How do I add a song to my ringback tone?
What is a Ringback Tone?
A ringback tone, also known as a caller ringback tone (CRBT), is an audible signal a caller hears while waiting for the recipient to answer their phone (Wikipedia, 2023). The standard ringback tone is the typical “ring-ring” sound. However, ringback tones allow users to customize this sound with music, messages, or other audio files.
Ringback tones first emerged in the early 2000s as a way for carriers to differentiate and allow more customization (Techopedia, 2017). They quickly became popular, especially in Asia, as a way to personalize one’s mobile identity. Today, ringback tones remain a fun way to express creativity and individuality through your mobile device.
Essentially, a custom ringback tone replaces the standard ringing noise. When someone calls your number, instead of hearing normal rings, they’ll hear your personalized audio clip or song play. You select the custom ringback tone, and then anyone who calls you will hear it while waiting for you to answer.
Why Customize Your Ringback Tone?
Customizing your ringback tone allows you to express your personality and preferences each time someone calls you. Rather than hearing the standard ringtone, callers will hear a song or audio clip of your choosing while waiting for you to answer.
Having a customized ringback tone sets your phone apart when someone calls you. It shows you put thought into personalizing your phone’s sounds and chose a ringback tone that reflects your interests or mood. Many people find it more entertaining than a generic ring when calling friends or family.
Custom ringtones also allow you to get creative and have fun with your ringback tone selections. You can pick songs with funny lyrics, inside jokes shared with friends, or clips from favorite movies or TV shows. Rotating through a few different options keeps it fresh. Some services even let you set different ringtones for specific contacts.
Overall, customizing your ringback tone provides a simple way to showcase your personality and make calls a little more fun compared to the default ring. Callers get a glimpse into your interests while waiting for you to answer. Rather than a plain ring, you can greet them with a beloved song or pop culture reference.
Choosing the Perfect Song
When selecting a song for your ringback tone, there are a few key factors to consider:
Length – Pick a song with a catchy intro or hook that plays well in the 30 seconds before a call is answered. Songs with long intros won’t showcase the best part. Consider editing down longer songs to 30 seconds or less.
Lyrics – Avoid songs with profanity or inappropriate lyrics since all callers will hear them. Pick an upbeat song with positive lyrics that reflect your personality.
Melody – Choose a melody that is pleasant to hear repeatedly. Songs with distinct intros or choruses tend to work better than songs with heavy verses.
Personality Match – Pick a ringback tone that showcases your musical taste and style. Opt for a fun pop hit or a throwback tune that will make people smile before you answer.
Take some time to consider which songs best represent you. Think about what tone you want to set for callers right before you pick up. An upbeat retro crowd-pleaser or smooth jazz? The options are endless!
Finding Ringtones Online
There are a variety of websites where you can find ringtones to download for free or purchase. Some popular sources include:
- Zedge (https://www.zedge.net/ringtones): Zedge has a large library of free ringtones, notification sounds, alarm tones, and wallpapers to download. They offer content for both Android and iPhone.
- iTunes Store (https://www.apple.com/itunes/): You can buy ringtones from the iTunes Store to use on your iPhone. Ringtones are typically $1.29 each.
- Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/): Amazon sells ringtones for Android and iPhone devices. Prices are generally $1.29 per ringtone.
When downloading ringtones, you’ll want to pay attention to the file format. iPhone uses .m4r format, while Android uses .mp3 or .ogg formats. Make sure to download a ringtone in a compatible format for your phone.
Buying ringtones from stores like iTunes and Amazon will ensure high quality and copyright clearance. However, you can find ringtones to download for free on sites like Zedge if you don’t mind lower audio quality in some cases.
Transferring the Ringtone File
Once you have chosen the perfect song for your ringtone, you need to transfer the audio file to your smartphone. Here are a few common ways to get the ringtone file onto your phone:
Using a USB cable – Connect your phone to your computer using a USB cable. Open the ringtone file on your computer, then locate the Ringtones folder on your phone and copy the file over. For iPhones, this will be in iTunes under Tones > Ringtones. For Androids, the Ringtones folder is usually in the internal storage or SD card.
Emailing the file – Email the ringtone file to yourself. Open the email on your phone and download the song file. Then move it to the Ringtones folder on your device. Make sure to download ringtone files as actual attachments rather than Google Drive or Dropbox links which may not work as well.
Downloading directly – Many ringtone websites allow you to download the ringtone file directly to your phone using the site’s mobile interface. Tap the download button and select the Ringtones folder on your device when prompted.
Using a cloud storage app – Upload the ringtone file to a cloud storage service like Google Drive or Dropbox from your computer. Then open the app on your phone, locate the file, and save it to the Ringtones folder.
No matter how you transfer the file, the key is to make sure it ends up saved in the Ringtones folder on your smartphone. This allows the phone to recognize the file as a ringtone and select it as an option.
Setting the Ringtone on an iPhone
Setting a custom ringtone on an iPhone takes just a few easy steps using iTunes and the Settings app. Here is a step-by-step guide:
1. Connect your iPhone to your computer using the Lightning cable that came with your device. Open iTunes on your computer once connected.
2. In iTunes, select your iPhone from the sidebar menu on the left. Then click on the “Tones” tab at the top of the iTunes window.
3. Drag and drop the ringtone file you want to use into the Tones library in iTunes. Make sure the file is in MP3 or M4r format.
4. Sync your iPhone with iTunes by clicking the “Sync” button in the lower right corner of the iTunes window. This will transfer the new ringtone file to your device.
5. Once syncing is complete, open the Settings app on your iPhone. Tap “Sounds & Haptics.”
6. Under Ringtone, tap the option that says “Default.” You will then see a list of all ringtones, including the new one you just added.
7. Select your custom ringtone to set it as the default on your iPhone. You’re all done!
Now when you receive a call, your new ringtone will play. You can follow these same steps to set custom ringtones for text messages, emails, and other alerts too.
Source: https://www.macworld.com/article/616018/how-to-custom-ringtone-iphone.html
Setting the Ringtone on an Android
Setting a custom ringtone on an Android phone is easy to do in just a few steps using your file manager app and the Settings menu.
First, download the song you want to use as your ringtone and save it to your phone’s internal storage or SD card. You can download MP3 files from sites like The Verge.
Next, open your file manager app, like My Files or Files by Google. Navigate to the song file you downloaded. Long press on the file and select “Set as ringtone.” This will move the file into your ringtones folder.
Then, open the Settings app and go to the Sound & Vibration or Sound section. Tap on Phone Ringtone and you’ll see your new ringtone available in the list. Select it to set it as your default ringtone.
You can also customize ringtones for specific contacts. Go to your Contacts app, select a contact, tap Edit contact, then Ringtone. Here you can choose a unique ringtone to assign just to that person. According to Android Central, this helps you identify callers before even looking at your phone.
That’s all there is to it! Now you can set any MP3 file or song as your custom Android ringtone in just a few taps.
Testing and Troubleshooting Your New Ringtone
After setting up your new custom ringtone, you’ll want to test it out to make sure it’s working properly. Try calling your phone from another device to hear your new ringtone play. If you don’t hear your new song play during incoming calls, there are a few troubleshooting steps to take:
First, check to make sure your phone’s ringer volume is turned up. On an iPhone, go to Settings > Sound & Haptics and drag the ringer volume slider to adjust the volume. On Android, go to Settings > Sound and drag the media volume slider. Make sure your phone is not muted.
You’ll also want to double check that you properly transferred the ringtone file and set it correctly in your phone’s settings. Go back through the steps for your iPhone or Android and ensure you didn’t miss anything. If it still isn’t working, you may need to try downloading a new copy of the ringtone file and replacing the existing file.
If you can hear the new ringtone playing but it is very soft or quiet, try adjusting the audio and media volume levels on your phone to make it louder. Some custom ringtones may have been recorded at a low volume.
As a last resort, you can try rebooting your phone to see if that fixes any issues with the ringtone not playing properly. On an iPhone, hold down the power button and slide to power off. On Android, hold down the power button and tap Restart.
If after troubleshooting you still can’t get the custom ringtone to play, check online forums or contact your mobile carrier or phone manufacturer for additional help.
Changing or Removing Ringback Tones
If you ever want to choose a new ringback tone or go back to your carrier’s default ringback tone, you can change or remove your custom ringback tone through your phone’s settings.
On an iPhone, open the Settings app and tap on Sounds & Haptics. Under Ringtone, tap on the current tone to see a list of options. Select a new ringtone or Default Ringtone to go back to the original. You can also slide the toggle for Ringback Tones to off to disable custom ringtones and use the default.
On an Android phone, open the Settings app and go to Sounds & vibration > Phone ringtone. Tap on the current ringtone and you’ll see options to choose a new one or Default ringtone to revert to the original. You can also tap Turn off to disable custom ringtones.
To completely remove a purchased ringback tone from your account, you’ll need to contact your mobile carrier. They can remove the feature from your plan so you won’t be charged anymore. Some carriers may have an option to manage ringback tones online through your account dashboard.
It’s easy to try out different ringtones or go back to the classic default. Keep your phone’s sounds fresh by customizing as often as you want.
Customizing More Notification Sounds
Beyond just phone calls, you can customize notification sounds for other alerts on your smartphone as well. For example, you can set unique ringtones or sounds for incoming texts, emails, calendar events, alarms and more. This allows you to identify different notifications just by the sound.
On an iPhone, open the Settings app and tap Sounds & Haptics. Here you can change the default sound for alerts like new voicemails, calendar events, mail messages and more. Android also allows changing notification sounds for individual apps – simply long press on the app icon and select “App notifications.”
Get creative with custom sounds to make your notifications more personal. For example, use a song snippet for your favorite contact’s text tone, or a motivational sound to start your day for your morning alarm. Apps like Zedge allow you to browse and download a huge library of ringtones, notification sounds, alarm tones and more to set as your custom alert sounds.[1]
Custom notification sounds allow you to identify who is contacting you or what app needs attention without even looking at your phone. Take the time to find the perfect tones for your most used apps.
[1] https://www.zedge.net