What an iPhone ringtone has to be
An iPhone ringtone is an AAC audio file with the extension .m4r — the same audio as an M4A, with a different name. iPhone refuses ringtones longer than 40 seconds, so the tool starts you on 30, the length that always works, and warns you if your selection runs over.
The ringtone is made in your browser, but getting it onto an iPhone still goes through Apple, because iPhone does not let a web page install ringtones:
- On a Mac: connect the iPhone, open Finder, select the iPhone in the sidebar, and drag the .m4r file onto it.
- On Windows: connect the iPhone, open the Apple Devices app (or iTunes), and drag the .m4r file onto the iPhone under the device.
- Without a computer: save the audio to Files, open it in Apple’s free GarageBand app, and use Share › Ringtone.
- Then choose it under Settings › Sounds & Haptics › Ringtone.
Ringtones on Android
Android takes an ordinary MP3, so choose Android (MP3) before saving. Most phones let you pick the file straight from Settings › Sound (and vibration) › Phone ringtone, with a + or “From storage” option; on some, the file needs to sit in the phone’s Ringtones folder first. There is no length limit, but a ringtone longer than the time your phone rings before voicemail is wasted.
Choosing the 30 seconds
Start on a beat or the first word, not in the middle of a note — you will hear the start every time. A half-second fade in stops the ringtone from beginning with a click, and a fade out keeps the loop from jumping when the phone rings again. Preview the result before you save; the player plays exactly what will be written.
Step by step
- Drop a song, voice memo or video. It opens with the first 30 seconds selected.
- Drag the handles on the waveform to the part you want, and add a short fade in and out.
- Choose iPhone (.m4r) or Android (MP3), preview it, and save.
- Put it on your phone as described above and pick it in the sound settings.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a ringtone from a song for free?
Drop the song onto this page, drag the two handles around the part you want — 30 seconds or less — and save it as iPhone (.m4r) or Android (MP3). It is made in your browser; nothing is uploaded, there is no sign-up and no watermark.
Why does my iPhone ringtone have to be .m4r?
Because that is the extension iPhone looks for when it lists ringtones. The audio inside is AAC, the same as an .m4a file; only the name differs. The tool writes the .m4r for you.
Can I set the ringtone directly from my iPhone?
Not from a web page — iPhone does not allow it. Use Finder on a Mac or the Apple Devices app or iTunes on Windows to copy the .m4r across, or, with no computer, open the audio in GarageBand and use Share › Ringtone.
How long can a ringtone be?
On iPhone, up to 40 seconds; 30 is the safe choice and the tool warns you above it. Android has no fixed limit, though anything longer than your ring time before voicemail is never heard.
Why is iPhone (.m4r) greyed out?
Saving an .m4r needs an AAC encoder, which Chrome, Edge and Safari provide and Firefox does not. Open the page in one of those, or save as MP3 for Android.
Is my music uploaded?
No. The song is decoded, cut and encoded inside your browser tab, so it never leaves your device.