How to Make a Ringtone for iPhone or Android From Any Song (Free)

To make a ringtone, open the free Ringtone Maker, drop in a song you own, drag the selection to the best 30 seconds, then download an M4R file for iPhone or an MP3 or M4A for Android. Setting it takes one more minute: on iOS 26 you share the file and tap Use as Ringtone, and on Android you pick it in Sound settings.

The song is cut and encoded in your browser, so it is never uploaded, and there is no sign up or watermark. Below are the exact steps for both phones, the length and format rules that trip people up, and how to pick a part of the song that actually works as a ring.

How to make a ringtone from a song (step by step)

1. Open Ringtone Maker on a computer or directly on your phone.
2. Drop a song, a voice memo or even a video onto the page. The tool reads it and draws a waveform, so you can see the loud chorus and the quiet verses.
3. Drag the selection onto the part you want to hear when the phone rings. It is limited to 30 seconds, the length every iPhone accepts.
4. Click Play selection and listen. Move the edges until the clip starts right on the hook.
5. Keep the short fade out (1 second is the default) so the ring does not stop with a click.
6. Keep M4A (AAC) selected and click Cut and save.
7. Download iPhone ringtone (.m4r) for an iPhone, or the M4A or MP3 file for Android.

A video works too: the tool takes the sound track from the clip. If you only want the audio as a normal MP3, the MP4 to MP3 converter does that.

How to set a custom ringtone on iPhone

There are two ways to put the M4R on an iPhone. The first needs no computer at all.

On iOS 26 or later: straight from the Files app

1. Make the ringtone on your iPhone in Safari, then download the .m4r file. It lands in the Files app, in Downloads.
2. Open the Files app, find the file, tap it, then tap the Share button.
3. Scroll the share sheet and tap Use as Ringtone. If you do not see it, tap More.
4. Done. The tone is now set and also appears in Settings, Sounds and Haptics, Ringtone.

iOS 26 refuses files longer than 30 seconds for this option, which is why the tool keeps the selection within 30 seconds. The same option works for a short Voice Memos recording.

On older iOS: with a Mac or Windows PC

1. Connect the iPhone with a cable.
2. On a Mac, open Finder and select the iPhone in the sidebar. On Windows, open Apple Devices (or iTunes on older PCs).
3. Drag the .m4r file onto the iPhone window. It syncs as a tone.
4. On the phone, go to Settings, Sounds and Haptics, Ringtone and pick it from the top of the list.

You can also give one contact their own ring: open the contact, tap Edit, then Ringtone.

How to set a custom ringtone on Android

Android accepts plain MP3 or M4A files, with no fixed length limit.

1. Download the MP3 (or M4A) on the phone, or copy it from your computer over USB.
2. Move it to the Ringtones folder with the Files app. Many phones also find it in Downloads.
3. Open Settings, Sound and vibration, Phone ringtone (the name varies a little by brand).
4. Tap the plus button or From device storage and choose your file.

On Samsung phones the path is Settings, Sounds and vibration, Ringtone, then the plus icon at the top right. On Pixel phones it is Settings, Sound and vibration, Phone ringtone, My sounds.

Ringtone length and format rules for each phone

Most failed ringtones break one of these rules. This table is the short version.

	iPhone	Android
File type	.m4r (AAC audio)	.mp3 or .m4a
Safe length	30 seconds	30 seconds is plenty
Hard limit	40 seconds when synced from a computer; 30 seconds for iOS 26 Use as Ringtone	None
Streaming songs (Apple Music, Spotify)	Cannot be used	Cannot be used
Setting it	Share, Use as Ringtone (iOS 26), or Finder / Apple Devices	Settings, Sound, Ringtone

An M4R file is simply an M4A file with a different extension. That is why the tool offers both: the M4R for iPhone and the M4A or MP3 for everything else.

How to choose the best part of a song for a ringtone

A good ringtone is recognisable in the first two seconds, because most calls are answered fast. These habits help:

• Start on the hook or chorus, not on the intro. Most intros are quiet and slow, and you miss them in a pocket.
• Keep the fade in short or off, so the first ring is heard right away. A fade out of 1 to 2 seconds is enough.
• Pick a loud, busy section. Soft acoustic parts vanish in a noisy street.
• Make the clip loop well. The phone repeats the ringtone, so a clip that ends on a beat sounds better than one cut mid word.
• Try it at full volume with Play selection before you save. If it clips or sounds harsh, move the selection a little.

For exact cuts with typed start and end times, MP3 bitrate choices or WAV output, use the MP3 Cutter instead. Our guide on how to cut an MP3 online covers that in detail.

Common ringtone problems and fixes

• The ringtone does not appear on the iPhone. It is probably over 30 or 40 seconds, or it was saved as .m4a. Make it again within 30 seconds and download the .m4r file.
• Use as Ringtone is missing in the share sheet. You need iOS 26 or later, and you must share the audio file itself from the Files app, not a link to it.
• The song is greyed out or will not open. Songs downloaded from Apple Music or Spotify are protected and cannot be used. Use a song you bought as a file, your own recording, or royalty free music.
• The ring starts too quietly. Turn the fade in off and start the selection on a louder part.
• Android does not list the file. Move it into the Ringtones folder, or pick it with From device storage.

Is it free and private?

Yes. The WoowTools Ringtone Maker is free with no sign up and no watermark. The song is decoded and encoded on your own device by the browser, so the file never travels to a server. Use music you own or have the right to use.

Ready to try it? Open the Ringtone Maker, pick your 30 seconds and set your new tone in under two minutes. Apple's own steps for changing sounds are in the iPhone User Guide.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a song my ringtone on iPhone without a computer?

On iOS 26 or later, make a clip of 30 seconds or less, download it to the Files app, tap Share and choose Use as Ringtone. The WoowTools Ringtone Maker works in Safari on the iPhone, so the whole job happens on the phone.

How long can an iPhone ringtone be?

Keep it at 30 seconds. Ringtones synced from a computer can be up to 40 seconds, but the iOS 26 Use as Ringtone option rejects anything longer than 30 seconds.

What file format does an iPhone ringtone need?

An iPhone ringtone is an .m4r file, which is AAC audio in an M4A container with a different extension. Android phones use ordinary MP3 or M4A files.

Can I use a Spotify or Apple Music song as a ringtone?

No. Streaming downloads are protected and cannot be cut or set as ringtones. Use a song you bought as a file, your own recording, or music you have the right to use.

Is the ringtone maker free?

Yes. It is free, needs no account and adds no watermark. The song is processed in your browser and is never uploaded.