To use songs as ringtones on an iPhone

1.

Open iTunes and select the MP3 file for the song you want to use as the ringtone. Right-click on the song. When the menu is displayed, select ‘Get info’.

2.

When the next window opens, click on the ‘Options’ tab. This window contains a ‘Start time’ and ‘Stop time’ fields. Click the boxes next to each of these fields and enter the time in the song that you want the ringtone to start and end. The time between the beginning and the end of the ringtone created from the song can not be more than 30 seconds; However, it may be smaller.

3.

Return to the MP3 file for the song in your iTunes library. Right-click on the song and select ‘Convert Selection To AAC.’ A new 30-second file will be created, which is not the same file as the original MP3 file. This new file will be 30 seconds long (or as long as the length you made in step 2 was).

4.

Drag this new file from iTunes to your desktop. Then go back to iTunes and delete the file that was just created in step 3 by right-clicking on the file and navigating to ‘Delete’ in the menu that opens. Doing so will not affect the original song file or ringtone file on the desktop.

5.

Move the mouse to the icon on the desktop and right-click on it. A menu is displayed. Find the option ‘Rename’ in the menu and click on it. The file ends with ‘m4a.’ Change the file extension to ‘.m4r.’

6.

Drag the .m4r file back to iTunes. Connect your iPhone to the USB port with the USB cable that came with the phone. When the ‘Sync’ button appears, click ‘OK’. This moves the ringtone to the iPhone. You have now used your own song as a ringtone on an iPhone. You can repeat this process to use as many songs and ringtones on the iPhone as you want.

Tips and warnings

One of the great things about iPhones is that you can choose from any song that will ring your ringtone. This means that all songs can be ringtones. The process of making these songs ringtones is quite simple. Although iTunes will do this process automatically, there is a cost. By following a simple process, however, a person can use songs as ringtones on an iPhone at no cost.