Turn a saved video into a ringtone, including your own YouTube clips

Can I set a ringtone from YouTube?

You need a usable source file. A YouTube link or Premium offline download cannot be imported as an ordinary video or MP3. YouTube says its offline videos are encrypted for playback in its app, and its app does not export MP3 files. Renaming an offline file does not change that.

For your own upload, the original camera or editor file is a useful starting point. If you no longer have it, YouTube documents a computer download: sign in to YouTube Studio, open Content, find your upload, and choose Menu → Download. Save that MP4 to your phone using your usual file-transfer method. Some uploads are ineligible, including removed videos, videos with strikes or a preapproved audio track; a daily per-video download limit also applies.

For someone else’s clip, obtain a source file the creator makes available for this use. A video being viewable on YouTube does not itself supply an importable file. If you only remember a sound’s name, search the ringtone catalogue for the exact version instead.

Start with a saved clip

Use a video you recorded or have permission to use. Play it outside Ringy first to check that the sound you want is actually included. A social-media URL is not the same input as a downloaded video file, and some saved clips omit the original soundtrack.

Make the tone in Ringy

1. Open the tone maker and select the available video import option.
2. Choose the saved video. If you use a limited Photos permission, make sure that clip is among the permitted items.
3. Select a short excerpt in the editor, listen to the beginning and end, and adjust the boundaries.
4. Save or export using the options shown by your version, then complete the iPhone ringtone setup.

Do not use the full movie as a ringtone. Pick the brief phrase or musical moment you want to recognize when your phone rings. A little context can help a phrase make sense, but silence at the beginning delays the useful part.

If import fails

Confirm the video contains audio and is available locally. Free enough device storage for the original and exported copy. If the file plays but remains unsupported, try a standard export from the app that created it, using audio you are allowed to export. Renaming MP4 to MP3 will not extract the soundtrack.

Related guides

• Trim a ringtone so the right moment plays first
• Fix Ringy import and ringtone export problems
• How to change your iPhone ringtone or set a song
• Which audio files work for custom ringtones?