Existing users, log in.  New users, create a free account.  Lost password?

Trick for turning any track into an iPhone ringtone and syncing it from iTunes

Posted 7 September 2007 @ 9am in Guides/How-Tos

UPDATE: The below method is broken under iTunes 7.4.1, but there is a slightly more involved process that does work under iTunes 7.4.1.

—

Though this capability might well be removed in a future version of iTunes, it’s currently possible to turn any MP3 or AAC file into an iTunes ringtone file that can be synchronized with the iPhone. You’ll miss out on the editing features built into the iTunes ringtone tool, but you also won’t have to pay anything extra for the tracks, nor will you have to use any third-party ringtone transfer tools, nor jailbreak or otherwise hack the iPhone.

For Windows users, the process works like this (first discovered by poster Cleveryboy in the MacRumors forums):

  1. Using Windows Explorer, duplicate and rename any AAC with the extension “M4R” (e.g. Folsom Prison Blues.M4R). If it is already in your iTunes library, delete it from there first.
  2. Double-click on the file. It will be added to your iTunes library automatically.
  3. Click on your iPhone in iTunes, and go to the ringtone section. You should now see your new ringtone.
  4. Click the sync button and the new tune should be added to the ringtones section on your iPhone

For Mac users, the process is a bit more involved, and works as follows:

  1. Duplicate and rename any AAC file, then select it and choose “Get Info” from the File menu. In the “Name and Extension” section, change the extension to .M4R, e.g. “Folsom Prison Blues.M4R.” If it is already in your iTunes library, delete it from there first.
  2. Double-click on it. This file will be added to your iTunes library automatically.
  3. Click on your iPhone in iTunes, and go to the ringtone section. You should now see your new ringtone.
  4. Click the sync button and the new tune should be added to the ringtones section on your iPhone

Note that if you’re starting with an MP3 or WAV file, you can first select it in iTunes, then choose “Convert selection to AAC” from the Advanced menu, then drag it to another location and change its extension as aforementioned.

In practice, we sometimes had to run through this process a few times, or wait several seconds before the tracks actually showed up in the iPhone ringtones section, but the procedure certainly works.

Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.

[ Digg this  |  Bookmark on del.icio.us ]

Print This Post Print This Post

6 Comments

Posted by aaron.margolis
7 September 2007 @ 9am

I haven’t upgraded to 7.4 yet to save the ringtones i created with iToner, but assuming this works perfectly as this post says, that basically makes iToner obsolete, doesn’t it?

I was expecting to make my own ringtones anyway, so if i can change the ringtones I created from .M4A to .M4R files, who needs iToner?

If Apple messes with iTunes to keep iPhone users from simply renaming files to .M4R, maybe iToner’s use will resurrect itself.

Posted by lymond
7 September 2007 @ 10am

A couple of points:
1) When you follow this tip, your ringtones will show up in the ringtone syncing tab, but they won’t show up in your music library in iTunes; the only way to see the ringtones you have in the library (at least in iTunes; see the note) is by connecting your iPhone. A corollary to this: because you currently can’t see ringtones in your library listing, you can’t delete them from the library using iTunes.

2) You can use QuickTime Player Pro to edit any unprotected music file and save it as an mp4 file, so you don’t have to use a whole song as a ringtone. Then rename the file accordingly and follow the above tip.

Note: iTunes 7.4 creates a “Ringtones” folder in ~/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music on your drive and that’s where it puts ringtones when you drop them on iTunes (you have to have iTunes configured to copy files to the iTunes Music folder when adding to your library; that preference is under the Advanced>General tab).

Posted by suaspont_1
7 September 2007 @ 12pm

One observation I have made. If you sync your phone with multiple computers, it appears that the Ringtones must be on the same computer that you use to sync usic, even though they show up as separate tabs in iTunes.

(For what it’s worth, I sync my calendars and contacts with Outlook at my office and Music with my computer at home.)

Posted by alex219
7 September 2007 @ 3pm

QT Pro Instructions:
Open any audio file that QuickTime Pro can play and export it as “Movie to MPEG-4″ I use the “Broadband - Medium” preset but other presets will probably work. Before you save the file rename it in the export window with the extension “.M4R”. Drop the new file on iTunes and it should appear in the ringtones tab. It’s that easy.

Posted by versiontracker.4.ccj
7 September 2007 @ 9pm

This apparantly does not work with iTunes 7.4.1. The ringtones appear in iTunes’ list of ringtones to sync. But upon sync, an alert says that the ringtones were not transferred to the iPhone because they could not be played on the iPhone.

Posted by blurplevtx
8 September 2007 @ 10am

The new version of iToner works. I had to remove all the old ones and re-transfer them to my iPhone, worked like a charm.

You must log in or register to post a comment.

« Fix for endless rebooting after iTunes 7.4 restore and re-hack

iPhone syncing problems under iTunes 7.4: Fixes »