Create Free and Legal Ringtones for the iPhone (Mac)

Apple allows free custom ringtones for your iPhone. All you need is the latest version of Garageband and you can turn a song into a 40 second ringtone.

This does not work with protected files, like the ones you’ve purchased from iTunes. However, this does work with CD songs you’ve imported into iTunes or any MP3 and unprotected AAC music file.

1. Run both iTunes and GarageBand ‘08.
2. In GarageBand, create a new project.

3. Delete the default track (click on it and press Command+Delete).
4. In iTunes, select a track and drag it into GarageBand.
5. Now, your song should be in your new track selection.
6. Click the “Cycle Region” button on the bottom of the screen, it should now be highlighted blue.

7. Drag the yellow bar, which is above the track’s timeline, to the spot you want to begin your ringtone.

8. Expand this yellow region by dragging the ends of it along the imeline of the song you want in your ringtone.
9. Drag the indicator to the end of the yellow region and press Command+T to split the yellow region of the track from the rest of the track.

10. Highlight the newly split, non-yellow track and delete it.
11. Then, go to Track>Fade Out, to allow the ringtone to fade out.

12. Go to the beginning of the track, and use the indicator to help you make a fade in, dragging the beginning of the track down to db=-144 and allow it to fade it within a half of a second.

13. Go to Share>Export to Ringtones.

14. Your ringtone should now be in your Ringtones section and you can customize the ringtone info from here.

That is it; you are now ready to sync your new tune to your iPhone.