Why wont Nokia 5.1 allow new ringtones

aaronachnid

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I know this has been asked before - I've read the threads. However nothing seems to work. I've put an MP3 (the consensus seems to be that's best) file in every folder I can think of, reset my phone and it still won't show up. The file shows up in file explorer when I plug in to PC, and I can view it through the "files" app on my phone. But in the ringtone settings it's not there. Anyone have anything else I can try? It seems like such a simple thing that this phone can't do, it's baffling. TIA for any help or suggestions.
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B. Diddy

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Welcome to Android Central! You've already tried rebooting? Where did you get the mp3 file from? Does it play normally on a media player?
 

aaronachnid

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Welcome to Android Central! You've already tried rebooting? Where did you get the mp3 file from? Does it play normally on a media player?

Hi and thanks for the reply. Yes, the MP3 works. It shows up on the phone (and will play one the phone if I access it via the Music folder (or ringtone folder, or notification folder). Have soft reset multiple times.
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B. Diddy

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Can you test another custom ringtone file? Try downloading any of them from the zedge.net website and see if that works.
 

aaronachnid

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Can you test another custom ringtone file? Try downloading any of them from the zedge.net website and see if that works.

Just tried that and it's the same thing. The Zedge file went to the Downloads folder. Phone won't pick it up from there, or any other folder (music/ringtones etc) that I move it to. But I can see it both on my phone and when I've got it tethered to PC.
 

aaronachnid

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OK, this is strange and I don't know if it has anything to do with it, but the new file shows up when I'm looking through file explorer on the PC, but not when I browse files on my phone. Regardless though, it still doesn't show anywhere when I try to change ringtone.
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Rukbat

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But ... since it's showing up in the MP3 player, all I can suggest is looking in the MP3 player in the Ringtones tab. (If it's showing in the player, it's in the Media Scan database.) It may be getting read in as something other than a ringtone. (There's nothing in there, saying that you shouldn't get a ringtone at all - at least the default ringtone should show up. [In the Pixel 2, the folder is ringtones, lower case r, in most other phones it has to be upper-case R to work.Different phones, different things changed.])
 

aaronachnid

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Yeah, that media scan didn't work, And I can play it from the ringtones folder (it just automatically plays with the built in music player). It's bizarre. I can put 20 MP3 files in to that folder (or any other folder) and none of them come up when I press the + to add a ringtone. But they are there in the folder. I appreciate your guys help, and don't want to take up your time any more on something so trivial. I guess I just can't add ringtones to this phone.
 

Mafinka

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Sounds like it might be a bug. One more thing to try -- see if the problem persists in Safe Mode: https://www.hardreset.info/devices/nokia/nokia-51/safe-mode/

I have exactly yhe same problem, did everything you suggested, even gone to safe mode, but none of my mp3s are showing In ringtones. As you saying it is a bug, does it mean we are entitled to free repair or exchange? I really want to enjoy my phone fully and if this is a function that is supposed to be available then I do want it as to be honest don’t know a si gle person who likes to listen to Nokia tune. Thanks
 

B. Diddy

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Welcome to Android Central! I'm not sure if the warranty applies to a bug -- do you have a Nokia 5.1 as well? You can contact the manufacturer of your phone to find out.

One thing that wasn't mentioned above -- use a file manager app to make sure there isn't a file called .nomedia in the /Ringtones directory.