How to create a custom ringtone from any song on your phone

A custom ringtone can make calls, messages and alarms instantly recognisable without the sameness of generic notification sounds. You can create one on an iPhone or Android device using an audio editor, then trim and install the clip like any other ringtone.

The route depends on your handset and its software. Some Android phones include a built-in crop-and-set tool, while an iPhone usually uses Voice Memos and GarageBand, with a computer needed for the final sync.

Choose the editor for your phone

Apple's free GarageBand app is a capable iPhone editor. Create an audio project and record the passage you want, or import an authorised file from iCloud Drive. Voice Memos can capture a quick test, while GarageBand provides finer waveform, volume and trimming controls.

On Android, Samsung's Music and Gallery apps often offer a direct Set as ringtone option. Pixel and other models may require you to crop in an audio editor, export the clip and install it from the Ringtones folder. Check an editor's permissions and reviews on Google Play before downloading one.

Australia's phone market includes iPhone, Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel devices, each with a different audio workflow. If you are comparing handsets, our smartphone reviews can help you check storage, speakers and headphone support before buying.

Cut a short, useful section

Keep the first version between 15 and 30 seconds, as many phones accept tones only within a limited duration. Choose a recognisable chorus or verse with a clear beginning rather than a long passage that loses impact by the second ring.

Use the waveform or zoom controls to place the start and end at quiet moments. Android's crop preview shows the selection, while GarageBand lets you drag region handles and split unwanted sections. Work on a copy so the original recording remains untouched.

Desktop editing can make precise cuts easier. On a high-resolution Linux display, this display scaling guide helps keep small waveform controls readable, reducing the chance of trimming the wrong edge.

Finish and export the audio

Add a short fade at both ends, usually half a second to one second. This softens the start and prevents an abrupt stop when the ringtone ends, particularly if the selected passage begins or finishes on a loud note.

Export as M4A for iPhone or MP3 for Android. Use normalisation cautiously if your editor offers it, since the goal is even volume without harsh clipping. Name the file clearly, such as Artist - Song - Ringtone, and save a copy in Files or the Ringtones folder.

Add the tone to an iPhone

iPhones do not normally accept a dragged-in audio file as a system tone. Save the finished M4A, then use a Mac with GarageBand and Finder, or iTunes or the Apple Devices app on Windows, to add the file to your library and sync it to the phone. The tone should appear under Tones after syncing.

On the iPhone, open Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone > Tones and select it. To assign a song to one person, open their contact, choose Sound > Ringtone and select the clip. You can also touch and hold a tone in the list to make it the default.

Check that the file arrives before deleting the editor's copy. A sync can fail if the phone is locked, the tone was saved in the wrong library location or the transfer was interrupted.

Install and test it on Android

On many Android builds, the exported file appears in a Ringtones or Notifications folder under internal storage. Tap it and choose Set as ringtone. If that option is missing, copy the clip into the Ringtones folder, then visit Settings > Sound and vibration > Ringtone and use the add or overflow menu. Labels vary by manufacturer.

Test an incoming call and a message, checking contact-specific assignments as well as the default tone. Silence, vibration and Do Not Disturb can all suppress alerts. That matters on a crowded Sydney train or Melbourne tram, where many commuters keep their phones on vibrate during the journey.

Stay within Australian copyright rules

Copyright in Australia is governed principally by the Copyright Act 1968. A short recording for your own handset is generally lower risk than distribution, but the Act's personal-use and fair-dealing provisions are limited; they do not create a general right to copy any commercial song. Free to stream does not mean free to download and reuse.

Use music you own or have permission to edit, and do not upload the clip to ringtone-sharing sites. Sharing a file with friends, selling it or using it in advertising can require a licence from the copyright owner, even if you paid for a subscription.

For a company device or public event, check whether a suitable licence already covers the use. The person who uploaded a track may not own the rights needed to grant permission.