When it comes to smartphone technology, there are few things that you cannot do. If the phone itself does not offer the feature you are looking for, chances are you will be able to find and app that does. This is also true for turning any song or personal recording into a ringtone. Below are some easy steps you can follow to set your favorite song as a ringtone.
Convert the File
The key to getting your phone to recognize a file as a ringtone audio file, rather than a general audio file, is to utilize a custom app, or manipulate the files on your computer. For iPhones, you can do this by opening iTunes on the computer and then making a copy of the file through exporting the AAC version. Then you should create a new version of it in the file menu. Once the copy has shown up in iTunes, you will be able to find the song that you want to use and then mark the beginning and the end that you would like played. You need to be sure that this is kept under 30 seconds.
Transfer to your Device
Once you have converted the file, you will control click or right click on the song you want and select the ‘get info’ button. This is where you will insert the start and the stop times you have selected. The next step will be to drag the newly clipped song onto your desktop and delete the copy you have in iTunes.
If you are using an Android-based smartphone, then the process is almost complete. You will simply plug the phone into the computer you have been using and then place the file into the Ringtones folder that is not your phone. On the other hand, you can transfer the file to your laptop or tablet through your micro USB port.
If you have an iPhone, you will have to “trick” your phone into recognizing the created track as an action ringtone, rather than a regular song. This can be done by changing the extension of the file to an m4r. The new file will be dragged back to iTunes, where you should see it appear beneath ringtones.
Set and Enjoy
The next time you plug your phone in, you should ensure that you have the ‘sync tones’ checked, and then sync it. If you would like to make the ringtone without having to connect your phone to the computer, which is offered by Android phones, you will have to use one of the popular apps, such as Ringtone Slicer or Ringdroid. These types of apps will let you take any song, which is not protected, on your phone and trim it to be the length of a ringtone. The same thing can be achieved with the Ringer app offered on the iPhone.
While the iPhone process is a bit more complex than what you can do with Android phones, it is still not very difficult. This will allow you to turn any personal recording into a ringtone that customizes your phone and makes it your own.