Video: Make iPhone ringtones with iTunes 8.0

Here's a thought: instead of wading through dozens of ringtone-making apps to find one suited to your iPhone, why not try--what else?--iTunes for Windows and Mac?

In this Insider Secrets video, CNET Editor Brian Tong gives you the lowdown on producing ringtones for your Apple phone using nothing but Apple's own free music library and player.

Jessica Dolcourt reviews the latest and greatest smartphone apps, in addition to a healthy dose of Windows software. E-mail Jessica and follow her on Twitter.

Topics:: Mac Software,; Mobile Software,; Windows Software

Tags:: Ringtones,; iTunes,; Insider Secrets

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by craw4dm October 4, 2008 7:24 AM PDT: Wow! Thank you!!!; Like this Reply to this comment


by Rufus4leekin October 4, 2008 2:26 PM PDT: There's a way to do this with protected files also: Burn your protected files as an audio c.d... After it is finished burning, import that c.d. back into iTunes as AAC files... You now have unprotected files to create ringtones with...; Like this Reply to this comment

by jeveleth October 6, 2008 12:13 PM PDT

Was this removed with 8.0.1? There is no "Create AAC Version" available it seems with iTunes 8.0.1

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by jimpearceuk October 19, 2008 1:44 PM PDT: I added a comment to hopefully solve your issue - cheers; Like this


by jimpearceuk October 19, 2008 1:42 PM PDT: No that's because you have mp3 set on import settings. Goto iTunes preferences and on the general tab click import settings - change this to "AAC Encoder" from mp3. Save and when you right click a track you get the option to create AAC version. (iTunes 8.0.1); Like this Reply to this comment


by bigfelt October 28, 2008 1:06 PM PDT: this video was a great help; Like this Reply to this comment


by cjf1709 October 30, 2008 3:49 AM PDT: I am using Itunes v8.01.11 and followed the video to make a ringtone which appears now in the library, ringtones folder but wont sync with my iphone. Any ideas?; Like this Reply to this comment


by mrsulliv89 November 2, 2008 5:43 PM PST: I added it to my iPhone but its not showing up in settings under ringtones. Anyone else have this problem?; Like this Reply to this comment

by pwhack November 7, 2008 8:12 AM PST

I have the same problem. On my mac I can see the new ringtone in my ringtones folder and under ringtones on my iphone but it does not show up on my iphone itself. Furthermore, when I go to sync ringtones I get an ominous message that all my music, videos, tv shows and ringtones will be erased from my mac. What gives?

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by leader61 November 3, 2009 9:20 AM PST: I had this problem, when I went to music on itunes i unchecked sync for the ringtones then syncd. then recheck sync all ringtones and it added both of them to the phone. It seems that you have to remove any existing ringtones from your phone and add them back in whenever you have more to add. Anyway it worked.; Like this

by fleubis November 13, 2008 6:13 PM PST

I also have the same problem. My ringtone shows up in the ringtone folder in iTunes, but after SYNC it does not appear on my iPhone. Back to the drawing board on this one, I guess.

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by huanle007 December 25, 2008 7:40 PM PST: I had the same problem. I figured out (or at least think) that your ringtone must be 40 seconds or less. All of my sub-40 sec ringtones loaded to the iPhone but the others did not. So I went back and cut the larger one down to 40 seconds. Lo and behold, it worked. Snip your ringtones shorter and see if that fixes the problem; it did for me. Just to be safe, you might want to limit it to 30 secs. Hope this helps!; Like this

by wynnie_7 November 13, 2008 9:56 PM PST

i am doing all the steps required to a "t" but everytime i try to drag my ringtone over to the desktop it turns into a MPEG4 file and i cant change it to a m4r file why is this?? very frustrating

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by drepaci February 17, 2009 5:40 PM PST: I have also followed all of the steps,when i drag back to itunes the file does not show up in ringtones.; Like this

by g00033861 November 16, 2008 11:52 AM PST

hello i already did the steps .. but when i sync my iphone ... the ringtones are not there... what should i do to make my ringtones appear in my iphone?? ThanX

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by kimktb December 19, 2008 1:39 PM PST: Open iTunes Click on ?Ringtones? in the library Right Click on the ringtone that will not properly copy to your iPhone. Click ?Get Info? Click on the ?Info? tab Make sure you have entered something in ?Name? , ?Artist?, ?Album Artist? and ?Album? Now re-sync ringtones to your iPhone Hope this works. I had the same problem until I filled in these fields.; Like this


by huanle007 December 25, 2008 7:41 PM PST: Was it longer than 40 seconds? If so, cut it down to 30-40 secs and see if it works. I had the same problem until I made mine shorter.; Like this


by pegasus7777777 January 8, 2009 12:41 PM PST: To the fellow whose post to this was Dec 19 2008 1:39... Thankyou..thankyou...your comment to fill in the "Name", "Artist", "Album Artist", etc..worked perfect I ripped from my CD using ImTooPeg Encoder Standard to MP3 then used Audacity to select the exact 15 second clip I wanted then exported to a WAV format and chose to play that WAV file with itunes created an ACC file in itunes and dragged to the desktop to change extension to an M4r dragged to my library itunes ringtones...synced up..and voila... phewf...; Like this

by Ssnake323 November 18, 2008 4:50 PM PST

To all who are having issues syncing user created ringtones with your Iphones and not seeing the ringtones on you device. When you connect your iPhone to your mac or pc make sure you click on your iphone in the iTunes side bar, then from the top tabs, it should be on "Summary" by default select the "Ringtones" tab. Make sure the "Sync ringtones" tab is selected and "All ringtones" options is selected as well. Or make sure you select the newly created ringtones from the list (they should auto populate). This was my problem, and yes, my Iphone is Jail-broken.

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by lanie3261 March 21, 2009 5:21 AM PDT: This worked like a charm! Thanks, Ssnake323!; Like this


by rustysnail26 November 24, 2008 6:58 PM PST: Works like magic for me..; Like this Reply to this comment


by BenFlavoredCandy December 2, 2008 12:05 PM PST: In 8.0.2 they have added a "make ringtone" feature for songs purchased from the iTunes store. Unfortunately, it ONLY works on songs purchased from the iTunes store, so any self-rips still need to be converted using the method in the video.; Like this Reply to this comment


by technopak December 16, 2008 2:15 AM PST: A really good instruction video. Thank you ! However, I came up against a similar problem to others above - my new ringtone appeared in the Ringtones section of iTunes but wouldn't sync to my iPhone. I then discovered that my new ringtone wasn't listed in the Ringtones section of my iPhone in iTunes and wondered why. Some web browsing revealed one thing which doesn't get mentioned in the video - the maximum time length of your custom ringtone is 40 seconds. Ringtones longer than 40 seconds do not appear in the Ringtone panel of the iPhone in iTunes and consequently do not sync. I shortened my new ringtone to 24 seconds and it synchronised perfectly. Hope this helps :-); Like this Reply to this comment

by jerry2648 December 23, 2008 10:15 AM PST

In changing the file name, my was an mp3 so I changed it to an mp3r. Is that right?

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by huanle007 December 25, 2008 7:44 PM PST: No, you have to convert the song to AAC or Apple Lossless when you make the ringtone (someone covered this in the above posts). Then drag it to desktop, change file from m4a to m4r. Yours was my problem before, I converted it to mp3 and it did not work. Got to be AAC or Lossless.; Like this


by chach769 January 13, 2009 8:48 AM PST: Dude this post rocks. Appreciate the help. Ive been dying to do this! Ive sent it out to everyone I know who has an iPhone!; Like this Reply to this comment


by sfacci January 17, 2009 9:56 PM PST: Worked like a charm. Great video!; Like this Reply to this comment


by siteklimax January 19, 2009 1:35 AM PST: WOW THANKS!!!! SO EASY AN QUICK.. 10 ON THIS VID. KEEP UP THE AWESOME WORK; Like this Reply to this comment


by dagooch006 January 27, 2009 10:29 PM PST: Thank you again cnet! Usually first place I look for these kinds of answers. I think even the most tech. illiterate person should be able to follow this.; Like this Reply to this comment