Hi - I'm wracking my brain on how to get either a song or a sound clip from my computer into the Tones section of iTunes. I drag over the mp3 or wav files and it acts like I can do it, but nothing 'sticks'. The category just remains empty. I just want to import a simple sound file - why does it have to be so difficult? Please help...
iPhone 6, Windows 7
You cannot use mp3 or wav file as a ringtone on the iPhone. It has to be a certain format, which is m4r, which is a conversions of an m4a, or Apple formatted sound file. It would do you better to do a search regarding ringtones to get the full story.
I spent a couple looking and this is the first I saw of this conversion thing. Don't appreciate the talking down to me. Pretty lame that Mac doesn't support standard audio types in that way.
This worked for me in an older version of iTunes...
1) In Mac iTunes, find your song then right-click on the song and select "Create AAC Version"
2) In iTunes find and right click on that AAC version and select “Get Info”. Choose “Options” tab. Set start and stop time of the part of the song you want to be your ringtone.
3) Right-click on the song that you have just edited, and then click “Create AAC Version”.
4) Right-click the short AAC song you just made with a short time associated and “Show in Finder”
5) go back to iTunes and delete the song in iTunes–making sure that you click “Keep File”. Do not move to Trash
6) In the Finder window you opened in 4), change the file ending from .m4a to .m4r. Click Use m4r if you get a warning.
7) Drag that renamed file into iTunes and it should show in your ringtones.
After reading this you can probably understand that most people just buy their ringtones to avoid all the time and trouble!
Thank you. This helped. Odd little thing, I had to double click the m4r file while in the Tones tab. I couldn't drag and drop it for some reason. At least it works...
I'm glad to learn the method works to a degree in iTunes 12.2.1.16. Enjoy all those new ringtones.
has anyone try on the latest iTunes 12.2.2, and will it work.
i afraid to upgrade and then i cannot make tones.
I just discovered this response to me. Nowhere in my response did I talk down to you. I was indicating that there are a number of different methods to covert to ringtones, and much of it depends on the computer platform you use and what software you use. There are apps in the app store to create ringtones, there are websites that specialize in free ringtones and do the conversion themselves, and depending on the file type on the computer, you may be able to just copy the song, clip it and then rename the file extension. The search was to help you make your own decision on what you might have found the easiest way to do it. Trust me, you could find pages of different methods. I use Audacity to clip mine, as I can be very selective in the editing and mixing of music there and then save as an mp3, convert to AAC in iTunes, and then rename the file extension from m4a to m4r.
I am sorry if I mistook your first response as a little bit down talking, but "It would do you better to do a search regarding ringtones to get the full story." is assuming I didn't spend hours searching for before I came to post it on the forums. I guess my searches were too technical, as I did not think of the web conversion option. Its all good though, no harm no foul.
As I said, UGADog's direct answer helped solved it. My personal opinion is that Apple make some things like this overly complicated to do, when they shouldn't be. I could simply copy the song clip or wav file into my Galaxy phone (in a specific folder) and it'd be there ready to go.
danielnwk - I have not upgraded either, as I too am nervous about doing so. :/
I did not assume you had not spent hours searching, but then again, as you indicated, depending on your search parameters, it could be confusing. In my opinion, one of the reasons Apple may have done that early on had to do with copyright and also the fact that they sold specific music clips for ringtones. Again, their closed system, but I was aware of that when I bought my device. The Galaxy is an open system. I could do similar things with my older Motorola Razr phone. Again, I find it easier to use Audacity, a free program to edit music clips to create ringtones. It may take a few minutes longer than iTunes, but I feel I have a lot more control over the clips. Since I don't do the clips in iTunes, I've not had an instance of problems with updating iTunes. You can still create AAC versions of songs, and in looking at the Get Info Section, you still have the option to set both the start and stop times. So I believe it will still do what you are looking for.
I only meant that I thought that you assumed - just my misinterpreted take...
Yeah, I suspected the copyright thing too, once I started into it. First time dealing with an apple phone, so its all foreign and frustrating. I was prepared for a closed system when switch from Android to Apple, but its still frustrating... I have used Audicity in the past, so I will have to clean off the dust bytes off of it and try it next time I want to edit a ringtone. Thanks for the extra info...
You're welcome.
Ring tones in iTunes 12 for iphone 6
