Make a custom text tone
In short: To make a custom iPhone text tone, open RingtoneEditor, choose a song or video, and tap Text tone. The selection starts at 10 seconds; move it onto the sound you want, tap Louder if it is quiet, then tap iPhone. Install it like a ringtone and pick it under Settings → Sounds & Haptics → Text Tone.
Make a text tone in the editor
Step by step
- Tap “Choose a song or video” to open the sound you want to use.
- Tap Text tone. The selection changes to 10 seconds.
- Drag the handles onto the sound you want. A few seconds is enough for a message alert.
- Keep Fade on so the sound does not start or end with a click. Tap Louder if it is quiet, then press Play to check.
- Tap iPhone, then Save the ringtone. Install it with Files → Share → Use as Ringtone on iOS 26, or GarageBand on iOS 18 and earlier.
- Open Settings → Sounds & Haptics → Text Tone and choose it.
Text tone or ringtone: what changes
| Ringtone | Text tone | |
|---|---|---|
| How it plays | Repeats until you answer | Once per message |
| Length in this editor | Up to 29.95 seconds | Starts at 10 seconds |
| Longest iOS allows | 30 seconds | Up to 30 seconds |
| File type | M4R | M4R, the same format |
| Where to choose it | Settings → Sounds & Haptics → Ringtone | Settings → Sounds & Haptics → Text Tone |
What makes a good alert sound
- It starts loud. A slow build-up is over before you notice it.
- It is short. A long tone is cut off by the next message.
- It sounds unlike your ringtone, so you can tell a text from a call without looking.
Other alerts that can use it
The tones you add appear in the other sound lists under Settings → Sounds & Haptics as well, such as New Mail and Calendar Alerts. Most apps with their own notification sounds, WhatsApp among them, only offer their built-in sounds.
Common questions
How long can an iPhone text tone be?
iOS allows up to 30 seconds, the same as a ringtone. The editor starts at 10 seconds because a longer alert rarely plays to the end.
Will installing it change my ringtone?
In GarageBand, choose Standard Text Tone and your ringtone stays as it is. On iOS 26, check Settings → Sounds & Haptics → Ringtone after Use as Ringtone and switch back if it changed.
Can one person have their own text tone?
Yes. Open their card in Contacts, tap Edit, then Text Tone, and choose it.
Why does my text tone click?
The cut lands in the middle of a sound wave. Turn on Fade, or move the start handle a little.