Default Ringtone Confusion

Hello Kieron,

Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.

I understand that your custom ringtone is not working until you unlock your iPhone's screen, and you have to restart the iPhone in order for it to come back. To get started, I suggest that you reinstall the newest iOS by following the directions below.

1. Connect your device to a computer and open iTunes. If you don't have a computer, you can borrow one, or go to an Apple Retail Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider for help.
2. While your device is connected, force it to restart. Press and hold the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons at the same time. Don't release when you see the Apple logo. Keep holding until you see the Recovery mode screen.
   
3. When you get the option to restore or update, choose Update. iTunes will try to reinstall iOS without erasing your data.
   

iTunes will download the software for your device. If it takes more than 15 minutes, your device will exit recovery mode and you'll need to repeat steps 2 and 3 again.

If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch doesn‘t respond or won‘t turn on

Take care.

Hi Kieron,

That's good to know. What other troubleshooting have you done?

Thanks, that's good information to provide. That is actually the next step, to restore your iPhone back to its factory settings. If you're not using iCloud Photo Library, then please import your photos to your computer:

Import photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your computer

Next, be sure to transfer purchases:

Redownload or transfer your iTunes Store purchases from an iPhone, iPad, or iPod to a computer

Finally you will then need to back up using iTunes. I suggest using an encrypted backup as this will also back up your Health data.

Encrypt your iTunes backups

1. Connect your device to your computer.
2. Open iTunes and make sure you have the latest version.
3. Select your device.
4. Save content that you downloaded from the iTunes Store or App Store: Choose File > Devices > Transfer Purchases.
5. Click Encrypt backup in the summary pane.
   
6. Follow the prompt to make a password. Make one you'll remember or write it down and safely store it, because there's no way to recover your iTunes backups without this password.
7. After confirming your password, iTunes starts backing up and also immediately overwrites and encrypts your previous backups.
   
8. After the process completes, make sure that your encrypted backup finished successfully in iTunes Preferences > Devices. You should see a lock icon beside the name of your device, along with the date and time that iTunes created the backup.
   

About encrypted backups in iTunes

Take care.

Thank you for using the Apple Support Community. Due to the nature of your issue or question you may find more information by using another one of Apple's support resources - https://getsupport.apple.com/GetproductgroupList.action

Take care.