Short answer: The Zepbound label starts at 2.5 mg once a week for 4 weeks, then 5 mg. The dose may then go up in 2.5 mg steps after at least 4 weeks on the current dose. Maintenance is 5, 10 or 15 mg weekly for weight reduction and 10 or 15 mg for sleep apnea. The maximum is 15 mg. The 2.5 mg dose is only for starting.
This is what the FDA label says. Follow your prescriber. Your prescriber may use a different dose or pace than the label's standard schedule.
What Zepbound is approved for: Zepbound is approved, with a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity, to reduce excess body weight and keep it off in adults with obesity, or with overweight and at least one weight-related condition, and to treat moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity (section 1). The label says not to use it with other tirzepatide products or any GLP-1 receptor agonist.
Source
ZEPBOUND (tirzepatide) injection, prescribing information and Medication Guide. Eli Lilly. DailyMed, version published September 2, 2026. DailyMed setid 487cd7e7-434c-4925-99fa-aa80b1cc776b
Zepbound is injected under the skin once a week, at any time of day, with or without meals, in the stomach area or thigh, or the back of the upper arm if someone else gives it. The label says to rotate injection sites with each dose and to use it with a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity (section 2.4).
It comes as single-dose vials, single-dose pens and a single-patient-use KwikPen; the label says to train patients on the one they receive (section 2.4).
The table below is the label's schedule, from the Dosage and Administration section. Numbers are copied exactly; the section is in brackets.
| Weeks | Once-weekly dose | What the label says |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | 2.5 mg | Starting dose only; not approved as a maintenance dose |
| 5 onward (at least 4 weeks) | 5 mg | A maintenance dose for weight reduction |
| After at least 4 more weeks | 7.5 mg | Increase in a 2.5 mg step |
| After at least 4 more weeks | 10 mg | Maintenance dose for weight reduction or sleep apnea |
| After at least 4 more weeks | 12.5 mg | Increase in a 2.5 mg step |
| After at least 4 more weeks | 15 mg | Maintenance dose; the maximum for all uses |
The starting dose for all uses is 2.5 mg once weekly for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks it goes to 5 mg once weekly.
The dose may be increased in 2.5 mg steps after at least 4 weeks on the current dose. The label says to follow the step-up schedule to reduce the risk of stomach and gut side effects.
When choosing a maintenance dose, the label says to consider response and tolerability; if a maintenance dose is not tolerated, a lower maintenance dose can be considered.
Maintenance doses: 5 mg, 10 mg or 15 mg weekly for weight reduction and long-term maintenance; 10 mg or 15 mg weekly for obstructive sleep apnea. The maximum for all uses is 15 mg weekly.
The weekly injection day can be changed if the two doses are at least 3 days (72 hours) apart.
With insulin or a sulfonylurea, the label says lowering the dose of those medicines may reduce the risk of low blood sugar.
If a dose is missed, take it as soon as possible within 4 days (96 hours) after the missed dose. If more than 4 days have passed, skip it and take the next dose on the regular day. Either way, the regular once-weekly schedule then continues.
More on this: missed a dose of Zepbound.
The label says not to use Zepbound together with other tirzepatide products (such as Mounjaro) or with any GLP-1 receptor agonist.
In Dose Track you set up Zepbound as a protocol with the dose and schedule your prescriber gave you. A protocol can hold dose steps, each with its own dose and length in days or weeks, so a step-up plan like the one on the label can be entered once and the app moves to the next step on its own. Reminders follow the schedule, and every dose is logged with the date and time, so you can see which step you are on and when your last dose was. The app follows what you enter; it does not choose or change a dose.
This page is what the FDA label says, in plain words. It is not medical advice. Follow your prescriber, and ask them or your pharmacist about anything here.