Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro Max uses firmware to bypass battery shipping limits

Apple has developed a firmware-based workaround for shipping restrictions affecting the iPhone 18 Pro Max, according to Apple’s support page and reporting by The Verge’s Jess Weatherbed.

The battery-firmware solution keeps the phone’s single-cell battery below the 20Wh limit used by international shipping regulations. The restriction is automatically removed when the device is booted for the first time. After activation, the iPhone 18 Pro Max returns to its original rated charging capacity: around 21.75Wh for US eSIM-only models and 21.06Wh for European models with a physical SIM slot.

For repairs or resale, users can restore the limitation with Apple’s “Prepare to Ship” feature. It caps charging at 80 percent for 14 days. The feature is available under Settings by opening General, selecting Transfer or Reset iPhone, and then choosing Prepare to Ship. Apple says the battery might need to discharge for the process to finish and may become warmer than usual. Users can disable Prepare to Ship at any time.

Android manufacturers generally use smaller dual-cell batteries outside Asia to avoid the same restrictions, but The Verge reports that this approach is costlier and less efficient in terms of physical space. The Verge notes that Android manufacturers could adopt a similar firmware solution if Apple’s approach proves effective.