Apple brings a ‘Prepare to Ship’ feature for the iPhone 18 Pro Max after increasing its battery capacity beyond 20 watt-hours (Wh). Devices with a single-cell battery above 20Wh face additional shipping requirements in most countries and regions.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max uses a battery-firmware solution that keeps its capacity below 20Wh from manufacturing through factory transport. Once customers activate the phone, the restriction is removed and the battery can use its full capacity.
After activation, owners must use Prepare to Ship when sending the iPhone 18 Pro Max for repair, trade-in, return, or as a gift. The feature discharges the battery below the 20Wh threshold and applies a charging limit to keep it within the requirement during transit.
You can find the option under Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Prepare to Ship. Reportedly, the process may take only a few minutes. However, a fully charged iPhone can take up to a couple of hours to complete it.
The tech giant also warned that the iPhone 18 Pro Max may become warmer than usual while the battery discharges. Apple also claimed that the phone will cool once the process finishes.
Apple clarified that the procedure does not indicate a battery safety problem. The company says the iPhone 18 Pro Max battery remains safe for shipping and air travel. Experts suggest that the additional step also meets shipping regulations.
Apple's shipping guidance also instructs users sending the iPhone to Apple to discharge the battery to 25% or less. This needs to be done before switching off and packing the device in the shipping kit.
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