How to Get Free Ringtones

Quick tips on the best ways to get free ringtones for your phone

By
Mark Harris
Mark Harris
Writer
  • University of Wolverhampton
Mark Harris is a former writer for Lifewire who wrote about the digital music scene and streaming music services in an easy to understand, no-nonsense manner.
lifewire's editorial guidelines
Updated on March 7, 2023

What to Know

  • Search for ringtones on free and legal ringtone websites like Mobile 9, Zedge, and MyTinyPhone.
  • Use iPhone/Android ringtones and makers like Ringtone Maker, Audiko Ringtones Free, and Zedge Ringtones.
  • Make your own with an audio editor like Audacity, an audio splitter like WavePad or Mc3splt, or use iTunes.

This article shares resources for downloading ringtones from free, legal ringtone websites, as well as creating your own ringtones using your existing digital music collection.

Free and Legal Ringtone Websites

Downloading free ringtones from the internet is the quickest way to get ringtones for your phone. It's completely legal as long as you stay away from the sites on the internet that host illegal cellphone content, such as videos, games, software. It's smart to not infringe on copyright.

girl with cell phone
Hero Images/Getty Images

Confine your searches to free and legal ringtone websites. They include:

Android and iOS Apps for Making Ringtones

A selection of free apps for Android and iPhones contain large categories of ringtones. Some even walk you through making a ringtone from a song you already own. Download these apps at Google Play for Android phones and the App Store for iPhones.

  • Ringtone Maker
  • Audiko Ringtones Free
  • Zedge Ringtones
  • Hip Hop & Rap Ringtones

Use an Audio Editor

An audio editor is a type of software program that makes it easy to manipulate your music files in several ways. Audio editors like Audacity include the option to make short audio clips that are ideal for ringtones. If you have a few songs in your music library that you'd like to transform into ringtones, then an audio editor is a must.

Before you download and use Audacity, be sure to review its privacy policy to ensure you’re comfortable with its terms.

Use an Audio File Splitter

Rather than using a full-blown audio editor, you can quickly make ringtones using an audio file splitter. This type of program doesn't have all the bells and whistles of an audio editor, but if all you want to do is make ringtones, then this type of audio tool is a good alternative. Some of the top free audio file splitters include:

Use iTunes to Create Free Ringtones

If you thought that your iTunes software media player was just good for playing your music collection, think again. With a little bit of work, you can create free ringtones for your iPhone using tunes you already bought from iTunes without having to pay for Apple's ringtone conversion service.

FAQ
  • How do I use songs for ringtones?

    To make a song your ringtone on Android, open the Settings app, find the Ringtone settings, tap My Sounds > Add (+), then choose an audio file on your device. To make a song your ringtone on an iPhone, use iTunes to export a song clip in a file format that your iPhone can recognize as a ringtone.

  • How do I set ringtones for specific contacts?

    To set ringtones for specific contacts on iPhone, open the Phone app, select the contact, tap Edit, then swipe down and tap Ringtone. On Android, open the Phone app, select the contact, then tap the three dots > Set ringtone.

Was this page helpful?