Apple
iPhone 13 Pre-Order Problems: What You Need To Know
Apple iPhone 13 pre-orders are live which means we’re starting to hear about some of the pre-order issues buyers are facing in the early going.
The iPhone pre-order process has improved over the years but we still see hiccups during the initial rush to order. Unsurprisingly, people trying to pre-order the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, or iPhone 13 Pro Max are running into some of the same problems we see year after year.
Shoppers looking to buy one of Apple’s new flagships are running into errors and other issues when pre-ordering the model they want. If you’re here, chances are you’ve run into an issue on Apple’s website, the Apple Store app, your carrier website, or at a retailer like Best Buy.
Here’s what you need to know about iPhone 13 pre-order problems and what you can do to try and get your pre-order in today so you can get your new iPhone on, or around, September 24th.
Pre-ordering requires you to be fast so we’ll keep these tips as short as possible. Seconds and minutes may mean weeks of waiting for your phone to arrive.
iPhone 13 Pre-Order Problem: Website Issues
If you’re having trouble getting through to the website you’re trying to order your iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro from, here are a few steps to take.
Instead of trying to pre-order the iPhone 13 via the web browser on your phone or computer, open up Apple’s Store App or your carrier app and try and do it that way. This will allow you to get directly to the ordering process and help you avoid website issues.
If that doesn’t work, try turning off Wi-Fi and using your phone’s LTE connection. Or, if you’re using a computer, try connecting to your phone’s hotspot. If that fails, try refreshing the page or closing your browser to try again.
Make sure you don’t waste time trying to tweet or call Apple, your carrier, or the retailer over the phone. You’ll want to move fast and use another device, app or internet connection instead.
iPhone 13 Pre-Order Problem: Upgrade Issues
Some of you may login to your account, get to the checkout phase and see that you need to pay more to upgrade. This typically happens when you are on an annual upgrade plan or when you need to finish off a certain number of payments.
If you run into an upgrade issue, you should quickly check your iPhone upgrade status. Here’s how to do that at carriers based in the United States:
If you’re sure you’re eligible, but you’re still running into issues, you may just need to pay for the device and deal with it later. By the time you call or chat with support, you’ll be waiting a long time to get your new device. If you aren’t in a hurry, you’ll want to get in contact with support before you buy your device.
iPhone 13 Pre-Order Problem: Payment Issues
Payment issues are an extremely common problem when pre-ordering a new iPhone. This can happen when the payment isn’t properly completed or processed, or when your card is declined.
You should always have a backup payment option available and you may even want to have a plan to buy the iPhone 13 without a payment plan in case that becomes a problem down the road.
Some of you may see payments declined for fraud. Visa and MasterCard often don’t know that you are making the purchase so it could be flagged.
If that happens, you’ll be unable to pay for your iPhone until you talk to your credit or debit card company. If this happens, use a different card if you’re able.
How to Fix iPhone 13 Pre-Order Problems Fast
If you run into an issue with your iPhone 13 pre-order you’ll need to act fast if you want your phone on or around September 24th. Again, we expect supply issues to impact these devices for weeks.
If you’re running into issues on your phone, try another device like a laptop or a tablet. You should also, again, try using LTE instead of Wi-Fi.
You can also try another retailer. Apple, Best Buy, and all of the major U.S. carriers are selling the iPhone 13 at the same time so you have a ton of options at your disposal. Remember, you can buy an iPhone 13 for any major carrier at many third-party retailers.
If you’re trying to buy an iPhone 13 using Apple’s Store app and you’re having issues with it, try force closing the app and re-opening it to see if that helps.
