Friday, 07 September 2007

• iPhone / iTunes - How to Add Ringtones for Free

  iTUNES 7.4 - ADDING MY RINGTONES

  [UPDATE iTunes 7.4.1: I just figured it out.  I've posted a new blog entry for the explanation.]
  
  [UPDATE iTunes 7.4.1: It appears within 24 hours, Apple has released an update that affects this discovery.  However, its not clear whether it is really been disabled, or whether the ringtone requirements have been made more stringent.  For example, the system previously accepted ringtones of ANY length (over 30 seconds).  It's been discovered, also, that simply renaming the files in the ringtone directory BACK to .M4A has re-enabled the syncing, although I have not personally tested this.  Many people predicted that Apple would KILL this discovery, and it appears it may well be true.
  
  SPECIAL NOTE: John Maller has posted an update to the procedure that still seems to work, but it is getting increasingly finicky as Apple is actively attempting to put the genie back in the bottle on this particular method.
  ( JohnMaller.com )]
  
  

  Not sure if someone has shared this, but like every other audio "distinction" in iTunes, "ringtones" are no different.  They are AAC files with a special name.  In this case, the extension is "M4R".  To add a ringtone to your iPhone, using Windows Explorer or the Finder just duplicate and rename any AAC file to be "M4R", then double-click on it.  The file will be added to your iTunes library.

  
  

  
  
  1. To add a ringtone to your iPhone, using Windows Explorer or the Finder just duplicate and rename any AAC file to be "M4R", then double-click on it. This file will be added to your iTunes library automatically.
     
  2. Now, click on your iPhone in iTunes, and go to the ringtone section. You should now see your new ringtone. If you want to be sure about the sync, feel free to click "selected ringtones" and check off the file explicitly, though this shouldn't be required.
     
  3. Now SYNC your phone. You're Done!

  
  
  

  

  UPDATED:
  

  Pretty nice thread going on MacRumors now.  Getting into all the details, etc.
  http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=351495

  NEW UPDATE:
  

  Hey, I guess Engadget and Gizmodo picked up the story:

  Free iPhone Ringtones From Directly Inside iTunes 7.4
  http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/iphone/free-iphone-ringtones-from-directly-inside-itunes-74-297503.php

  Simple hackery enables free iTunes ringtones
  http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/07/simple-hackery-enables-free-itunes-ringtones/1#c7266270
  
  --And MacRumors created a nice help guide for it:
  http://www.macrumors.com/iphone/2007/09/07/free-custom-ringtones-in-itunes-7-4/
  
  It's kind of queer seeing my screenshot floating around.  Glad I cropped it. :)
  
  Fun, fun, fun.
  

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