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Convert AVI to M4R - Create iPhone Ringtones from Video

Turn your favorite AVI video moments into custom iPhone ringtones.

Step 1: Upload your files

You can also Drag and drop files.

Step 2: Choose format
Step 3: Convert files

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Why Convert AVI to M4R?

You have an AVI video file with a memorable sound-maybe a movie quote, a song clip, or a funny moment-and you want it as your iPhone ringtone. The problem is that iPhones only accept M4R format for custom ringtones.

Converting AVI to M4R extracts the audio from your video and packages it in Apple's ringtone format. The result is a custom ringtone that works natively with iOS, appearing in your Sound settings just like Apple's built-in tones.

How to Convert AVI to M4R

  1. Upload your AVI file - Drag and drop or click to select your video
  2. Convert to M4R - We extract the audio and encode it for iPhone compatibility
  3. Download your ringtone - Transfer the M4R file to your iPhone via iTunes, Finder, or AirDrop

The entire process takes seconds. No software to install, no account required.

Understanding the Formats

What is AVI?

AVI (Audio Video Interleave) is a multimedia container format created by Microsoft in 1992. It stores both video and audio data, often using codecs like DivX, XviD, or MPEG-4 for video and MP3 or PCM for audio. AVI files are common for downloaded movies, recorded clips, and older video archives.

What is M4R?

M4R is Apple's dedicated ringtone format for iPhone, introduced in 2007. Technically, M4R files are identical to M4A audio files-both use the MPEG-4 container with AAC audio encoding. The only difference is the file extension, which signals to iOS that the file is a ringtone rather than a music track.

In our testing, M4R files created from high-quality AVI sources sound crisp and clear on iPhone speakers, with no noticeable quality loss during conversion.

iPhone Ringtone Requirements

Apple imposes specific constraints on ringtone files:

  • Maximum duration: 40 seconds (this is a hard limit)
  • Audio codec: AAC (Advanced Audio Coding)
  • Container: MPEG-4 with .m4r extension
  • Recommended bitrate: 192-256 kbps for best quality
  • Typical file size: 500KB to 1.5MB for a 30-40 second clip

Our converter automatically handles these specifications. If your AVI audio is longer than 40 seconds, consider trimming the source video before conversion or note which section you want to use.

Common Use Cases

Movie Quotes as Ringtones

Have a favorite movie scene saved as AVI? Extract that iconic line and set it as your ringtone. In our testing, dialogue clips convert cleanly, with voices remaining distinct and recognizable.

Music Video Clips

If you have a music video in AVI format, you can extract the chorus or intro to use as a ringtone. This works well for songs not available on the iTunes ringtone store.

Personal Recordings

Recorded a funny moment on an older camcorder that saves to AVI? Turn that audio into a ringtone for a personalized touch when specific contacts call.

Notification Sounds

Beyond ringtones, M4R files work for text message alerts and other iOS notifications. Shorter clips (under 30 seconds) work particularly well for these purposes.

Alternative Conversions

Not sure M4R is what you need? Consider these alternatives:

  • AVI to MP3: Extract audio as a universal format playable on any device, not just iPhone
  • AVI to M4A: Create an Apple-compatible audio file for music libraries rather than ringtones
  • AVI to AAC: Get the raw AAC audio stream without the M4R ringtone container

If you need the audio for general listening rather than specifically as an iPhone ringtone, MP3 or M4A are more versatile choices.

Getting the Ringtone on Your iPhone

After downloading your M4R file, you need to transfer it to your iPhone:

Using Mac (macOS Catalina or later)

  1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac via USB
  2. Open Finder and select your iPhone in the sidebar
  3. Drag the M4R file directly onto your iPhone in Finder
  4. The ringtone appears in Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone

Using Windows or older Mac (with iTunes)

  1. Open iTunes and connect your iPhone
  2. Drag the M4R file into the Tones section of your library
  3. Sync your iPhone to transfer the ringtone

Using GarageBand (directly on iPhone)

If you have the M4R file on your phone already, you can import it through GarageBand and export as a ringtone without a computer.

Quality Considerations

The quality of your M4R ringtone depends on the source AVI file:

  • Audio bitrate: AVI files with higher-quality audio tracks produce better ringtones
  • Compression artifacts: Heavily compressed AVI files may have audio artifacts that become more noticeable in a ringtone
  • Volume levels: Some AVI files have quiet audio-the ringtone will match the source volume

In our testing, standard DVD-quality AVI files (128 kbps audio or higher) produce excellent ringtones. Low-quality downloads may sound tinny or compressed.

Works on Any Device

Our AVI to M4R converter runs entirely in your browser:

  • Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook
  • Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
  • iPhone, iPad, Android tablets

No software installation required. Your files are processed locally-they never leave your device.

Batch Conversion

Have multiple AVI clips you want as ringtones? Upload several files at once and convert them all in a single session. This saves time when building a collection of custom notification sounds.

Pro Tip

For the best ringtone experience, choose a clip with a strong opening-you want to recognize who's calling within the first 2-3 seconds. Avoid clips that start quietly or with silence.

Common Mistake

Many people try to rename files directly to .m4r without proper conversion. This doesn't work because AVI uses different audio codecs than the AAC format required by M4R.

Best For

Perfect for turning memorable movie quotes, song clips, or personal video recordings into unique iPhone ringtones that stand out from Apple's default tones.

Not Recommended

Skip the conversion if you just want to listen to the audio on your phone. For general playback, convert to MP3 or M4A instead-M4R is specifically for ringtone use and has the 40-second limit.

Frequently Asked Questions

M4R is Apple's ringtone format for iPhone. It's technically identical to M4A audio files, using AAC encoding in an MPEG-4 container, but the .m4r extension tells iOS to treat it as a ringtone.

iPhone ringtones have a maximum duration of 40 seconds. This is a hard limit enforced by iOS. Any M4R file longer than 40 seconds won't appear in your ringtone settings.

Video quality doesn't matter since we only extract the audio track. However, the audio quality in your AVI file does affect the ringtone-higher bitrate audio sources produce better-sounding ringtones.

Yes. Upload multiple AVI files and convert them all in a single batch. This is useful when creating several custom ringtones from different video clips.

Connect your iPhone to a computer and use Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows) to drag the M4R file onto your device. Alternatively, use AirDrop or import through GarageBand on your iPhone directly.

AVI and M4R use completely different container formats and codecs. Simply renaming the extension doesn't convert the audio data. True conversion requires extracting and re-encoding the audio as AAC in an MPEG-4 container.

Yes, completely free. There are no hidden costs, watermarks, or signup requirements. Convert as many AVI files to M4R as you need.

Yes. M4R files work for all iOS sound notifications including ringtones, text alerts, and app notifications. Shorter clips (under 30 seconds) work best for notification sounds.

You'll need to trim the source video or audio before conversion, or select the specific 40-second segment you want. Any audio beyond 40 seconds will be cut off for ringtone use.

Yes. Our converter works in Safari on iPhone. You can convert AVI to M4R directly on your phone, then use GarageBand to import and set it as your ringtone.

We convert at 256 kbps AAC, which is higher than the 192 kbps minimum recommended for ringtones. This ensures your ringtone sounds clear on iPhone speakers and through headphones.

Yes, as long as the AVI file contains an audio track. Some AVI files are video-only, but most contain audio that can be extracted and converted to M4R format.

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