"Hi, just got my iPhone 17 Pro Max, and I wanted to get the vintage ringtone I used with my Android phone. It's a .mp3 file. How can I use it as my main ringtone on the iPhone 17?"
- Carlos Nino from Apple Discussion Communities
Creating custom ringtones from your favorite MP3 songs is a fun way to personalize your iPhone. While iOS doesn't allow direct MP3 ringtone creation, you can still easily turn MP3 files into ringtones using apps and a few simple steps. Whether you want a specific part of a song or a unique sound, this guide will show you how to transform your MP3 into a ringtone, giving your iPhone a fresh, personalized touch.
Before you know how to set MP3 as a custom ringtone on iPhone, I'm going to explain what an iPhone ringtone is first.
Generally, the songs you get from iTunes end in .M4A extension, which is slightly different from a ringtone that has .M4R extension.
For example, you wish to set the sample-song.m4a as your iPhone ringtone. To make your iPhone recognize it, you have to rename it from sample-song.m4a to sample-song.m4r with your PC's file manager and add it to iTunes.
Sounds simple, right? But it becomes more complicated to convert an MP3 file into an iPhone ringtone. Continue reading the content below to use MP3 as ringtone on iPhone in three trouble-free methods. (How to Set Custom Ringtone on iPhone without iTunes?)
An easy and quick way to convert MP3 to iPhone ringtone is using the iPhone Ringtone Maker. It will automatically convert the music format to work with your iPhone. Besides, it also makes it simple for you to trim and keep the song's necessary part and adjust the volume before adding it to your iPhone directly.
Key features of iPhone Ringtone Maker:
How to make an MP3 ringtone on iPhone without iTunes?
01 Install and run the iPhone Ringtone Maker on your computer. Next, connect your iPhone to the computer using a USB cable and click "Toolbox" on the left panel > "Ringtone Maker".
02 Click the "Add file from the device" or "Add file from the PC" option and pick the wanted song from the list. Then, tap the "Select" button.
03 Edit the ringtone and save the necessary parts. You can set the starting or ending point, play the music, or adjust the volume. Once done, check the "Add to device" option at the lower-left corner and hit the "Generate" button to store it to your iPhone.
Try iTunes if you prefer Apple's way to set MP3 as ringtone on iPhone or change ringtones for iPhone. Although it is reliable and safe, it does not work for the latest version of iTunes. So, if you still use the older iTunes version, try the following tips.
To convert MP3 to iPhone ringtone with iTunes:
1. Launch iTunes on your computer.
2. Tap the "File" tab on the top-left of the iTunes window > choose the "Add File to Library" option > pick the MP3 song you wish to import > import it to the iTunes library.
3. In the iTunes window, tap the "Songs" tab on the left window > right-click the MP3 file you added seconds ago > select the "Song Info" from the drop-down menu > tap "Options". Later, set the "Start" and "Stop Time" of the track, which should be within 30 seconds, and tap "OK".
4. Click the "File" tab at the top-left corner of the iTunes window > pick the "Convert" option > "Create AAC Version". After that, a new song with a .m4a extension will appear in the iTunes library.
5. Right-click the modified track under the "Songs" tab and choose the "Show in Windows Explorer" option. Afterward, press the "F2" key on the keyboard to change the .m4a extension into .m4r.
Note: If you cannot see the extension, tap the "View" tab and check the box next to the "File name extensions" option to display the extension.
6. Once changed, drag and drop the renamed file to the computer desktop. Next, connect your iPhone to the computer using a USB cable and click the iPhone icon in iTunes when it displays. Then, choose "Tones" > drag the m4r file to the "Tones" section > tap "Sync" to add it to your iPhone.
To set the new ringtone on your iPhone:
Want to turn a voice memo into your iPhone ringtone? This guide shows you three easy and effective ways to make it happen. Follow the simple steps to make voice memo ringtone on iPhone.
GarageBand comes pre-installed on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS devices, and by now, it is free. If you wonder how to set ringtone in iPhone without iTunes and computer, GarageBand is the best way to go.
Let's check how to set a song as a ringtone on iPhone for free.
1. Run the GarageBand app on your iPhone and choose "Create Song". If it isn't installed, download it from the App Store.
2. Select any instrument and tap the "Tracks" tab > click the "project icon" > tap the "loop icon" at the upper-right corner to open your recording.
3. Press the "Music" tab and find your song. Then, press and hold your song to open it in the project menu.
4. When it automatically lands on the second track, tap the track, and drag the ends to make it within 30 seconds long. Later, tap the "downward arrow icon at the upper-left corner and pick "My Songs". You will see your GarageBand project under "Recents" > "My Song". Press and hold it to access more options.
5. Choose "Share" > "Ringtone" > name the ringtone > hit "Export" > tap the "Use Sound As" option on the popup > select one option from the menu to set it as your default ringtone.
Now you must understand how to make an MP3 ringtone on iPhone. From the above tutorial, you can easily find that the iTunes and GarageBand methods are too complicated. Thus, the best way falls on the iPhone Ringtone Maker. It offers an easy guide to trim & edit your favorite song as you want and save it to your iPhone directly. So, why not give it a try?
Related Articles:
How to Add Ringtones to iPhone without iTunes and Make a Custom Ringtones on iPhone?
How to Add MP3 to iPhone in 4 Ways? (Updated in 2026)
How to Transfer Music from Windows Media Player to iPhone? (Top Two Methods)
2 Effective Ways to Transfer Ringtones from iPhone to Computer
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