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Level 1

86 points

No custom ringtones on iPhone 8 Plus/iOS 11

After receiving the iPhone 8 Plus today, backing up my iPhone 6S Plus (running iOS 11), there are no custom ringtones.

This link does absolutely nothing to resolve the issue. It seems to have been written for earlier than 12.7 iTunes.

Use tones on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

If I try to drag anything on my PC from the window with the ringtones open to iTunes, I get a circle with a line through it as I try to drop it (meaning you cannot do this). If I go to File - Add File To Library in iTunes, it places the files that are M4R format into the regular music song list. You cannot drag them from there to the Tones or any other spot in iTunes.

hmmmmm.... seems Apple might have a hiccup here.

iPhone 8 Plus, iOS 11

Posted on Sep 22, 2017 8:25 PM

Best reply

kk5do Author

Level 1

86 points

Posted on Sep 28, 2017 2:00 PM

I have solved the problem of all my missing ringtones after upgrading from an iPhone 6S Plus running iOS 11 to my iPhone 8 Plus running iOS 11.

I have a PC so these instructions work on a PC. I do not know if they work on a Mac.

Connect your iPhone with the missing ringtones to your PC that is running iTunes 12.7

After it connects, you will see your iPhone listed in the left menu, click on it to open it up. Scroll down to where you see TONES and select TONES. A window will open up and it will most likely be blank.

Now, in the upper left corner, click on FILE and then click on ADD FILE TO LIBRARY.

This is where the hiccup is with iTunes. In the Windows window that opened, find your ringtone, click on it once and it will be shown as the selected file. Then...do not click on Open yet. Select the file again and this time, drag it to the TONES area and drop it. Nothing will happen. Go back to the windows window and click OPEN. The file will now appear in TONES.

After you have selected and added all the missing ringtones, click on SUMMARY, then SYNC the phone. Wha la, your ringtones are back and you can now set all the tones up.

This also will work to restore all your missing PDF's

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57 replies

kkbrown1

Level 1

4 points

Feb 19, 2018 1:12 PM in response to kk5do

I'm ready to just change to a Samsung. This has gotten way beyond ridiculous. Apple has the capability to allow us to drag and drop custom ringtones. They are choosing to make it difficult so people will just give up and buy them. I REFUSE to buy my ringtones when I have already custom made over 150. I had them individualized for each of my contacts and then this. Thank goodness I saved them in a separate file (not iTunes). I'm tired of trying to get them on this **** phone. I regret upgrading from my iphone 7 to the iphone 8. I am looking forward to my next upgrade around November when I am seriously contemplating being done with Apple. I've already changed over from my MAC to a PC again. I'm very well aware of the benefits of using Apple products, but sometimes (like this one), I don't think those benefits outway the headaches.

Apr 3, 2018 9:52 PM in response to kk5do

I've read this whole thread and tried every suggestion and still have a similar problem:

1. My Tones section is empty bc I only have custom tones that I've made in garageband (I have never purchased tones).

2. I can see and play older tones on my 8+, but can't see them in Tones. If I can't see them in itunes12, then I can't delete/manage them.

3. I can drag and drop new custom tones into Tones with no problems. When I do add new custom tones, they are the only ones that show up (in solid black) on itunes12.

4. If I re-add custom tones that are already on my 8+, they show up grey'd out (not solid black).

I've tried restoring from backup with no change. May have to do a complete restore.

gniflog

Level 1

13 points

Apr 6, 2018 1:27 PM in response to kk5do

Thanks for solving this problem. I had the same situation but with a 5s that I bought for my wife and once the new Itunes came out with the tones missing I couldn't get my custom ringtones on her phone. I even went to Apple support and then to the Genius bar and nobody could solve it until I found your solution myself.

gniflog

Level 1

13 points

Apr 6, 2018 1:41 PM in response to greenbird12

Find the file where the custom tones are stored and then follow KK5DO instructions listed above in this forum. I did and once I found the file on my computer where the tones are stored everything worked as KK5DO's instructions listed.

leecow

Level 1

13 points

Oct 2, 2017 6:59 PM in response to kk5do

The only difference I noticed on macOS compared to your steps is that you drag from the Finder into the Tones list to add rather than using the 'Add File to Library' dialog. Worked like a charm.

imnokid

Level 1

9 points

Oct 11, 2017 5:52 PM in response to annabelle

I just read the article, downloaded 12.6.3 and now when I try to open itunes I get this message. Great...

Oct 4, 2017 4:30 PM in response to kk5do

I tried like you said and it doesn't work?? I tried dragging from finder and *** a file

faymos

Level 1

4 points

Oct 6, 2017 2:27 AM in response to BaileyClover

I have recently purchased an iPhone 8 and are having trouble trying to add ringtones to my contacts I have already downloaded the ringtones into my doundd

Oct 11, 2017 3:43 PM in response to imnokid

hi some show like they dont work how do u delete those tones from the iphone i understand u put them by dragging them any way to delete the ones didnt transfer correctly? pls help

imnokid

Level 1

9 points

Oct 11, 2017 4:07 PM in response to PARADOSIAKOS

I, too, cn't figure out a way to delete the tones I made that I don't want anymore. Help would be appreciated here, too.

annabelle

Level 3

623 points

Oct 11, 2017 5:39 PM in response to imnokid

I have your same configuration MacOs 10.12.6, iOS 11.0.2 iPhone 8+

but I'm using iTunes 12.6.3 and works. I hope it will for you too

I dislike 12.7 itunes

Oct 11, 2017 6:02 PM in response to annabelle

thanks anabelle but that doesnt work it doesnt even show the tones tab on itunes u dragg them now directly to your phone but how do u get them out is the question thnaks

Oct 11, 2017 8:58 PM in response to annabelle

i just got confused 😟((((( dont know exactly what to do or what it will do

imnokid

Level 1

9 points

Oct 11, 2017 9:32 PM in response to annabelle

I tried this method 3 times. No luck. Went back to 12.7...

Oct 16, 2017 8:14 PM in response to kk5do

None of this worked for me. When I drag into Tones, it only allows me to put it in my iphone. So it keeps going into my music and not in my tones. I have tried everything

No custom ringtones on iPhone 8 Plus/iOS 11