To ship an iPad, sign out of your Apple Account and erase it, protect the screen with a sheet of cardboard or foam, wrap it in bubble wrap, and pack it flat in a box at least 2 inches larger than the tablet on every side. A used iPad shipped with USPS has to go by USPS Ground Advantage and be marked “Restricted Electronic Device” and “Surface Transportation Only,” because of its lithium-ion battery.
New, sealed iPads can use Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express or UPS air services too. The biggest risk for any iPad isn’t the battery, though. It’s pressure on the glass, so most of this guide is about keeping the screen from flexing.
What Do You Need to Do Before Shipping an iPad?
An iPad that’s still linked to your Apple Account is locked to you, so the person receiving it can’t set it up. Before you ship an iPad you’ve sold, traded in or given away:
- Back it up to iCloud or a computer.
- Sign out of your Apple Account in Settings, which turns off Find My and Activation Lock.
- Erase it under Settings, then General, then Transfer or Reset iPad, then Erase All Content and Settings.
- Remove the SIM from cellular models and take off any case you’re keeping.
- Record the serial number and photograph the screen and corners from every angle.
- Power it off. USPS requires lithium battery equipment to be protected from accidental activation.
What Battery Rules Apply to Shipping an iPad?
An iPad’s battery is well inside carrier limits. Apple rates the 11-inch iPad Pro battery at 31.29 Wh and the 13-inch at 38.99 Wh, and USPS Publication 52 allows lithium-ion batteries up to 100 Wh installed in equipment.
For batteries above 2.7 Wh, USPS allows no more than two batteries per package. An iPad plus an Apple Pencil, each with its battery installed, fits within that limit. A package holding no more than two batteries installed in the devices they power is exempt from the lithium battery mark.
The condition of the iPad decides which services you can use. USPS classes any iPad that isn’t new in its original packaging, or isn’t manufacturer-certified new or refurbished, as a used electronic device. Used devices are banned from air transportation, which rules out Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express.
| iPad condition | USPS options | Markings |
|---|---|---|
| New in sealed Apple box | Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express | None for an installed battery |
| Apple Certified Refurbished | Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express | None for an installed battery |
| Used or opened | Ground Advantage only | “Restricted Electronic Device” and “Surface Transportation Only” |
| Cracked screen with damaged battery, or swollen | Not mailable without USPS approval | Not applicable |
A cracked screen alone doesn’t make the battery defective, but a device with “some form of damage or defect” counts as damaged under USPS’s definition, so it also has to go by surface transportation. A battery that’s swollen, leaking or recalled can’t be mailed at all without USPS approval.
What Box and Packing Materials Does an iPad Need?
An iPad needs a box that’s rigid enough not to bow and large enough for at least 2 inches of cushioning on every side. Approximate box sizes by model:
| iPad | Suggested inner box | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| iPad mini | About 12 x 9 x 4 in | Fits a padded mailer box easily |
| iPad and iPad Air 11-inch | About 14 x 11 x 4 in | Leave room for a screen guard |
| iPad Air and iPad Pro 13-inch | About 16 x 12 x 4 in | Double-wall box if it includes a keyboard |
You’ll also need two layers of large-bubble wrap, a piece of cardboard or foam cut to the size of the screen, packing paper or foam for void fill, and strong packing tape. An oversized box adds cost and lets the tablet shift, so trim or replace a box that leaves more than about 3 inches of space.
How Do You Pack an iPad Step by Step?
- Guard the screen. Lay a microfiber cloth on the glass, then a sheet of cardboard or foam cut to the screen size, and tape it to the edges.
- Wrap the tablet. Use two layers of bubble wrap, bubbles facing in, and tape the wrap closed.
- Pad the bottom. Put 2 inches of foam or crumpled paper in the box.
- Lay it flat. Center the iPad screen-down on the padding, so the cardboard guard takes any pressure.
- Fill and cap. Fill the sides and add 2 inches on top. Shake the closed box; nothing should move.
- Pack accessories separately. Wrap the Apple Pencil, charger and keyboard in their own bubble wrap and put them beside the iPad, never on top of the screen.
- Seal and mark. Tape every seam. Add the two USPS markings if the iPad is used.
If you still have the original Apple box, its insert holds the iPad tightly, but the retail box isn’t a shipping box. Put it inside a larger corrugated box with padding all around. Our guide to shipping fragile items and valuables covers box strength and double-boxing in more detail.
Which Carrier Is Best for Shipping an iPad?
USPS is usually the best carrier for shipping an iPad because a packed tablet weighs only 2 to 4 pounds. UPS is the better choice when you need a guaranteed air service for a used iPad, since UPS accepts equipment with installed lithium-ion batteries as Section II shipments, without a dangerous goods agreement.
| Service | Delivery commitment | Included coverage | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage | 2–5 days | Up to $100 | Used iPads and most resales |
| USPS Priority Mail | 2–3 days | Up to $100 with most shipments | New or refurbished iPads |
| USPS Priority Mail Express | 1–3 days by 6 PM, money-back guarantee | Up to $100 with most shipments | New iPads that must arrive fast |
| UPS Ground | 1–5 business days | Up to $100 declared value | Heavier bundles and UPS drop-off |
| UPS air services | Next day to 3 days | Up to $100 declared value | Used iPads that must arrive fast |
Compare live USPS and UPS prices for your box in the ParcelPath rate calculator. ParcelPath is free to use, with no subscription or per-label fee, and gives up to 89% off USPS and up to 85% off UPS, plus free USPS pickups.
Schools and businesses moving whole classroom sets on carts can palletize them and ship LTL freight through PalletPath instead. For a single tablet, our guide on how to ship a package covers labels, drop-off and pickup.
Do You Need Insurance When Shipping an iPad?
Yes, you should insure most iPads, because almost every model is worth more than the $100 of coverage USPS and UPS include. USPS sells additional insurance up to $5,000, and UPS lets you declare a higher value on the label.
Claims are usually denied for poor packaging, so your packing photos matter as much as the coverage. Keep the receipt or sale listing, photos of the screen before packing, and the box and materials if it arrives damaged. Add signature confirmation for any high-value iPad Pro.
How Do You Ship an iPad Internationally?
A new iPad can go abroad with USPS, but a used one can’t. USPS Publication 52 prohibits used, damaged or defective lithium batteries in international mail under any circumstances, so only iPads that are new in original packaging or manufacturer-certified refurbished qualify. The battery must stay installed, the package can hold no more than four cells or two batteries, and it must not carry a lithium battery label.
Global Express Guaranteed doesn’t accept lithium batteries, and some destination countries ban them in the mail. For a used iPad, UPS international services accept devices with installed lithium-ion batteries under Section II. On the customs declaration, write “tablet computer with installed lithium-ion battery,” the model and the real value. The recipient may owe import duties or tax set by the destination country.
What iPad Shipping Mistakes Should You Avoid?
- Shipping a used iPad by Priority Mail. USPS bars used lithium battery devices from air. Use Ground Advantage with the required markings, or a UPS air service.
- Standing the iPad on its edge. Pack it flat so the frame isn’t the only thing absorbing a drop.
- Packing accessories on the screen. A charger or Pencil resting on the glass can crack it under pressure.
- Using a padded envelope. USPS requires rigid outer packaging for lithium battery mail, and envelopes let the tablet bend.
- Forgetting Activation Lock. A locked iPad can’t be set up by the buyer and usually comes back as a return.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you ship an iPad through USPS?
Yes, you can ship an iPad through USPS because its lithium-ion battery is installed and well under the 100 Wh limit. New or Apple Certified Refurbished iPads can use any domestic USPS service. A used iPad must go by USPS Ground Advantage, marked “Restricted Electronic Device” and “Surface Transportation Only.”
Do you need the original box to ship an iPad?
No, you don’t need the original box to ship an iPad. A sturdy corrugated box with 2 inches of cushioning on every side and a cardboard screen guard protects it well. If you have the Apple box, put it inside a larger shipping box rather than labeling the retail box directly.
How do you protect an iPad screen when shipping?
To protect an iPad screen when shipping, tape a sheet of cardboard or foam cut to the screen’s size over a microfiber cloth, wrap the tablet in two layers of bubble wrap, and lay it flat in the box. Keep chargers and other accessories beside the iPad, never on the glass.
Can you ship an iPad with an Apple Pencil in the same box?
Yes, you can ship an iPad and an Apple Pencil in the same box. Each has its battery installed, which keeps the package within USPS’s two-battery limit for equipment and exempt from the lithium battery mark. Wrap the Pencil separately and place it beside the iPad, not on top of the screen.
Sources
- USPS Publication 52, 349: Lithium batteries (domestic mail)
- USPS Publication 52, 622: International lithium battery rules
- USPS: Ground Advantage
- USPS: Priority Mail
- USPS: Priority Mail Express
- UPS: How to Ship Batteries
- Apple: iPad Pro Technical Specifications (battery watt-hour ratings)
- Apple Support: What to do before you sell, give away or trade in your iPad
Part of our How to Ship Electronics guide. Related: How to Ship a Monitor, How to Ship a Printer, How to Ship Speakers.
