How to give a contact their own ringtone on iPhone

Updated by Winton Gee

Quick answer

Open Contacts, tap the person, tap Edit, then tap Ringtone or Text Tone and choose a sound. A tone you made appears there once you have added it to your iPhone with Use as Ringtone.

A sound for one person lets you know it's Mom, or your partner, before you pick up your phone. A contact's ringtone and text tone replace your usual ones for that person only. These steps are for iOS 26 and later.

1. Add the sound to your iPhone

A contact can use any tone in your iPhone's tone lists. To use your own sound, make it first, then on the tone's page in Ringtone & Text Tone Maker tap Add to your iPhone, then Use as Ringtone. See how to set a custom text tone for the full steps.

2. Choose it on the contact card

  1. Open the Contacts app and tap the person's name.
  2. Tap Edit.
  3. Tap Ringtone and choose the sound for their calls.
  4. Tap Text Tone and choose the sound for their messages.
  5. Tap Done.

Your own tones are listed near the top, above Apple's sounds.

From inside Ringtone & Text Tone Maker

  1. On a tone's page, tap A person.
  2. Pick the contact. Their card opens in the app.
  3. Tap Edit, then Ringtone or Text Tone, and choose your tone.

The app opens only the card you pick. It does not read or upload your contacts. A sound for each person is part of Pro.

Where Ringtone & Text Tone Maker helps

Ringtone & Text Tone Maker turns any song, video or voice memo into a ringtone or text tone and walks you through each step, including the contact card. Basic tones are free and unlimited, with no ads.

Ringtone & Text Tone Maker is coming soon to the App Store.

Sources

Steps, quotes and findings in this guide come from these sources, checked on October 8, 2026.