Free Ringtones are Back Under iTunes 7.4.1

Submitted by Chad Shmukler on

Though, like last time, it may only be a short while before Apple releases yet another iTunes update to close up a ringtone loophole - free ringtones are back under iTunes 7.4.1.

iTunes 7.4.1 was released just the other day as a remedy to the free ringtones loophole discovered by a MacRumors forum reader which allowed any music file to be used on the iPhone as a ringtone simply by renaming the file to an .M4R extension and bringing it into iTunes.

Though 7.4.1 broke the original method, as it turns out, a very similar and only slightly more complicated method will let you accomplish the same feat under the latest version of iTunes.

Here's how:

for Mac

  1. select an MP3 in iTunes and convert it to AAC (or use an existing AAC)
  2. duplicate the AAC and rename it
  3. select "Get Info" from the file menu and change the file's extension to .m4r
  4. double-click the file - it will load into iTunes and should show in your iPhone's ringtones tab
  5. before attempting to sync, change the file's extension to .m4a
  6. sync your new ringtones to your iPhone

for Windows

  1. select an MP3 in iTunes and convert it to AAC (or use an existing AAC)
  2. right-click the converted AAC in iTunes and select "Show in Explorer"
  3. in Windows Explorer, duplicate the AAC and rename it, change the file's extension to .m4r
  4. double-click the file - it will load into iTunes and should show in your iPhone's ringtones tab
  5. before attempting to sync, change the file's extension to .m4a
  6. sync your new ringtones to your iPhone

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tags: 
News
Hacking
Ringtones
iTunes

Comments

Anonymous replied on

Wow. That's only one extra step than before. Nice.

Anonymous replied on

Confustion here. So if I have a .m4a file, duplicate it and rename it to .m4r... great, but then then how do I rename it back to .m4a before syncing if I already have the original .m4a file there? Am I supposed to delete the original? Move it somewhere else perhaps?

Anonymous replied on

After iTunes imports into the ITunes music library. Thats where you will rename it.

Anonymous replied on

Excellent. Works perfectly.

Now I just have to remember to avoid the iTunes 7.4.2 update until I know what it contains. :)

Anonymous replied on

Need help with windows version. When I rename file in WE nothing happens. If I import or drag file to Itunes, nothing happens. If I follow the MAC instructions I can get the file to show in the ringtones folder, but not on iPhone. Help!

Anonymous replied on

when it says "change the file's extension" does that mean the name of it? as in right-click, and "remame"? or what. cause i "renamed the file" with the original title plus ".m4r" and it didnt work.. can anyone help me?

Anonymous replied on

Sounds like you need to turn on "show file types" in your view settings for WE. Try it and you'll see all file extensions (like. m4a .mp3)

Anonymous replied on

I know this sounds stupid but how do I convert to AAC (step 1). Do I have to use an external program or can this be done in iTunes. I have the "Kind" view showing and most of my files are MPEG audio files. I really appreciate the help!

Anonymous replied on

CANCEL that... Sorry I realized I had it on MP3 importing.

Anonymous replied on

how do you change the files extension in windows. It will let me rename it, but not change the extension

Justin replied on

Hey all. All went well, I synced to my iPod, and I don't see it under ringtones. I have my iPod to sync all ringtones, and it's in the ringtones section in iTunes. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Justin replied on

When I say iPod I mean iPhone LOL.

Justin replied on

Nevemind i figured it out. You should mention that it has to be roughly 30 seconds to work and give a way to make the songs that short for the noobs. ;-)

Anonymous replied on

I guess I'm doing something wrong too. On windows, I use an aac file (which is already a .m4a file btw) and change it to .m4r in WE. When I double click it and load it to iTunes it seems to be fine. It show up on my iPhone menu under ringtones and in iTunes under ringtones. If I change the file back to .m4a, when I try to sync, it says "ringtone can not be loaded because it can not be found". If I DON'T change it from a .m4r to .m4a it simply says "this song cannot be played on this iPhone".

What am I doing wrong?

Need Help replied on

when i open it in Windows Explorer and copy it, and rename it, then double click it, it opens up in my regular music library and not my ringtones.

oblivious replied on

how do i change file extensions?

Chad Shmukler replied on

Windows or Mac?

oblivious replied on

windows

Chad Shmukler replied on

Right click -> rename

Make sure you have show file extension for known types checked within your folder options.

Anonymous replied on

go to your folder options....in vista if you cant find it...go to the start menu..where it says start search type in "folder options" click on the "view" tab then uncheck "hide extensions for known file types"

then go back to your (ringtone.m4a) file and rename it (ringtone .m4r) note the space you need that there. and then place it in your /library/ringtones/ folder of your phone and you should be good

Anonymous replied on

I have done all the steps and it shows the music in the main ringtone section but not in the ringtone section when i plug the iphone in can any1 help me????

Anonymous replied on

Does this work? The only thing I dont understand is what to use for windows as a iphone access program like he has in screen shot named iphone browser 1.3.0?

http://modmyiphone.com/wiki/index.php/Free_Custom_Ringtones_on_iPhone_1.1.1

Anonymous replied on

what if it doesnt show up in ringtones

Anonymous replied on

hey i got it under ringtones on itunes then what do i do i clicked show in WE and then i changed it back to .m4a but then it said that the file could not be found wat do i do.

Anonymous replied on

my ringtone is only 30 secs long and i shows in iTunes, but not in my iPhone

Anonymous replied on

i dont see how to change the extension.

Anonymous replied on

ok one question...how the hell do you rename it to m4r???? im lost at that step.