How to charge the iPad 4 from a power outlet in France

Using a Lightning cable with a Europlug Type C USB adapter to recharge your iPad 4 from a French power outlet and how to recharge the iPad 4 using a two pinned Type E USB plug.

French power outlet

Various voltages and region codes can all be daunting when planning to visit a different country especially for the first time traveller. When going to France this page has instructions showing how to charge your iPad 4 using their standard types E or C French 230 volt 50Hz plug outlets, you will find most French will normally use Type E sockets in their plug outlets. You will discover most power sockets will change from country to country therefore please read the Wiki Connections travel power sockets list for a full list of powering devices in different regions. If you are visiting France from a different country make sure the iPad 4 can be charged using a 240v supply. If it was purchased from a country which uses a lower voltage such as 120 volts ensure that the device is dual-voltage (indicated by 100-240 volts) otherwise you may need to use an additional power converter to prevent the device from over-heating when powering up. These instructions assume that you are running Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPad 4.

Charging the iPad 4 in France

Can you use the iPad 4 in France?

Yes, you can use the iPad 4 in France by using a power convertor.

What is the best travel charger for the iPad 4 in France?

If you are travelling to more than one country and bringing along more than just your iPad 4 the best travel power adapter for France to buy is a multiple USB port charger which includes swappable plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. French use two different types of plug sockets (types E and C) and using a power adapter like this ensures that you are covered for type C. As these types of chargers come with interchangeable plugs and handle 100 to 240 volts will mean that you can travel to multiple countries around the world simply by changing the supplied heads. If your iPad 4 supports Fast Charge then you'll benefit from faster recharging times by using one of these power chargers, along with additional support for certain power demanding devices like tablets.

This means you can charge more than one device at the same time without needing to bring individual power chargers on your trip to France or using up additional wall sockets. By only bringing a single travel charger will also keep the overall size and weight down, making it perfect to store in hand luggage whilst travelling. Due to their flexibility these types of power chargers can be used at home so when you’re not on holiday they can sit under your bedside table charging multiple smartphones and tablets without needing an additional power outlet.

We recommend searching for this type of versatile travel charger at an electronics retailer. The multipurpose travel adapter illustrated here is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested for charging multiple USB devices in numerous foreign countries around the world.

Alternative travel adapter for France

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from around the world wanting to recharge devices using USB, but for visitors also wanting to use their domestic plugs the following power adapters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power converters offer surge protection which is crucial for visitors of counties with unreliable or unstable power supplies. These power adapters come 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 international travel adaptor has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the best selling portable option for travellers originating from North America going to France using type B plug sockets.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Similarly having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the travel adapter from Orico is also aimed at travellers from the US using type B plugs. This offers almost the same functionality as the BESTEK with just 1 less AC outlet at almost half price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has just 2 AC outlets but offers a generous 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 France. [8] [AD]
What is the best travel charger for the iPad 4 in France?

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

Using a Lightning cable with a Europlug Type C USB adapter to recharge your iPad 4 from a French power outlet.

  1. In order to power the iPad 4 using a French power outlet you'll need to use a Type C USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (normally supplied with the iPad 4).
  2. Start the process by inserting the Type C USB power plug adapter into the French power outlet. You can recognise the plug outlet by 2 circular holes adjacent to each other where the twin pins sit.
  3. Then connect one end of the Apple power cable into the bottom of the mains USB charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad 4. The iPad 4 lightning connector is situated at the bottom of the iPad 4.
  4. Turn on the French power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that appears in the top right hand corner of your tablet screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad 4 is recharging which typically takes around 60-240 minutes to recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
Powering the iPad 4 with a French power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type C Europlug USB adapter

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

Using the Lightning Apple cable with a Type E power charger to charge the iPad 4 with a French power outlet.

  1. If you want to charge the iPad 4 from a French power outlet you will need a Type E USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - Apple should typically include the cable when you first purchase your iPad 4.
  2. Insert the Type E USB power plug adapter in the French power outlet. The sunken round wall supply, sometimes known as the Type E power outlet [6], can be recognised by two 4.8mm adjacent holes where the twin plug outlet pins go with a single long metal earth pin protruding in the top to form a triangular shape.
  3. Plug in the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad 4. The iPad 4 lightning connector can be found at the base of the iPad 4.
  4. Switch on the French power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right corner of the iPad 4 will display a charging icon to indicate that the tablet is powering up which takes roughly 1-4 hours to fully recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type E power charger for recharging your iPad 4 from a French power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Wikipedia.org page about France
  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 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..