Apple has built a firmware workaround into the iPhone 18 Pro Max so the device can clear international shipping rules that restrict large single-cell batteries. The company describes the approach as a battery-firmware solution on its support page. The lock keeps the phone's capacity under the 20Wh limit set by those shipping regulations. It lifts on its own the first time the device is powered on.
Once a user activates the iPhone 18 Pro Max, the phone returns to its original rated charging capacity. For US eSIM-only models that figure is around 21.75Wh, while European versions that include a physical SIM slot are rated around 21.06Wh. The limitation can be put back in place if the phone has to be sent away for repair or resale. Apple provides this through a Prepare to Ship feature that caps charging at 80 percent for 14 days.
The restoration option sits in the settings menu. Users open General settings, tap Transfer or Reset iPhone, and then select Prepare to Ship. Apple notes that the iPhone 18 Pro Max battery might need to discharge before Prepare to Ship can complete. The phone may also run warmer than usual while the process is underway. Prepare to Ship can be turned off at any time by returning to the settings menu.
The arrangement is an unusual way around battery capacity limits. Phone makers continue to pursue longer battery life while shrinking their devices, which pushes against the same shipping rules. Apple's firmware approach addresses that tension without changing the physical battery.
Android manufacturers have generally taken a different route outside Asia, shipping devices with smaller dual-cell batteries to avoid the same restrictions. Those designs cost more and use physical space less efficiently. If Apple's firmware fix proves workable, similar solutions could appear from Android manufacturers. The US eSIM-only iPhone 18 Pro Max carries the higher of the two rated capacities, at around 21.75Wh.
Jess Weatherbed reported the original article for The Verge, where she covers creative industries, computing, and internet culture. She began her career at TechRadar, reporting on news and hardware reviews.
Apple's support page is the source of the technical details on the firmware lock, the capacities, and the Prepare to Ship process.
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