In this guide you will see how to transfer SMS tone to iPhone. If you already have a ringtone for SMS / Text Message then you can continue to Step-1, if you don’t have one then first see how to create custom SMS ringtone for iPhone.
Note: your iPhone must be jailbroken (See how to jailbreak iPhone).
Step-1
Download iTunes, install it.
Download iPhone Explorer for Windows / Mac and Install it. We use this iPhone Explorer utility to access iPhone system folders and then put our SMS tone file in iPhone. You can use another method to access iPhone folders called SSH into iPhone on Windows / Mac.
Step-2
Connect your iPhone with the computer using data cable and Run iPhone Explorer.
Step-3
- Browse the iPhone “Root Directory” and open “UISounds” folder as shown below in the screenshot.
- There are six iPhone SMS / Text message default ringtones and we are going to replace one of them with our own SMS ringtone file.
Step-4
First we take backup of original iPhone SMS ringtone so rename sms-received6.caf to sms-received6.caf.bak (To rename select sms-received6.caf file and press F2 key)
Step-5
Now rename your SMS ringtone file to sms-received6.caf as well, the file that you want to transfer to iPhone as SMS ringtone.
Step-6
Now drag and drop the <code>sms-received6.caf</code> file to iPhone Explorer’s file area in /System/Library/Audio/UISounds folder.
Step-7
- Now close iPhone Explorer.
- Turn off your iPhone by holding down Power/Sleep button, Slide to Power Off.
- Turn your iPhone On.
Step-8
- Now apply iPhone SMS tone that you have transferred.
- Tap Settings icon on your iPhone.
Tap “Sounds” option.
Tap “New Text Message” option.
Tap to select “Electronic” ringtone, this is sixth defaul SMS tone of iPhone and we have replaced it with our own custom SMS tone file.
You are done! You can replace all default six SMS tones with your own custom tones, but not more than six.
See also:
View Comments (72)
i cant open the root directory for my iphone on my compter - help!
Which method you are using to access root directory? iPhone Explorer or SSH and also tell me is your iPhone jailbroken? You can also tell me if you are getting any error message.
I'm having the same problem. iPhone 3G, it's not jailbroken, and I just downloaded the iPhone explorer. Only things which show up on the side are media and apps, root directory doesn't show up :(
Cheers though, so close!
SAME HERE!!!
SAME! how do we fix this?
Your device has to be jailbroken.
I tried to transfer custom SMS tone to iPhone 4 and that was done.
How come we can't do this without jailbreaking?
You need to access iPhone directories to transfer SMS tone, its only possible when you jailbreak your iPhone
I unknowingly deleted UISounds folder,hw to recovery the sounds???
Which iPhone you are using, iPhone 4, 3GS, 3G? I can email your the UISounds folder of my iPhone, then you transfer it to your iPhone.
I am using iPhone 3G...
I have uploaded the iPhone UISounds folder here: http://rapidshare.com/files/427495511/UISounds.zip
This is from iPhone 3G iOS 4.1.
hey thanks,got back UISounds folder.
Hi I'm one of those unfortunate people who have accidentally deleted their UISounds folder D; I'm on iOS 4.1, iPhone 4. Is there any way to retrieve my sounds without resetting the entire phone? Can I use the UISounds folder from the iPhone 3gs with the same iOS? Thanks!
See the UISounds download link in reply to comment#4, download and restore the iPhone sounds folder.
Hey, I've followed your steps, the file plays in the explorer player but then I reeboot the phone and it doesn't play on the phone. It doesn't make any sound. I replaced it with the original backup and it plays normally now. Any clue?
Does the file I convert to ringtone have to be in any specific format or lenght?
Solved!
It was the format. I converted the mp3 to an aiff file and then renamed it as in in the step by step guide and it's working now.
Thanks anyway
I tried several times. I have converted the file to AIFF and then draged it to the desktop and renamed the file and still I get no sound. I have the Verizon iPhone 4. can you please help
I am running into the same issue but I'm am doing this on a Mac.
I have this problem too. Anyone solved it yet?
Help!! I was trying to change the sms tones, just like you guys did, the only thing is that i used disk aid in order to get to the root.. I was at the 4th step, changing the file's name, and by mistake i deleted caf, and wrote bak, instead of doing caf.bak, when I did that, it got me out of there, simply took me to root/system/library... but instead of having te usual thing root/system/library/UI sounds, now when i click on library, a bunch of folders appear, and among there, there's one with the name i changed by mistake (sms-received6.bak) and inside of it, there is the UI sounds folder,but now i have no unlock sound, no keyboard sound, sms tones, whatsoever, how can i restore everything back to normal????? please help! the weird thing is that, if i activate any of the sms tones i've downloaded from cydia, and the install it with winterboard, it actually works like nothing has happened... but still, the other sounds don't work.
I've tried the way but it won't work. As in after I reset my phone, I preview my ringtone and it's still the same, no changes in anything and the original sms tone is still there. Any help?
I unknowingly deleted UISounds folder,hw to recovery the sounds???
Hello guys,
I have an iPhone 3G and I jailbroke it using Spirit.
I have Cydia installed and i can basically access all the features, install, uninstall, etc... But somehow I am not able to see the same root folders as shown above in the images. iPhone Explorer shows my iPhone as follows:
-> iPhone
-------> Apps
-------> Media
------------> DCIM
------------> Downloads
------------> Photos
------------> Podcasts
------------> Etc...
Do I need to do a different type of Jailbreak. I tried with Sn0wbreeze but no luck, bunch of errors and restore through iTunes never completes!
Thank you guys for the help! Great site! :)