Change your ringtone through Settings

Open the Settings app on your iPhone and tap Sounds & Haptics (on older models, this may say Sounds). Scroll down and tap Ringtone. You will see a list of built-in ringtones — tap any one to hear a preview, then tap it again to select it. The checkmark shows which ringtone is currently active.

This method works on all iPhone models and takes about 30 seconds. The ringtone you choose here is what plays when someone calls you from the phone app, not when you receive messages or other notifications. Once you select a ringtone, it becomes your default for all incoming calls unless you override it for a specific contact.

Key Takeaways

  • Your ringtone setting is in Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone, and you can hear each option before you choose it.
  • The ringtone you set here applies only to incoming calls, not to text messages, FaceTime, or other alerts.
  • You can use a song from your Music library as a ringtone if you first convert it using GarageBand or a computer.
  • If your phone is silent or on vibrate mode, the ringtone will not play even if one is selected.

Use a song from your Music library as a ringtone

If you want a song you own as your ringtone instead of the built-in options, you need to create a ringtone file first. On a Mac or Windows computer, open GarageBand (Mac) or use a free tool like Audacity (Windows). Import your song, trim it to 30 seconds or less, and export it as an M4R file. This file format is what iPhones recognize as a ringtone.

Once you have the M4R file, connect your iPhone to your computer and open Finder (Mac) or File Explorer (Windows). Drag the M4R file onto your iPhone. Then go back to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone, and your custom ringtone will appear at the top of the list. You can now select it just like any built-in tone.

Check that your phone is not on silent

If you have set a ringtone but your phone does not ring when someone calls, check the physical switch on the left side of your iPhone. If the switch shows orange or red, your phone is in silent mode and will only vibrate. Flip the switch so no color shows to turn off silent mode and allow the ringtone to play.

You can also check in Settings > Sounds & Haptics and look at the Ringer and Alerts slider near the top. If it is all the way to the left, the volume is muted. Drag it to the right to turn up the ringer volume. The slider position directly controls how loud your ringtone will be when a call comes in.

Set different ringtones for different contacts

You can assign a custom ringtone to a specific person so you know who is calling without looking at your phone. Open the Contacts app, find the person, and tap Edit. Tap Ringtone and choose which tone you want for that contact. Tap Done when you finish.

When that person calls, their assigned ringtone will play instead of your default one. This works with any ringtone in your list, including custom ones you created. You can set a different ringtone for as many contacts as you want, making it easy to identify callers by sound alone.

Understand the difference between ringtone and notification sounds

Your ringtone is only for phone calls. Text messages, FaceTime calls, reminders, and other notifications use separate sounds that you set in different places. For example, to change your text message sound, go to Settings > Messages > Sounds, or for FaceTime, go to Settings > FaceTime > Sounds.

If you want the same sound for everything, you will need to set it in each location separately. There is no single setting that controls all notification sounds at once. This separation lets you have a loud ringtone for calls while keeping message alerts quieter or different.

Restore the default ringtone if you want to go back

If you have changed your ringtone and want to return to the original, go back to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone and select Marimba, which is Apple's default ringtone. You can also choose any other built-in tone from the list at any time.

Changing your ringtone does not affect any other settings on your phone, so you can switch between tones as often as you want without any risk. There is no limit to how many times you can change it, and each change takes effect immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my ringtone not playing when someone calls?

Check three things: first, make sure the silent switch on the left side of your phone is not in the on position (no orange or red showing). Second, check that the Ringer and Alerts volume slider in Settings > Sounds & Haptics is turned up. Third, confirm that you actually have a ringtone selected by going back to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone and tapping one.

Can I use any song as a ringtone?

You can use any song you own, but you have to convert it to an M4R file first using GarageBand or another audio tool on a computer. Songs you bought from iTunes or Apple Music can be converted, but songs from streaming services like Spotify usually cannot be used because of copyright protection.

Does changing my ringtone affect my text message alerts?

No. Your ringtone only controls the sound for incoming phone calls. Text messages, FaceTime, and other notifications have their own separate sounds that you set in different settings menus. You can change them independently without affecting your ringtone.

What if I want different ringtones for different people?

Open Contacts, find the person, tap Edit, then tap Ringtone and choose which tone you want for them. When that person calls, their custom ringtone will play instead of your default one. You can set a different ringtone for as many contacts as you want.

How do I know if my custom ringtone was added successfully?

After you drag the M4R file to your iPhone and disconnect it from your computer, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone. Your custom ringtone should appear at the very top of the list, above all the built-in options. Tap it to hear a preview and confirm it sounds correct.