Is it okay to keep an iPhone unopened in the box for a long period of time?

I bought an iPhone SE 3rd gen as a secondary phone a couple weeks ago and left it unopen ever since because I actually didn't find a need for it. I'm not planning on returning it as I decided to gift it to my nephew on his birthday next year.


Is it okay to store the phone unopen in the box for a year? Will there be any harm to the battery? I know Apple ships new phones at about 50% charge so I don't think it will be a problem but still a bit concerned.

iPhone SE (3rd generation)

Posted on Aug 28, 2023 3:32 AM

Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 28, 2023 3:57 AM

See these tips for extending battery lifespan Batteries - Maximizing Performance - Apple


Store it half-charged when you store it long term.



If you want to store your device long term, two key factors

will affect the overall health of your battery: the environmental

temperature and the percentage of charge on the battery when it’s

powered down for storage. Therefore, we recommend the following:


  • Do not fully charge or fully discharge your device’s battery
  • — charge it to around 50%. If you store a device when its battery is
  • fully discharged, the battery could fall into a deep discharge state,
  • which renders it incapable of holding a charge. Conversely, if you store
  • it fully charged for an extended period of time, the battery may lose
  • some capacity, leading to shorter battery life.
  • Power down the device to avoid additional battery use.
  • Place your device in a cool, moisture-free environment that’s less than 90° F (32° C).
  • If you plan to store your device for longer than six months, charge it to 50% every six months.


Depending on how long you store your device, it may be in a

low-battery state when you remove it from long-term storage. After it’s

removed from storage, it may require 20 minutes of charging with the

original adapter before you can use it.


2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 28, 2023 3:57 AM in response to Community User

See these tips for extending battery lifespan Batteries - Maximizing Performance - Apple


Store it half-charged when you store it long term.



If you want to store your device long term, two key factors

will affect the overall health of your battery: the environmental

temperature and the percentage of charge on the battery when it’s

powered down for storage. Therefore, we recommend the following:


  • Do not fully charge or fully discharge your device’s battery
  • — charge it to around 50%. If you store a device when its battery is
  • fully discharged, the battery could fall into a deep discharge state,
  • which renders it incapable of holding a charge. Conversely, if you store
  • it fully charged for an extended period of time, the battery may lose
  • some capacity, leading to shorter battery life.
  • Power down the device to avoid additional battery use.
  • Place your device in a cool, moisture-free environment that’s less than 90° F (32° C).
  • If you plan to store your device for longer than six months, charge it to 50% every six months.


Depending on how long you store your device, it may be in a

low-battery state when you remove it from long-term storage. After it’s

removed from storage, it may require 20 minutes of charging with the

original adapter before you can use it.


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Is it okay to keep an iPhone unopened in the box for a long period of time?

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