iOS 11 update ringtones purchased not working

When I click on download purchased ringtones, it spins and spins, but never finishes.

I’m so frustrated by this ringtone issue.

Also- has anyone else noticed this: if I go to iTunes Store and search for some of my existing ringtones as if to buy them again (even though I know iTunes won’t let you do that), some of the ringtones aren’t there anymore. Is that part of the problem?

I want to add to my previous message that I had problems with two purchased ringtones (on my wife's phone and on mine) - solved both by "purchasing" them again and the point is that for one of them I was charged again, the other one - the button Buy was there, but after pressing it it said that I have purchased it already. Both problem ringtones were fixed. So something is messed up in iTunes Store obviously. "Download All Ringtones" did not help on either phone/account.

Yes, unfortunately this is part of the problem. Ringtones created in Garage band or 'as it was in the beginning' buy the music and create your ringtone, these are not licensed tones and therefore cannot be downloaded again. If the piece of music is available but not as a ringtone, then again they cannot be downloaded again.

It would appear that for the ringtone to work (created - Garage Band etc, music no longer on iTunes or music still available on iTunes) then the originating license must be held by Apple. If the license is not held by Apple then the ringtone will not work. So in the case of ringtones still available on iTunes then you can delete from your device and then download from your purchases. If you do not have them in purchases as you made them from a piece of music purchased from iTunes or imported from Garage Band or alike then you will be able to play them in your selection of Ringtone but they will not play as a ringtone when assigned to a number during an incoming call.

It does seem a bit curious that when you purchase your music or ringtone or create a ringtone that you do not get to hold the license for your personal use.

PLEASE NOTE - in regards to the holding of the license by Apple as being an issue, this is speculation and / or and educated guess on my part.

My comment related to ringtones that I had purchased FROM iTunes—not things I made myself or from any other source. When I go to look for them on iTunes now, a few of them don’t seem to be available anymore. That’s what I meant. I wondered if that’s why they don’t work. Although you can still preview them in ‘Sounds’ so that doesn’t make sense.

You mentioned deleting from my phone and re-downloading. I can’t figure out how to delete from my phone. Thoughts?

I tried using Garage and AnyTrans, {and had bought the music from iTunes,} but still after the IOS update, every ringtone that worked for years stopped working and then dissappeared!... Even after I got it to appear on the phone again, it won't play when there's an incoming call. I consider this sabotage & theft on the part of Apple and having to hear these invasive default robotic Apple ringtones is too abrasive.

Sorry there is no way to search up a particular persons comments by name (that I can find), so I have copied over from previous posts Page 8 & 9. The first one is the instructions given by Berthafromscottsdale, the second 2 are my responses and instructions on recovery. Hope that helps.

I figured out how to change- I went into itunes and hit purchase for my ringtone. When it pulled up I selected set as default. After that when prompted to pay it said I had already purchased and asked to download. I downloaded again and it worked! Hope this helps!

I tried that when this problem first happened and it didn’t work for me. I tried it again a while later and a few of my ring tones aren’t in iTunes anymore. Why would that be? It shouldn’t matter though, because they’re still on my phone and they play when previewed, they just won’t play when assigned to a contact. AGH!!! When will apple fix this?

I’m sorry that is happening. My phone kept acting up 2 days ago so I finally tried the update. It basically fried my phone and had to get a new one. Lost a ton of data in the process. I hate these updates. Especially with all the problems!

It is a bug. Especially on iPhone 10 (iPhone X).

Along with bugs: email crashes intermittently, Apple Apps lock up, phone must be powered off/powered on.

They’ve got issues and hopefully will address them with an iOS update soon to “patch” these problems.

Hard Core Apple fans are NOT happy. Apple knows all of these issues.

The question is, are they listening to the Customer base? Time will tell.

I have this problem also since I updated to iOS 11.2 and none of the suggestions posted on this and other forums have worked. I can sometimes get a purchased ringtone to work, but it is sporadic. I purchased all my ringtones through iTunes. The ringtones are on my phone and I can play them, but when a contact calls me, the default rings. I don't like the default that Apple selected, "Opening" and tried many times to change it without any luck. I was finally able to change it to another ringtone in their list. I thought maybe I was having this problem because I still have the 5S, but my daughter just got her X and is having this issue as well. When I shut down the phone, all ringtones for my contacts will revert to the default. Very frustrating!!

I know it is important to update the software because of security issues, but every time I do, I get a new problem. Almost makes you want to ignore the updates, but I can't take that risk.

Does Apple monitor these discussions on their website? If they do, you would think they would reply and let us know they acknowledge the problem and are working on a fix. There are thousands of dissatisfied iPhone users with this problem as evidenced by all the forums and comments posted which date back several months. How long does it take to acknowledge a problem and fix it! I did submit feedback on the support website, but don't know if they read them.

My husband and I have the iPhone5S and was going to purchase a new phone this year, either the 8 or X. However until Apple fixes the issue of the ringtones, I will not be purchasing new iPhones. Maybe I will look into the Samsung Galaxy.

Yes. The good news is Apple monitors these discussions real-time and truly cares about all issues. The reason I can say this is, I posted an item yesterday that was very detailed and included some technical items. The post was there for less than 5 minutes, and then disappeared.

Apple Support sent me a very nice email that they had removed my post because it had an “opinion” in it, rather than focusing on the forums intent of sharing facts with the user community.

So in summary, if we are patient, a fix for this and other potential issues likely will be out soon.

Hope this helps.

yes, It's been too months now, it should be 'an easy fix', then why would they refuse to 'fix' this, or rather, just go back in time and undo the code that permitted this wiping out everyone's connection to their music to greet them... This is a big deal to have an unwanted unnatural digital sound your forced to listen to so many times a day... it's becoming too unpleasant and now I'm going to ATT and looking at other phones, it's really unbelievable that they wouldn't give back the use of our sounds { that we paid for through their own system}, just bad buisness.

exactly my feelings and experience, too. And, everyone has it, it seems, as everywhere I go I hear the same default sound on everyone's phones now... it's confusing, { I look to see if it's mine} eerie and invasive... Just becoming much too dissagreable to be forced to listen so many times everyday to these sounds you really don't like. Having an Iphone has now become an unpleasant experience because of this.

I bought another ringtone. One that was the same tune, but slightly different (Yakkity Sax). It was close, but not what I already had. They didn’t offer what I already had. At the purchase it didn’t tell me I already had this one. That was a month ago and my ringtone is still working.