iPhone 17 pre-orders don’t go live until Friday, but you don’t need to wait until then to get the process started. Doing the preparation today can save time on the day and maximize your chances of receiving your new phone on day one.
Apple lets you go through the complete process of picking your iPhone 17, configuring the exact model you want in terms of color and storage, and even getting a trade-in quote for your existing phone – all before pre-orders open …
If you want to order AirPods Pro 3 or any of the new Apple Watches, you can place your pre-order today for delivery from September 19.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 17 lineup don’t begin until 5am PDT Friday. As soon as they go live, there will be millions of people trying to simultaneously place their orders.
High-demand configurations can get backordered within minutes, so it’s a big advantage to do your prep in advance. This can enable you to complete your order in a couple of taps and be in with the best chance of receiving your shiny new phone as soon as the first orders arrive on September 19th.
There are two ways you can do this.
The Apple Store app
Open the app and scroll down to the model you want to order, then tap the Get Ready button. This will prompt you to choose your color and your storage tier. You’ll also be offered the option of trading in your existing phone and receiving an estimate of its value.
Once you’ve done that, you’ll be asked to choose between Buy (pay the full amount in one go) and monthly payments. You’ll also be asked to choose a carrier, and given the option of selecting an AppleCare plan.
If you’re a member of the iPhone Upgrade Program, you can check your upgrade eligibility and get pre-approved for your loan. If you’re paying with an Apple Card, you can also authorize your card for the full amount of the purchase (minus any applicable trade-in credit.)
Once complete, the configuration will be loaded into your devices for pre-order list. On the day, you will just process the pre-order.
The Apple website
The process is almost identical on the Apple website. Visit the store page here and then tap the “Save time at iPhone pre-order” panel.
Scroll horizontally to your desired model if necessary, then go through the exact same process of choosing your color, storage tier, trade-in if applicable, carrier, and payment option. You can again choose an AppleCare plan if desired.
Many people choose to prep their pre-order in both the app and the website, as typically one of them will go live before the other.
Set an alarm for 4.55am PDT
Once you’re all set, then simply set an alarm for 4:55 AM PDT. Depending on your time zone, this may be a more or less civilized experience!
Once 5am rolls around, both the website and the app should go live automatically. However, it’s worth noting that this doesn’t always ever happen exactly on time, and most enthusiasts start repeatedly hitting Command-R to refresh the website as well as quitting and restarting the app. Perhaps this is nothing more than superstition and makes no difference, but it certainly can’t hurt.
Act now
The option to prepare your pre-order is only available today and tomorrow.
Are you planning to pre-order the iPhone 17 this year? If so, let us know in the comments which model and why.
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