Charging the iPad Mini when planning a trip to Switzerland

Instructions showing how to recharge your iPad Mini with a Swiss power outlet using a Lightning connector with a Type C Europlug power adapter and charging the iPad Mini using a Type J USB plug.

Swiss power outlet

If you are organizing a holiday it is useful to know if you can use any common electronics when you're there. But by not knowing which wall socket is used in Switzerland you may end up either over packing with too many adaptors or bring the wrong power charger, meaning having to purchase a potentially expensive charger when you need to recharge which might not be compatible and cause problems with your iPad Mini. Various combinations of region codes and voltages can all be daunting when planning to visit a foreign country especially to the first time traveller. This page was written to stop people worrying if they'll be able to charge the iPad Mini when they're visiting abroad.This page is a useful guide which shows exactly what you'll need to charge your iPad Mini when you are in Switzerland using the types J or C 230 volt 50Hz wall outlets, Type J plug outlets are normally used by most Swiss. If you are visiting Switzerland from another country ensure that your iPad Mini can be charged using a 240v supply. If it originated in a country which uses a lower voltage (for example 110v) ensure that your iPad Mini is dual-voltage (marked with a 100-240 volt notation) else you may need to use an additional voltage converter to stop the device from over-heating when powering up. If you intend on travelling to a Swiss place like Zürich or Geneva we also suggest reading the Wikipedia.org web page about Switzerland [1] for more details. These instructions assume that you have installed Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPad Mini.

Charging the iPad Mini in Switzerland

Can you use the iPad Mini in Switzerland?

You can use the iPad Mini in Switzerland by using a power adaptor.

What is the best travel charger for recharging the iPad Mini in Switzerland?

If you are travelling with more than your iPad Mini or visiting more than one country the best international travel adapter for Switzerland is a multiple USB port charger which includes compatible plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. There are two different types of wall outlets that Swiss use (J 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 can handle 100 volts - 240 volts it makes them ideal for over 100 countries in Asia, North America, Europe and Africa simply by changing the heads. If your iPad Mini can support Fast Charge then you'll benefit from much quicker recharging times with one of these types of travel adapters and compatibility with certain power hungry devices.

This means you can recharge multiple devices at the same time without needing to pack multiple power adapters for your Swiss trip or using up additional power sockets. Only packing a single lightweight travel charger will keep the size and weight down, making it perfect to store in hand luggage while travelling as well as being suitable for charging your iPad Mini at the airport or on your flight. Due to their space saving flexibility these types of power adapters can be used at home not just abroad so when you’re not on holiday they can be used under your bedside table charging multiple tablets and smartphones with just a single power outlet.

For those travelling to Switzerland we suggest searching for this type of flexible travel charger 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 different countries around the world with perfect reliably.

Alternative travel adapter for Switzerland

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from any country who only have USB devices such as the iPad Mini, 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 crucial when visiting regions with unreliable or unstable power grids to prevent damage to any connected appliances. These travel adapters are supplied with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering Continental Europe, America, Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, China and over 150 countries around the world:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK international travel adaptor has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the most popular portable power adapter for travellers originating from America going to Switzerland using 3 pin type B American 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 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 suitable for a majority of travellers from around the world visiting Switzerland. [8] [AD]
What is the best travel charger for recharging the iPad Mini in Switzerland?

How to use a Type C power charger for recharging your iPad Mini from a Swiss power outlet

Using a USB Lightning Apple cable and a two pin Type C USB charger to charge your iPad Mini with a Swiss power outlet.

  1. If you want to power your iPad Mini using the Swiss power outlet you will need to buy a Type C USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (this USB cable is typically already included with the device by Apple).
  2. Begin the process by plugging the Type C USB power plug adapter into the Swiss power outlet. You can recognise this plug supply by the two holes adjacent to each other.
  3. Plug in one end of the USB charging cord into the USB power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Mini. The iPad Mini lightning connector is situated at the base of the iPad Mini.
  4. Turn on the Swiss power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right hand corner of your iPad Mini screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the tablet is recharging, typically taking between 60 to 240 minutes to fully recharge to full capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type C power charger for recharging your iPad Mini from a Swiss power outlet

How to use a Type J power charger for recharging your iPad Mini from a Swiss power outlet

Using a Lightning connector with a Type J USB charger to charge your iPad Mini with a Swiss power outlet.

  1. In order to supply power to the iPad Mini using the Swiss power outlet you will need to use a Type J 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. Begin the process by plugging the Type J USB power plug adapter into the Swiss power outlet. You can recognise this flattened hexagon shaped power supply by the three large circular holes forming a triangular shape for live, neutral and earth.
  3. Plug in one end of the USB Lightning cable into the bottom of the USB charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Mini. The iPad Mini lightning connector can be found at the bottom of the iPad Mini.
  4. Switch on the Swiss power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right corner of the iPad screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad is charging which takes roughly 60 to 240 minutes to fully recharge to full capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type J power charger for recharging your iPad Mini from a Swiss power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Wikipedia.org web page about Switzerland
  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 J power outlet
  7. Type J USB power plug adapter - Type J USB chargers have three rounded pins placed in a flattened triangular pattern with the top pin acting as an earth.
  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..