How to Make a Ringtone from Any Song

To make a ringtone, open the MP3 Cutter tool, choose a song or sound you have the right to use, pick the best part and choose the Android or iPhone ringtone. Then save the file and set it as your ringtone from your phone.

The sound is cut on your device and nothing is uploaded. Only use audio you have the right to use, because songs made by other people are usually protected by copyright.

What you need

• A song or sound file you may use, saved on your phone. A sound you recorded yourself is always fine.
• A phone with the Files app. On an iPhone you also need the free GarageBand app from Apple.
• About two minutes.

Steps to make a ringtone

1. Open the MP3 Cutter tool, tap the box and choose the sound file. The waveform appears.
2. Drag the S and E handles around the part you want to hear when the phone rings. A good ringtone is between 15 and 30 seconds, and a strong, clear part works best. Tap Play selection to check it.
3. Under What is it for?, choose Android ringtone to get an MP3, or iPhone ringtone to get an M4A of 30 seconds or less. On the iPhone choice the tool keeps the part to 30 seconds.
4. Add a Fade out of one or two seconds, so the ringtone does not stop suddenly when it repeats. A short Fade in is optional.
5. Tap Cut and save and wait for the bar to finish. Play the result once.
6. Download the file, then follow the steps below for your phone.

Set it on an Android phone

Phones from different makers have slightly different menus, but these two ways work on most of them.

• With the Files app. Save the MP3 to your phone. Open it in Files by Google and use the menu on the file to choose Set as ringtone. The phone may ask you to allow the app to change system settings. This is described in the Files by Google help.
• With a cable. Connect the phone to a computer and copy the MP3 into the Ringtones folder on the phone. Then open Settings, choose Sound and vibration, then Ringtone, and pick your file from the list.

Set it on an iPhone

An iPhone cannot use an MP3 as a ringtone directly. Apple’s own method uses the GarageBand app, and ringtones can be up to 30 seconds long. The steps below follow Apple’s page, Create a custom ringtone on your iPhone.

1. Save the M4A in the Files app on your iPhone.
2. Open GarageBand, start a new audio recording project, and open the Tracks view and the Loops browser. Under Files, choose to browse items from the Files app, and pick your file.
3. Drag the file to the far left of the track.
4. Go to My Songs, tap Share, then Ringtone, give it a name and tap Export. Then choose Use sound as and pick Standard Ringtone.

What makes a good ringtone

Pick a part that gets to the point fast, because a phone may be answered after a few seconds. Avoid a very quiet start, because you may miss it in a noisy place. A fade out hides the jump when the ringtone starts again. If the sound is too quiet on the phone, choose a part that is louder on the waveform.

Common problems

The iPhone choice shortens my cut. iPhone ringtones are limited to 30 seconds, so the tool does not let the kept part be longer. Move a handle to shorten it.

The Files app has no Set as ringtone. Use the cable method, or look in the sound settings of your phone for an option to add a custom ringtone. The menus differ between makers.

GarageBand will not accept the file. Make sure the file is an M4A from this tool and that it is saved in the Files app.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use any song?

Only if you have the right to use it. Songs by other people are usually protected by copyright, so use your own recordings, music you have a licence for, or sounds that are free to use.

Why is the iPhone ringtone an M4A?

GarageBand reads M4A files from the Files app. The tool makes an M4A of 30 seconds or less, which is the limit Apple gives for ringtones.

Is my song uploaded?

No. The sound is cut inside your browser, on your device. It never goes to our servers or anyone else.

Can I make a notification sound?

Yes. Cut a short part of one or two seconds, save it as MP3, and choose it in the sound settings of your phone if it offers custom notification sounds.