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Create iPhone ringtones from iTunes previews [Update: No Longer Works]

Submitted by Michael Johnston on July 27, 2007 - 4:53pm.
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With the advent of being able to easily hack ringtones onto your iPhone, there's just one thing missing: an easy way to convert your songs into ringtones. As it turns out, Apple has done the dirty work for you with the 30 second previews which accompany every track on iTunes. Erica Sadun of TUAW has figured out a super easy way to nab those previews for use on your iPhone. Step by step instructions after the jump!

1. Create a new playlist. Drag unpurchased songs from the iTunes store into your playlist. The songs will retain their "Add Song" buttons and their price within the playlist.

2. Export your playlist. Select the playlist in the sources column. Control-click/Right-click the playlist name and choose Export Song List from the pop-up menu.

3. Save the playlist as plain text. Select Plain Text from the Format pop-up and save the playlist file to your desktop.

4. Open the playlist file. It is a tab-delimited file of columns, so you can open it up in Excel (my preference, make sure to option-drag the text file onto the Excel icon) or a text editor like TextEdit.

5. Locate the file URLs. Each file URL appears in the final Location column for each line. Copy the URL.

6. Download the files. In Safari 3.0, open the Downloads window (Windows->Downloads). Paste the URL into the Download window and allow the file to transfer. Your computer must be authorized to your iTunes account. You may want to try playing back the file in QuickTime Player just to be sure it downloaded correctly. If you're not a Safari 3.0 user, use your favorite alternate such as curl, wget, or so forth.

7. Rename. Give the file a more meaningful name than, for example, "mzi.rwgtaash.aac.p.m4p". Retain the .m4p extension.

8. Upload to the iPhone. The easiest way to do this is with iFuntastic. The only problem is that iFuntastic doesn't recognize .m4p files as a viable ringtone format. The workaround is to rename the file to .m4a and proceed to upload.

9. Select the ringtone. On the iPhone, navigate to Settings -> Sound > Ringtone and select the new file. The ringtone will play back as you select it. Please note that some newer releases (including Nicole Scherzinger's Whatever U Like--thanks Drunk Dwarf) do not work as ringtones. I'm not sure why.

Congratulations, not only have you added a new 30-second custom ringtone to your iPhone, but iTunes usually picks the best 30 seconds of any song for its preview. Enjoy.

Update: This tip no longer works in current versions of iTunes. The tip will remain for archival purposes.

[via TUAW]

Ringtones

Submitted by Pareatis (not verified) on July 28, 2007 - 11:43am.
What can I say???? BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Submitted by d-man on July 28, 2007 - 1:01pm.
You can also download the previews with Safari 2 by pasting the URL into the address bar, holding down the option key and hitting return. This causes Safari to download the link.

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on July 28, 2007 - 8:30pm.
this is great although for windows users it doesn't work properly when copying and pasting from excel to windows downloads

Submitted by BillyMayes on July 29, 2007 - 2:34am.
I would just use text editor. Maybe IE7 will open it nicely? I dunno, I'm a Mac guy...

Dowloading the song for windows users.

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on July 29, 2007 - 12:29pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered View Post
this is great although for windows users it doesn't work properly when copying and pasting from excel to windows downloads
That is easy. If you paste the url into the location bar for Firefox, firefox by nature will pop up the download box to give you the option of just playing it or downloading it.

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on July 30, 2007 - 8:12am.
I'm confused....

also, I bought the song I want to use, so this doesn't work....jkhnjh

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on July 30, 2007 - 8:13am.
^

How did that gibberish get at the end of what I said?

It isn't working

Submitted by Iphoner (not verified) on July 30, 2007 - 11:02am.
It has not worked for me so far. I tried it twice using Ifuntastic, following all directions i believe. I uploaded the song, and can see it on my phone, but the song will not play when I select it, nor when I recieve a call.

PS

Submitted by Iphoner (not verified) on July 30, 2007 - 11:06am.
I have tried with two songs, one made in 1997, one made in 2007, so they weren't both new... Not sure what to do...

Submitted by Mubs on July 30, 2007 - 1:19pm.
Not sure what the problem would be. Does the audio file actually play in QuickTime?

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on July 30, 2007 - 9:34pm.
I downloaded it to the desktop (MacBook) and ended up with the gibberish.mp4 file and it played nicely in Quicktime. Unfortunately, when I tried to add it to the disk in iFuntastic 2.0 it was blacked out. Is this because it's an mp4 file?

Submitted by BillyMayes on July 30, 2007 - 9:45pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered View Post
I downloaded it to the desktop (MacBook) and ended up with the gibberish.mp4 file and it played nicely in Quicktime. Unfortunately, when I tried to add it to the disk in iFuntastic 2.0 it was blacked out. Is this because it's an mp4 file?
I think the files are .m4p when you download them. iFuntastic v2.1 should be able to use them. Are you able to add other files successfully?

Submitted by DemonsMaster on July 31, 2007 - 8:04am.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyMayes View Post
I think the files are .m4p when you download them. iFuntastic v2.1 should be able to use them. Are you able to add other files successfully?
Every song (or preview) I've gotten from iTunes wouldn't load into iFuntastic..I had to rename them into .m4a files for them to be able to be read, and even then sometimes they can't be played in the actual iPhone

windows user

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on July 31, 2007 - 1:46pm.
Everything is done up until upload to Iphone..... How do I upload to the Iphone if I can't use Ifuntastic because I am not a MAC user?????

Submitted by BillyMayes on July 31, 2007 - 6:45pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DemonsMaster View Post
Every song (or preview) I've gotten from iTunes wouldn't load into iFuntastic..I had to rename them into .m4a files for them to be able to be read, and even then sometimes they can't be played in the actual iPhone
It's a bug. You can add those files, you just need to drag them to the list. Clicking "Add" won't do it for you. *Shrugs*

Submitted by Pepper on July 31, 2007 - 7:08pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered View Post
Everything is done up until upload to Iphone..... How do I upload to the Iphone if I can't use Ifuntastic because I am not a MAC user?????
you have to wait like the rest of us for iFuntastic to be released onto your operating system (ie. windows, powerpc)

ehh

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on August 1, 2007 - 5:36pm.
How can you upload the ringtone without using ifuntastic? I'm not on an intel based mac, im using a powerbook G4. What are my options then?

Submitted by Pepper on August 2, 2007 - 12:00am.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered View Post
How can you upload the ringtone without using ifuntastic? I'm not on an intel based mac, im using a powerbook G4. What are my options then?
you have to have an intel mac because you have to run jailbreak to open your phone to modifications. Until they release a PPC iFuntastic, your out of luck (i am having to wait too). They say it will be soon for the PPC version, and the windows version to be released.

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on August 2, 2007 - 12:57pm.
This is for those who already bought the song or those who don't like the 30 seconds on ituens. if you don't have a intel mac this still won't help you though sorry. itunes has every thing you need to make your own ringtones. Drag a song you want as a ring tone to a playlist so you don't mess up the original song. Right click-> get info (command i) on a song you want to make your ringtone. Go to options and check start and stop time. Change the times to the 30 seconds or so that you would like to be your ringtone. Click ok. Then click once on the short version of the song that you just made and go to advanced and convert selection to mp3. If that option isn't given go to preferences -> advanced-> importing and change the "import using" to mp3. now mp3 should be in the advanced menu. drag that song to the fold you are uploading your ringtones from.

Submitted by BillyMayes on August 2, 2007 - 7:30pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered View Post
This is for those who already bought the song or those who don't like the 30 seconds on ituens. if you don't have a intel mac this still won't help you though sorry. itunes has every thing you need to make your own ringtones. Drag a song you want as a ring tone to a playlist so you don't mess up the original song. Right click-> get info (command i) on a song you want to make your ringtone. Go to options and check start and stop time. Change the times to the 30 seconds or so that you would like to be your ringtone. Click ok. Then click once on the short version of the song that you just made and go to advanced and convert selection to mp3. If that option isn't given go to preferences -> advanced-> importing and change the "import using" to mp3. now mp3 should be in the advanced menu. drag that song to the fold you are uploading your ringtones from.
Excellent advice! I didn't realize that you could export a clipped song like that. Sweet.

doesnt work...for me

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on August 5, 2007 - 12:49am.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered View Post
That is easy. If you paste the url into the location bar for Firefox, firefox by nature will pop up the download box to give you the option of just playing it or downloading it.

It didnt work for me...i did exactly what the instructions told me...I evebn changed the it to a m4p and that didnt work..then I changed to a m4a n that didnt work as well..n yet the file was showing in my "sounds" folder..but the sound clip is in the ipod function of the iphone not under settings.... I repeated it numerous of times..I dont know if it because I have Windows XP or what...i just wanted to kno what i was doin wrong...

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on August 5, 2007 - 1:02am.
It won't work. The files are encrypted... if you do a get info on them... there is a little lock there.

Why not use the demo of Audio Hijak Pro (OS X), and just have it record the 30 second "sample" and rename that as a file?

That seems to be the easies way to make a ringtone!!!

Submitted by iPodAddict on August 5, 2007 - 12:37pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered View Post
It didnt work for me...i did exactly what the instructions told me...I evebn changed the it to a m4p and that didnt work..then I changed to a m4a n that didnt work as well..n yet the file was showing in my "sounds" folder..but the sound clip is in the ipod function of the iphone not under settings.... I repeated it numerous of times..I dont know if it because I have Windows XP or what...i just wanted to kno what i was doin wrong...
iFuntastic doesn't work on Windows, so if that's what you're doing, that's your problem.

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on August 7, 2007 - 11:41am.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered View Post
It didnt work for me...i did exactly what the instructions told me...I evebn changed the it to a m4p and that didnt work..then I changed to a m4a n that didnt work as well..n yet the file was showing in my "sounds" folder..but the sound clip is in the ipod function of the iphone not under settings.... I repeated it numerous of times..I dont know if it because I have Windows XP or what...i just wanted to kno what i was doin wrong...
rofl lol i am assumeing what he did was just put the 30 second clip in his itunes and synced his iPhone to it expecting it to be put as a ring tone...YOU NEED iFUNTASTIC!!! lol PC version isn't out yet. Go buy a Mac :-D

help!!!

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on August 28, 2007 - 11:33pm.
i cant get my .m4a file into ifuntastic????? i open ifuntastic and go to prepare ringtones and try to choose it but it comes up as grey and un choosable?!?!
HELP!!

Submitted by Spoon on August 29, 2007 - 10:54am.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered View Post
i cant get my .m4a file into ifuntastic????? i open ifuntastic and go to prepare ringtones and try to choose it but it comes up as grey and un choosable?!?!
HELP!!
What version of iFuntastic do you have? You need to have v2.5, I think. http://www.iphonealley.com/downloads...ntastic-v2-5-0

Breaks in iTunes 7.4

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on September 7, 2007 - 3:15pm.
This breaks in iTunes 7.4. BUT, I here is a fast dirty work around:

First open "Terminal". Save this script as getpreviews.sh:

#/bin/sh
STEP1=`wget $1 -O - | gunzip | grep 'body onload="return itmsOpen' | awk -F "'" '{print $2}'`
echo $STEP1 > /tmp/STEP1
STEP2=`echo $STEP1 | sed s/itms/http/`
echo $STEP2 > /tmp/STEP2
COUNTER=0
for STEP3 in `wget $STEP2 -O - | gunzip | grep previewURL`
do
COUNTER=$((COUNTER+1))
wget `echo $STEP3 | sed s!\previewURL\<\/key\>\!! | sed s!\<\/string\>!!` -O "Track$COUNTER.m4a"
done

Save the file. Type:

chmod uog+rx ./getpreviews.sh

In iTunes, find an album you want. Right click and choose "Copy iTunes Store URL"

Go back to the Terminal.

type ./getpreviews.sh "{PASTE YOUR URL HERE}"

NOTE: Make sure you enclose the URL in quotes or you will have problems.

All the previews for the album will be saved as "Track1.m4a","Track2.m4a", etc.

Submitted by iPodAddict on September 7, 2007 - 7:55pm.
This doesn't work for me. I think it's because I don't have wget

not workin'

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on September 8, 2007 - 12:02pm.
i see no URL after exporting the playlist and opening it up in excel or text edit.
any ideas?

Submitted by iPodAddict on September 8, 2007 - 1:34pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered View Post
i see no URL after exporting the playlist and opening it up in excel or text edit.
any ideas?
Starting with iTunes 7.4 this method doesn't work anymore. Sucks because it was an AWESOME way to get 'tones

Submitted by newwavedave on September 9, 2007 - 9:19pm.
Didn't work for me either. Looks like APPLE is cracking down now that they are selling ring tones.

Submitted by iPodAddict on September 9, 2007 - 9:28pm.
Yeap, that option is Pwnt

I recommend downloading 7.3.2 http://appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite....Tunes7.3.2.dmg

Submitted by Pepper on September 9, 2007 - 9:33pm.
ya, i en ver upgraded because i knew apple would do some crazy updates.

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on September 10, 2007 - 1:42am.
I can't find the url

Submitted by Hans on September 10, 2007 - 2:59am.
oh well, i dont like music ring tones anyways. i feel like an old man but i just want my phone to ring...

Submitted by BigFoot (not verified) on September 10, 2007 - 3:51am.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered View Post
I can't find the url
Please read the thread, this method no longer works after iTunes 7.4

Submitted by Hans on September 10, 2007 - 4:10am.
sad when people read the threads enough to answer questions but don't register...

Submitted by BigFoot on September 10, 2007 - 4:30am.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hans View Post
sad when people read the threads enough to answer questions but don't register...
It's called laziness and it's a very serious problem

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on September 16, 2007 - 9:31pm.
When I export the playlist to a plain text file and open it up in both excel and text reader, nothing is displayed about any of the songs so i cannot see the URL... does this have something to do with iTunes 7.4.1? If not, someone please let me know what the deal is cuz i can't figure this out... oh, i have a mac.

Submitted by BillyMayes on September 18, 2007 - 11:58pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered View Post
When I export the playlist to a plain text file and open it up in both excel and text reader, nothing is displayed about any of the songs so i cannot see the URL... does this have something to do with iTunes 7.4.1? If not, someone please let me know what the deal is cuz i can't figure this out... oh, i have a mac.
Yeah, it doesn't work on 7.4 and up

artist

Submitted by *larryc (not verified) on October 17, 2007 - 12:23am.
When I right click to save the playlist to desktop I get an option to save as .tx file. The file ends up in notepad and has headings but no information of any kind about the clip. Does this methos not work in windows?

Submitted by BillyMayes on October 17, 2007 - 7:44pm.
The method doesn't work anymore period with new iTunes

Submitted by UKiPhoner (not verified) on November 11, 2007 - 5:36am.
The TXT file is blank for me - works on stuff I own but not on the preview list compiled as suggested.

Submitted by newwavedave on November 11, 2007 - 9:17am.
Somebody please lock this thread and add a note on the first post that this method doesn't work anymore.

text file is empty

Submitted by *acac (not verified) on November 30, 2007 - 2:17am.
i tried this and when i open up the text file, it has the headers, but there is nothing for the song i dropped in there..

Listen!!!!

Submitted by Steffwiz (not verified) on May 31, 2008 - 1:39pm.
if u have a .mpa or .m4p or .mp* just rename it to >M4R as they all r AAC format and drag it into ur itunes ringtones folder and then sync ur iphone!!!!!!!!

its so easy and it works on windows up to the latest itunes version

if u have any problems or itunes fixed it let me know at Steffwiz@gmail.com


u can also go to myxer.com to get the .m4r ringtones for free and they have a nice selection of songs too

or if u want to make ur own right click a song in ur library and hit "get info"....then hit the "options" tab and from the select anywhere from 20 to 30 seconds of the song u want and then hit ok,,,,,then right click the song again and click convert to aac......go into ur itunes music folder and select the file called XXXXXX.m4a that u just made and change it to .m4r and put it into ur ringtones folder>>>>and NOW U HAVE THE RINGTONE FOR FREE!!!!!!

make sure u put the original song back to its original start and end times or it will always be 30 seconds!!!!!!


HAVE FUN AND DONT FORGET TO EMAIL ME IF U HAVE ANY PROBLEMS!!!!!!




AND FYI THIS METHOD IS BROKEN SO DO IT MANUALLY!!!!

Submitted by Michael Johnston on May 31, 2008 - 5:00pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steffwiz View Post

[...]

AND FYI THIS METHOD IS BROKEN SO DO IT MANUALLY!!!!
Yes, I realize this method is outdated. I didn't realize people would still be going to it after all this time, so I'll try and update it.

Thanks!

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on July 21, 2008 - 9:19am.
Windows users download free .............. iRing. although i am a mac user i open parrellels and use this in windows and just save them in a folder and import. Sweet and simple

for windows users

Submitted by Unregistered (not verified) on July 21, 2008 - 9:21am.
plus in iRing you can pan the song to get the exact part of the song you want. anywhere up to 30 seconds, if you only want 15 seconds you can scale it down.