The fastest way to change your ringtone

Open Settings, tap Sounds & Haptics, then tap Ringtone. You will see a list of built-in tones. Tap the one you want, and it plays so you can hear it before you confirm. That is the entire process — no downloads or apps needed.

If you want a ringtone that is not in the built-in list, you have two other routes: use a song from your music library, or buy a ringtone from the iTunes Store. Both take a few extra steps, but neither requires a computer.

The ringtone you choose applies to all incoming calls unless you have set a custom ringtone for a specific contact. If you want different people to have different ringtones, that is a separate setting you control from the contact card itself.

Key Takeaways

  • Built-in ringtones are in Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone, and you can hear each one before you pick it.
  • You can use any song in your music library as a ringtone by going to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone and scrolling to the Music section.
  • Custom ringtones for individual contacts are set from the contact card itself, not from the main Sounds & Haptics menu.
  • Ringtones you buy from iTunes appear in your Sounds & Haptics menu within a few minutes of purchase.

Using a song from your music library as a ringtone

If you have songs in your Apple Music library or on your device, you can use any of them as your ringtone. Open Settings, go to Sounds & Haptics, and tap Ringtone. Scroll down past the built-in tones until you see Music. Tap it, and your entire music library appears.

Pick the song you want. The ringtone will use the first 30 seconds of that song. If the song is shorter than 30 seconds, the whole thing plays. Tap the song once to hear a preview, then tap it again to confirm your choice.

One limitation: the song must be in a format your iPhone recognizes. Songs you buy from iTunes work. Songs you add from other sources may not. If a song does not appear in your music library, it will not show up in the ringtone list.

Setting a different ringtone for one person

Open the Contacts app and find the person you want to customize. Tap Edit in the top right corner. Scroll down and tap Ringtone. You will see the same list of tones you saw in Settings, plus any music in your library. Pick the one you want and tap Done.

Now when that person calls, their custom ringtone plays instead of your default one. You can set a different ringtone for as many contacts as you want. This is useful if you want to know who is calling without looking at your phone.

If you change your mind, go back to that contact, tap Edit, tap Ringtone, and choose a different one. You can also set the ringtone back to your default by selecting the same tone that is set in Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone.

Buying ringtones from iTunes

Apple sells ringtones in the iTunes Store. Open the App Store app, tap the Search tab at the bottom, and search for "ringtones". You will see a Ringtones section with options to browse by genre or popularity. Tap a ringtone to hear a preview.

Tap the price button (usually $1.29) to buy it. You will be asked to confirm with Face ID, Touch ID, or your Apple ID password. The ringtone downloads to your phone within a few minutes and appears in your Sounds & Haptics menu automatically.

Bought ringtones work the same way as built-in ones — you can set them as your default ringtone or assign them to individual contacts. If you buy a ringtone and it does not appear in your list within five minutes, restart your phone.

Why your ringtone might not be working

If you changed your ringtone but you are not hearing it when people call, check whether your phone is in Silent mode. Look at the left side of your phone near the volume buttons — if you see an orange dot or a switch pointing down, your phone is silenced. Flip the switch up to turn off Silent mode.

If Silent mode is off and you still do not hear your ringtone, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics and make sure the Ringtone volume slider is turned up. It is separate from the overall volume control. If the slider is all the way down, you will not hear anything.

You can also test your ringtone by asking someone to call you, or by opening Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone and tapping your current ringtone — it will play so you can confirm it is working.

Ringtones that come with your iPhone versus ones you add

Your iPhone comes with about 25 built-in ringtones. These are always available in your Sounds & Haptics menu, even if you have never used them. You cannot delete them or change their names.

Any ringtone you buy or create stays on your phone until you delete it. If you buy a ringtone and later decide you do not want it, you can remove it by going to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone, swiping left on the ringtone name, and tapping Delete. Built-in ringtones do not have a delete option.

If you set up a new iPhone and restore from a backup, your custom ringtones and music library come with it. If you set up as a new device without restoring, you will have only the built-in ringtones until you add more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a ringtone I made myself?

You can use any song in your music library, including ones you recorded yourself if you added them to your phone. You cannot create a ringtone from scratch on your iPhone — you need a song or audio file that is already on your device or in Apple Music. If you want to use a custom audio file, you may need to add it to your music library first through a computer or a third-party app.

Why does my ringtone only play for a few seconds?

Ringtones are limited to 30 seconds. If you set a song as your ringtone, only the first 30 seconds play when someone calls. If you want a different part of the song to be your ringtone, you would need to edit the song on a computer and upload the edited version to your music library.

Do I need Wi-Fi to change my ringtone?

No. Changing your ringtone uses only your phone's storage and does not require an internet connection. If you are buying a ringtone from iTunes, you need Wi-Fi or cellular data to read it, but once it is on your phone, you can use it anytime.

Will my custom ringtone stay if I update my iPhone?

Yes. When you update your iPhone's software, your ringtones stay on your phone. If you restore your phone from a backup after an update, your ringtones come back with the backup. If you set up as a new device, you will lose custom ringtones and have to add them again.

Can I have a different ringtone for text messages?

Yes, but it is a separate setting. Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Text Tone to change the sound for incoming text messages. You can set this independently from your call ringtone, and you can also set custom text tones for individual contacts the same way you set custom call ringtones.