iOS 26 Lets You Set Custom Ringtones Without Using GarageBand
The dust is beginning to settle on iOS 26, but there is one more smaller improvement that we wanted to make sure that we highlighted: the ability to set custom ringtones on the iPhone without using the GarageBand app.
To set a custom ringtone on iOS 26, open the Files app and tap on an MP3 or M4A audio file that is less than 30 seconds long. Next, tap on the share button in the bottom-right corner of the screen, tap on More, and tap on Use as Ringtone. Then, that audio file will be listed as a ringtone option in the Settings app under Sounds & Haptics → Ringtone.
As noted by Macworld last week, the Use as Ringtone option also appears for audio files in select other apps, including Voice Memos. However, it is not possible to set Apple Music songs as custom ringtones for free, even with a subscription.
Apple continues to sell 30-second song ringtones for $1.29 each through the iTunes Store app on iOS 26, but this is a legacy feature.
iOS 26 is currently in beta.
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