Charging the iPhone 5C when planning a trip to France

Instructions showing how to recharge your iPhone 5C with a French power outlet using a Lightning connector with a two pinned Europlug Type C USB charger and powering the iPhone 5C using a two pin Type E power adapter.

French power outlet

Varying complicated region codes and voltages can all lead to confusion when planning to travel to a new country, especially if you've never been there before. These instructions have been specifically written to prevent visitors having to worry if they can charge the iPhone 5C abroad.If travelling to France this page contains useful instructions showing charging the iPhone 5C by using their standard E or C type French 230 volt 50Hz plug outlets, Type E wall outlets are normally used by a majority of French. If you are visiting France from another country ensure that your iPhone 5C can be charged using a 240v supply. If it originated in a country which uses a lower voltage (for example 110v) make sure your iPhone 5C is dual voltage (marked with 100-240 volts) otherwise you may need to use an additional converter to prevent the device from overheating during charging. If you're planning on visiting a French city like Paris we recommend referring to the Wikipedia entry about France [1] for further details. These instructions assume that you have installed Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPhone 5C.

Charging the iPhone 5C in France

Can you use the iPhone 5C in France?

You can use the iPhone 5C in France by using a power adaptor.

What is the best power adapter for the iPhone 5C in France?

When travelling with more than just your iPhone 5C the best international travel adapter for France is a multiple USB port charger which includes compatible plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. French use two different types of power outlets (types E and C) and using a travel adapter like this will ensure that you are covered for type C. As these chargers come with interchangeable pins and handle from 100 to 240 volts will mean you can travel to multiple countries around the world just by switching the supplied plugs over. If your type of iPhone 5C supports Fast Charge then you'll benefit from much quicker recharging times with one of these types of travel chargers, and compatibility with certain power hungry devices.

This will allow you to charge more than one device at once without needing to bring seperate travel chargers or occupying additional wall outlets. Only needing a single USB travel charger will help keep the overall weight down, making it ideal to fold up and store in hand baggage as well as being convenient for charging your iPhone 5C at the airport or on your flight. Due to their space saving flexibility these types of power adapters can be used back at home not just abroad so when you’re not travelling they can sit overnight charging multiple smartphones and tablets without needing an additional wall outlet.

We recommend buying an adaptable travel charger like this online - the travel charger illustrated below is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested for powering multiple USB devices in numerous countries around the world with perfect reliably.

Alternative travel adapter for France

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from any country who only have USB devices such as the iPhone 5C, but for those also wanting to use their domestic plugs the following power strips provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power strips offer surge protection which can be useful for visitors of regions with unreliable power supplies. These power converters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs which cover both France 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 most popular portable power adapter for travellers originating from North America visiting France.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Similarly having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the Orico is also aimed at travellers from North America using type B plugs and is a cheaper alternative to the BESTEK with just one less AC outlet at almost half 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 most travellers from around the world visiting France. [8] [AD]
What is the best power adapter for the iPhone 5C in France?

Powering the iPhone 5C with a French power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type C Europlug USB adapter

Instructions showing how to recharge your iPhone 5C with a French power outlet using a Lightning connector with a two pinned Europlug Type C USB charger.

  1. If you want to power your iPhone 5C using the French power outlet you will need to use a Type C USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (usually supplied with your iPhone 5C).
  2. Begin the process by taking the Type C USB power plug adapter and inserting it in the French power outlet. You can recognise this plug supply by the two adjacent holes for live and neutral pins.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the USB Lightning cable into the bottom of the USB charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5C. The iPhone 5C Lightning connector can be found at bottom of your iPhone 5C under the home button.
  4. Switch on the French power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right corner of the phone will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPhone 5C is powering up and takes around one to four hours to completely recharge to full capacity. [AD]
Powering the iPhone 5C 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 iPhone 5C from a French power outlet

A page showing how to charge your iPhone 5C with a French power outlet using the USB Lightning Apple cable and a 2 pin Type E power adapter.

  1. In order to supply power to the iPhone 5C using the French power outlet you will need to use a Type E USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5], usually supplied with your iPhone 5C.
  2. Begin the process by plugging the Type E USB power plug adapter into the French power outlet. This sunken round power outlet (sometimes called the Type E power outlet [6]) can be identified by the two circular holes 19mm apart from each other where the two plug outlet pins slide into plus one long metal grounding pin protruding the top forming a triangular configuration.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of the USB charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5C. You can find the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5C situated at the bottom of the iPhone 5C.
  4. Turn on the French power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right hand corner of your cell will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPhone 5C is powering up and takes around 1-4 hours to recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type E power charger for recharging your iPhone 5C from a French power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Wikipedia entry about France
  2. Apple - official iPhone 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..