Trick for turning any track into an iPhone ringtone and syncing it from iTunes

UPDATE: The below method is broken under iTunes 7.4.1, but there is a slightly more involved process that does work under iTunes 7.4.1.

Though this capability might well be removed in a future version of iTunes, it's currently possible to turn any MP3 or AAC file into an iTunes ringtone file that can be synchronized with the iPhone. You'll miss out on the editing features built into the iTunes ringtone tool, but you also won't have to pay anything extra for the tracks, nor will you have to use any third-party ringtone transfer tools, nor jailbreak or otherwise hack the iPhone.

For Windows users, the process works like this (first discovered by poster Cleveryboy in the MacRumors forums):

1. Using Windows Explorer, duplicate and rename any AAC with the extension "M4R" (e.g. Folsom Prison Blues.M4R). If it is already in your iTunes library, delete it from there first.
2. Double-click on the file. It will be added to your iTunes library automatically.
3. Click on your iPhone in iTunes, and go to the ringtone section. You should now see your new ringtone.
4. Click the sync button and the new tune should be added to the ringtones section on your iPhone

For Mac users, the process is a bit more involved, and works as follows:

1. Duplicate and rename any AAC file, then select it and choose "Get Info" from the File menu. In the "Name and Extension" section, change the extension to .M4R, e.g. "Folsom Prison Blues.M4R." If it is already in your iTunes library, delete it from there first.
2. Double-click on it. This file will be added to your iTunes library automatically.
3. Click on your iPhone in iTunes, and go to the ringtone section. You should now see your new ringtone.
4. Click the sync button and the new tune should be added to the ringtones section on your iPhone

Note that if you're starting with an MP3 or WAV file, you can first select it in iTunes, then choose "Convert selection to AAC" from the Advanced menu, then drag it to another location and change its extension as aforementioned.

In practice, we sometimes had to run through this process a few times, or wait several seconds before the tracks actually showed up in the iPhone ringtones section, but the procedure certainly works.

Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.