The Apple blog published a nice article explaining how to create free ringtones using only the Apple iTunes software. The only restriction of that method is that the song needs to reside on the hard drive of the user so that a ringtone can be created from it.
The method is pretty straightforward but requires a bit of manual work. Start by right-clicking the song in iTunes that you want to create a ringtone from and select Get Info from the context menu. Click on the Options tab in the new window and pick a start and stop time for the ringer. It has to be exactly 30 seconds or less so consider this. Click Ok when you are done.
Now right-click the song and select Convert Selection to AAC from the menu. Now open your iTunes music library and drag and drop the newly created song to another location on the hard drive and delete the song in the iTunes library.
Now change the extension of the song from .m4a to .m4r and add it again to iTunes. You can either import it from within iTunes or double-click it if iTunes is the program of choice to open that file.
Related posts:
Get Free iPhone Ringtones from iTunesFree Ringtones for your iPhone
Create your own mp3 ringtones
Create Ringtones with Audacity and Youtube
Remove personal information from iTunes DRM free songs
what about new windows that dont have the m4a shit??
Hi, Great advice, however I can’t find the convert selection button that you mentioned. Help!!
Thanks!
it wont let me convert it because of protected files HELP!!!!
same as nick, wont let me convert “protected files”
same as them^^ it wont let me convert.. please help me lmao :]
I do not see where I can change the file from .m4a.. WTF?
My files are labeled as MPEG-4 audio files
You are all lame especially you “mike”. Look at what the article says… “change the extension of the file from .m4a to .m4r”. Got it? You just highlight the “a” in .m4a and change it to “r”.
how do you find the extension to change if from m4a to m4r????
you have to go to control panel, open folder options, choose view, and deselect where it says hide extensions from known files types, doing this u will be able to rename m4a to m4r
Regarding the protection issue: The idiot-proof way is the burn the song you want to an audio cd (like that would work in your car). Delete the original song, put the disc in your computer and import it to iTunes. It will now be in unprotected mp3 format. Also, the new version of iTunes reads “create AAC version” rather than “convert selection to AAC”. Use your head, people.
does it work if i want a ringtone for a phone that isnt an iphone?
Alaya, you moron, it’s easy.
I did as told per the instruction. I was able to generate the ringtone in the .mr4 format and it will play in itunes but it will not upload to the iphone as a purchased ringtone had. Any ideas?
It has to be changed into a “.m4r” NOT a “.mr4″, dunno if that was a typo or a legit mistake…You also need to make sure you’ve deleted the AAC version within iTunes before you click on ur new .m4r version of the song. By doing this it will force itunes to read it as a purchased ringtone.
You must also make sure to keep ur ringtone under 30 seconds long or else the iPhone will not recognize it as a ringtone and therefore will not show up within the phone
Just like to point out, to change the extension of the file, we need to enable hidden file extensions
For Windows XP
1. Open My Computer
2. Click on Tools -> Options
3. Go to the view tab
4. Find the entry in that section that says “Hide extensions for known file types” and take the tick OUT of the box
5. Press ok
Vista
1. Open My Computer
2. Click on Organise -> Options
3. Go to the view tab
4. Find the entry in that section that says “Hide extensions for known file types” and take the tick OUT of the box
5. Press ok
Then we can just change the .m4a to .m4r
brilliant. to all those struggling, if you really read the instructions, its quite simple. good luck.
i am not a computer guy. just read carefully the instruction and I am able to make my favourite song as the rigntone. I can do it, you can all do it.
Worked like a charm, I just had to enable hidden file extensions.