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new iTunes - How to Add Ringtones for FREE

Hey guys, im new to the forums. I am trying to convert the ringtones and when i go to sync my iPhone i get the "song cannot be played on this iPhone" error message. I tried converting the file back to .m4a and it doesnt work. I am running iTunes 7.4.1 and unfortunatly am running a PC.

Im not sure if this has been answered yet and if it has im sorry i must have missed it. But can anyone help.

Thanks
 
For what it maybe worth

While I can understand that many people here have slammed Apple for trying to close a loophole in sending Ringtones to the iPhone, and I suspect it won't be the last time either, I am willing to bet that the next version of iTunes will also change something to break it again..

While perhaps some of its greed, specially when you compare it to other companies, Verizon I think is $2.99, Sprint I've heard is $2.49 and they last 90 days, what a rip that is.. AT&T for other phones if I recall is $2.49.. and you don't even get to choose the 30 seconds you get.

However, the other part of this equation, which I could be wrong is the wonderful RIAA, you can't even play music in most any business without some sort of Royalty payment, so I think part of the additional cost for Apple is that they cannot merely hack the song into your clip without charging for it.. because it probably costs them because of the RIAA, how much? Who knows.. But I suspect it does.. So, I just don't think all this is all Apple's fault...
 
helppp

hey im new to the forums and found this thread when i was browsing google.


i did all the steps right and converted the aac file to .m4r and it shows up in my ringtones folder and everything but when i try and sync the song to my iphone it says that the file was not copied to the iphone because it cannot be played on this iphone. someone please help me out. thanks
 
iPhone DIY ringtone problems answered!

I've been reading this forum for a while now and see that some of you get the error message "this ringtone can't be played on this iPhone" or something like that. You are missing the last two steps or the last one step of the process. Here are the steps you might not be doing:

1. Convert file to AAC (from iTunes by right-clicking or using your own program like "switch" for the Mac)
2. Show in finder --> open with QT
3. Trim Audio to desired length using QT
4. DO NOT OVERWRITE ORIGINAL FILE.. Save to desktop
5. rename file to .m4r through GET INFO
6. Open with iTunes
Should go straight to Ringtone zone
7. Click ringtone --> Show in finder (or locate the file manually since the ringtones library has a problem showing ringtones in the finder)
8. GET INFO on that file --> change extension back to .m4a
9. Make sure in iPod Menu the ringtones are selected.
10. Sync and enjoy!

The iphone won't accept unrprotected, un-metadata'd ringtones in .m4r, only in aac/m4a. I suppose that those who are getting the "ringtone not playable on iPhone" error message aren't doing steps 7 and 8.

Have fun and let me know if it worked!
 
stillwaiting on if anyone can tell me an app to cut 30 sec of the song so I can set it up as a ringtone. I am using windows vista.
Oh and just to add....I would gladly pay $2.49 to get a ringtone, and have done so in the past but when I got this phone, the choices are too limited. There arent even good ringtones out there. Itunes has a real short choice list. All the other companies have one out as soon as the song hits the charts. Come on Apple catch up and I am sure people will gladly pay for the ringtones, I know I would because all of this file changing and moving is giving me a headache and not to mention my hubby is tired of me sitting here all night because I am bound and determinded to get this to work, lol. :eek:
 
mshel85 said:
stillwaiting on if anyone can tell me an app to cut 30 sec of the song so I can set it up as a ringtone. I am using windows vista.
Oh and just to add....I would gladly pay $2.49 to get a ringtone, and have done so in the past but when I got this phone, the choices are too limited. There arent even good ringtones out there. Itunes has a real short choice list. All the other companies have one out as soon as the song hits the charts. Come on Apple catch up and I am sure people will gladly pay for the ringtones, I know I would because all of this file changing and moving is giving me a headache and not to mention my hubby is tired of me sitting here all night because I am bound and determinded to get this to work, lol. :eek:
Click to expand...

Try Audacity. And if you're using iTunes 7.4.1, you could try iRingz. It's something I made for automating the ringtone process, but it broke in iTunes 7.4.2 :(
 
sashok said:
I've been reading this forum for a while now and see that some of you get the error message "this ringtone can't be played on this iPhone" or something like that. You are missing the last two steps or the last one step of the process. Here are the steps you might not be doing:

1. Convert file to AAC (from iTunes by right-clicking or using your own program like "switch" for the Mac)
2. Show in finder --> open with QT
3. Trim Audio to desired length using QT
4. DO NOT OVERWRITE ORIGINAL FILE.. Save to desktop
5. rename file to .m4r through GET INFO
6. Open with iTunes
Should go straight to Ringtone zone
7. Click ringtone --> Show in finder (or locate the file manually since the ringtones library has a problem showing ringtones in the finder)
8. GET INFO on that file --> change extension back to .m4a
9. Make sure in iPod Menu the ringtones are selected.
10. Sync and enjoy!

The iphone won't accept unrprotected, un-metadata'd ringtones in .m4r, only in aac/m4a. I suppose that those who are getting the "ringtone not playable on iPhone" error message aren't doing steps 7 and 8.

Have fun and let me know if it worked!
Click to expand...


Anyone tried this yet? I downloaded my school's marching band song (hint-hint: The Greatest Marching Band in the History of the Universe) off the internet as an mp3 file and played it off iTunes already, and it would so be really cool to have this as the ringtone. The song isn't avaliable from iTunes (btw: I have 7.4.2) and I don't think it's rights-protected or anything...
 
mshel85 said:
stillwaiting on if anyone can tell me an app to cut 30 sec of the song so I can set it up as a ringtone. I am using windows vista.
Oh and just to add....I would gladly pay $2.49 to get a ringtone, and have done so in the past but when I got this phone, the choices are too limited. There arent even good ringtones out there. Itunes has a real short choice list. All the other companies have one out as soon as the song hits the charts. Come on Apple catch up and I am sure people will gladly pay for the ringtones, I know I would because all of this file changing and moving is giving me a headache and not to mention my hubby is tired of me sitting here all night because I am bound and determinded to get this to work, lol. :eek:
Click to expand...

try goldwave for free from download.com
 
Tell you the truth, i never tried mp3 or anything. I just cut my mp3 down to 30 seconds (just because i wanted it so) and on itunes, i converted it to AAC and renamed it to m4r.

It shows up on the ringtones list on the phone but not on itunes. And even if you resync, it works still.

Ringtones folder is : /private/var/root/Library/Ringtones

I've uploaded Linkin Park - What I've Done.m4r for you guys to test.

http://fragpegs.com/What I've Done.rar
 
So all i have to do is put them in the ringtones folder in m4r? i dont have to like move it in there and then when its in there change it to m4a or something like you had to do with the itunes "hack"
 
Sorry i mistakened, Its m4a format and no, no changes needed.

Edit: from looking at the ringtones folder, you can have mp3 too.
 
No, the way i told you guys no longer works with the new update. I have uninstalled installer.app before installing 1.1.1 but i kept SSH on the phone (and yes, your applications work without installer.app). After the installation of 1.1.1, ssh was removed and the ringtones...
 
nbigdog2000 said:
No, the way i told you guys no longer works with the new update. I have uninstalled installer.app before installing 1.1.1 but i kept SSH on the phone (and yes, your applications work without installer.app). After the installation of 1.1.1, ssh was removed and the ringtones...
Click to expand...

Custom Ring Tones still do work.
To add a ring tone you need iTunes 7.4.0 and makeiphoneringtone.

http://www.rogueamoeba.com/freebies/

The way to do this is actually really dumb, and I dont know why this works.
First make your ring tone and change the extenstion to .m4r
Double click to add to iTunes. It will show up under the ring tones tab and if you sync your phone it will be in your ringtones list. At this point the ring tone will not play.
Now, rename the ringtone in the finder back to .m4a and add it to iTunes using MakeiPhoneRingtone. It is going to add the same file into your ringtone tab a second time, but when you sync the phone there will only be one in the list on the phone and it will now play.
I had 2 ring tones that I needed to delete and do a 2nd time for them to work, but I have added 9 ring tones to my phone with the 1.1.1 update installed.
 
stonedgrace said:
Custom Ring Tones still do work.
To add a ring tone you need iTunes 7.4.0 and makeiphoneringtone.

http://www.rogueamoeba.com/freebies/

The way to do this is actually really dumb, and I dont know why this works.
First make your ring tone and change the extenstion to .m4r
Double click to add to iTunes. It will show up under the ring tones tab and if you sync your phone it will be in your ringtones list. At this point the ring tone will not play.
Now, rename the ringtone in the finder back to .m4a and add it to iTunes using MakeiPhoneRingtone. It is going to add the same file into your ringtone tab a second time, but when you sync the phone there will only be one in the list on the phone and it will now play.
I had 2 ring tones that I needed to delete and do a 2nd time for them to work, but I have added 9 ring tones to my phone with the 1.1.1 update installed.
Click to expand...


I'm running 7.4 and can't get this to work.

I can't actually get the ringtones to show up in itunes at all. i converted the files to aac, changed the filenames using Get Info and everything, but itunes just throws them into the music folder. Anyone else having this problem or better yet anyone got a solution? Thanks.

UPDATED: I actually managed to work it out. However, I think the thing to do is to take the original m4a and throw that directly into 'makeiphoneringtone'. that'll put the file into the ringtone tab. then make a duplicate of the m4a file and turn it into an m4r file using "Get info". Take that file and throw it into itunes. That should make it all work.

Essentially you're just changing the order of which file goes in first in order to ensure that itunes recognizes them as ringtones.

1st) .m4a via 'makeiphoneringtone'
2nd) .m4r
 
jbomber said:
I'm running 7.4 and can't get this to work.

I can't actually get the ringtones to show up in itunes at all. i converted the files to aac, changed the filenames using Get Info and everything, but itunes just throws them into the music folder. Anyone else having this problem or better yet anyone got a solution? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Make sure the file is just not a copy of a file that already exists in iTunes. Also make sure that you have add to iTunes library selected in pref.
Other than that, I can only tell you it works.

take an aac file
change ext to m4r- double click- it will add to "Ringtones" folder
change ORIGINAL file back to m4a and drag to MakeiPhoneringtone
it will add that file to ringtones
Sync phone- and bob's your uncle
 
stonedgrace said:
Make sure the file is just not a copy of a file that already exists in iTunes. Also make sure that you have add to iTunes library selected in pref.
Other than that, I can only tell you it works.

take an aac file
change ext to m4r- double click- it will add to "Ringtones" folder
change ORIGINAL file back to m4a and drag to MakeiPhoneringtone
it will add that file to ringtones
Sync phone- and bob's your uncle
Click to expand...

Errrrrr!
Ok. We have two files, two folders, two extensions, blerg.

Can someone make a step-by-step instructions that focuses on where the folders and files are located.

I'm still working with iTunes 7.4 and am on the 1.1.1 firmware. I'm troubleshooting right now and maybe I can make this list that I am asking for.
 
bobznc said:
Errrrrr!
Ok. We have two files, two folders, two extensions, blerg.

Can someone make a step-by-step instructions that focuses on where the folders and files are located.

I'm still working with iTunes 7.4 and am on the 1.1.1 firmware. I'm troubleshooting right now and maybe I can make this list that I am asking for.
Click to expand...

I will work on a step by step list with where the files go, but you will end up with 2 files in your ringtone folder. One will be m4a and the other m4r.
BOTH files are need to play the ringtone on the phone.
Both files will be in the ringtone folder in itunes, under the ringtone tab in iTunes, and under the ringtone tab in itunes for the iphone.
Only ONE file will show up on the phone
 
I am using iTunes 7.4.0 and makeiphoneringtone.
They almost always work. I get my ringtone into ACC format, rename it m4r, then place it in my iTunes Lib. in the ringtones folder and double click. That adds it to the ringtone lib. Then I rename the original m4a and add it using makeiphoneringtone. then sync. like I said it works for most ringtones.:)
CUSTOM RINGTONES ARE NOT DEAD!!!!
Oh, and I sync my data on my macbook and use iTunes 7.4.2 with no conflict. G5 desktop for music, tunes and vid, and laptop for mail, contacts, etc.

HERE ARE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Make your ringtone an ACC in itunes.
2. Drag to desktop.
3. rename m4r
4. drag to ringtones folder in itunes music library (using finder)
5. double click on file in ringtone folder--- itunes should react by adding it to the ringtones section of itunes(7.4.0)
6. rename the m4r to m4a (file on desktop)
7. drag that file to makeiphoneringtone
8. SYNC!
That should do it. When you are done you should have 2 files in your ringtones library.
 
tooshaggy said:
I am using iTunes 7.4.0 and makeiphoneringtone.
They almost always work. I get my ringtone into ACC format, rename it m4r, then place it in my iTunes Lib. in the ringtones folder and double click. That adds it to the ringtone lib. Then I rename the original m4a and add it using makeiphoneringtone. then sync. like I said it works for most ringtones.:)
CUSTOM RINGTONES ARE NOT DEAD!!!!
Oh, and I sync my data on my macbook and use iTunes 7.4.2 with no conflict. G5 desktop for music, tunes and vid, and laptop for mail, contacts, etc.

HERE ARE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Make your ringtone an ACC in itunes.
2. Drag to desktop.
3. rename m4r
4. drag to ringtones folder in itunes music library (using finder)
5. double click on file in ringtone folder--- itunes should react by adding it to the ringtones section of itunes(7.4.0)
6. rename the m4r to m4a (file on desktop)
7. drag that file to makeiphoneringtone
8. SYNC!
That should do it. When you are done you should have 2 files in your ringtones library.
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting the tips.

I 'downgraded' to 7.4.0 so I could get custom ringtones working again, but I'm having a problem.

I dont understand steps 4 and 6 in your directions above. If I drag the .m4r from the desktop to the ringtones folder in step 4, then how can I rename it to .m4a on the desktop in step 6?

It's no longer on my desktop bc i dragged it out of there. I tried copying and pasting but that didnt work either.

Thanks in advance.
 
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