Ringtone Maker

How to make a ringtone

1. Choose a song: MP3, M4A, WAV, FLAC or any other format your browser can play. The selection starts on the loudest 30 seconds, which is often the chorus.
2. Drag the shaded window or its handles to the part you want, or type exact start and end times. On a keyboard, focus a handle and use the arrow keys.
3. Leave the fade-in and fade-out on so the tone doesn't start or stop with a click, then press Play selection to hear it loop.
4. Download the MP3 for Android, or for an iPhone using the Files app or GarageBand. Download the M4R if you'll copy it to an iPhone from a computer.
5. Follow the steps below for your phone.

Set it as your ringtone on an iPhone

There are three ways to add your own ringtone. The Files app is the quickest if your iPhone runs iOS 26 or later; GarageBand works on older versions too.

With the Files app (iOS 26 or later)

1. Download the MP3 on your iPhone. Safari saves it to the Downloads folder in the Files app by default. If you made it on a computer, AirDrop it to the phone and save it to Files.
2. Open the Files app and tap the file.
3. Tap the Share button, then Use as Ringtone. If you don't see it, scroll the list of actions or tap More.
4. Open Settings › Sounds & Haptics › Ringtone and choose your new tone.

The clip has to be 30 seconds or shorter, and it can be an MP3 or M4A file. Some people found the option missing or unreliable in early iOS 26 releases; if that happens, update iOS or use GarageBand.

With GarageBand

1. Save the MP3 to the Files app and install GarageBand from the App Store if you don't have it.
2. In GarageBand, create a new audio recording. Tap the Tracks view button, then the Loop Browser button, and choose Files to find your MP3.
3. Drag the file into the track and all the way to the left, so it starts at the beginning.
4. Go to My Songs, select the project, tap Share, then tap Ringtone. Name it and tap Export.
5. Tap Use sound as to make it your standard ringtone, or assign it to a contact.

GarageBand ringtones can be up to 30 seconds long. If yours is longer, GarageBand offers to shorten it for you.

From a computer (M4R)

Download the M4R and connect the iPhone with a cable. On a Mac, select the iPhone in the Finder sidebar and drag the file onto its General tab; on Windows, drag it onto the iPhone in the iTunes sidebar. The tone then appears in Settings › Sounds & Haptics › Ringtone. Tones synced this way were allowed up to 40 seconds, but Apple Community guides now suggest 30 seconds for recent macOS versions, and several users report that dragging tones onto an iPhone stopped working in macOS Sequoia. If nothing copies, use one of the methods above.

Set it as your ringtone on Android

Menu names vary by phone maker and Android version, but the steps are close to these. Put the MP3 on the phone first, either by downloading it there or by copying it over a cable.

Google Pixel and other phones with stock Android

1. Open Settings › Sound & vibration › Phone ringtone.
2. Tap My Sounds, then the + button.
3. Pick your MP3 and tap Save.

Samsung Galaxy

1. Open Settings › Sounds and vibration › Ringtone.
2. Tap the + (Add) button. Tap Allow if the phone asks for access to your files.
3. Choose your MP3, then tap Done.

On many Android phones you can also copy the file into a folder called Ringtones in internal storage; it then shows up in the ringtone list.

Ringtone length limits and formats

Phones repeat the ringtone until you answer or the call goes to voicemail. A short fade at each end makes that repeat sound smoother than a clip that cuts off mid-word, which is what the Loop preview is for. Ringtones made here are encoded at 192 kbps, so a 30-second tone is about 700 KB.

What is an M4R file?

An M4R file is AAC audio in an MPEG-4 container, the same kind of file as an .m4a. Only the extension differs, and it's what tells Finder and iTunes to treat the file as a ringtone rather than a song. This tool encodes M4R files with your browser's built-in AAC encoder (WebCodecs), so the option only appears where the browser has one: for example Chrome or Edge on Windows and macOS, and Safari 26 or later. Firefox and browsers on desktop Linux don't include an AAC encoder, so they get the MP3 option only.

Tips for a ringtone that works

• Start just before a strong moment, such as the first beat of the chorus, rather than in the middle of a word.
• Listen to the loop a few times. A part that sounds great once can get tiring on the fifth repeat.
• If the song is quiet, raise it first with the Volume Booster so you can hear it ring from another room.
• Use a file you own. Songs from Apple Music, Spotify and other streaming apps are DRM-protected and can't be turned into ringtones.

Frequently asked questions

How long can an iPhone ringtone be?

30 seconds if you set it on the phone with the Files app (iOS 26 or later) or GarageBand. M4R tones copied from a computer were allowed up to 40 seconds, though recent macOS versions are less reliable with anything over 30. Android has no fixed limit.

Why don't I see the M4R option?

M4R export needs an AAC encoder in the browser. Firefox and browsers on desktop Linux don't have one, and Safari added one in Safari 26. Download the MP3 instead: on iOS 26 or later you can set it from the Files app, and GarageBand on iPhone accepts MP3 files too.

Can I make a ringtone from an Apple Music or Spotify song?

No. Songs downloaded in streaming apps are DRM-protected and only play inside those apps, so neither this tool nor GarageBand can open them. Use a file you own, such as a purchased MP3, a CD rip or your own recording.

Do I need iTunes or a computer?

No. On iOS 26 or later the Files app can set an MP3 as your ringtone directly, and GarageBand does it on the iPhone with older versions. A computer is only needed if you want to copy an M4R file with Finder or iTunes.

Is my song uploaded anywhere?

No. The song is decoded, trimmed and encoded inside your browser tab. Your files never leave your device, and closing the tab clears everything.

Sources

1. Apple Support: Create a custom ringtone on your iPhone (GarageBand steps and 30-second limit)
2. MacRumors (June 2025): iOS 26 lets you set custom ringtones without using GarageBand
3. Apple Community user guide: Create and manage ringtones (40-second history, Finder and iTunes transfer)
4. Samsung Support: Set a ringtone on your Galaxy phone or tablet
5. 9to5Google: How to set a custom ringtone on Google Pixel
6. MDN Web Docs: WebCodecs codec selection (AAC encoding support by browser)

Your files never leave your device. Everything on this page runs locally in your browser: there's no upload, no account and nothing stored on a server.