Problem adding a custom m4r ringtone to the "Tones" library in iTunes 12.1.2.27

Try this approach.

Create a ringtone in iTunes

1. Select a track to use as the source. You cannot use an Apple Music item, or anything that is in the cloud.
2. On the Get Info > Options tab set start and stop times less than 40 seconds apart.
3. Under Edit (Win) or iTunes (Mac) > Preferences > General tab > Import Settings choose AAC Encoder > High Quality 128k.
4. Use File > Convert > Create AAC version.
5. Reset the start and stop times on the original track.
6. Right-click on the new copy and click Show in Windows Explorer or Finder.
7. Delete the new entry from the library without sending to the recycle bin/trash.
8. Change the file extension from .m4a to .m4r. (You may need to adjust folder options to see the extensions)
9. Move the file into the Automatically Add to iTunes folder inside your media folder, it will be added to the Tones section of the library.
10. If you don't see Tones in the drop down media selection menu click Edit Menu at the bottom and add it.
11. Connect the device, select its icon next to the media selection menu, then the device's Tones tab, and set the sync options.
12. Sync the device.

If the file is moved into a Not Added folder at step 9 that tells you there is something about the file that iTunes really doesn't like, though not what the problem actually is.

tt2

>>Ringtones that you created yourself should reside in your Tones folder,

agreed. but all of my custom ringtones got flushed with my latest IOS upgrade.

the ringtones were not backed up - no problem i still have the original .mp3 and .m4r files.

but i can't even drag the .m4r files over. Well i can drag them into iTunes, but they show as gray and do not show up in the phone.

i love my iPhone. i HATE iTunes. actually i don't know which i hate more, the app itself or how Apple keeps changing it all the time.

Method 4. wouldn't work, as iTunes doesn't scan the whole media folder for new content, but dropping into Automatically Add to iTunes ought to do it. Files placed here should be added to the library and moved to the correct location within the media folder. However the fact that previous attempts have resulted in the files being treated as music suggests that iTunes will treat them as music again. Using iTunes itself to create an AAC version and then editing the file extension from .m4a to .m4r before dropping into Automatically Add to iTunes normally does the trick.

tt2

I'm having the same problem. In addition, the custom ringtones I already had were deleted when Apple changed its own ringtones, and I don't see them in any of my folders. I found a way to restore purchased ringtones, but not ones I had created myself. I see people complaining that ringtone-creating apps still in Apple's own AppStore have stopped working, too.

Ringtones that you created yourself should reside in your Tones folder, depending on how you are managing your library. Generally, despite where they may have originally been located, they will be in the Tones folder in whatever folder holds the balance of your music library. That is going to depend on what computer OS you are using, and what other settings you have in iTunes. You should be able to restore use of your own ringtones after you locate them.

The entire Tones folder disappeared at some point.

I have managed to add my ringtones, but I'm not exactly sure what worked. Unfortunately, I clicked the box that offered to keep my iTunes media organized, in hopes that it would bring back the Tones folder. Instead, it totally scrambled everything. Never check that box!

Anyway, I found a folder on my desktop that had two folders in it: one was named "U2" and contained "Songs of Innocence" album tracks. The other was called "Unknown Artist" with a subfolder called "Unknown Album." Inside that were some songs that were just named, "Track 01.m4a" "Track 02.m4a" etc. And my ringtones were in there, too.

I re-created a new Tones folder in the right place and put them there. Then I linked them to the tones in my iTunes desktop app. I then removed one and put in the new tone that I wanted to add. I went back to play the tone it had been linked to, and iTunes asked for help locating it, so I linked it to the new tone. Then I changed the name in iTunes so that it would match. It was able to link them.

I don't know what I would do if I wanted to add more than one tone, or if I didn't have an old tone that was a duplicate. I'm guessing that making a copy of a tone within their folder would work.

Let me preface this to say I am working in a Windows environment. Whenever I have created a new tone, after changing the file extension to m4r, I just double-clicked on the tone, which played it in iTunes, and put it in the Tones folder. I always use keep media organized, as it makes sure everything is in one location. Either way, it always takes good care of what I do.

I have the same problem as what grandbrother initially posted, as well as have tried everything he has tried.

I also tried your solution, ChrisJ4203, which did not work for me.

Has anyone found the solution to this issue?

This solution worked for me! Hallelujah!

Link is here: Re: Ringtones are in my library but won't show up in the tones folder

Here is the exact text/instructions that worked for me:

"Ok, I think I found an answer...after about 3 hrs searching and playing. If you look at your m4r folder in the music library under the info, you'll find that while it shows as an m4r file format, it gives a media type of music and not tone. That's what's keeping it from going in the tone folder. Here's what I did to fix. After I created the AAC version and opened the file in my explorer / finder window and changed to mr4, I drug that version to my desktop first before trying to open in Itunes. I went to iTunes and deleted the m4a version I created before I changed it to m4r and then I went to my desktop and double clicked on the file. It then opened in the tone folder instead of the music library like it is supposed to. Apparently, having the m4a file in iTunes when I open the m4r file merges them or something. Not sure if this will help anyone else, but it fixed the problem for me finally. I was really thinking that iTunes put a kabosh on us doing it this way. Good to go now! Good luck everyone."

Alright, if you have the exact problem, then you are using Match. If that is the case, that is probably causing your problem. You cannot drag and drop a ringtone if you do not have Manually manage music turned on. Also, if you do as I said, you need to remove the original file you used to create the m4r file, the shorted file you used to create the AAC file. Make sure all of that has been done. A great deal of the issues have to do with how you create the file, the length of the file and the computer OS you are using. As long as files were less than 30 seconds in length and the original file is gone after converting to AAC, I can change the file extension no problem. Try creating one that is rather short, such as 10 seconds and see if that works. I create my shortened files as mp3, then use iTunes to convert to AAC. Then delete the mp3 file, and then change the m4a file to m4r. After that, in Windows I just double-click on the file. It runs in iTunes and gets automatically added to the Tones folder.

Thanx wifeypoo this did the job well !

😍 it worked! finally

Worked excellent for me, thank you!