iPhone Tip #19
Create free ringtones for your iPhone using only iTunes and songs you already have on your computer.

This tip works with unprotected MP3 and AAC music files. It should work fine with iTunes 7.7.1 to 8.0.2 and iPhone 2.0.1 to 2.2 firmware. This will not work with DRM protected songs (Protected AAC audio files). To create ringtones with DRM Protected songs try this tip that uses GarageBand or Convert the song to MP3 in iMovie first.

Here’s how:
1) Open iTunes and locate an unprotected song you want to make into a ringtone.

2) Right click (or Control + click) on the song and select “Get Info.”

3) Click on the options tab and set the “Start Time” and “Stop Time” check both boxes you want the ringtone to start and stop. Remember ringtones have to be 30 seconds or less. Click OK.

4) On the song you just set the stop/start, right click (or Control + click) and select “Create AAC Version.” The song will be re-encoded using the new start and stop times you set and be added to iTunes as a new song with the same name.

Note: For iTunes 7: If the menu item does not read “Convert Selection to AAC” and reads “Convert Selection to MP3″ go to iTunes -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Importing and change the “Import Using” drop down menu to “AAC Encoder.”

For iTunes 8: If the menu item does not read “Create AAC Version” and reads “Create MP3 Version″ go to iTunes -> Preferences -> General -> Import Settings change the “Import Using” drop down menu to “AAC Encoder.”

5) After AAC encoding is finished, locate your song in iTunes and drag it to your desktop (this will copy it). Now delete the song version in iTunes you just copied to your desktop.

6) Right click on your song you just copied to your desktop and select “Get info.” Go to the name and extension section and change the extension from .m4a to .m4r.

Or just change the extension name right from your desktop.

7) Double click the file on your desktop (or drag it to iTunes) and your new file should end up under Ringtones. You just created a Ringtone!

Now just sync your iPhone with iTunes.

Note: Make sure to go back in iTunes and uncheck the start and stop times for the original version of your song.

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