How to Install Ringtones on iPhones

Everyone likes the slick looks and cool features of Apple’s iPhone. The let down is when the iPhone rings, and it has one of those boring default ringtones.

But because of its great design, installing ringtones on an iPhone is easy.

Installing New Ringtones Using the iPhone and the iTunes Store

How to Install Ringtones on iPhonesInstalling new ringtones on an iPhone is something that everyone should learn how to do. The following steps describe the process of creating, downloading and installing new ringtones on an iPhone.

Users will notice that to get a ringtone to install, a song is purchased and then a ringtone is created for the phone in a separate step.

1. Using the iPhone interface, go to the iTunes store. You can do this by going to “Settings” and then to “Store.” The iPhone user creates an iTunes account if one is not already active on the phone. Follow the step by step prompts to create an account.

2. Once the phone is in iTunes, music is searchable by multiple categories, genres, or by search terms. Find a song that makes a good ringtone, then select it. Purchase the song by clicking the price with a tap.

3. The song downloads to the iPhone as a screen gives an indication of progress.

4. In iTunes, select “Store” followed by the “Create Ringtone” option. This allows the user to create a ringtone from any song that is on the phone. Select the song to start the ringtone editor.

5. Using the iPhone interface and the ringtone editor, select the part of the song that is to become the ringtone.

6. Configure the options for the ringtone such as fade in and out, gaps, and the duration of the ringtone. Access the looping menu for even more ringtone options.

7. Make a it a point to preview the ringtone before completing the process. Users can go back as often as necessary to make the ringtone just right.

8. When complete, the user should click “Buy” by tapping on it.

9. The new ringtone is on the phone and is selectable a default ringtone, a ringtone for a contact or a ringtone for the alarm clock. The next time the phone is synced, it will synchronize the new ringtone and the new song to the iTunes library.

Selecting a Ringtone on an iPhone Once It's Installed

The iPhone comes with several default ringtones already installed. These, combined with other purchased ringtones are used to personalize the iPhone.

The following are simple steps to choosing and selecting installed ringtones on the iPhone.

1. On the iPhone’s main menu, tap the “Settings” icon followed by the “Sounds” icon. Once at the “Sounds” menu, click the “Ringtones” icon to see all the installed ringtones available on that particular iPhone. Browse through the list of ringtones, previewing them as necessary. When the desired ringtone is found, it is selected by tapping it.

2. After selecting a ringtone, options are displayed to set the ringtone as default for the phone. The user must do this if the selected ringtone is to play on every incoming call that does not have a corresponding ringtone assigned to it. The user can go to the iTunes store to purchase a new song and ringtone if an acceptable ringtone is not already installed on the phone.

3. Installed ringers can also be assigned to specific contacts on the iPhone. Using a finger, click “Phone” and then “Contacts.” Browse through the contacts on the list. For each contact, tap “Ringtones” to assign an installed ringtone to the contact. Every time that contact calls the iPhone, the assigned ringtone will play rather than the phone’s default ringtone.

The iPhone's Ring or Silent Mode

The iPhone's ring mode allows ringtones to play, The iPhone's silent mode that keeps the phone quiet during incoming calls.

A switch above the volume control slides back and forth rather than up and down. When this switch is aligned with the volume control, the user knows that the phone is set to ring (the iPhone’s ring volume can be adjusted by using the volume control).

When this switch is in the position that is not lined up with the volume control, the iPhone is set to silent mode.

Now that iPhone users know how to install new ringtones on their phone, they can get to work on making the phone a customized extension of their personality. It’s good also to know how to view installed ringtones and how to assign them as default ringers or contact ringtones.

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