I Unmuted My Android and Embraced AI Ringtones—Here’s Why I’m Obsessed!

Growing up in the 90s, I vividly remember how ringtones signified status and tech-savvy. They were once a source of pride, but as smartphones emerged and notifications reached overwhelming levels, custom ringtones lost their appeal and became somewhat cheesy.

Despite their decline in popularity, ringtones still provide a way to personalize your phone—if used tastefully. Nowadays, numerous platforms—from specialized apps to online websites—allow you to download or create ringtones from your favorite tunes.

However, with such a vast selection available, the process of finding the ideal ringtone can feel daunting. To simplify this, I decided to explore AI for assistance in discovering the perfect ringtone.

In recent years, I have largely stopped using ringtones, opting instead for silent mode with vibration. This shift was due to several factors: disliking the constant noise and frequently having my phone within reach.

However, over the past year, I’ve consciously left my phone in another room during short outings. Despite not receiving many crucial calls, I’ve occasionally missed important ones from family or clients when my phone was out of reach.

I’ve set my phone to only allow calls from select contacts—like family, friends, and certain businesses. The next step is customizing ringtones for these preferred contacts. Initially, I attempted to use free ringtone apps but found them overwhelming and impersonal.

This led me to experiment with AI for a more personalized ringtone option. While I found this approach intriguing, it’s vital to remember that AI-generated tunes can inadvertently draw inspiration from copyrighted content.

Additionally, it’s crucial to note that these AI tools are not intended to produce ringtones from complete, copyrighted songs—official apps are generally the only legal option for that.

Many apps on Google Play promise custom AI-generated ringtones; however, their effectiveness varies, and many are filled with ads. Among them, Zedge stands out as a more reliable option. Traditionally focused on wallpapers, Zedge now offers a wide range of pre-made ringtones and AI generation capabilities.

With Zedge, creating custom ringtones is straightforward. The interface includes a prompt box where you can specify your desired keywords or themes, along with easy navigation for genres or moods to refine your search.

Despite its advantages, Zedge is not without faults. While relatively secure, user-generated content can raise privacy concerns. The most significant drawback is the frequent ads; you might need to watch one to generate additional ringtones, though there’s often a free attempt available.

For those looking for a more seamless experience, Zedge offers an ad-free tier that allows unlimited ringtone creation without ad interruptions, costing only $0.99 for a week or $11.99 for a lifetime subscription.

As for audio quality, it is quite satisfactory.

I first requested a composition reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda. The generated tune successfully captured the essence without being a direct copy:

Next, I tasked it with creating a fun ringtone indicating a call from my mom:

This ringtone was particularly enjoyable and outperformed a similar one generated by a different app.

While Zedge offers a user-friendly starting point, its limitations with ringtone selections and pervasive ads can be frustrating. Alternatively, Gemini proves to be a more versatile tool. Although its free version may be restrictive, Google’s paid AI services begin at around $5, allowing for a broader range of creative outputs.

Despite lacking specific categories for genres and moods, users can simply describe what they want and often achieve better results than with Zedge.

Gemini excels at capturing distinct vibes. Upon requesting a Zelda-like tune again, it produced:

This composition became my daughter’s default ringtone and felt much more aligned with my preferences than the attempt from Zedge.

However, Gemini doesn’t always outshine Zedge; when I requested a ringtone for my mom, Zedge’s interpretation felt slightly superior.

In conclusion, both methods offer viable options for creating ringtones. Personally, I find Gemini to be the better choice, but each has its uniqueness worth exploring.