Reset to defaults
Need help?OGV to M4R: Ringtones from Ogg Video
.ogv is the Ogg video extension from Xiph.Org: an Ogg container (RFC 3533) holding Theora video and, almost always, a Vorbis audio track. It was the open-web video format of the late 2000s, and it is still how a lot of video on Wikimedia Commons is stored, along with older Linux screencasts. This page discards the Theora picture, decodes the Vorbis (or Opus, FLAC or Speex) audio, and re-encodes the part you choose as AAC in an .m4r file, the ringtone format an iPhone understands. M4R is the same MPEG-4 container and AAC codec as M4A; the extension is what makes iOS treat it as a tone.
Apple says ringtones can be up to 30 seconds long, so the job here is trimming a short, clean slice and getting it into the format iOS expects.
How to Convert OGV to M4R
- Upload Your OGV File: Drag the
.ogvonto the page or click "+ Add Files". Several videos can be queued with the same settings. - Pick the Clip with Trim: Switch Trim on, then set a Start time and a Duration in seconds or
HH:MM:SS.sss. The note under Duration says to keep it to 30 seconds or less. - Choose Bitrate and Channels: File Compression offers Constant Bitrate (8 to 384 kbps), Custom Bitrate, five Variable Bitrate bands (20k-32k up to 96k-112k), Specific file size, and the hands-off Quality Preset. Audio Codec is AAC, the only one for M4R. Audio Channel and Audio Sample Rate can stay on Original for a typical stereo Vorbis track.
- Convert and Download: Click Convert and save the
.m4r. The file is uploaded over HTTPS, processed on our servers and deleted automatically after a few hours. Free, no sign-up, no watermark.
OGV vs M4R
| Property | OGV (source) | M4R (output) |
|---|---|---|
| Container | Ogg (RFC 3533); .ogv registered in RFC 5334 |
MPEG-4, with Apple's .m4r ringtone extension |
| Video | Theora, occasionally another codec | None |
| Audio | Usually Vorbis; sometimes Opus, FLAC or Speex | AAC-LC |
| Lossy? | Vorbis and Opus are lossy; FLAC is not | Lossy |
| iPhone support | Not a native iOS video format | Native ringtone format |
| Typical source | Wikimedia Commons, open-web video, Linux screen recordings | A tone of 30 seconds or less |
The Rest of the Ogg Family
.ogv is only one of several Ogg extensions, and each has its own M4R page:
| Extension | Usually holds | Page to use |
|---|---|---|
.ogv |
Theora video + Vorbis audio | This page |
.ogg |
Vorbis audio (older tools also wrote video under it) | OGG to M4R |
.oga |
Audio-only Ogg: Vorbis, FLAC or Speex | OGA to M4R |
.opus |
Opus audio in Ogg | Opus to M4R |
Getting the Quality Right
Vorbis to AAC is a lossy-to-lossy step, so match or exceed the source bitrate rather than undercutting it. If VLC's Codec Information or MediaInfo shows a Vorbis track of around 128-160 kbps, encode at 160-192 kbps. A 30-second ringtone at 192 kbps is about 720 KB (bitrate × seconds ÷ 8 = kilobytes), so there is no storage penalty. A rare FLAC-in-Ogg track is the best case: a single clean encode from lossless audio. Screencasts with only narration can go down to 96 kbps Mono, about 360 KB for 30 seconds.
Good Ringtone Material in OGV Files
Because .ogv was the open-web format of its time, the files people still have tend to fall into a few groups, and each needs slightly different handling:
- Archive recordings on Wikimedia Commons: speeches, historical newsreels, nature and animal sounds. Old recordings are often mono, so set Audio Channel to Mono and use 96 kbps.
- Open-movie projects and animations: short films distributed as Theora/Vorbis, usually with a full stereo score that suits 160-192 kbps Stereo.
- Linux screencasts and tutorials: mostly narration, sometimes with a music bed under the intro, which is usually the part worth keeping.
- Exports from older editors: check that audio was included; some exports were video only.
Whatever the source, start the Trim on the sound itself so the tone does not begin with silence.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can the ringtone be?
Up to 30 seconds. Apple's support article on custom ringtones says so, and GarageBand for iPhone gives 30 seconds as its maximum for exported ringtones. Some older guides quote 40 seconds from the iTunes era; Apple's current documentation does not.
Can I use a clip from Wikimedia Commons?
Technically, yes: Commons video is mostly Theora/Vorbis OGV and converts normally. Check the file's licence on its Commons page before you reuse it, since each file carries its own terms.
Does the video get converted?
No. Theora is discarded and only the audio is encoded, which is why a 30-second tone is a few hundred kilobytes.
The OGV has no sound. What now?
Some screencasts and animations were saved without an audio track. If there is no audio stream, there is nothing to make a ringtone from, so check the codec information before you upload.
How do I install the ringtone on my iPhone?
With a Mac running macOS Catalina or later, connect the iPhone and drag the .m4r onto it in the Finder sidebar; on Windows use iTunes. Pick it in Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone, or for one caller under Contacts > the person > Edit > Ringtone. Or save it to Files, import it into GarageBand on the iPhone, then Share > Ringtone.
I'm on Android. Which format should I use?
Android ringtones are usually MP3 or OGG rather than M4R. OGV to MP3 gives you a file every Android phone accepts.
What happens to my upload?
It travels over TLS, is processed on our servers and is deleted automatically after a few hours. Nothing is shared or published.