Setting a ringtone in Android 5

Smartphones based on the operating system Android 5 Lollipop are still in use by many users due to their stability and simplicity. However, the standard melodies preset by the manufacturer often become boring and require replacement with something more personal and pleasing to the ear. The process of replacing a call in this version of the OS has its own characteristics that distinguish it from more modern versions Android, which sometimes causes difficulties for beginners.

In this article we will analyze in detail all the available ways to install your own music on an incoming call. We will look at both standard methods through system settings, and more advanced options using a file manager or connecting to a computer. You will learn how to correctly prepare audio files and solve common problems when the system does not see your music.

Before you start setting up, make sure that you already have a suitable audio file in the device’s memory. This could be a track downloaded from the Internet, or a recording transferred from another gadget.

Preparing an audio file for installation

The first step towards personalizing your device is preparing the file itself. Not every audio format can be used as a system call without pre-processing. Although Android 5 is quite omnivorous in terms of playback, for stable operation of the dialer it is better to use universal formats.

It is advisable that the duration of the track does not exceed 30-40 seconds. Long songs may be cut off by the system or may not play correctly when you receive a call. You can use special editor applications or online services to cut the desired fragment from your favorite song.

It is also worth paying attention to the bitrate and sound quality. High-quality files that are too heavy can put a strain on the RAM of an older device when trying to play a call. The optimal choice would be a file with a bitrate 128 kbps or 192 kbps.

After the file is ready, it must be saved in the correct directory. The system Lollipop scans specific folders when searching for available tunes. If the file is in a random folder with downloads, the phone may simply not see it in the list of available ringtones.

Standard method through sound settings

The easiest and most obvious way to change the melody is to use the built-in settings menu. This method does not require the installation of third-party software and is suitable for most standard situations. The interface may differ slightly depending on the manufacturer's shell (for example, MIUI or TouchWiz), but the logic remains the same.

First, open the main application menu and find the icon Settings. In the list of parameters that opens, you need to find the section responsible for sound. In the clean version Android 5 this item is usually called Sound and notifications.

Inside this section you will see an item Ringtone or Ringtone. Clicking on it will open the system player with a list of available tracks. Here you can listen to standard melodies or select your own if it has already been recognized by the system.

• 🎵 Click on the item Melody call in the settings menu.
• 📂 In the list that opens, select the tab Local or My ringtones.
• ✅ Mark the desired track and confirm your choice with the button OK.

If you do not see your file in this list, it means it is in the wrong folder or has an unsupported format. In this case, you need to use a file manager to move the file to the system directory Ringtones.

Using a file manager to move

It often happens that downloaded music ends up in a folder Download or Music, but is not displayed in the call settings. In Android 5 there is a strict hierarchy of folders, compliance with which guarantees the appearance of the track in the list of available ringtones. To solve this problem, we need any file manager, for example ES Explorer or built-in Files.

Open the file manager and go to the internal memory of the device. You need to find the root directory where the system folders are stored. If the folder Ringtones is not there, you need to create it manually. This is a critical step for the system to understand the purpose of the files.

/sdcard/Ringtones/

Create a folder named Ringtones (that’s right, with a capital letter) in the root of the internal memory. Then copy or move your prepared audio file inside this directory. After moving, it is recommended to restart your smartphone to allow the media scanner to update the database.

⚠️ Attention: Do not create a folder Ringtones inside other folders such as Music or DCIM. It must be located exactly in the root of the internal storage, otherwise the system will ignore it.

In a similar way, you can create a folder Notifications for notification sounds and Alarms for alarms. This allows you to structure audio files and quickly find the sounds you need in the appropriate settings sections.

Installing a ringtone via a computer

If there is little free space on your smartphone or the file manager is not working correctly, the most reliable way is to connect the device to a computer. This method allows you to quickly transfer large amounts of data and guarantee the creation of the desired folder structure.

Connect your smartphone to your PC using a USB cable. A request for connection mode will appear on the phone screen. Select mode File transfer (MTP)to allow the computer to access the device’s file system. In Charge Only mode, data transfer is not possible.

Open the My Computer window on your PC and find your device in the list of drives. Go to the internal memory and create a folder Ringtonesif it does not already exist. Drag prepared audio files from your computer to this folder.

Sound type	Folder name	Example path
Incoming call	Ringtones	/sdcard/Ringtones/
Notifications	Notifications	/sdcard/Notifications/
Alarm clock	Alarms	/sdcard/Alarms/
System sounds	UI sounds	/sdcard/media/audio/ui/

After copying the files, safely remove the device from the computer. Now, when you go to the sound settings, you should see new tracks at the very top or bottom of the list, depending on the manufacturer's implementation of the interface.

What to do if the computer does not see the phone?

Make sure that the MTP driver is installed. Try a different USB cable or port. On your phone in developer mode, enable USB debugging if the standard connection does not work.

Set up a custom ring for a contact

One ​​of the useful features Android is the ability to assign unique ringtones to specific people in your phone book. This allows you to find out who is calling without looking at the screen, simply by sound.

Go to the application Contact or Phone and open the card of the desired subscriber. Click on the edit button (usually a pencil icon). In the editing menu, find the field Ringtone or Ringtone.

Click on this field and a standard music selection window will open. Select the track that you previously moved to the folder Ringtones. After saving the changes, this contact will ring with the selected melody, ignoring the general system ringtone.

• 👤 Open the contact card in the phone book.
• ✏️ Press the button Edit or Edit.
• 🔔 Select item Ringtone and specify the desired file.

It is worth noting that if you delete the audio file from the phone's memory, the contact will return to using the standard melody. Therefore, do not delete files assigned to important numbers if you do not want to lose personalization.

Possible problems and solutions

Despite the simplicity of the procedure, users Android 5 sometimes they encounter the fact that the phone does not see new files or does not play them. Most often, the problem lies in the file format or memory access rights.

Check the file extension. If you downloaded the track in .m4a or .wavformat, try converting it to .mp3. Some older versions of media players Lollipop may not work correctly with AAC codecs in the M4A container.

⚠️ Attention: If the file is on an SD card, make sure that it is working and correctly formatted. In some cases, the system does not scan external drives when searching for ringtones.

It is also possible that the media scanner is frozen and has not updated the database. In this case, rebooting the device or installing a media scanner application from the store will help. Google Play. After scanning, the files should appear in the list.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the phone silent when calling after setting a ringtone?

Check the sound profile. Silent or Vibrate mode may be activated. Also make sure that the ring volume slider is not turned down to minimum in the sound settings.

Is it possible to install music from VKontakte or YouTube directly?

You cannot set a ringtone directly from social network applications. You must first download the audio file to the device, and then move it to the folder Ringtones via the file manager.

How to return the standard melody back?

Go to the sound settings, select "Ringtone" and in the list of system tracks, click on "Marimba", "Over the horizon" or another standard the default melody.

Why does the cut ringtone play with a delay?

This may be due to the low speed of the processor when loading a heavy file. Try lowering the track bitrate or using simpler audio formats.