Make custom iPhone ringtones work with iTunes 7.4.1
Update: Amazingly, iPhone 1.1.2 update re-enabled the m4r-rename hack. This all works again!
I just tested it quickly by renaming a previous home-made ringtone file to m4r and double-clicking. It imported, synced to and played on my iPhone without any other steps.
Currently there are no known ringtone hacks for iPhone 1.1.1.
Apple, you’re pissing off your fans. Don’t do this. [we’ll just be over here pretending you listened!]
This totally seems like it shouldn’t work.
If you’re seeing “cannot be played on this iPhone errors” like this:
Open your iTunes Library folder and find the Ringtones folder: iTunes Music/Ringtones
.
Select your ringtone and change the file extension back to m4a. Yes, m4a.
Sync again and your custom ringtone should be working on your iPhone. Nice.
Update: Confirmed for Windows XP & Vista
Thanks to commenter Robbie, building on steps from Jason Choi, here’s how to get custom ringtones working in Windows:
- Put m4r files into a ringtones folder on my desktop
- Opened iTunes
- Edit > Preferences > Advanced
- Check “Keep iTunes Music folder organized”
- Check “Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library”
- Create playlist called “Ringtones” in iTunes
- Drag the Ringtones folder from my desktop to the playlist I created in iTunes
- Made sure they appeared when in the list on the Ringtones tab in iTunes
- Opened the “Ringtones” folder that iTunes created in
MusiciTunesiTunes MusicRingtones
- Renamed all the m4r files to m4a
- Try to sync but it fails because it cannot find the m4r files (this is good)
- Look at playlist created in iTunes with a bunch of Xs next to each ringtone
- Double click each ringtone (hit browse for the file, and selected each m4a file from the folder in my
MusiciTunesiTunes MusicRingtones
) - Hit sync again
- Verify they are in your Settings>Sounds>Ringtones