How to Use Audacity on a Phone

Audacity is an open-source audio editor that you can use to make MP3 ringtones for your cell phone. The software is free, and you can download the latest release from the Internet. Audacity works with all types of operating system platforms, such as Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and GNU/Linux. If you have Windows XP or Vista running on your computer, follow the steps below for making custom MP3 ringtones for your cell phone.

• 1

  Open your web browser and type the web address (see Resources) in the search box. Press the "Enter" key on your keyboard. Click the "Download" link on the web page and choose the "Audacity installer" file for Windows operating systems. Save the file on your desktop, then download the encoder file "LAME MP3" on your hard drive.

• 2

  Double-click the Audacity icon on your desktop to launch the application. Use the software to import and open an MP3 audio file on your computer. Click the "File" menu and highlight "Import" from the drop-down menu list. Locate the folder where the MP3 audio file is stored. Select the audio file that you want to edit and click the "Open" button.

• 3

  Edit the MP3 audio file so that it plays for approximately 30 seconds. Use the selection tool to highlight the sound that you want to remove from the track, then press the "Delete" key on your keyboard. Continue removing sounds from the track, and use the "Effect" editing tool to adjust the settings, such as pitch, speed, tempo and bass boost to create a custom MP3 ringtone. After you have the desired sound that you want to hear, make certain that the audio file no larger than 300 kilobytes in size.

• 4

  Click the "File" menu again and choose "Export as MP3." Create a new file name for the MP3 ringtone and save it on your computer. Audacity may prompt you for the "LAME MP3" encoder to export MP3 files. Select the file path location where the encoder file is saved on your hard drive.

• 5

  Use Bluetooth to transfer your new custom MP3 ringtone to your cell phone. Before you begin, make certain that Bluetooth is enabled on your computer and cell phone. Pair and make both devices visible. Look for your computer name in the results list and click on it. Type in a four-digit passcode and press the "Continue" button. After the devices are paired, you will be able to send the MP3 ringtone to your cell phone.

• 6

  Copy the MP3 ringtone from your computer. Right-click on the MP3 ringtone file name and select "Send To," then choose "Bluetooth Device" and select your cell phone name. The file transfer will take a few seconds to complete, and you should receive an alert sound or message on your cell phone that the transfer was successful.