The fastest way: use GarageBand to create and assign a ringtone

The simplest path is to use an existing song in your Music app and turn it into a ringtone with GarageBand, Apple's built-in audio app. GarageBand lets you trim any song to 30 seconds or less, save it as a ringtone file, and assign it to a contact or use it as your default ringtone — all without leaving your iPhone.

You do not need to buy anything or use a computer. The whole process takes about five minutes once you have a song picked out. If you want to use a ringtone you already own or downloaded, this is the method to use.

Key Takeaways

  • GarageBand on your iPhone can trim any song from your Music app to 30 seconds and save it as a ringtone without a computer.
  • You can assign a custom ringtone to a specific contact so only their calls use that sound, or set one as your default for all incoming calls.
  • Ringtones purchased from the iTunes Store install automatically and appear in Settings > Sounds & Haptics without any extra steps.
  • If you have a ringtone file on your computer, you can add it to your iPhone through Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows) by connecting with a cable.

Creating a ringtone in GarageBand step by step

Open GarageBand on your iPhone and tap the plus icon to create a new project. Choose "Audio Recorder" as your instrument type. On the next screen, tap "Loops" at the bottom — this opens your Music library. Find the song you want to use and tap it to add it to your project.

Once the song is in GarageBand, you will see a waveform at the top of the screen. Pinch the waveform to zoom in, then drag the yellow handles at the start and end to trim the song down to 30 seconds or less. Ringtones cannot be longer than 30 seconds, so GarageBand will not let you save it otherwise.

When you have trimmed it, tap the three dots in the top right corner and select "Share". Choose "Ringtone" from the menu. Name your ringtone, then tap "Export". GarageBand will ask where you want to save it — tap "Use as Ringtone" to set it as your default, or tap "Save to Files" if you want to keep it for later.

Assigning a ringtone to a specific contact

If you want only certain people to use a custom ringtone, open the Contacts app and find the person you want to assign it to. Tap "Edit" in the top right, then scroll down and tap "Ringtone". You will see a list of all available ringtones — both the ones that came with your iPhone and any custom ones you created in GarageBand.

Tap the ringtone you want to use, then tap "Done" and "Done" again to save the change. Now whenever that contact calls, your iPhone will play the ringtone you chose instead of your default one.

Buying ringtones from the iTunes Store

You can purchase ringtones directly from Apple through the iTunes Store on your computer or through the Finder app on Mac. Open iTunes or Finder, go to the iTunes Store, and search for "ringtones". Browse by artist or song title, then click the price to buy.

Once you buy a ringtone, it downloads to your computer and syncs to your iPhone the next time you connect with a cable or through iCloud. The ringtone will appear automatically in Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone on your iPhone, ready to use. You do not need to do anything else.

Ringtones from the iTunes Store are usually 99 cents each. They are pre-trimmed to 30 seconds and ready to use immediately.

Adding a ringtone file from your computer

If you have a ringtone file saved on your computer (usually a .m4r file), you can move it to your iPhone using Finder on Mac or iTunes on Windows. Connect your iPhone to your computer with a USB cable.

On Mac, open Finder and click your iPhone in the sidebar under Locations. Click the "Files" tab, then drag your ringtone file into the list. On Windows, open iTunes, click your iPhone at the top, go to "Tones", and drag the ringtone file into the window. Disconnect your iPhone when the transfer is complete.

The ringtone will now appear in Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone on your iPhone and in the Contacts app when you want to assign it to a specific person.

Ringtones that come built in to your iPhone

Your iPhone comes with dozens of ringtones already installed. To see them, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone. Scroll through the list and tap any one to hear a preview. The ringtone with a checkmark is your current default.

These built-in ringtones are always available and do not take up storage space. You can switch between them at any time, and you can also assign them to individual contacts the same way you would assign a custom ringtone.

Troubleshooting ringtones that do not appear

If a ringtone you created in GarageBand does not show up in Settings, make sure you exported it as a ringtone and not just as an audio file. GarageBand must save it specifically as a ringtone file for it to appear in the ringtone list. If you saved it to Files instead, go back to GarageBand, open the project, and export it again — this time choose "Use as Ringtone".

If a ringtone you bought from iTunes does not appear, disconnect your iPhone from your computer and wait a few minutes. Sometimes the ringtone takes a moment to sync. If it still does not show up, try restarting your iPhone by turning it off and back on.

If you assigned a ringtone to a contact but it is not playing when they call, check that the contact's ringtone setting was saved. Open Contacts, tap the person's name, tap Edit, and scroll down to Ringtone to confirm the choice is still there.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes, but only if you own the song or have downloaded it to your device. Songs you stream from Apple Music without downloading will not work in GarageBand. Download the song first by tapping the cloud icon next to it in the Music app, then open it in GarageBand.

What file types work as ringtones on iPhone?

iPhone ringtones must be in .m4r format and no longer than 30 seconds. GarageBand automatically saves in the correct format when you choose "Ringtone" as your export option. If you are adding a ringtone from your computer, make sure the file is .m4r before you try to sync it.

Can I use a ringtone I found online?

Yes, if the file is in .m4r format. Download it to your computer, then use Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows) to move it to your iPhone. If the file is in a different format like .mp3, you will need to convert it to .m4r first using a free online converter or audio software.

Will my custom ringtone stay if I update my iPhone?

Custom ringtones you created in GarageBand or synced from your computer are backed up to iCloud. When you update your iPhone or restore from a backup, your ringtones will return automatically. Ringtones you bought from iTunes are tied to your Apple ID and will also restore.

Can I delete a ringtone I no longer want?

You cannot delete the ringtones that came with your iPhone, but you can delete custom ones. Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone, swipe left on the custom ringtone you want to remove, and tap Delete. If the ringtone is assigned to a contact, remove it from that contact first by editing their entry in Contacts.