Charging the iPhone 5 when planning a trip to Portugal

Using the USB Lightning Apple cable and a 2 pin Type C USB charger to charge your iPhone 5 with a Portuguese power outlet and charging the iPhone 5 using a Type F Schuko power adapter.

Portuguese power outlet

Different voltages and sockets can often be confusing when planning on staying in another country for the first time traveller. This page was written to help assist visitors wanting to power their iPhone 5 when staying in Portugal.This page is a step by step guide which shows exactly what you'll need to charge your iPhone 5 when you are in Portugal using the types F or C 230 volt 50Hz wall outlets, you will discover a majority of Portuguese typically use Type F plugs in their wall outlets. Most power changes regionally therefore we suggest reading the Europe page for a complete list of regions and countries. When visiting Portugal from a different region please check that the iPhone 5 can accept a 240 volt supply. If it came from a country which uses a lower voltage such as 110v make sure your iPhone 5 is dual-voltage (marked with 100-240 volts) else you may need to use an additional voltage converter to stop the device from being damaged when powering up. These instructions assume you are running Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPhone 5.

Charging the iPhone 5 in Portugal

Can you use the iPhone 5 in Portugal?

You can use the iPhone 5 in Portugal.

What is the best travel charger for recharging the iPhone 5 in Portugal?

If you are travelling with more than your iPhone 5 or visiting more than one country the best international travel adapter for Portugal is a multiple USB port charger which includes compatible plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. There are two different types of power outlets that Portuguese use (F and C) and bringing this ensures that you are covered for type C.

Because these types of chargers are supplied with interchangeable plugs and handle from 100 to 240 volts it makes them ideal for over 100 countries in Europe, Asia, North America and Africa simply by changing the included heads. If your iPhone 5 can support Fast Charge then you'll benefit from much quicker recharging times with one of these types of travel chargers, plus additional support for more power demanding devices like tablets. Unlike other travel chargers this will allow you to charge more than one device simultaneously without needing to buy individual power adapters for your Portuguese trip or using up additional power sockets. Because you are 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. Because of their versatility these types of chargers can be used when you return home so when you’re not travelling they can sit overnight charging multiple phones, tablets and e-readers without using up an additional plug socket.

We recommend buying an adaptable travel charger of this nature at your preferred electronics retailer. The multipurpose power adapter illustrated is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been tested successfully with multiple USB devices in numerous foreign countries with good reliably.

Alternative travel adapter for Portugal

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 5, however for visitors also wishing to use their domestic plugs these power converters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All three power converters offer surge protection which is necessary for travellers to counties with unstable power supplies. These power converters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs which cover both Portugal and over 150 destinations:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK travel converter has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the best selling compact option for travellers originating from America going to Portugal using 3 pin type B plug sockets.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Also having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the travel adapter from Orico is also aimed at travellers originating from America using type B plugs and offers practically the same set of features as the BESTEK with only 1 less AC outlet for almost half the price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has just 2 AC outlets but offers a more 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 perfect for most travellers from around the world visiting Portugal. [8] [AD]
What is the best travel charger for recharging the iPhone 5 in Portugal?

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

Using the USB Lightning Apple cable and a 2 pin Type C USB charger to charge your iPhone 5 with a Portuguese power outlet.

  1. To charge the iPhone 5 from a Portuguese power outlet you'll need a Type C USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (Apple will typically supply the cable with the iPhone 5).
  2. Begin the process by plugging the Type C USB power plug adapter into the wall supply. You can recognise this plug supply by the two holes adjacent to each other.
  3. Connect one end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the USB power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 Lightning connector is situated at bottom of the iPhone 5 under the home button.
  4. Switch on the Portuguese 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 5 is powering up and takes around 1-4 hours to recharge. [AD]
Powering the iPhone 5 with a Portuguese power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type C Europlug USB adapter

How to use a Type F power charger for recharging your iPhone 5 from a Portuguese power outlet

Instructions showing you how to power the iPhone 5 from a Portuguese power outlet with the USB Lightning Apple cable and a two pin Schuko Type F USB charger.

  1. In order to power your iPhone 5 using the Portuguese power outlet you will need to buy a Type F USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - this USB cable is normally already included with the device by Apple.
  2. Plug the Type F USB power plug adapter into the Portuguese power outlet. This recessed round plug supply, sometimes called the Schuko outlet, can be identified by the two 4.8mm round holes 19 mm next to each other where the twin plug outlet pins slide into and a pair of thin grounding clips at the top and bottom.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the USB power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 Lightning connector can be found at bottom of your iPhone 5 under the home button.
  4. Switch on the Portuguese power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right corner of the cell will display a charging icon to indicate that the mobile is charging which should take roughly 60 to 240 minutes to fully recharge to full capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type F power charger for recharging your iPhone 5 from a Portuguese power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Portugal page on Wikipedia
  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 F power outlet
  7. Type F USB power plug adapter - Compliant with Europlugs and CEE 7/17 specifications, the Type F or Schuko adapter is engineered to adapt German electrical power outlets into USB-compatible ports..
  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..