Resolved Missing Custom Tones in iOS 17 [MERGED]

[dburkhanaev]

It looks like Apple has changed the file format used for notification sounds.

On iOS 16 and older, both ringtones and notification tones were .m4r files, essentially AAC files with a different file extension.

On iOS 17, ringtones are still .m4r files, but all the notification tones are .caf files. For some reason the new ones all have 'EncoreInfinitum' in the filename as well.

I wonder if this change has something to do with custom tones not showing up any more.

View attachment 2271639

Which utility are you using to view this data? Are you extracting from an iOS backup? Or is your device mounted and you are viewing the file system?

 

[Jumpie]

Which utility are you using to view this data? Are you extracting from an iOS backup? Or is your device mounted and you are viewing the file system?

I found the file using Finder on my Mac.

 

[blulegend]

Messed with the text tones and can’t get my old tone back even though it’s still in the ring tone list. Very annoying.

 

[Jumpie]

Apple Support also said to try resetting all settings. It worked for some she said. I don’t want to try it and lose everything and start over.

 

[adrianlondon]

Apple Support also said to try resetting all settings. It worked for some she said. I don’t want to try it and lose everything and start over.

They don't know what they're talking about.

At the moment (iOS 17.0) custom alert tones do not show and can not be set. If you already have one set it'll continue to work (and show as "None" if you check in Settings) but if you decide to change it to something else, you'll never get it back.

Let's see what 17.1 brings.

 

[HPad]

Everytime I get a notification I keep thinking its my Samsung S23 Ultra ending a phone call.. Its too simular

 

[adrianlondon]

Everytime I get a notification I keep thinking its my Samsung S23 Ultra ending a phone call.. Its too simular

At least that problem is easy to solve. Get rid of the Samsung 😆

 

[CrappleTree99]

In the Ringtones.plist find the ringtone you want and replace

<string>ringtone</string>
with
<string>tone</string>

You will need to have two of each .m4r file if you want to simultaneously use the file as a ringtone and a text/alert tone. . You will need a tool like 3uTools.

 

[whsbuss]

They don't know what they're talking about.

At the moment (iOS 17.0) custom alert tones do not show and can not be set. If you already have one set it'll continue to work (and show as "None" if you check in Settings) but if you decide to change it to something else, you'll never get it back.

Let's see what 17.1 brings.

I agree. Apple support cannot get it back by doing a reset. Besides even if you start as a new phone and download those custom tones, they still don’t show up.

 

[whsbuss]

In the Ringtones.plist find the ringtone you want and replace

You will need to have two of each .m4r file if you want to simultaneously use the file as a ringtone and a text/alert tone. . You will need a tool like 3uTools.

Why should we have to do all that? Besides I have around 25 or so tones. Apple just needs to fix the problem.

 

[CrappleTree99]

Why should we have to do all that? Besides I have around 25 or so tones. Apple just needs to fix the problem.

It's just a temporary fix until Apple either fixes it or comes out right and says you have to purchase Alert tones separately. You can do this if you really want your tones back right away, or you can just wait for their response if they ever provide one.

 

[adrianlondon]

It's just a temporary fix until Apple either fixes it or comes out right and says you have to purchase Alert tones separately. You can do this if you really want your tones back right away, or you can just wait for their response if they ever provide one.

My tones weren't bought; they were created manually. I'm hoping to get them back in a future release! At least they still work, so long as I don't try to change them.

 

[ecschwarz]

I ran into this and at first thought it was a change with the custom ones I made (either too long or not the right format) even though they've worked for years. While my phone is silent most of the time, I have a few select ones for contacts, so I might try an old phone on iOS 16 logged into iCloud to override them on a per-contact basis.

It is a weird and strange step backwards.

 

[adrianlondon]

I might try an old phone on iOS 16 logged into iCloud to override them on a per-contact basis.

oo - that's a good idea! My backup phone (6S) can't go higher than iOS 15, so I'll give that a go. I'll edit this post when I've tested it.

EDIT: Didn't work. It did set a non-default tone when it sync'd over to the phone running iOS 17, but it just picked another standard one.

 

[ecschwarz]

oo - that's a good idea! My backup phone (6S) can't go higher than iOS 15, so I'll give that a go. I'll edit this post when I've tested it.

EDIT: Didn't work. It did set a non-default tone when it sync'd over to the phone running iOS 17, but it just picked another standard one.

Good to know - I'll try it on a 2020 SE running 16.7. I'd think tones have to be already installed on both devices (at least in the past how it would be for contacts that had custom ones on my iPhone, but then didn't show up on my iPad). I'll update if I manage to get it to work this evening.

Edit: I managed to get it working. You have to load the same .m4r file on both devices (and if there's any custom ringtones for the contact, load that, too) and I was able to re-set the Text Tone on my 15 for a contact by way of a 2020 SE running 16.7. I don't know if this will work with older devices that aren't on iOS 16, but it seems that's still okay.

 

[AM2354]

My FB says there are more than 10 like it and a fix has been identified for a future OS release. Hopefully 17.1 will have the fix.

I have 17.0.1 and it did not fix it.

 

[AM2354]

Is there anyone who is using iPhone 15 who added a custom SMS notification sound. If you were successfully, then what file extension is being used? Thank you.

 

[andy.jc]

Luckily, the personalised ringtones on my 14PM are still there after the IOS 17 install. However, as others have previously stated, the new default alert tone is disappointingly quiet. Let's hope a 17.01 upgrade will bring a solution. Who knows, one day, maybe Apple will let us choose are own default alert tone - how radical would that be, in the knowledge that Android has let you do this for ever and a day! Sheesh!

All my tones are working except mail and text apparently are caf I have see can convert and try see if that works not done for ages had same tones for years even in individual contacts custom on text can not change to ones have but it’s left the ones you did change only go to change no longer there

 

[Synomenon]

All my tones are working except mail and text apparently are caf I have see can convert and try see if that works not done for ages had same tones for years even in individual contacts custom on text can not change to ones have but it’s left the ones you did change only go to change no longer there

Huh?

 

[AM2354]

I just downloaded 17.0.2 and guess what? This IS NOT a bug. I am still without my custom ringtones. Here is what is upsetting to me, we all paid a lot of money for these phones, and yet Apple has control over what is ours. This to me is no different then buying a house and having the homeowners association telling you what can and can't do to your house.

I guess we have to wait not for Apple but for someone to have a successful work around. I did try the .caf extension but it wouldn't work.

 

[adrianlondon]

I just downloaded 17.0.2 and guess what? This IS NOT a bug.

It might still be a bug; I suspect 17.0.1 and 17.0.2 are being built from 17.0 with only specific fixes - maybe to do with data transfers to new phones.

If 17.2 still has the issue then it's more likely Apple have just given up on custom alert/notification tones.

 

[Paddle1]

I just downloaded 17.0.2 and guess what? This IS NOT a bug. I am still without my custom ringtones. Here is what is upsetting to me, we all paid a lot of money for these phones, and yet Apple has control over what is ours. This to me is no different then buying a house and having the homeowners association telling you what can and can't do to your house.

I guess we have to wait not for Apple but for someone to have a successful work around. I did try the .caf extension but it wouldn't work.

They can't fix every bug in a week, I'd wait for more time to pass before saying that.

 

[andy.jc]

I think I update my tone converter so I can convert my tones to caf format
So then I have option of changing notifications I have not changed and also contact text alerts
Lucky I had some pre assigned on iOS 16 so they m4r so I convert them and see if let’s me select on one not done
Hopefully not loose other tones

 

[whsbuss]

Question is does Apple know it is a bug? Have we asked? Have we sent feedback?

 

[FireFish]

I want to submit feedback with Apple's form but they don't even have iOS 17 listed yet.

I've already submitted it and at least Apple has acknowledged the issue by marking the ticket as 'resolved in a future build'.

Submission ID # FB13160351