What is a .m4r file?
iPhone Ringtone File · Audio · Apple · 2007
An .m4r file is an iPhone ringtone: an AAC audio clip in an MPEG-4 container, identical to an .m4a file except for the extension, which is what tells iOS to treat it as a ringtone.
What is a .m4r file used for?
Apple limits ringtones by convention, not by codec: rename a short .m4a to .m4r and it becomes installable as a tone. The clip must stay under 40 seconds (about 30 for reliable use) or iOS will refuse it.
Getting the tone onto the phone is the fiddly part: through the Music app / Finder sync, through GarageBand on the iPhone itself, or via a purchase from the iTunes Store. Android ignores the extension gimmick and plays it as normal AAC audio.
How to open a .m4r file
The .m4r format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see how to open a .m4r file.
Windows
- iTunes
- VLC
- any AAC-capable player
macOS
- Music / Finder (sync to iPhone)
- GarageBand
- VLC
Linux
- VLC
- ffmpeg
How to convert a .m4r file
You can convert a .m4r file to m4a (rename), mp3, wav using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
.m4r file signature (magic bytes)
Programs recognise a .m4r file by the bytes at the start of the file, not by its name. These are the signatures for M4R. For a full breakdown, see the M4R file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 66 74 79 70 | 4 | MPEG-4 container (ftyp), M4A brand |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .m4r file?
An .m4r file is an iPhone ringtone: an AAC audio clip in an MPEG-4 container, identical to an .m4a file except for the extension, which is what tells iOS to treat it as a ringtone.
How do I make an .m4r ringtone?
Trim a song to under 30-40 seconds, export it as AAC (.m4a) and rename the extension to .m4r, or build the tone directly in GarageBand on the iPhone, which installs it too.
How do I put an .m4r file on my iPhone?
Connect the phone and drag the file onto it in Finder (macOS) or iTunes (Windows), then pick it under Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone.
What is the difference between .m4r and .m4a?
Only the extension. Both are AAC audio in an MPEG-4 container; the .m4r name is Apple's marker that the file is a ringtone.
Related formats
Sources
Details on this page were checked against authoritative references: