make sure it's in the text box.

Oct 2, 2023 4:21 PM in response to Klaus.k

This is a user to user only forum. So asking other users who can't fix anything to fix this, won't get you very far.

You can tell Apple you want them to address this, by providing feedback here --> Feedback - iPhone - Apple

Oct 11, 2023 6:13 AM in response to Imjellome2

Imjellome2 wrote:

This is really frustrating. Apple please fix this soon.

Apple is not reading here in this user-to-user forum for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Nov 9, 2023 7:48 AM in response to Lexo24lson

Lexo24lson wrote:

I wanted to say that this is happening to me too. I have had many previously downloaded text tones for people and now they are all gone. I can see them all for ringtones but nothing for my text tones. It is just all the generic Apple ones

You need to update to iOS 17.1.1.

Oct 20, 2023 9:29 PM in response to happyfish7uk

I chatted with support a few weeks ago and they escalated it to a higher department. They called me the next day to walk me through steps. They wanted screenshots and screen share to see what’s going on. They had me do a hard factory reset (where I plug it into iTunes) and back everything back up. We went through several different options and at the end after talking to Apple support a few times, they wasted my time and said, “thanks, we’re building a case and we’ll give Apple feedback” LOL. Anyway… still not fixed.

100clicks

Level 4

1,383 points

Oct 9, 2023 1:41 PM in response to happyfish7uk

I think you should d/l the Apple support app and get in touch with an Apple tech so they can revise and fix your problem

100clicks

Level 4

1,383 points

Oct 25, 2023 1:55 PM in response to diamondlinz7

It’s getting released now, I’ve already updated (10 mins ago) my iphone 15 pro to IOS 17.1 (not a beta)

Oct 2, 2023 6:45 AM in response to happyfish7uk

I submitted my complaint. (Same problem as you identified). It did list IOS 17.02 as an operating system. I have the Iphone 15 Pro.

Maybe if everyone submits a complaint action will be taken sooner.

Oct 8, 2023 9:33 AM in response to happyfish7uk

Same issue here. My text tones were unchanged until I accidentally flubbed one up for my boyfriend trying to turn emergency bypass off/on again bc I was ad a work conference. Accidentally tapped a diff text tone and noticed at that moment none of my tones were in the text tone list, but in the ringtones list only. I have sent something to apple vis the iPhone feedback page so hopefully it gets fixed soon. Multiple times a day I check for updates and hit “download purchased tones” to no avail.

Dec 13, 2023 7:15 AM in response to Bobbydragon

Bobbydragon wrote:

I am on iOS 17.2, I miss the old phone in the text tone folder!! Can you please put that back! I used this tone to wake up when I am OnCall for work!!

this ringtone should be in all the folders!!

No on participating in this user-to-user forum can put anything back. You can, however, let Apple know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Currently, you can't use tones longer than 30 seconds for texts. But, you can buy or make a tone with a similar sound that's less than 30 seconds and use it.

Sep 20, 2023 11:06 AM in response to happyfish7uk

happyfish7uk wrote:

Yes, I would love to, but it's not that easy, since for product feedback there is only the option of "Hardware Products or iOS and iPad OS, but in the latter case only via the individual Apple app. but not via the iOS 17 itself, Apple doesn't want customer feedback

From the post to which you replied:

Note that iOS 17 is not yet an option for selection in the drop down menu. Just make sure it's in the text box.

Sep 27, 2023 8:03 AM in response to MajinVader

MajinVader wrote:

I'm hoping they fix this problem. I wasn't aware of the issue until last night when I bought a tone and now I cannot assign it.

Submit your feedback to Apple. The more people who do, the more likely there is to be change.

Oct 2, 2023 6:13 AM in response to happyfish7uk

I’m having the exact same issue and searched to find this answer and found this post. Expect for me when I pressed download purchased ones it completely got rid of my preset tone and now can only use their tones until they can figure it out. Sigh

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iOS 17 Purchased Text Tones Missing