# Is there a safe source for ringtones?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-safe-source-for-ringtones/475686
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 4, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-safe-source-for-ringtones/475686 "2008-12-04T15:55:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-safe-source-for-ringtones/475686/1 "2008-12-04T15:55:51Z")

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Ringtone websites have a very bad reputation. Just the act of googling “ringtones” seems foolhardy, like viruses and spyware will magically jump into my computer from a mere list of links. So are there safe sources of ringtones?

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### Author: ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-safe-source-for-ringtones/475686/2 "2008-12-04T16:23:24Z")

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I’d assume iTunes is pretty safe.

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### Author: ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2008, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-safe-source-for-ringtones/475686/3 "2008-12-04T16:28:22Z")

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You can always just make your own like I do. It’s safe, free, and pretty easy. All you need is a program like [Audacity](http://audacity.sourceforge.net/) to take a mp3 and trim it down to the section you want. Save it as a mp3 (chances are your phone will be able to use it) and put it on your phone via Bluetooth, memory card, or by sending it to yourself in a text message if it’s small enough. No privacy invasions or continual payment plans to get roped into!

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### Author: ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2008, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-safe-source-for-ringtones/475686/4 "2008-12-04T16:32:13Z")

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Yeah, but this is for a computer-illiterate friend who doesn’t have an iPhone.

Oh, it’s a Blackberry with AT&T. I’ll try sending her the mp3

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### Author: ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2008, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-safe-source-for-ringtones/475686/5 "2008-12-04T18:06:39Z")

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> **[ZEDGE - Everything you](https://www.zedge.net/)**
>
> We make it incredibly easy to find and download cool ringtones, wallpapers, and more.

They might have a couple.

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### Author: ![Qwisp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qwisp/32/397_2.png) [@Qwisp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwisp)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2008, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-safe-source-for-ringtones/475686/6 "2008-12-04T18:27:42Z")

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I use [www.myxer.com](http://www.myxer.com)

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### Author: ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-safe-source-for-ringtones/475686/7 "2008-12-04T19:40:13Z")

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> [@Qwisp](#):
>
> I use [www.myxer.com](http://www.myxer.com)

Thanks! I got the “kung fu fighting” one I’ve been looking for at no charge.

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### Author: ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-safe-source-for-ringtones/475686/8 "2008-12-04T20:09:57Z")

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> [@BrandonR](#):
>
> Save it as a mp3 (chances are your phone will be able to use it) and put it on your phone via Bluetooth, memory card, or by sending it to yourself in a text message if it’s small enough.

How do I get the mp3 file from the hard drive in my pc to the SIM card in my phone? Is there a way to send text messages or mp3 files to my phone via internet?

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### Author: ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-safe-source-for-ringtones/475686/9 "2008-12-05T00:07:23Z")

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> [@Keeve](#):
>
> How do I get the mp3 file from the hard drive in my pc to the SIM card in my phone? Is there a way to send text messages or mp3 files to my phone via internet?

Well, technically speaking, it would be going to your phone’s memory and not its SIM card. Regardless, many phone companies let you email text messages to people’s phones with a special email address. For example, for AT&T, they’re listed here: [AT&T Mobility FAQ - Wikibooks, open books for an open world](http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ#How_Can_I_Send_Messages_to_AT.26T_Mobility_Phones_by_E-mail.3F)

You’d need to send it via MMS messaging since it’d be a sound file, and I see dedicated MMS email addresses on that FAQ, but I’m not positive they work with sound files (I know they work with images). Sending it via MMS might be a bit cumbersome and there are definitely easier ways.

If your phone has Bluetooth and you have a bluetooth receiver for your computer (if you don’t, you can pick one up for ~$20-30) you can easily send images, songs, files, etc. between your computer and phone. Memory cards are also pretty easy to deal with.

Also, before Bluetooth and memory cards came along, I would simply make a mp3 file of the song I wanted as a ringtone and upload it to the internet (I would use my own server but generally you could upload it anywhere you could get a full URL for the file). I would then use my phone’s internet browser and type in the mp3’s address and it would allow the phone to download the mp3, which I could then set as my ringtone.

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### Author: ![puppygod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@puppygod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puppygod)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2008, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-safe-source-for-ringtones/475686/10 "2008-12-05T00:32:49Z")

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> [@BrandonR](#):
>
> Well, technically speaking, it would be going to your phone’s memory and not its SIM card. Regardless, many phone companies let you email text messages to people’s phones with a special email address. For example, for AT&T, they’re listed here: [AT&T Mobility FAQ - Wikibooks, open books for an open world](http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ#How_Can_I_Send_Messages_to_AT.26T_Mobility_Phones_by_E-mail.3F)  
> (…)

Also USB. AFAIK Blackberries have USB cable included.
