Apple will begin taking pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max this Saturday, September 12, at 5 a.m. Pacific Time. Buyers who want a faster checkout can prepare their order ahead of time, but the window to do so closes tonight.

How to 'Get Ready' before pre-orders start

Apple offers a "Get Ready" option that lets shoppers stage their purchase before the official sales window opens. The feature appears on the Shop iPhone page and in the Apple Store app. Using it, customers can select their preferred iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max configuration, add accessories, and complete steps such as getting pre-approved for financing or a lease.

Setting all of this up in advance means less to do once pre-orders go live, which can matter when popular configurations sell out quickly and shipping estimates begin to slip within minutes.

Deadline is tonight

Apple is giving customers until 9 p.m. Pacific Time today to finish getting their orders ready ahead of the Saturday morning launch. Anyone hoping to breeze through checkout should complete the preparation steps before that cutoff.

Why the early prep matters

High-demand iPhone launches typically see the fastest configurations disappear or ship dates extend soon after pre-orders open. By pre-selecting a model, sorting out payment or trade-in details, and having everything staged, buyers reduce the chance of losing an earlier delivery slot to the checkout process itself.

Pre-orders begin at 5 a.m. Pacific Time on Saturday, September 12. Customers can access the process directly through Apple's online store or the Apple Store app.