The simplest way to make a ringtone from a song you own

You can create a ringtone from any song in your iTunes library or Apple Music by using GarageBand, the free music app that comes on every iPhone. GarageBand lets you trim the song to 30 seconds or less, then save it as a ringtone that appears in your phone's ringtone settings. The whole process takes about five minutes and requires no other apps or a computer.

The ringtone you create will only work on your iPhone — it won't transfer to Android or older phones. If you want to use the same ringtone on multiple Apple devices, you'll need to create it once and it will sync across them through iCloud.

Key Takeaways

  • GarageBand is the free app built into iPhone that lets you trim any song to 30 seconds and save it as a ringtone.
  • Your song must be 30 seconds or shorter to work as a ringtone, and you'll trim it using GarageBand's editing tools.
  • Once you save the ringtone from GarageBand, it appears automatically in Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone.
  • You can only create ringtones from songs you own or have in your iTunes library — not from Apple Music streaming songs.

Getting the song into GarageBand

Open GarageBand on your iPhone and tap the plus sign in the top right corner. Tap "Audio Recorder" to create a new project. At the bottom of the screen, tap the loop button (it looks like a circular arrow) to open the sound library.

Swipe left to find "Music" in the library menu. Tap "Music" and you'll see all the songs in your iTunes library. Find the song you want to use and tap it once — it will appear as a blue bar in your project. This is the song you'll trim down to make your ringtone.

Trimming the song to 30 seconds

Tap the blue song bar once to select it. You'll see two handles (small vertical lines) at the left and right edges of the bar. These let you cut off the beginning and end of the song. Drag the left handle to the right to skip past any intro you don't want — most people start their ringtone about 10 to 15 seconds into the song where the main part begins.

Drag the right handle to the left until the total length is 30 seconds or less. You can see the exact time at the top of the screen. The shorter you make it, the faster it will ring when someone calls. Most ringtones work best between 15 and 25 seconds.

Saving your ringtone

Once your song is trimmed, tap the three dots in the top right corner of GarageBand. Tap "Share" and then select "Ringtone." A box will pop up asking you to name your ringtone — type something you'll recognize, like "Birthday Song" or "Mom's Call." Tap "Export."

GarageBand will ask for permission to access your phone's sounds. Tap "Allow" and then "Save as Ringtone." Your ringtone is now saved to your phone.

Setting your new ringtone as your default

Open Settings and tap "Sounds & Haptics." Tap "Ringtone" and you'll see your new custom ringtone at the top of the list with a checkmark next to it — it's already set as your default. If you want to use it only for certain contacts, go back to Contacts, find the person, tap "Edit," and select "Ringtone" to assign your custom sound to just that contact.

Your ringtone will now play whenever someone calls you. If you ever want to delete it, go back to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone, swipe left on the ringtone name, and tap "Delete."

Why some songs won't work

If you try to add a song from Apple Music (the streaming service) instead of your iTunes library, GarageBand won't let you use it. Apple Music songs are protected by copyright rules that prevent them from being turned into ringtones. You can only use songs you've purchased or downloaded to your phone.

If a song is longer than 40 seconds and you can't trim it down enough, it won't save as a ringtone — the 30-second limit is a hard rule on iPhones. Some very short songs or sound effects may also fail if they're in an unusual audio format, though this is rare with songs from iTunes.

Using ringtones from other sources

If you want a ringtone that's not based on a song — like a funny sound effect or a voice message — you can record it directly in GarageBand. Tap "Audio Recorder" instead of adding music, hit the red record button, and speak or play the sound into your phone's microphone. Then trim and save it the same way.

You can also read ringtones from websites that sell them, though most cost money. Once downloaded, they appear in your ringtone list automatically. The GarageBand method is free and gives you complete control over what your ringtone sounds like.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a song from Apple Music as a ringtone?

No. Apple Music songs are protected and can't be converted to ringtones. You can only use songs you've purchased through iTunes or downloaded to your phone. If you want to use an Apple Music song, you'll need to purchase it first.

What if my ringtone doesn't play when someone calls?

Check that your phone isn't in silent mode — the mute switch on the side of your iPhone silences ringtones. Also go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics and make sure the ringtone volume slider is turned up. If the ringtone is set to a specific contact, verify you assigned it correctly by opening that contact and checking the ringtone field.

Can I share my custom ringtone with someone else?

Not directly through the ringtone system. You can send them the original song file and they can create their own ringtone using GarageBand, but ringtones themselves don't transfer between phones. If they have an iPhone, they'll need to follow the same steps with their own copy of the song.

Will my ringtone work on my iPad or Mac?

Ringtones only work on iPhones. iPads and Macs don't have ringtones because they don't make phone calls. If you want notification sounds on those devices, you'll need to set them up separately through their own sound settings.