Install a ringtone with GarageBand
In short: On iOS 18 and earlier, GarageBand is how you install a ringtone without a computer. Import the M4R into an Audio Recorder project, drag it to the start of the track, then go to My Songs, touch and hold the project and tap Share, Ringtone, Export. Finish with Use sound as, Standard Ringtone.
Make the file GarageBand will import
Step by step
- In RingtoneEditor, tap iPhone, then Save the ringtone. The file goes to Files → Downloads.
- Install GarageBand from the App Store if it is not on your phone. It is free and made by Apple.
- Open GarageBand and start an Audio Recorder project. Switch to the tracks view, tap the loop button, open the Files tab and pick your file.
- Drag the file onto the track and push it against the left edge, so the ringtone does not open with silence.
- Tap the arrow at the top left and choose My Songs. Touch and hold the project, then tap Share → Ringtone → Export.
- Tap Use sound as… and choose Standard Ringtone. Choose Standard Text Tone for messages, or Assign to contact for one person.
When a GarageBand step goes wrong
| What you see | Why | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The clip stops after a few seconds on the track | The song section is set to a fixed 8 bars | Tap the + at the right end of the ruler, open Section A and turn on Automatic. |
| GarageBand asks you to shorten the ringtone | The file is over 30 seconds | Save it again from the editor. Its iPhone files stop at 29.95 seconds. |
| Your file is not in the Files tab | It is in a folder GarageBand is not showing, or still in iCloud | Tap Browse items from the Files app and open Downloads. Download the file in Files first if it shows a cloud icon. |
| Ringtone is not in the Share menu | Share was opened inside the project, or GarageBand is out of date | Share from My Songs, and update GarageBand in the App Store. |
| The song cannot be imported | It is an Apple Music download, which is copy-protected | Use a file you own a plain copy of, such as an iTunes Store purchase. |
Do the editing before GarageBand
GarageBand can cut and fade audio, but its controls are built for music production and are hard to use on a phone screen. Set the length, the fade and the volume in RingtoneEditor first. Then GarageBand only has to import one file and export it.
GarageBand on iOS 26
The Share → Ringtone option belongs to GarageBand, not to iOS 18, so it should keep working after an update. We have not yet checked it on an iOS 26 device. On iOS 26 the Files route is shorter anyway.
Common questions
Do I need to know how to use GarageBand?
No. You import one finished file and export it. Nothing is recorded or mixed in GarageBand.
Why is my ringtone called “My Song”?
GarageBand names the ringtone after the project. Rename the project in My Songs before you share it, or type a new name on the export screen.
Does exporting delete my file?
No. The ringtone is a copy. Your M4R in Files and the project in My Songs stay until you delete them.