How do I put my own music as a ringtone?

What are ringtones and why customize them?

A ringtone is a short audio file that plays when you receive an incoming call or notification on your mobile phone. The term ringtone is derived from the ringing sound telephones made when receiving calls.

Ringtones first emerged in the 1960s and 1970s when transistor phone systems allowed phone users to select different ring tones. Early ringtones were simple beeps and buzzers. The first commercially available ringtones were introduced in Japan in the late 1990s. The Yamaha MA-1 sound chip enabled polyphonic ringtones that played short melodies. With smartphones, users could upload their own audio files as custom ringtones.

There are several benefits to customizing your ringtone:

• Personalization – Choose a ringtone that reflects your personality or musical tastes.
• Differentiation – Unique ringtones make it easier to identify your phone.
• Notification control – Assign custom ringtones to contacts to identify callers.
• Fun self-expression – Creating your own ringtone can be an enjoyable creative outlet.

With modern smartphones, the options for custom ringtones are nearly endless. You can clip songs, use sound effects, or even record your own audio. By personalizing your ringtone, you can add a touch of individual flair to your mobile phone.

Common audio file formats for ringtones

There are a few common audio file formats that work well for ringtones on both iPhones and Android devices:

MP3 – This is the most popular and widely supported audio format. MP3 files compress audio data to keep file sizes small while maintaining good sound quality. For ringtones, aim for MP3 files under 1 MB and 30 seconds or less in length.

M4R – The .m4r format is specifically designed for iPhone ringtones. M4R is based on the AAC audio codec like MP4 files. M4R ringtones can be slightly longer than 30 seconds when set on an iPhone. Keep M4R files under 1-2 MB.

WAV – WAV files are uncompressed, so they provide excellent audio quality. However, WAV files are large. For ringtones, try to keep WAV files under 500 KB and 30 seconds long. WAV works on both iPhones and Androids.

Other formats like MID (MIDI), MP4, AMR, and OGG also work as ringtones on some devices. The key is keeping the file size small and length short no matter what audio format you choose.

Finding the Audio File You Want to Use

The first step in creating a custom ringtone is finding the right audio file that you want to use. There are a couple options for sourcing audio files:

Selecting music you own – If you already have music files on your computer or device, you can use those. This includes songs you’ve purchased, music you’ve created yourself, or audio clips you’ve downloaded.

Downloading free music samples or clips – There are websites that offer royalty-free music samples and sound clips that you can legally download and use. For example, Zapsplat has a library of sound effects and Bensound offers royalty-free music.

The key is finding an audio file in a compatible format (typically MP3 or M4R) and making sure you have the rights to use the file. Once you’ve selected the file, you can edit it to the length you need for a ringtone.

Editing the audio file on your computer

Before setting an audio file as a ringtone, you’ll need to edit it down to 30 seconds or less. Smartphones can only set ringtones that are under 30 seconds. To trim your audio file:

1. Download and install a free audio editing program like Audacity. This will allow you to open up audio files like MP3s and make edits.

2. Open the program and import the audio file you want to use as your ringtone.

3. Use the selection tool to highlight the portion of the song you want to keep. Anything outside of the selection will be trimmed off.

4. Go to File > Export to save your trimmed audio selection as a new file. Make sure to export it as a common ringtone format like MP3 or M4R.

You may also want to adjust the volume and normalize the audio levels before exporting. This will help prevent your custom ringtone from blasting loudly compared to your regular ringtones.

Online tools like MP3Cut also allow you to easily trim MP3 files if you don’t want to download any software.

Transferring the file to your smartphone

Once you have the audio file edited on your computer, you need to transfer it to your smartphone to use it as a custom ringtone. There are a few different methods to transfer the file:

Using a USB cable

One of the easiest ways is to connect your smartphone to your computer using a USB cable. You can then locate the audio file on your computer and drag and drop it into the Ringtones folder on your smartphone. This will instantly add the file as a ringtone option. Just make sure your smartphone is set to allow file transfers when connected via USB.

Emailing the file

Another simple option is to email the audio file to yourself. Open the email on your smartphone and download the attached file. You can then move it to the Ringtones folder. This allows you to transfer the file wirelessly without needing a USB cable.

Overall, using a direct USB connection is the fastest and most reliable approach. But email works well too if you don’t have access to a cable. The key is getting the edited audio file moved into the Ringtones folder on your smartphone.

Source: https://mobiletrans.wondershare.com/android-transfer/transfer-ringtones-from-android-to-android.html

Converting the audio file to a ringtone format

Once you have the audio file you want to use as your ringtone, you’ll need to convert it to the proper audio format supported by your phone. The most common ringtone format is M4R for iPhones, and MP3 or ACC for Android phones.

If you have an iPhone, the easiest way to convert to M4R is by using iTunes. Simply add the audio file to your iTunes library, then right click on the file and select “Create AAC Version.” This will convert the file to M4R. You can then find the converted file in your iTunes Tones folder and sync it to your iPhone. https://www.movavi.com/audio-converter/convert-mp3-to-m4r.html

Alternatively, there are many free online audio converters you can use to convert formats. Sites like Convertio and Zamzar allow you to upload an audio file and convert it to M4R or other formats. This is a quick and easy option if you don’t have iTunes. https://convertio.co/mp3-m4r/, https://www.zamzar.com/convert/mp3-to-m4r/

For Android phones, you can convert audio files to MP3 or ACC format using audio editing apps like Audacity or online converters. Then simply transfer the file to your phone and set it as the ringtone within your sound settings.

Setting the audio file as your custom ringtone

Once you’ve edited and transferred the audio file you want to use as your ringtone to your smartphone, you’re ready to set it as your custom ringtone. Here’s how to locate the ringtone settings and assign your audio file:

On an iPhone, open the Settings app and tap Sounds & Haptics. Tap Ringtone to open up the list of ringtones. At the top, tap the option that says My Ringtones or Custom. This will display any audio files you’ve imported recently that are available to set as ringtones. Tap on the file you want to select it as your custom ringtone.

On an Android phone, open the Settings app and find Sound settings. Tap on Phone ringtone to see the list of available ringtones. If you don’t see your imported audio file here, tap Add ringtone at the bottom. This will let you browse and select the audio file you want. Once selected, it will be added to your list of ringtones.

Once you’ve selected the file, you’ll see it displayed as the phone ringtone. Now whenever you get a call, your phone will play that custom ringtone! If you ever want to change it, just go back into the ringtone settings and make a new selection.

Troubleshooting issues

Sometimes you may run into issues when trying to set a custom ringtone on your phone. Two common problems are the file not being recognized as a ringtone and the ringtone playing at full length instead of a short clip.

If your phone does not recognize the file as a ringtone, first double check that the file is in the correct format such as MP3 or M4R for iPhones. The file also needs to be under a certain size, usually 30 seconds or less. You may need to use audio editing software on your computer to trim the file length and export it in the proper format.1

If the ringtone plays at full song length instead of a short clip, you likely did not properly edit and export the file. Go back into the audio software and trim it to be 30 seconds or less. Make sure to export and save as a new file instead of just overwriting the original. Then transfer the edited file to your phone and set it as the ringtone again.2

It may also help to restart your phone after changing the ringtone to make sure the setting takes effect. If you continue having issues, check the phone or app settings to see if there are any restrictions on custom ringtones and file formats.

Customizing ringtones for notifications and alarms

You can use the same process described above to set custom tones for other alerts and notifications on your iPhone, such as for:

• Text message notifications – Set a unique tone for new incoming texts using the Sounds & Haptics settings. You can even customize text tones for individual contacts. Apple Support
• Alarm tones – Choose a custom track to wake up to by editing the default alarms under the Alarm section of the Clock app.
• Email notifications – Assign custom email alert tones for each email account under Settings > Notifications > Mail > [account name].
• Calendar alerts – Edit the default Calendar alerts to add your custom tones under Settings > Calendar > Default Alert Tone.

Setting unique ringtones and alert tones for different notifications and contacts helps you identify the type and urgency of each alert at a glance just by the sound.

Creative Ideas for Custom Ringtones

Beyond just using songs for ringtones, you can get creative and use other audio clips like movie quotes, jokes, or sound effects. This can add a fun, unique touch to your notifications.

Some ideas include using:

• Iconic movie quotes like “I’ll be back” from The Terminator or “You talking to me?” from Taxi Driver
• Funny audio clips from comedy shows or YouTube videos
• Custom text-to-speech recordings saying your name or a silly phrase
• Popular meme sound effects or VRChat audio
• Short music riffs from video games like Super Mario Bros or The Legend of Zelda
• Nature sounds like bird songs, ocean waves or rainfall
• Your pet’s unique sounds like barking, meowing or chirping

The key is picking distinct, recognizable audio clips that will make you smile whenever you hear them. You can also coordinate custom ringtones for certain contacts, like using the Pac Man death sound for your mom or the Law & Order theme for your boss.

While overused meme sounds might annoy some around you, having a few novelty ringtones keeps things lighthearted. Just be thoughtful of your surroundings when using loud or repetitive audio clips.