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Missing home made ringtones

Many years and iPhones ago, I created ringtones from music I legally own but not bought from the Apple Store. They worked fine on all iPhones but since the last upgrade, they are no longer on my phone.

The options under settings only ask about downloading "purchased" ringtones. Is this a new scheme for Apple to make Money?

How do I get my old ringtones back?

iPhone 13 Pro, iOS 16

Posted on Feb 18, 2023 9:20 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 18, 2023 11:36 AM

The easiest way is to transfer your ringtone files to e.g. iCloud Drive, also use the app Garageband to insert it as ringtones in the iOS system.


1. On your computer, go to https://icloud.com, sign in with your Apple ID

2. Open Files and drag n drop your Ringtones files in there.

3. On your iPhone, open the Files app, if you can see the ringtone files, you're good to go.

4. Download Gareband in the App Store, it's free. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/garageband/id408709785?l=da


Once Garageband is downloaded, use this YouTube guide to insert the ringtones:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e4BLhef-e4

(In the guide, approx. 1:36 into the video, he chooses Music, you have to choose Files, since that's where you placed your ringtones)

7 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 18, 2023 11:36 AM in response to Okminty

The easiest way is to transfer your ringtone files to e.g. iCloud Drive, also use the app Garageband to insert it as ringtones in the iOS system.


1. On your computer, go to https://icloud.com, sign in with your Apple ID

2. Open Files and drag n drop your Ringtones files in there.

3. On your iPhone, open the Files app, if you can see the ringtone files, you're good to go.

4. Download Gareband in the App Store, it's free. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/garageband/id408709785?l=da


Once Garageband is downloaded, use this YouTube guide to insert the ringtones:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e4BLhef-e4

(In the guide, approx. 1:36 into the video, he chooses Music, you have to choose Files, since that's where you placed your ringtones)

Feb 18, 2023 11:07 AM in response to Okminty

If you have purchased ringtones in iTunes, they can be "re-downloaded" here:

Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone > tap Download All Purchased Tones


If your ringtones were not purchased in iTunes, then you need to transfer them to your iPhone again.

Feb 18, 2023 12:33 PM in response to Community User

Well I tried all of those methods. Garageband didn't seem to have method for adding already made ringtones. I was probably just too inpatient to follow it all the way through. However I did plug my phone into my windows PC and opened iTunes (yes the app that is no longer supported), and when it appeared, I transfered the ringtones on my PC to the iPhone. All is well now and when my phone rings it once again plays the Beatles "You say Hello and I say Goodbye"

Thank You

Missing home made ringtones

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