How to charge the iPad Mini 4 when planning a trip to France

A guide showing you how to charge your iPad Mini 4 from a French power outlet using the Apple Lightning connector and a two pinned Europlug Type C power charger and how to charge the iPad Mini 4 using a two pinned Type E power plug.

French power outlet

Various combinations of standards and plugs can often be daunting when planning on staying in a new country to the first time traveller. These guidelines have been written to prevent travellers needing to worry if they can charge their iPad Mini 4 abroad.When you are travelling to France this page has useful instructions showing how to power your iPad Mini 4 using the standard Type E or C 230 volt 50Hz power outlets, a majority of French normally use the Type E plugs in their power outlets. When travelling to France from another country please check your iPad Mini 4 can be charged using a 240 volt supply. If it was purchased in a country which uses a lower voltage (for example 110 volts) ensure that the device is dual-voltage (marked with 100-240 volts) otherwise you may need to use an additional voltage converter to stop the device from overheating whilst powering it. If you intend to stay in a place like Paris or Strasbourg we also suggest referring to the Wikipedia page about France [1] for more information prior to the location. These instructions assume that you are running Apple iOS 9 or greater on the iPad Mini 4.

Charging the iPad Mini 4 in France

Can you use the iPad Mini 4 in France?

Yes, you can connect the iPad Mini 4 to a French power outlet.

What is the best power charger for the iPad Mini 4 in France?

When you are travelling with more than just your iPad Mini 4 and visiting more than one country then the best travel adapter for France to buy is a multiple USB port charger which includes swappable plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. There are two different standards of plug sockets that French use (E and C) and bringing this will ensure that you are covered for type C. Because these types of chargers come with interchangeable plugs and handle 100 to 240 volts it makes them ideal for multiple countries in Europe, Asia, North America and Africa just by switching the plugs over. If your iPad Mini 4 is compatible with Fast Charge then you'll benefit from faster recharging times with one of these travel adapters plus compatibility with more power hungry devices. This will allow you to recharge more than one device at once without needing to pack individual travel adapters for your trip or occupying additional wall sockets. By only bringing a single lightweight USB travel charger will also keep the weight down, making it perfect to fold up in hand baggage. Due to their versatility these types of power adapters can be used when back at home not just abroad so when you’re not travelling they can be used overnight charging multiple smartphones and tablets without using up an additional wall outlet.

For those travelling on a regular basis we recommend buying this type of flexible travel adapter at your preferred electronics retailer; the multipurpose travel charger illustrated is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been tested successfully with multiple USB devices in numerous countries around the world on a daily basis.

Alternative travel adapter for France

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from around the world who only have USB devices such as the iPad Mini 4, but for visitors also wanting to use their domestic plugs the following power adapters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All three power strips offer surge protection which is necessary when visiting regions with unstable power grids. These travel converters come supplied with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering Europe, America, Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, China and over 150 destinations:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK travel adaptor has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the best selling compact option for travellers originating from America visiting France.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Also having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the Orico travel adapter is also aimed at travellers originating from the US using type B plugs. This offers practically the same functionality as the BESTEK with only one less AC outlet for almost half the price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has 2 AC outlets but offers 5 USB charging ports. This versatile power strip is compatible with both American plugs and popular plug types A, D,E/F, G, H, I, L and N making it ideal for a wide range of travellers from around the world visiting France. [8] [AD]
What is the best power charger for the iPad Mini 4 in France?

How to use a Type C power charger for recharging your iPad Mini 4 from a French power outlet

Using a USB Lightning Apple connector and a Type C power adapter to charge your iPad Mini 4 from a French power outlet.

  1. To power the iPad Mini 4 from a French power outlet you will need to buy a Type C USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - Apple usually supply the USB cable when you purchase the iPad Mini 4.
  2. Firstly you'll need to insert the Type C USB power plug adapter into the French power outlet. You can identify this power outlet by the 2 round adjacent holes next to each other for live and neutral.
  3. Plug in the USB end of the Apple USB cord into the bottom of the mains power charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Mini 4. The iPad Mini 4 lightning connector can be found at the base of the iPad Mini 4.
  4. Turn on the French power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right hand corner of the iPad screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPad Mini 4 is recharging which should take around one-five and a half hours to fully recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type C power charger for recharging your iPad Mini 4 from a French power outlet

Powering the iPad Mini 4 with a French power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type E USB adapter

A step by step guide showing how to recharge your iPad Mini 4 from a French power outlet by using the Apple Lightning connector and a two pinned Type E power charger.

  1. If you want to supply power to your iPad Mini 4 from the French power outlet you will need a Type E USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - the cable is typically included with the iPad Mini 4 by Apple.
  2. Begin by plugging the Type E USB power plug adapter in the wall outlet. The recessed round wall supply can be recognised by the two holes 19mm adjacent to each other where the twin pins sit and a long metal earth pin protruding in the top to form a triangle configuration.
  3. Connect one end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the USB mains charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Mini 4. The iPad Mini 4 lightning connector is found at the bottom of the iPad Mini 4.
  4. Turn on the French power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that appears in the top right hand corner of your tablet will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad Mini 4 is powering up, typically taking roughly 1-4.5 hours to completely recharge. [AD]
Powering the iPad Mini 4 with a French power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type E USB adapter

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Wikipedia page about France
  2. Apple - iPad Mini 4 user guide
  3. iec.ch - Type C power outlet
  4. Type C USB power plug adapter - Conforming to Europlug specifications, the Type C USB power plug adapter incorporates two 4 mm rounded pins spaced 19 mm apart. It is engineered to adapt electrical outlets commonly found in Europe, converting them to USB-compatible charging ports..
  5. USB to Apple Lightning cable - The Apple Lightning cable is a charging and syncing cable for more recent Apple devices and connects compatible iPhones and iPads to a USB port.
  6. iec.ch - Type E power outlet
  7. Type E USB power plug adapter - Meeting CEE 7/5 and CEE 7/6 standards, the Type E USB power plug adapter uses the Schuko standard with two round pins and an earthing hole. It adapts European outlets such as Germany to USB-standard ports for USB device charging..
  8. 4 Port USB Wall Charger - A 4-port USB wall charger is an electrical device that provides simultaneous charging for up to four USB-compatible devices. It often includes interchangeable international plug adapters for global use..