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How to pre-order iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max on September 12

Yesterday

Pre-orders open Saturday, September 12 at 5 a.m. PT. Here’s how to Get Ready in the Apple Store app, prep Trade-In and financing, and improve your odds of a launch-week delivery.

Apple has confirmed that iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max pre-orders open Saturday, September 12 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, with availability beginning Friday, September 18 — per Apple Newsroom and MacRumors.

This is the actionable buyer checklist for that window — not another specs dump. For announce details, see the Pro / Pro Max announcement; for the pre-confirm Saturday timeline, see the earlier schedule preview.

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Key dates (confirmed)

Pre-order: Saturday, September 12, 5 a.m. PT / 8 a.m. ET
Availability / shipping start: Friday, September 18
Second wave: Friday, September 25 in 20 additional countries and regions (per Apple)

First-wave markets Apple lists include the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Türkiye, the UAE, the U.K., Vietnam, and others.

Before Saturday: Get Ready

Apple typically surfaces a Get Ready flow in the Apple Store app shortly before pre-orders go live. Use it to lock model, storage, color, carrier status, AppleCare+, accessories, and payment — then checkout becomes closer to one tap when the cart opens (MacRumors how-to).

Also do the boring prep now:

Confirm Apple Account payment method, billing address, and shipping address
Generate an Apple Trade-In quote ahead of time so you are not adding screens at 5:01 a.m. (tables just moved after Surprise and Shine)
If you were on the old U.S. iPhone Upgrade Program, check your path to Apple Upgrade, ACMI, carrier financing, or a one-time buy

Checkout tips that usually matter

Open the Apple Store app (updated) a few minutes early with your saved config on screen, and keep apple.com in a browser as a backup
Do not thrash color or storage mid-checkout — inventory re-queries can cost you a launch-week slot
Prefer in-store pickup if offered; pickup inventory is often allocated separately from delivery
Walk-in stock on September 18 is possible but not reliable — use Apple’s pickup checker rather than calling stores

Money side: Trade-In vs carrier credits

Apple says customers trading in iPhone 13 or later can get $175–$885 (U.S.) via Apple Trade In, and that select carrier deals can reach up to $1,200 (U.S.) in credits when trading in iPhone 14 or later in any condition toward iPhone 18 Pro / Pro Max (Newsroom, carrier offers). Carrier “up to” figures are usually bill credits over many months with plan requirements — run the full-term math before chasing the headline number.

Pricing reminder: Pro from $1,199; Pro Max from $1,299 (U.S.).