Open Settings and find the Sounds & Haptics menu

To change your ringtone, start by opening the Settings app on your iPhone. Tap the gear icon on your home screen or in your app library. Once Settings opens, scroll down and tap Sounds & Haptics (on older iPhones, this may be labeled just Sounds).

The Sounds & Haptics menu controls all the audio alerts on your phone. You'll see options for ringtone, text tone, calendar alerts, and other notifications. The ringtone setting is what plays when someone calls you.

Select Ringtone from the menu

In the Sounds & Haptics menu, look for the option labeled Ringtone. Tap it to open the list of available ringtones. Your current ringtone will have a checkmark next to it.

iPhone comes with dozens of built-in ringtones. Scroll through the list to hear a preview of each one — just tap any ringtone name and it will play a sample. The preview plays through your phone's speaker, so you'll hear it at normal volume.

Choose a built-in ringtone or create a custom one

Once you find a ringtone you like, tap it to select it. The checkmark moves to your new choice, and that ringtone is now active. You don't need to save or confirm — the change takes effect immediately.

If you want to use a song from your music library as a ringtone, you'll need to create a custom ringtone using GarageBand or another app, then add it to your phone. This process is more involved than selecting a built-in tone, but it lets you use any audio file you own. Some people also purchase ringtones from the iTunes Store, which appear in your Sounds & Haptics menu once downloaded.

Set different ringtones for specific contacts

You can assign a unique ringtone to individual people in your contacts. Open the Contacts app, find the person you want to customize, and tap Edit. Scroll down and tap Ringtone, then choose the tone you want for that contact.

This is useful if you want to know who's calling without looking at your phone. For example, you might set a loud, distinctive ringtone for family members and a quieter one for work calls. Each contact remembers its assigned ringtone, so you only set it once.

Adjust ringtone volume separately from other sounds

Your ringtone volume is controlled by the physical volume buttons on the side of your iPhone. When you're not in a call or app, pressing the volume up or down button changes your ringtone and notification volume. You'll see a speaker icon on screen showing the current level.

If you want your ringtone to be silent, you can turn on Silent Mode by flipping the mute switch on the left side of your phone (above the volume buttons). When Silent Mode is on, calls will vibrate instead of ringing. You can still hear ringtones when Silent Mode is off, even if you've lowered the volume.

Troubleshoot if your ringtone isn't working

If you've changed your ringtone but you're not hearing it when calls come in, check whether Silent Mode is turned on. Look at the left side of your phone — if the mute switch is flipped down toward the back, Silent Mode is active and your phone will vibrate instead of ring.

Also check that your ringtone volume is turned up. Use the volume buttons on the side of your phone to increase the level. If you're in a noisy environment, you might need to raise it higher than usual. If you've set a custom ringtone for a specific contact and it's not playing, make sure you saved the contact after assigning the tone.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Settings, tap Sounds & Haptics, then tap Ringtone to see all available options.
  • Tap any ringtone name to hear a preview, then tap it again to select it as your active ringtone.
  • You can assign different ringtones to individual contacts by opening Contacts, selecting a person, tapping Edit, and choosing a ringtone for them.
  • Use the volume buttons on the side of your phone to adjust ringtone loudness, and flip the mute switch to turn on Silent Mode if you want vibration instead of sound.
  • If your ringtone isn't playing, check that Silent Mode is off and your volume is turned up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a song from Spotify or Apple Music as my ringtone?

Not directly. Ringtones must be audio files stored on your phone, not streamed from an app. You can download a song you own, edit it to 30 seconds or less using GarageBand, and then add it as a ringtone. Streaming services don't let you export songs for this purpose.

Why can't I hear my ringtone when I'm on a call?

Your phone can't ring while you're already in a call. If someone else tries to call you during an active conversation, you'll see a notification on screen instead of hearing a ringtone. You can choose to end the current call and answer the new one, or ignore the incoming call.

Does changing my ringtone affect my text message tone?

No. Ringtone and text tone are separate settings in the Sounds & Haptics menu. You can change one without affecting the other. Text tone controls the sound for incoming messages, while ringtone is only for phone calls.

What if I want my phone to vibrate instead of ring?

Flip the mute switch on the left side of your phone (above the volume buttons) so it points toward the back. This turns on Silent Mode, and your phone will vibrate for calls and notifications instead of making sound. The switch will show an orange indicator when Silent Mode is active.

Can I set a ringtone that only plays for calls from certain people?

Yes. Open Contacts, select the person, tap Edit, scroll down to Ringtone, and choose the tone you want for that contact. Everyone else will use your default ringtone. This works for individual contacts but not for groups of people at once.