How to install an MP3 Ringtone into your iPhone (with necessary conversion to M4R format)!

Submitted by headgeek on Tue, 07/27/2010 - 04:00

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If you follow these instructions, iTunes® should do the necessary MP3 to M4R conversion for you so that you can enjoy your MP3 Ringtone on your iPhone®! (If you already have files in M4R format, use these instructions)

Important: You may receive an error message from iTunes® when you try to sync if the ringtone is too long (usually if it is more than 30 seconds long).
Launch iTunes®
From the FILE menu, select "Add File To Library"
Find and select the Ringtone (MP3) file
iTunes® will then import that file into the iTunes® Music Library
Find the Ringtone file in the iTunes® Music Library

If the Ringtone doesn't have the ID3 Tags set, it will be in the "Unknown Artist" section; otherwise it will be saved under the Recording Artist/Album that is set in the MP3 file

Right-Click on the Ringtone file and select "Create AAC Version"

Again, If the MP3 Ringtone doesn't have the ID3 Tags set, a new file will be created in the "Unknown Artist" section; otherwise it will be saved using the Recording Artist/Album that is set in the MP3 file

Drag the new file onto your desktop.

You can verify the file is the AAC version by right-clicking on the file and selecting "Get Info"; it should say "AAC audio file"

When the file is on your desktop, rename it from .m4a to .m4r
You can now go back to iTunes® and delete the AAC and the MP3 files from your iTunes® Library
Now re-select "Add File To Library" from the File menu and select the newly created .m4r file.
After the import, the .m4r file will be located under the Ringtones section in the Music Library!
Sync up your iPhone® and configure the iPhone® to use the new ringtone and you're DONE!!