[Solved] Trouble Syncing Ringtones to my iPhone 5 with the latest iTunes

By Toonhead, 13 February, 2014

Forum
Windows

hi.

As the subject line says I'm having trouble syncing ringtones to my iPhone, I should mention these are ones I've either made myself or have been sent to me by other folks. Now for all this to make sense, it's important to mention that I had to switch iPhones a few months back, so I'm not sure if this contributes to the issue. I'll explain exactly what I'm doing when I try to sync and add these ringtoens to my phone, this is with an iPhone 5, using the most recent iTunes, and my screenreader is Window-eyes 7.4.0
I'm using a windows 7 64-bit system here.
1. I've added my ringtone in the usual way by making sure that the ringtone lasts just a little under 30seconds, this one is 26 seconds to be exact, and it's properly tagged too. So we're cool with that. I imported it into my iTunes library, and it shows up under tones, just as you'd expect it to. It has a .m4r extention, so it's definitely recognized as a ringtone in iTunes.

2. So here's where the trouble starts....this could possibly be something I'm doing wrong or I'm not sure what?
I went into the section of iTunes that shows my phone and it shows some ringtones so they show up. I want to sync these new ringtones I have with the phone so I've made sure that the sync ring tones checkbox is checked. So then I go to sync and then I get a rather perplexing error message. It says Erase and sync button, but I don't want to erase anything, all I want to do is to sync these new ringtones. If I were to hit this erase and sync button, would I just be erasing and syncing the ring tones I have so they'll match up on both iTunes and the phone, or does erase and sync mean everything on the phone such as apps, music, etc. Cause if that's the case I quite definitely do not want to do that. It seems to think that the iPhone is synced to another iTunes library, that's where this all comes from. So, I need help figuring out what to do to get these new tones onto my iPhone without having to erase and sync?
I hope all of this made some kind of sense. I've never seen this happen before so this is new to me.
Thanks to anyone who can help.

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Comments

By MarkSarch on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

Hi Toodhead not problem if I can help you I do. I do this process allot, Okay I understand that you said. iTunes 11.14 Windows 7 64 bits Window Eyes as screen reading iPhone 5 okay, first all kind of media is totally different to your apps, don't worry about it. but so when you check sync rintones show up the alert that all media include music will be erase from this device. it means who you has get audio media from other library if you got all the media from iTunes store not problem all kind of audio, tones, music, you can download later second if the audio has been sync using other library this will be erased. because you can have only one iTunes library. if you are not sure what to do or the steps to follow contact me via email just look on my profile.

By MarkSarch on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

Hi Toonhead back again, I need to know other answers also. but don't get confuse. it looks little hard however follow step by step everything will be working good. questions #1 you said this is a new device, you switch from other device, right. have you sync this iPhone to this computer? #2 do you use iCloud? #3 how did you get the apps that you have on ur iPhone now? #4 do you have voice memos on the iPhone? and also make sure that iTunes play the tone that you want to sync on the sorces three view select tones, press tab until the tones three view on the tones list use the down or up arrow and look for the tone press enter or spacebar and see if iTunes is able to play the tone. also I need to know what kind of audio media do you have now on your iPhone include tones, music, video music, movies, I know there are allot of questions but remember just you know the answers. okay so is kind of late but I will back sooner possible to the thread so I forgot if your answer if yes if you have some audio media at the question above the same media that you have on the iPhone it's saved on the iTunes library?

By Toonhead on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

Hi. As far as music goes, I have a few purchases from the iTunes store and some music I've added from my collection so that's easily gotten back. and yes, I do use iCloud, I back things up every day. I do have Voice Memos, but when I chose to sync I chose no because I didn't want them on my pc. When I replaced my phone, I used an iCloud backup to restore everything and amazingly enough, all my apps and music and everything came back and they were in the same exact places as before. All my folders were maintained, it was really beautiful how it all came back. As far as the tones go, I can play them in iTunes, so yes that works beautiful. But when I go to sync I'm told that I can only sync with one iTunes library at a time. This is the point that still confuses me more than anything else. Does the fact that I had to switch phones have something to do with this? In other words, does iTunes think I'm trying to sync to more than one library because I synced with 2 different devices on the same pc? I've never had this happen before, but then again I've never tried to add new tones manually. I always bought them from the iTunes store.

By MarkSarch on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

Hi Toonhead Okay I got it. answers. you can have multiple iOS devices sync at the same iTunes library but not one iOS device to multiple iTunes library. so that you have is many purchases that haven't transfer to the iTunes library so dot's y is asking to you you need first before to sync the tone under devices sorces per example Toonhead iPhone press application key use errow key and hit #1 on transfer purchase #2 sync #3 back up just to have all your purchase and media saved on the iTunes library after that , is possible that you will miss some media but you can sync later or the time from iTunes library. you are able to select and sync and after you have the option sync intire tones or select manualy hit on manualy then under tones tree view hit space bar to select the tone or multiple tones at time and just look for sync or apply and ready you will have the tone on your iOS device if some kind or media are not any more on your iPhone now you are able to sync selecting and sync or apply.

By Toonhead on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

Hi. Wow, if I have to do all *that* just to get a silly ringtone on my phone it's not worth all the trouble I'd have to go to. If It only erased music and ringtones i'd be ok, but if we're talking about it erasing all my apps I don't need to do it that badly. I love apple but it absolutely should not be that hard just to add a ringtone. I know it's pretty easy in most cases but in this one, it's not. I should just be able to pick the tone I want, sync and it should be on the phone.

By Michael Hansen on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team
Hi Chris, The good news is that this kind of error would come up regardless of what kind of content you try to sync, so it isn't anything with your ringtones themselves. First, it is worth noting that my experiences could be totally different from yours. However, when I've encountered this error, it was on devices that had been synced to different iTunes libraries. This would mostly happen if a device had been synced to two different computers, even if they both were using the same Apple ID. Have you synced your phone to two different computers, by chance? It didn't appear as though you had from your message, but it's worth asking. Regards, Michael

By KE7ZUM on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

No he did not. I am trying to help him over twitter as well. and he just baught the phone. I by default restore from a computer back up when I get the new phone so I don't have the issue he's having. It's a lot faster and takes about 10 minutes, then you can sync to your hart's content.

Hi. Actually, I got this second phone back in August of 2013. I learned recently that I could make ringtones and put them on my phone which, as always, requires iTunes. So the phone is new but it's not, you know brand new. and no I haven't synced with 2 different computers. I only have this Windows 7 64-bit desktop. That's the first thing that came to my mind when I saw the message about syncing with more than one library at a time. When I attempt to sync I'm given the choice to either erase and sync, or cancel. If what's being described to me means that I'd have to re-install all my apps that I took lots and lots of time to put into folders, then it's not worth all the trouble I'd have to go through. I'd only want to erase and sync the phone if I knew my apps wouldn't be effected. I've worked far too hard on getting the phone exactly the wayI want it, and if it requires all that then it's not worthal that trouble.

By KE7ZUM on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

You should not have to do that. I do this all the time with my phone and it for me eraces all of this media not the apps themselves. As for putting apps n folders the way I do it takes just under 2 hours but your hand sure does get tired. lol! Hehahahaha.

By MarkSarch on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

Hi Toonhead as Merrie said above apps is completely different. you will have saved all your apps, conntacs, text, and data on the iOS device after hit erase. Don't worry about it you don't erase all the iPhone. apps is nothing to do with media. This only apply to iTunes library, regarding at Michael said this apply only Tones no unfortunally apply to all kind of media ( Tones, videos, music. movies, ETCETERA) lets try this, look on the iPhone some specific tone that you have purchased_ downloaded directly on the iPhone, then look for the same tone under iTunes sorces, if the tone is there great if it isn't means that after sync the device this tone .will not be any more on your device, the same will happens with music, videos, and all kind of audio media. may now you are getting the idea, that all media need to be saved on iTunes library. try the follow under devices sorces Toonhead iPhone 5 hit application key select Transfer purchase after the process done go back to the sorces tones you will be able to see all the tones that you have saved on your device before the sync as well on your iTunes library. so then just all the rest is selecting or unselecting what do you want have on your device.

By Michael Hansen on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team
I'm honestly not 100% sure "Erase and Sync" would leave the apps because it erases all the media from the iPhone and replaces it with that in the library. You could try Transfer Purchases first, but that too might not work.

By Toonhead on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

Hi guys Thanks for everyone's help so far on this one. I'm still very hesitant to do anything because i'm receiving conflicting answers. If I knew exactly what was going to happen if I hit that "erase and sync" button I'd feel a whole hell of a lot better about this. I will maintain that in situations like this that it should absolutely not be this hard to put a ringtone onto a phone like this. I know that under everyday circumstances the process is great and only takes a few seconds, but in this case I don't want to take any chances. Hey, don't laugh y'all. If you'd spent as much time configuring and tweaking all these settings on your phone's you'd be reluctant too. So if someone can tell me, for sure, what happens when I erase and sync, I'll know better what I'm up against.

By MarkSarch on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

read this thread couple years ago. may this can help and remember the important that is have an iTunes backup iCloud back up isn't the best way to manage media. good lock http://www.applevis.com/forum/general-chat/syncing-ringtones

By Michael Hansen on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team
In my opinion, saying "iCloud is not a good method to manage media" does not help get the user out of the situation they are in now. What I don't understand is why iTunes is giving the Erase and Sync message if the user has not synced his phone to any other computer/library? Wouldn't the library sync information be saved in the iCloud backup?

By KE7ZUM on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

Accordig to several blog articles o the subject the library id is not saved in the iCloud back up, either that or chris had a corrupted iCloud back up, which has happened to me only once in 4 years. I'm thinking the latter sad to say, but try a factory reset and go back further by clicking more back ups. or restore from an iTunes back up. Take care.

It looks like backing up and syncing didn't do the trick. I now have a current backup of all my apps and tones, but when I put this ringtone on my phone guess what happens? Erase and sync, or cancel. I don't know whre it's getting this 2 iTunes library's thing. I had 2 iPhones but not 2 iTunes libraries. Why does Apple have to make it so difficult?

By KE7ZUM on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

Just a race and sync. you will not loose yrou apps. I promise you. I did this to test on a fake library. I lost my media, but that was it. You can always put that back as it will stay on your regular library. Good luck.

By Toonhead on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

I think at this point what I need to focus on is why iTunes is acting this way. it's acting as if I've already synced with another pc, but I haven't. I might try an erase and sync, but I want to see what I can do about correcting the library issue first. Plus at this point of the game if I did an erase and sync and if it screwed my phone up, oh believe me you would absolutely not like the results. So to save everyone a whole lot of trouble I need to figure out why my library's acting this way before I erase and sync. i'm sorry I'm just not taking any chance. Sorry if anyone thinks i'm being difficult. I don't mean to be, I promise.

By MarkSarch on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

In my opinion, saying "iCloud is not a good method to manage media" does not help well because believe or not ICloud back up is not the best way to save media. may be reading and over reading this thread will change your mind. and also there not other way how to sync the media from other sorces create your own tones, import music. and many more. get the user out of the situation they are in now. What I don't understand is why iTunes is giving the Erase and Sync message if the user has not synced his phone to any other computer/library? Wouldn't the library sync information be saved in the iCloud backup? the error or not error who Toonhead gets about erase and sync is because there are media on the iPhone that is not yet saved on iTunes library. not matter where this coming from. remember Toonhead said: I have purchase using iTunes Store on the iPhone . dot's the reason why iTunes reclinize other media .

By Toonhead on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

Good news everyone! I did a bit more research, and thanks to This thread in the Apple Support communities, I was able to solve the problem! Here's the answer. When the message about syncing with another iTunes library comes up, pull the trigger and do an erase and sync. Yes, I do have to say Sarah was absolutely 100 percent correct. Here's an important note though. When you do this be sure that you select all the ringtones you want to add. I forgot this, an only ended up with the one ringtone I originally wanted! Not a problem though, I just went back and re-added all the other tones I wanted. I had to re-assign some ringtones to specific contacts but that was easily fixed. And the best news of all is that none of my apps were touched, because I hadn't chosen to actually sync them. So all's well that ends well. I still maintain that the message about syncing with another iTunes library is very inaccurate and seriously needs to be re-worded or changed in some way. It sounds far far to severe. It makes you think something really bad's gonna happen if you do it, but it won't. I know Sarah's probably sitting over there all like, "told you so!" Ok, point well taken. But I just needed to see confirmation from someone else who had had the exact same problem as me, and the dude in that particular thread did. He tried it and it worked for him so I figured why not, lol! So thanks to everyone for all the help! Lesson learned...back up to iTunes every so often!

By MarkSarch on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 07:10

Hi Toonhead good news great advice. when apple release new iOS update version,I suggest doing it using iTunes on the PC, this will help an cace if you need for some reason reset your iPhone, it will do easier and faster any changes between your iOS device and iTunes library. I am glad for you, I hope can share share your experience to the forum.

By Jennifer on Saturday, July 25, 2015 - 07:10

Hello! Suggest you to try out WALTR (find it here softorino.com/waltr) There are versions for Windows and Mac, if needed. I'm using WALTR for copying m4r ringtones to iPhone, it transfers all the media formats in a matter of seconds with no need to convert or sync. Definitely recommend! Hope it'll be helpful!