How to charge the iPad Mini when staying in Germany

Using a USB Lightning cable with a two pinned Europlug Type C power charger to power your iPad Mini from a German power outlet and how to recharge the iPad Mini using a Schuko Type F USB charger.

German power outlet

Varying complicated combinations of standards and plugs can all be daunting when planning on travelling to a foreign country if you've never visited before. With only a handful of different types of common standards used in the world this guide tells you exactly what to buy in advance to charge your iPad Mini in Germany. If you are travelling to Germany the following instructions show charging your iPad Mini using their Type F or C German 230 volt 50Hz wall outlets, Type F power outlets are used by most Germans. If visiting Germany from a different region double check your iPad Mini can be used with a 240v supply. If it was purchased in a country which uses a lower voltage (for example 110v) double check your device is dual-voltage (marked with 100-240 volts) otherwise you may need to use an additional voltage converter to prevent the device from being damaged during charging. If you are planning on visiting tourist destinations such as Berlin or Mainz refer to the German Wikipedia page [1] for more information on visiting the area. These instructions assume you are running Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPad Mini.

Charging the iPad Mini in Germany

Can the iPad Mini be used in Germany?

Yes, you can use the iPad Mini in Germany.

What is the best travel adapter for recharging the iPad Mini in Germany?

If travelling to more than one country the best travel power adapter for Germany to buy is a multiple USB port adapter which includes compatible plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. There are two different standards of power outlets in Germany (F and C) and using a travel charger like this ensures that you are covered for type C. Because these chargers are supplied with interchangeable pins and handle 100 - 240 volts will mean that you can travel to over 100 countries in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa just by changing the supplied heads over. If your model of iPad Mini supports Fast Charge then you'll benefit from quicker charging times with one of these power chargers and additional compatibility with more power hungry devices like tablets.

This means you can power multiple devices at once without needing to pack seperate power chargers or occupying additional power outlets. By only needing to pack a single international USB travel charger will also keep the overall weight and size down, making it ideal to store in hand baggage. Due to their space saving versatility these types of power chargers can be used at home as well as abroad so when you’re not travelling they can sit under your bedside table charging multiple tablets, phones and speakers with only a single plug socket.

We recommend searching for this type of versatile travel adapter online - the power charger illustrated is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested with multiple USB devices in numerous countries with perfect reliably.

Alternative travel adapter for Germany

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, however for those also wishing to use their domestic plugs the following power adapters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power adapters offer surge protection which can be useful for visitors of regions with unreliable power grids. These travel converters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering both Germany and over 150 destinations:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK international travel converter has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the most popular compact option for travellers originating from North America going to Germany using 3 pinned type B US plug sockets.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Likewise 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 and is a more cost effective alternative to the BESTEK with only one less AC outlet at almost half the price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has 2 AC outlets but offers a more 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 a wide range of travellers from around the world visiting Germany. [8] [AD]
What is the best travel adapter for recharging the iPad Mini in Germany?

How to use a Europlug Type C power charger for charging your iPad Mini from a German power outlet

Using a USB Lightning cable with a two pinned Europlug Type C power charger to power your iPad Mini from a German power outlet.

  1. If you want to power your iPad Mini from the German power outlet you'll need to use a Type C USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - Apple should usually supply this cable with your iPad Mini.
  2. Begin by inserting the Type C USB power plug adapter in the German power outlet. The power supply can be identified by the two circular adjacent holes.
  3. Plug in the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of the mains USB adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Mini. The iPad Mini lightning connector is found at the base of the iPad Mini.
  4. Switch on the German power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that appears in the top right hand corner of the iPad Mini will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad Mini is recharging taking roughly 1 - 4 hours to fully recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
How to use a Europlug Type C power charger for charging your iPad Mini from a German power outlet

How to use a Schuko Type F power charger for charging your iPad Mini from a German power outlet

Using a USB Lightning cable with a Schuko Type F power charger to power your iPad Mini from a German power outlet.

  1. If you want to supply power to the iPad Mini using a German power outlet you will need a Type F USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (typically included with the iPad Mini by Apple).
  2. Begin by inserting the Type F USB power plug adapter in the German power outlet. The sunken circular plug outlet can be identified by two 4.8mm round adjacent holes next to each other where the live and neutral plug outlet pins slide into and grounding clips on the top and bottom.
  3. Plug in the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of the USB mains adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Mini. The iPad Mini lightning connector is found at the base of the iPad Mini.
  4. Switch on the German power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that appears in the top right hand corner of the iPad Mini will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad Mini is charging which typically takes roughly 1 - 4 hours to fully recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
How to use a Schuko Type F power charger for charging your iPad Mini from a German power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - German Wikipedia page
  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 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..