How to charge the iPad Air in Switzerland

Instructions showing you how to recharge your iPad Air with a Swiss power outlet with a USB Lightning connector and a Europlug Type C USB adapter and charging the iPad Air using a Type J USB charger.

Swiss power outlet

Varying different voltages and region codes can often cause confusion when planning to visit another country, especially to the first time traveller. This page has been written to prepare people wanting to power the iPad Air abroad.The following step by step guide will show you exactly how to supply power to your iPad Air when staying in Switzerland using their standard Type J or C 230 volt 50Hz plug outlets, Type J power outlets will be normally used by most Swiss. If visiting Switzerland from a different country ensure that your iPad Air can be used with a 240 volt supply. If it was purchased in a country which uses a lower voltage such as 110 volts make sure your iPad Air is dual voltage (marked with 100-240 volts) else you may need to use an additional voltage converter to prevent the device from overheating when powering up. These instructions assume that you have installed Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPad Air.

Charging the iPad Air in Switzerland

Can the iPad Air be used in Switzerland?

Yes, you can use the iPad Air in Switzerland.

What is the best power adapter for recharging the iPad Air in Switzerland?

If travelling to multiple countries and bringing more than just your iPad Air the best international travel charger for Switzerland to buy is a multiple USB port charger which includes swappable plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. There are two different types of wall outlets in Switzerland (types J and C) and bringing this will ensure that you are covered for type C. Because these types of chargers are supplied with interchangeable pins and can handle from 100 - 240 volts will mean that you can travel to multiple countries in Europe, Asia, North America and Africa simply by switching the supplied heads. If your type of iPad Air supports Fast Charge then you'll benefit from much faster charging times with one of these types of power adapters, plus compatibility with more power demanding devices.

This will also allow you to charge multiple devices at the same time without needing to bring seperate power adapters on your trip or using up additional wall outlets. Because you are only packing a single USB travel charger will also keep the weight down, making it ideal to store in hand baggage. Due to their space saving flexibility these types of chargers can be used at home so when you’re not travelling they can be used under your bedside table charging multiple phones, tablets and e-readers without using up an additional wall outlet.

We suggest searching for this type of flexible power adapter at an electronics retailer. The travel adapter illustrated is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested with multiple USB devices in numerous different countries around the world.

Alternative travel adapter for Switzerland

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from any country who only have USB devices such as the iPad Air, however for visitors also wishing to use their domestic plugs the following power converters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All three power adapters offer surge protection which can be crucial for visitors of counties with unreliable power grids. These travel adapters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering both Switzerland and over 150 destinations:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK international travel adaptor has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the best selling compact power adapter for travellers originating from America going to Switzerland using type B American plug sockets.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Also having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the Orico is also aimed at travellers originating from America using type B plugs. This is a much more cost effective alternative to the BESTEK with just 1 less AC outlet for almost half the price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has 2 AC outlets but offers a flexible 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 suitable for most travellers from around the world visiting Switzerland. [8] [AD]
What is the best power adapter for recharging the iPad Air in Switzerland?

How to use a Type C power charger for recharging your iPad Air from a Swiss power outlet

Using a USB Lightning Apple connector with a two pin Type C Europlug power charger to charge the iPad Air from a Swiss power outlet.

  1. If you want to charge your iPad Air using the Swiss power outlet you'll need a Type C USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5], usually already included with the iPad Air.
  2. First plug in the Type C USB power plug adapter in the power supply. You can recognise this wall outlet by the 2 circular adjacent holes next to each other where the pins go.
  3. Connect one end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the USB adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Air. The iPad Air lightning connector is found at the base of the iPad Air.
  4. Turn on the Swiss power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right hand corner of your iPad will display a charge icon to indicate that the tablet is recharging and takes around 1 - 4 hours to completely recharge to full capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type C power charger for recharging your iPad Air from a Swiss power outlet

How to use a Type J power charger for charging your iPad Air from a Swiss power outlet

A guide showing how to recharge the iPad Air from a Swiss power outlet using a USB Lightning Apple cable with a three pin Type J USB charger.

  1. To charge the iPad Air using a Swiss power outlet you'll need to buy a Type J USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (Apple should typically include this cable when you buy the iPad Air).
  2. Firstly plug the Type J USB power plug adapter into the Swiss power outlet. You can identify the squashed hexagon shaped power outlet by three large holes in a flattened triangular configuration.
  3. Plug in one end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of the power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Air. The iPad Air lightning connector is situated at the base of the iPad Air.
  4. Switch on the Swiss power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right hand corner of the tablet will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad is powering up and takes between one to four hours to fully recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type J power charger for charging your iPad Air from a Swiss power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Switzerland page on Wikipedia.org
  2. Apple - official iPad 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 J power outlet
  7. Type J USB power plug adapter - Type J USB chargers have three rounded pins placed in a flattened triangular pattern with the top pin acting as an earth.
  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..