How to roll your own ringtones
Not satisfied with your phone’s built-in sounds? Here’s how to add fully custom sounds to use instead. It beats having a phone that sounds like everyone else’s.
Choose your platform:
Showing steps for iPhone. Use the buttons above to switch.
Download an MP3 file to your iPhone. Cobalt.tools is an excellent YouTube downloader site where you can convert videos to MP3 files.
Install and open GarageBand for iOS.
Select “Create Song.”
From the Tracks selector, choose “Audio Recorder.”
Select the tracks icon (which resembles a series of staggered lines) in the top-right corner, so you’re looking at the tracks view.
Open the Files app on your iPhone.
Locate the MP3 file you downloaded earlier. Long-press on it, and select “Copy.”
Return to GarageBand. Tap on the audio timeline, then select “Paste,” and choose “Allow Paste” when prompted.
Hit the little “+” icon near the top-right corner.
Under Section A, hit the “8 bars” option, then reduce the number of bars to 1, or whatever’s closest to the size of your audio file.
Tap the down arrow at the top-left corner and select “My Songs.”
In the “Browse” tab, long-press the song you just created and hit “Share.”
Select “Ringtone,” give the ringtone a name, and hit Export.
Optionally choose whether to set the ringtone for calls, text messages, or a specific contact. You can also select it later under Settings > Sounds & Haptics.
Showing steps for Android. Use the buttons above to switch.
Download an MP3 file to your phone. Cobalt.tools is an excellent YouTube downloader site where you can convert videos to MP3 files.
Head to Settings > Sound & vibration.
Select “Phone ringtone.”
Select “My Sounds.”
Hit the + button.
Select the file you just downloaded. (Try hitting the menu button and looking under “Downloads.”)
Back in the sounds menu, choose the music file you just selected.
Hit “Save” in the top-right corner.
- Want to change notification sounds? Head back to the Sound & vibration menu and select “Default notification sound” instead, then repeat the same steps.
- Want to change sounds for individual apps? Head to Settings > Notifications > App Notifications, choose an app, then select the type of alert whose sound you want to change.
Showing steps for Samsung phones. Use the buttons above to switch.
Follow these steps to set a ringtone:
Download an MP3 file to your phone. Cobalt.tools is an excellent YouTube downloader site where you can convert videos to MP3 files.
Head to Settings > Sounds and vibration.
Select “Ringtone.”
Hit the + button.
In the sound picker, head to the Folders tab and select “Download.”
Select your audio file from the list.
Follow these steps to set a notification sound:
Download an MP3 file to your phone. Cobalt.tools is an excellent YouTube downloader site where you can convert videos to MP3 files.
Open the My Files app.
Locate your MP3 in the Downloads folder, or find it under “Audio files.”
Long-press on the file, then select “Copy.”
Still in the My Files app, head to Internal storage > Notifications.
Select “Copy here.”
Head to Settings > Sounds and vibration.
Select Notification sound or System sound.
Select your sound from the list.
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