Apple has added a new “Prepare to Ship” feature to the iPhone 18 Pro Max, with the phone’s unusually large battery requiring special handling before an activated device can be shipped.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max has a battery capacity of more than 20 watt-hours, Apple has confirmed in a new support document. Products containing a single-cell battery above 20Wh are subject to additional shipping requirements in most countries and regions, prompting Apple to build a battery-management solution directly into the phone.
From the factory, iPhone 18 Pro Max temporarily limits its usable battery capacity to below 20Wh while it is being transported. That restriction disappears when the customer activates the iPhone, unlocking the battery’s full capacity.
The same shipping rules become relevant again if an owner later needs to send the phone somewhere, such as for a repair, trade-in or return. Apple has therefore added Prepare to Ship under Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
When enabled, the feature automatically discharges the iPhone 18 Pro Max to below the 20Wh threshold and applies a charging limit to keep it there during shipping. Apple says the phone can become warmer than normal while it deliberately discharges, and the process can take up to a couple of hours if the battery starts fully charged.
For a repair, trade-in or return, Apple says the charge limit is capped at 80% for 14 days. Owners shipping the phone directly to another person, such as when selling it or giving it as a gift, can also use Prepare to Ship and undo the setting later.
Apple stresses that the iPhone 18 Pro Max battery itself is safe. Prepare to Ship exists to meet shipping requirements and is not required when taking the phone on a flight or otherwise traveling with it.
The unusual feature gives some additional context to just how much larger the battery is in Apple’s new flagship. The Apple Post previously reported that iPhone 18 Pro Max delivers up to 45 hours of video playback on eSIM-only models, the longest battery-life figure Apple quotes for the new Pro lineup.
Apple says the larger battery works alongside the efficiency of the A20 Pro chip to deliver the gains. eSIM-only versions also use space that would otherwise be occupied by physical SIM hardware for additional battery capacity.
The new Prepare to Ship feature applies only to iPhone 18 Pro Max. Apple’s support document says it is not required for any other iPhone model.
Apple has published full instructions for using Prepare to Ship on its support website. The feature was highlighted by 9to5Mac.