Set the Mood: How to Use a Video as Your Ringtone (Android & iPhone)

Tired of the same old boring ringtones? Want to inject a little personality and fun into your incoming calls? Imagine picking up your phone to the familiar opening riff of your favorite song, or a snippet of a hilarious video you adore. Well, you can! While directly setting a video as a ringtone isn’t a standard feature on most smartphones, there are clever workarounds using video-to-audio conversion and third-party apps that allow you to achieve this unique and eye-catching result. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of setting a video as a ringtone on both Android and iPhone devices, with detailed steps and useful tips.

Why Use a Video as a Ringtone?

Before we dive into the technicalities, let’s briefly touch on why you might want to choose a video over a traditional audio ringtone.

• Uniqueness: Stand out from the crowd with a ringtone that is both visually and audibly engaging.
• Personalization: Express your personality, humor, and favorite content in a novel way.
• Memorability: A video ringtone can be more memorable and easily recognizable than a standard audio tone.
• Novelty Factor: It’s simply fun and a great conversation starter!

General Overview of the Process

The general process of setting a video as a ringtone typically involves these steps:

1. Video Selection: Choose the video you want to use as your ringtone.
2. Video Editing (Optional): Trim the video to the specific clip you want to use.
3. Video to Audio Conversion: Extract the audio from the video.
4. Transfer to Phone: Transfer the audio file to your smartphone.
5. Setting as Ringtone: Set the audio file as your ringtone.
6. (Optional) Third-Party App Assistance: Using a third-party app for easier setting of custom ringtone

Let’s look at how to accomplish this on both Android and iPhone.

Part 1: How to Set a Video as a Ringtone on Android

Android is generally more flexible when it comes to customization. You can set custom ringtones directly or with third-party apps. Here’s how to do it step-by-step:

Step 1: Choose and Prepare Your Video

Video Selection: Start by selecting the video you wish to use. This could be a clip from YouTube, a funny video you recorded, or a movie scene. Ensure the video is saved to your device’s storage.

Video Editing (Optional): Use a video editing app on your phone, such as Google Photos, InShot, or any video editor of your preference. Trim the video to the desired section. Remember, ringtones are usually short. A 15-30 second clip is often ideal. Some apps also allow you to extract only audio without the video.

Step 2: Convert the Video to Audio

Since Android ringtones require an audio file format, you’ll need to convert your video. Here are two main options:

Option 1: Using a Video to Audio Converter App

This is the most straightforward method. Numerous free apps on the Google Play Store can convert video files into audio. Popular choices include:

• MP3 Video Converter: A reliable option for converting videos to MP3 audio files.
• Video to MP3 Converter: A simple and user-friendly app for basic conversions.
• Media Converter: Supports various video and audio formats.

Here’s how to use a video to audio converter (using MP3 Video Converter as an example):

1. Download and install an app, in this case MP3 Video Converter, from Google Play Store.
2. Open the app and grant necessary permissions if prompted.
3. Select “Video to Audio” or similar option.
4. Browse for the video file you wish to convert.
5. Choose the output format, typically MP3. You may also adjust the bitrate if desired.
6. Start the conversion process.
7. Once the conversion is complete, the audio file will be saved to your device’s storage.

Option 2: Using an Online Converter

If you don’t want to install an app, online video-to-audio converters work just as well. Some reliable websites include:

• OnlineVideoConverter: Supports many video formats and audio output options.
• Convertio: Offers a simple interface and fast conversions.
• Zamzar: Reliable with a wide range of supported formats.

Steps for using an online converter:

1. Go to the website of your chosen converter.
2. Upload the video from your device’s storage.
3. Choose MP3 as your output format.
4. Click “Convert” or similar button.
5. Once the conversion is complete, download the converted audio file.

Step 3: Transfer the Audio File to the Ringtone Folder

After getting your audio file, it is essential to ensure it’s in the correct location for the system to find it. The recommended folder for ringtones on Android is often a dedicated folder named “Ringtones”. To do this:

1. Use a file manager app (such as Files by Google or any other you have on your phone).
2. Navigate to where your converted audio file was saved, which is often named “Downloads” or the app name of the converter you used.
3. Long press or select the audio file.
4. Copy or move the audio file.
5. Navigate to your device’s internal storage. Locate and enter the “Ringtones” folder. If it doesn’t exist, create a folder named “Ringtones” (note the capitalization)
6. Paste the audio file into the “Ringtones” folder.

Step 4: Set the Audio as Your Ringtone

Now that your audio is in the correct location, you can set it as your ringtone:

1. Go to your phone’s “Settings”.
2. Navigate to “Sound” or “Sounds and Vibration”. The exact wording may differ based on your Android version and manufacturer.
3. Tap on “Ringtone” or “Phone Ringtone”.
4. You should see a list of available ringtones. Scroll to the bottom (or top) where you might see an option like “Custom Ringtones”, “Add Ringtone” or similar. Select this.
5. Locate and select the audio file you transferred.
6. Confirm your selection.

That’s it! Now, when you receive a call, you will hear the audio from your converted video.

Step 5: Setting Different Ringtone for Specific Contacts (Optional)

You can assign different ringtones for different contacts if you want to further personalize your notification.

1. Open the Contacts app on your phone.
2. Select the contact for whom you want to change the ringtone.
3. Tap on the “Edit” button. The exact option may vary depending on your device and Android version.
4. Look for an option labeled “Ringtone”.
5. Select this option and choose the desired custom ringtone as set in the previous step.

Using Third-Party Apps For Easier Ringtone Setting

Some third-party apps, such as “Ringdroid”, can simplify the ringtone setting process. These apps often have the functionality to trim the video, convert the file, and set it directly to ringtone, hence can be simpler than the standard methods above. Search for such apps on Google Play Store and try them out if you prefer a more automated approach to the entire process.

Part 2: How to Set a Video as a Ringtone on iPhone

Setting a custom ringtone on iPhone is not as straightforward as on Android because of Apple’s restrictions on direct file system access. However, with a few workarounds, you can still achieve the desired result. You will be primarily using Apple’s Garageband App, which is usually pre-installed on most iPhones and third party video to mp3 converter apps.

Step 1: Choose and Prepare Your Video

As with Android, start by selecting and trimming your video if needed. The process of trimming video is the same as in the Android section – use your preferred video editor to trim your video into desired part of 15-30 seconds.

Step 2: Convert the Video to Audio

Since iPhones use M4R as their ringtone format, we need to convert the video to this format or an intermediary format, e.g. MP3, and later convert the MP3 to M4R.

Option 1: Video to MP3 Converter App

Use third party video to MP3 converter on the app store (similar to Android). Search “Video to MP3 converter” on the app store. Choose an app that has good ratings and a user friendly interface. Most of these apps will follow a simple three step approach:

1. Select the video to extract audio from
2. Choose output as MP3
3. Download the output MP3 audio file to Files app.

Option 2: Online Conversion

This is similar to the Android method; however, we will again have to download the converted audio file to the Files app.

1. Go to the website of your chosen converter.
2. Upload the video from your device’s storage.
3. Choose MP3 as your output format.
4. Click “Convert” or similar button.
5. Once the conversion is complete, download the converted audio file. Make sure the download goes to the Files app on your device and is accessible there.

Step 3: Converting MP3 to M4R Using GarageBand

Now we will use the converted MP3 and Garageband to make a ringtone. Follow these steps:

1. Open the GarageBand app on your iPhone.
2. If this is the first time you’ve opened it, you will be asked to allow access to your files. Select yes.
3. Tap on the “+” button in the top right corner to create a new song.
4. Swipe to find the Audio Recorder option. Click “Voice” button.
5. Tap on the waveform button (a small rectangle with small waves next to the record button) at the top of the screen to switch to the track view.
6. Tap on the loop icon in the top-right. This is an icon of loop.
7. Navigate to “Files” tab within the loop screen.
8. Browse and select the MP3 file you downloaded in previous steps. It will now be imported to the timeline.
9. Tap on the audio track on the timeline. Now you will see two yellow handles at each end of the audio track. Drag these handles to trim the audio to the required length for your ringtone, which is generally 30 seconds or less.
10. Once you’re happy with the editing, tap on the downward arrow pointing down in the top left corner.
11. Select “My Songs”. Your project will be saved with the name “My Song”. It should be visible in the Recent tab.
12. Long press on your newly created “My Song”. Click “Share” on the contextual menu.
13. Select “Ringtone”. You may be asked to change the name of the ringtone. Change if you like.
14. Click Export, at the top right of the screen.
15. After export process completes click “OK”.

Step 4: Set the Custom Ringtone

Now that the custom ringtone is created, we can set it as ringtone:

1. Go to your iPhone’s “Settings”.
2. Tap on “Sounds & Haptics”.
3. Tap on “Ringtone”.
4. Select the custom ringtone you just created in GarageBand.

Congratulations! You have now successfully set your custom ringtone made from a video. Enjoy your personalized ringtone!

Step 5: Assigning different ringtone to specific contacts (Optional)

Similar to Android, you can assign a unique ringtone to each of your contacts

1. Open the Contacts app on your phone.
2. Select the contact you want to set a custom ringtone for.
3. Tap “Edit” in the top right corner.
4. Look for the “Ringtone” option.
5. Tap on the “Ringtone” field to choose a new ringtone that you created in the previous steps.

Tips and Considerations

• Keep it Short: Ringtones are usually short, so keep your audio clip to around 15-30 seconds.
• Audio Quality: Be mindful of the audio quality when converting. Some converters may lower the quality.
• Storage: Keep your video and audio files organized in your file manager to easily find them in future.
• Battery: Avoid using too long or complex video that may drain your battery quicker (especially with the screen being on when ringing).
• Copyright: Be respectful of copyright when using content for personal use. Don’t use content without permission for commercial purpose.

Conclusion

Setting a video as your ringtone might seem complex at first, but following these detailed steps will make it a breeze. Whether you’re an Android user or an iPhone fan, you can now enjoy a unique and personalized ringtone that perfectly reflects your style. So go ahead, choose your favorite video and make your phone truly yours!