Charging your iPhone 6 from a power outlet in China

Instructions showing how to charge your iPhone 6 with a Chinese power outlet with a USB Lightning Apple cable with a three pinned Type I power adapter, powering the iPhone 6 using a 2 pin Type A USB plug and how to power the iPhone 6 using a Type C Europlug USB plug

Chinese power outlet

Varying different frequencies and standards can all lead to confusion when planning on visiting another country especially to the first time traveller. With only a handful of different types of plug sockets used in the world this article shows exactly what you'll need in advance to charge the iPhone 6 . This guide has been specifically written to stop travellers having to worry if they'll be able to charge the iPhone 6 abroad.When you are visiting China the following useful instructions show how to charge the iPhone 6 by using the types I, A or C Chinese 220 volt 50Hz power outlets, please be aware Type I power outlets are typically used by most Chinese. You will find power will change depending on which region you are in so we recommend reading the power supplies and Asia page for a full list of regions and countries. If you are visiting China from another country double check the iPhone 6 can accept a 240v supply. If it was purchased in a country which uses a lower voltage such as 110 volts double check your iPhone 6 is dual-voltage (marked with 100-240 volts) otherwise you may need to use an additional transformer to avoid the device from being damaged when charging it. These instructions assume that you are running Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPhone 6.

Charging the iPhone 6 in China

Can you use the iPhone 6 in China?

You can connect the iPhone 6 to a Chinese power outlet.

What is the best power adapter for recharging the iPhone 6 in China?

If you are travelling to more than one country or bringing more than your iPhone 6 the best international travel charger for China to buy is a multiple USB adapter which includes compatible plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. There are three different standards of plug sockets in China (types I, A and C) and bringing this ensures that you are covered for both types A and C.

Because these chargers come with interchangeable pins and handle from 100 - 240 volts it makes them ideal for multiple countries around the world simply by changing the heads over. If your type of iPhone 6 can support Fast Charge (note that not all USB devices can) then you'll benefit from much quicker recharging times by using one of these USB power chargers, and compatibility with certain power demanding devices like tablets. This will also allow you to power more than one device at the same time without needing to pack multiple travel chargers on your Chinese trip. Because you are only bringing a single international travel charger will keep the overall weight down, making it perfect to store in hand luggage and suitable for charging your iPhone 6 at the airport or on the plane. Due to their space saving versatility these types of chargers can be used when you return home not just abroad so when you’re not on holiday they can sit overnight charging multiple phones, tablets and speakers with just a single wall outlet.

If you travel on a regular basis we suggest searching for a flexible power adapter like this at your preferred electronics retailer; the power adapter illustrated is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested with multiple USB devices in numerous foreign countries on a daily basis.

Alternative travel adapter for China

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 iPhone 6, however for visitors also wishing to use their domestic plugs the following power strips provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power converters offer surge protection which is necessary for visitors of regions with unreliable or unstable power grids. These travel adapters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs which cover Europe, America, Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, China and over 150 countries around the world:

  • 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 power adapter for travellers originating from North America going to China.
  • 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 originating from the US using type B plugs. This gives the same set of features as the BESTEK with one less AC outlet at almost half price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has just 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 suitable for a majority of travellers from around the world visiting China. [10] [AD]
What is the best power adapter for recharging the iPhone 6 in China?

How to use a Type A power charger for charging your iPhone 6 from a Chinese power outlet

Instructions showing how to power the iPhone 6 with a Chinese power outlet using the Apple USB Lightning cable and a Type A USB charger.

  1. To charge your iPhone 6 using the Chinese power outlet you will need to buy a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - usually included with the device.
  2. Start the process by taking the Type A USB power plug adapter and inserting it in the Chinese power outlet. This plug supply, sometimes known as a Type A power outlet [3], is identified by the two adjacent slots.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the USB power cable into the USB mains adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 6. You can find the Lightning connector on the iPhone 6 situated at the bottom of your iPhone 6.
  4. Turn on the Chinese power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that appears in the top right corner of the iPhone screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPhone is powering up and takes roughly 1 to 4 hours to recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type A power charger for charging your iPhone 6 from a Chinese power outlet

How to use a Europlug Type C power charger for charging your iPhone 6 from a Chinese power outlet

Instructions showing how to power the iPhone 6 with a Chinese power outlet using the Apple USB Lightning cable and a Type C Europlug power charger.

  1. To charge your iPhone 6 using the Chinese power outlet you will need a Type C USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - usually included with the device.
  2. Begin the process by taking the Type C USB power plug adapter and inserting it in the Chinese power outlet. You can recognise the wall outlet by the two round adjacent holes.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the USB mains adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 6. You can find the Lightning connector on the iPhone 6 situated at the bottom of the iPhone 6.
  4. Turn on the Chinese power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that appears in the top right corner of the iPhone screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPhone is powering up taking roughly 1 to 4 hours to recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
How to use a Europlug Type C power charger for charging your iPhone 6 from a Chinese power outlet

How to use a Type I power charger for recharging your iPhone 6 from a Chinese power outlet

Instructions showing how to charge your iPhone 6 with a Chinese power outlet with a USB Lightning Apple cable with a three pinned Type I power adapter.

  1. In order to power the iPhone 6 from a Chinese power outlet you will need to use a Type I USB power plug adapter [9] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5], Apple will normally supply the USB cable with the iPhone 6.
  2. Start by plugging the Type I USB power plug adapter into the wall supply. This plug supply (known as a Type I power outlet [8]) can be recognised by three slots forming a triangle pattern with the top pair of slots sloping upwards for the live, neutral and ground. Please be aware that the neutral and live pins are reversed compared to Argentinian plug outlets therefore check that your Type I travel adaptor is compatible in China.
  3. Connect one end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of the USB power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 6. The iPhone 6 Lightning connector can be found at bottom of your iPhone 6 under the home button.
  4. Switch on the Chinese power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right hand corner of your iPhone will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPhone 6 is charging, typically taking between one to four hours to fully recharge to full capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type I power charger for recharging your iPhone 6 from a Chinese power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - wikipedia.org web page about China
  2. Apple - official iPhone user guide
  3. iec.ch - Type A power outlet
  4. Type A USB power plug adapter - With its two-blade, ungrounded design, the Type A USB power plug adapter offers a straightforward way to convert electrical outlets in countries like the United States and Canada into USB ports for easy device charging..
  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 C power outlet
  7. 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..
  8. iec.ch - Type I power outlet
  9. Type I USB power plug adapter - Type I USB chargers use three short flat blades in a V format with the top blade acting as a grounding pin.
  10. 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..