About the M4R Ringtone Maker
iPhones use ringtones in the M4R format: AAC sound in an MP4 container, no longer than 40 seconds. This maker turns a song, voice memo or the sound of a video into an M4R file. Play the file, press Use current time at the moment the ringtone should begin, set the length, and the tool cuts that part and encodes it as high-quality AAC with the .m4r extension. Then add it to your iPhone with Finder, iTunes or GarageBand. Everything happens on your device.
Updated October 2026
How to use the M4R Ringtone Maker
- 1Select a song, recording or video.
- 2Play it and press Use current time at the start of the part you want.
- 3Set the length: 30 seconds is a good choice, 40 at most.
- 4Press Make ringtone and download the .m4r file.
- 5Add it to your iPhone (see the steps below).
Choosing the best part
Ringtones work best when they start with something recognisable, such as the chorus or a strong beat, rather than a slow intro. Play the song, pause just before the part you like and press Use current time.
- Chorus or hook: instantly recognisable
- Start on a beat to avoid a cut-off note
- 30 seconds covers a normal ring
What M4R is
An M4R file is the same as an M4A audio file, AAC sound in an MP4 container, with a different extension so iPhones recognise it as a ringtone. That is why the tool always encodes AAC.
How it works without uploading
Your browser has a built-in media engine (WebCodecs) that phones and computers use to play and record video and sound. This tool uses it through Mediabunny, an open-source media library, to read your file, change it and write a new one, all inside the page. Speed depends on your device, but most clips take only seconds.
Android phones
Android uses MP3, M4A or OGG ringtones, not M4R. For Android, use Audio Trimmer to cut the part you want and set it as a ringtone in your phone's sound settings.
Sound quality and volume
The ringtone is encoded at a high AAC bit rate in stereo, which sounds clean through the phone speaker. If the song is quiet compared with other ringtones, raise its volume first with the Audio Speed Changer's volume control, then make the ringtone from the louder file.
Copyright
Use songs you own or recordings you made. Ringtones for personal use are generally fine; sharing them may not be. To take sound from a video use Extract Audio from Video, and for a WAV copy the Audio to WAV Converter.
Features
- Any audio or video file in
- 40-second limit checked for you
- High-quality AAC in .m4r
- Start from the current play position
- Preview before download
- No upload
Frequently asked questions
How long can an iPhone ringtone be?
Up to 40 seconds. Text and alert tones should be shorter, about 5 to 10 seconds.
How do I put the ringtone on my iPhone?
On a Mac, connect the iPhone, open it in Finder and drag the .m4r file onto the General tab. On Windows, use iTunes or the Apple Devices app the same way. Then choose it in Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone.
Can I make the ringtone on the iPhone itself?
You can make the .m4r here in Safari and save it to Files. Adding it as a ringtone without a computer requires GarageBand: open the file in a GarageBand project, then use Share > Ringtone.
Which browsers can make M4R?
Chrome, Edge and Safari can encode AAC. Firefox may not; if so, the tool tells you to switch browsers.
Which browsers work best?
Chrome and Edge on computers and Android support the most formats. Safari 16.4+ and recent Firefox work too, but some codecs may not be supported there.
Is my file uploaded?
No. It is processed on your own device with your browser's built-in media engine, so nothing leaves your phone or computer.