iTunes 7.5 and iPhone 1.1.2 return custom ringtones

For reasons I do not begin to understand, the combination of iTunes 7.5 and the 1.1.2 iPhone once again allow you to add custom ringtones without fussing with property lists and special software. Take any m4a file, thirty-seconds or less (although some report success with tracks up to 40 seconds), rename it to m4r and double-click to add it to iTunes. The file appears in your ringtones and can be synched--I tested this out myself--to your iPhone.
So has Apple relented? Or is this a momentary lapse of oversight? Only time will tell.
Thanks to Dave P


![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)


Reader Comments (Page 2 of 4)
Nassim said 2:20PM on 11-11-2007
I can't install the 1.1.2 firmware, when I dowload the file in creates a folder with 3 *.dmg files and some other files. How do I convert this to the .ipsw file needed for the upgrade?
Reply
Myrrhlyn said 3:15PM on 11-11-2007
Is this for jailbroken phones only? I'm running 1.1.1, clean. Should I be upgrading to 1.1.2 (without "preparing" my phone to be jailbroken)? I just want to be able to add my custom ringtones, and although third party apps would be nice, I don't *need* to have them (I'll wait for the "authorized" stuff to come out when apple releases the dev kits). I am running itunes 7.5.
In other words, can anyone confirm, if I upgrade to 1.1.2 with no hacks, will I be able to add custom ringtones?
Thanks in advance!
Reply
Lwkd said 4:54PM on 11-11-2007
I managed to get the file to show up in iTunes under the Ringtones section, and even sync up with the iPhone to transfer it. However, it only shows up under the iPod section, not under ringtones.
Using a UK 1.1.2 iPhone.
Reply
Matt said 5:31PM on 11-11-2007
I dont have 1.1.2 here either (US). iTunes keeps reporing 1.1.1 is the latest version available.
iTunes Version 7.5.0.20
Reply
ideama said 8:02PM on 11-11-2007
only using iTune 7.5 with the ringtone trick (works fine for me), are there any tricks to edit the ringtones? I don't wanna use other software though.
Reply
buddhistMonkey said 8:39PM on 11-11-2007
Nassim asked: "I can't install the 1.1.2 firmware, when I dowload the file in creates a folder with 3 *.dmg files and some other files."
First, you need the zip file, not the decompressed folders. If you don't see it, it's probably in your Trash. Then, in the Summary tab of your iTunes' iPhone area, option-click the Check for Update button. In the dialog box that appears, select the zip file and away you go.
Reply
M said 10:25AM on 11-12-2007
So I got it working with ringtones. Less than 40 seconds. They sync and appear in the correct location. Does anyone know if it's possible to add to the list of text alert sounds. I usually like a quite normal conservative ring tone, but don't mind a bit of jovial text alerts ?
Reply
choi-toy said 9:48PM on 11-11-2007
I am "this" close to wanting to try this (as I would really like to update my phone, but so far I haven't and have been sticking to 7.4.1 and 1.0.2). I've downloaded the files, and just waiting for further confirmation that this does work on the Windows Vista platform.
So if you are using Windows Vista, and have upgraded to the new 7.5 iTunes with 1.1.2 iPhone firmware, and have gotten the workaround to work again, please share!
Reply
Myrrhlyn said 12:31AM on 11-12-2007
Just got word from Erica that no hacks or jailbreaks are needed. Thanks for the great job and info!
Reply
Cragz said 5:29AM on 11-12-2007
choi-toy, working fine on Vista 32 bit.
Reply
Jono said 7:02AM on 11-13-2007
@Brandon
iRing looks like just the thing I need, but it didn't work for me :(
(The 'Convert Music to m4a' part wouldn't work).
I clicked on the button & thought it might ask you select the files to convert. Then I selected the files in Finder & clicked the button. Then I tried adding the (mp3) files to the Ringtones folder, selecting them & then clicking the button but none of these things worked. Am I doing something wrong or does it sound like a bug?
Reply
David Chartier said 10:27AM on 11-12-2007
The more developers I talked to about this, the more said it looked and felt more like Apple has been tweaking and optimizing the way things worked, not actively thwarting custom ringtones in an effort to force purchases from the iTunes Store.
Reply
dreamdisorder said 11:58AM on 11-12-2007
Um, total noob here.
I've followed all the steps on this and other sites, and I can do it to the last stage where it is an .m4r file on my desktop and then it just simply refuses to copy into the Ringtones folder in my iTunes.
*What* am I doing wrong?
I've got a 1.1.2 (UK) iPhone, 7.5 iTunes, and I'm working on a MacBook Pro
Reply
MikeCP said 12:22PM on 11-12-2007
Can anyone get them to actually play on the iPhone? I have them added, but no sound plays when someone calls or I tap on them in the ringtones setting
Reply
jbelkin said 3:45AM on 11-13-2007
If it works, when you double click on the m4r file, it will AUTO load into ringtones. You cannot drag files into ringtones.
However, I'm trying to determine why one file will not respond to this - 6 of 7 self created ringtones did load by double clicking ...
Reply
Cragz said 4:54AM on 11-13-2007
MikeCP, when I encoded the ringtone in an "Apple Lossless Format" it did the same thing for me. Changing the encoding to AAC LC in dbPowerAmp worked.
Reply
brandon said 6:59AM on 11-13-2007
worked perfectly for me on vista.
Reply
Eric said 9:17AM on 11-13-2007
So how do you actually shorten an M4P file to less than 30 seconds. Anyone know any good applications?
Reply
Mike said 10:16AM on 11-13-2007
@Eric: I use GarageBand to clip down songs to ringtone length, then just export them as m4as, change the file extensions manually, and drop them into iTunes.
Reply
Eric said 10:31AM on 11-13-2007
I should specify, sorry, I am on a Windows Machine. Any other ideas? Thanks Mike.
Reply