How to Change the Ringtone on Your iPhone So You Know It's Yours Ringing

Remember sitting in a doctor's waiting room and a phone would ring — everyone would reach for their pocket, then look sheepish when it wasn't theirs? With most phones sounding alike straight out of the box, it's easy to miss your own call or answer someone else's by mistake.

The good news: your iPhone comes with dozens of different ring sounds built in. Picking one that's distinctly yours takes about a minute.

Getting to the ringtone list

Start on your Home screen — that's the screen with all the little squares (called apps) on it.

Find the gray app called Settings. It looks like a gear.
Tap it once to open it.
Scroll down until you see Sounds & Haptics, and tap that.
On the next screen, tap Ringtone.

You'll now see a long list of names — Apex, Beacon, Bulletin, Chimes, and so on. The one with a blue checkmark next to it is the ringtone your phone is using right now.

Trying them on for size

Here's the fun part. Tap any name on the list, and your phone will play that sound out loud so you can hear it. Nothing is changed yet — you're just sampling.

Tap another name and you'll hear that one instead. Keep tapping down the list until you find one that catches your ear. Some are gentle (Opening, Reflection), some are old-fashioned telephone bells (Old Phone, Telegraph), and some are lively little tunes.

A word of warning: if you're somewhere quiet, turn your volume down first using the buttons on the left side of the phone. These previews play at whatever volume your ringer is set to.

Making it official

Once you've found the one you like, you're already done. Whichever ringtone has the blue checkmark next to it is the one your phone will use from now on. There's no "Save" button to press.

To leave the settings, press the button on the front of your phone (if it has one), or swipe your finger up from the very bottom of the screen. Your choice sticks until you change it again.

A tip for couples

If you and your spouse both have iPhones, pick clearly different ringtones — one of you takes Radar, the other takes Bulletin, for instance. That way, when a phone rings across the room, you'll know instantly whose it is. No more both of you fumbling for your pockets at the same time.

You can also give special people their own ringtone, so you know it's your daughter calling without even looking at the screen. That's a slightly different task for another day, but it starts from the same place — the Contacts app.

Try this today

Open Settings, tap Sounds & Haptics, then Ringtone. Spend two minutes tapping through the list until you find one that feels like you. Next time a phone rings in the grocery store, you'll know right away whether to reach for your pocket.

Need a hand with your technology? We're here to help. Give PorchSwing a call or book an appointment, and we'll walk you through it at your own pace — no rush, no jargon.