Charging the iPhone 5S when planning a trip to Taiwan

Instructions showing how to charge your iPhone 5S with a Taiwanese power outlet using the USB Lightning Apple cable and a 2 pin Type A USB charger and powering the iPhone 5S using a 3 pin Type B power adapter.

Taiwanese power outlet

If planning a vacation to Taiwan it can be helpful to know in advance if you'll be able to charge all your vital gadgets at your hotel. By not knowing which plug socket is used in Taiwan you may end up either weighing yourself down with too many adaptors or pack the wrong power charger, leaving you having to borrow a suitable power adaptor on arrival that could be incompatible and damage the iPhone 5S. Various combinations of region codes and plugs can often be confusing when planning on visiting a foreign country, especially if you've never been there before. However this isn't as complex as it first appears, with only a handful of different types of common standards being used in the world this article shows exactly what to purchase in advance to power your iPhone 5S . This guide has been written to stop you worrying if you'll be able to charge your iPhone 5S when staying abroad.If visiting Taiwan this page has useful instructions showing charging the iPhone 5S by using the types B or A 110 volt 60Hz wall outlets, most Taiwanese will use the Type B power outlets. If your iPhone 5S slowly recharges or doesn't turn on when travelling to Taiwan from a different country then check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Electrical devices which originate from a different country which use a higher voltage (for example 240 volts) may take longer to charge or won't turn on, so check the device is dual voltage (usually indicated by 100-240 volts) otherwise you may need to use an additional transformer to ensure proper use. These instructions assume you are running Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPhone 5S.

Charging the iPhone 5S in Taiwan

Can you use the iPhone 5S in Taiwan?

You can use the iPhone 5S in Taiwan by using a power adaptor.

What is the best travel charger for the iPhone 5S in Taiwan?

When travelling with more than just your iPhone 5S the best international travel adapter for Taiwan to buy is a multiple USB adapter which includes swappable plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. There are two standards of wall outlets that Taiwanese use (B and A) and bringing this ensures that you are covered for type A. As these chargers come with interchangeable pins and can handle 100 volts to 240 volts will mean you can travel to multiple countries around the world just by switching the included heads. If your iPhone 5S can support Fast Charge (not all USB devices will) then you'll benefit from faster charging times by using one of these USB power chargers, plus additional support for more power demanding devices like tablets. Unlike other adapters having a four port adapter will allow you to power more than one device at once without needing to bring individual travel adapters for your Taiwanese trip. Only bringing a single international travel charger will keep the size down, making it ideal to fold up and store in hand baggage and convenient for charging your iPhone 5S at the airport or on your flight. Due to their space saving versatility these types of chargers can be used when back at home so when you’re not travelling they can be used under your bedside table charging multiple phones, tablets and e-readers with just a single power outlet.

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

Alternative travel adapter for Taiwan

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from around the world wanting to charge devices using USB, however for visitors 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 for visitors of counties with unreliable power supplies. These power converters come 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 best selling compact option for travellers originating from America going to Taiwan.
  • 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 the US using type B plugs. This is a cheaper alternative to the BESTEK with just one less AC outlet at 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 Taiwan. [8] [AD]
What is the best travel charger for the iPhone 5S in Taiwan?

How to use a Type A power charger for charging your iPhone 5S from a Taiwanese power outlet

Instructions showing how to charge your iPhone 5S with a Taiwanese power outlet using the USB Lightning Apple cable and a 2 pin Type A USB charger.

  1. If you want to supply power to the iPhone 5S using the Taiwanese power outlet you will need to use a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - this USB cable is normally already included with the iPhone 5S.
  2. Start by inserting the Type A USB power plug adapter into the Taiwanese power outlet. The wall outlet, sometimes known as a Type A power outlet [3], can be recognised by 2 thin adjacent slots for live and neutral pins.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the Apple Lightning power cord into the USB power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5S. The iPhone 5S Lightning connector can be found at bottom of the iPhone 5S under the home button.
  4. Turn on the Taiwanese power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right hand corner of your iPhone screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPhone is powering up and takes around one to four hours to completely recharge to full capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type A power charger for charging your iPhone 5S from a Taiwanese power outlet

Powering the iPhone 5S with a Taiwanese power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

A page showing how to charge your iPhone 5S with a Taiwanese power outlet with the USB Lightning Apple cable with a Type B USB charger.

  1. If you want to power your iPhone 5S using the Taiwanese power outlet you will need to use a Type B 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. Start by taking the Type B USB power plug adapter and plugging it in the wall supply. You can identify the wall outlet by two slots next to each other for live and neutral blades with a single semicircle hole below for the earth pin.
  3. Connect one end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the mains power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5S. You can find the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5S situated at the bottom of the iPhone 5S.
  4. Turn on the Taiwanese power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right corner of the phone will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPhone 5S is powering up taking roughly 60 to 240 minutes to fully recharge to full capacity. [AD]
Powering the iPhone 5S with a Taiwanese power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Taiwan Wiki page
  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 B power outlet
  7. Type B USB power plug adapter - A Type B USB power plug adapter conforms to the NEMA 5-15 specifications, featuring 2 parallel flat blades and an extended grounding pin. Rated at 15A and 125 volts, suitable for use in the United States and Canada for converting domestic outlets to USB..
  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..