iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max preorders open September 12

Apple announced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at Apple Event 2026 on September 9. US customers can preorder them on September 12 at 5 a.m. Pacific time, with the first deliveries scheduled for Friday, September 18.

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299. Apple is also offering carrier discounts, trade-in credits and a new Apple Upgrade program, but the supplied material does not specify the value of those discounts or the program’s monthly pricing.

The preorder window opens at the same time across multiple markets. In the United States, the schedule is 5 a.m. PDT on the West Coast, 6 a.m. MDT in Mountain time, 7 a.m. CDT in Central time and 8 a.m. EDT in the East. Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands also open at 8 a.m. local time.

Prepare before the preorder window

Apple’s Get Ready process lets customers configure much of the purchase before the store opens. Buyers can select the model, color and storage capacity, confirm a carrier or defer that choice, choose whether to trade in an existing phone, and select outright purchase, financing or Apple Upgrade leasing. AppleCare, a case and a wrist strap can also be added before the order is submitted.

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The setup process accepts payment and shipping information in advance. At 5 a.m. Pacific on September 12, customers return to Apple.com and complete the order from their account or shopping bag. Store pickup is also available instead of delivery.

Apple will keep the preparation window open until 9 p.m. Pacific on September 11. That cutoff is midnight Eastern and 5 a.m. in the United Kingdom on September 12, so customers outside the US need to account for the local date when completing setup.

Storage and supply constraints

Both models are listed with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB capacities. The 256GB configurations are expected to sell through fastest, and supply for specific combinations of model, color and storage is uncertain. Customers who wait could face a later delivery date or have to switch configurations. One reported example is moving from 256GB to 512GB, which adds $100 for the iPhone 18 Pro.

The preorder schedule covers the iPhone 18 Pro models, not Apple’s foldable iPhone Duo. Preorders for that device are scheduled to begin on October 16, 2026, so the two launches will use different ordering windows.

Apple has not provided detailed hardware specifications for the iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max, monthly Apple Upgrade pricing, carrier-specific discounts or delivery estimates by configuration in the supplied material. For buyers who need a particular color and storage tier on September 18, timing is the only confirmed constraint; no hardware difference between the available configurations has been confirmed.

Update, 12 September 2026 — Apple Store goes offline before preorders

MacRumors reports that Apple’s online store is down ahead of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max preorder window. The US storefront displays a message saying it is “Almost ready” and that preorders begin at 5 a.m. Pacific time on Saturday, September 12.

The report says customers in more than 65 countries and regions will be able to preorder both models when the store returns. It also says customer deliveries and in-store availability begin Friday, September 18. The 2TB capacity is available on the smaller Pro for the first time, alongside the existing 256GB, 512GB and 1TB options.

Update, 12 September 2026 — Carrier offers reach up to $1,200 off

Mashable reports that several carriers have published conditional iPhone 18 Pro preorder promotions. T-Mobile advertises a free iPhone 18 Pro for customers who switch and bring a number or trade in an eligible phone on its Experience Beyond plan; AT&T offers a free Pro or up to $1,200 off a Pro Max with qualifying iPhone 14-or-later trade-ins and activation on Premium 2.0 or higher.

Verizon lists up to $1,200 off for a new line with a qualifying trade-in, or up to $1,020 on an eligible existing-line upgrade. Apple lists $175 to $885 for trading in an iPhone 13 or later, plus up to $1,200 through certain carriers. Total Wireless lists $600 off on its All Access plan, while Visible offers $480 in monthly service credits with Visible+ Pro.

Update, 17 September 2026 — First deliveries begin in Australia and New Zealand

MacRumors reports that iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max customers in Australia and New Zealand have begun receiving their orders as Friday, September 18 starts in those markets. The report describes the devices as launching today, turning the previously scheduled first-delivery date into an active rollout.

Australia is the first market where customers can collect reserved phones or buy them from an Apple Store, because New Zealand has no Apple Stores. MacRumors says sales and deliveries will then move through Asia, the Middle East and Europe before reaching North America; some Apple Stores are opening at 8 a.m. local time for pickups and walk-in purchases.

Update, 18 September 2026 — US Apple Store sales begin

TechRadar reports that Apple’s Fifth Avenue store in New York opened at 8 a.m. Eastern on September 18 for the US iPhone 18 Pro launch. The report documents customers entering after Apple CEO John Ternus opened the store, marking the North American retail rollout that had previously been described as still to come.

The first customer in line, Harry Sung, collected a burgundy 256GB iPhone 18 Pro Max that he had preordered online. TechRadar says Sung arrived outside the store at 8:30 p.m. Eastern the previous evening to secure the first pickup position.