How to charge the iPhone 5 in Taiwan

Using a USB Lightning cable with a 2 pinned Type A power charger to power your iPhone 5 from a Taiwanese power outlet and charging the iPhone 5 using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter.

Taiwanese power outlet

Various frequencies and region codes can all cause confusion when planning on staying in another country, especially for the first time traveller. With only a handful of different types of common standards used in the world this guide shows exactly what to pick up in advance to charge your iPhone 5 in Taiwan. The following step by step instructions tells you exactly what you'll need to charge your iPhone 5 when you're visiting Taiwan by using the standard Type B or A 110 volt 60Hz plug outlets, a majority of Taiwanese use Type B sockets in their plug outlets. If your iPhone 5 doesn't power up or recharges slowly when you are travelling to Taiwan from a different country check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Devices which come from another country which use a higher voltage (for example 240 volts) sometimes take longer to charge or won't turn on, check the iPhone 5 is a dual voltage device (normally marked with a 100-240 volt notation) otherwise you may need to use an additional power converter to ensure proper use. These instructions assume that you have installed Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPhone 5.

Charging the iPhone 5 in Taiwan

Can the iPhone 5 be used in Taiwan?

Yes, you can use the iPhone 5 in Taiwan.

What is the best power charger for the iPhone 5 in Taiwan?

If travelling with more than your iPhone 5 and visiting more than one country then the best international travel power adapter for Taiwan to buy is a multiple USB charger which includes swappable plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. Taiwanese use two different types of wall outlets (types B and A) and bringing this will ensure that you are covered for type A.

As these types of chargers come with interchangeable plugs and can handle from 100 - 240 volts it makes them ideal for multiple countries around the world simply by switching the included plugs over. If your model of iPhone 5 can support Fast Charge (please note that not all USB devices do) then you'll benefit from much faster charging times with one of these power chargers plus support for certain power demanding devices like tablets.

Unlike other travel adapters this means you can power multiple devices at once without needing to pack seperate power chargers for your Taiwanese trip or occupying additional power outlets. By only needing to pack a single lightweight USB travel charger will keep the weight down, making it perfect to store in hand baggage as well as being convenient for charging your iPhone 5 at the airport or on the plane. Because of their space saving versatility these types of power chargers can be used back at home so when you’re not on holiday they can be used overnight charging multiple tablets and phones without using up an additional power outlet.

If you travel on a regular basis we suggest buying an adaptable power charger similar to this online - the multipurpose travel adapter illustrated below is the universal multi-device USB wall charger which has been tested successfully for recharging multiple USB devices in numerous different countries.

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 via USB, but for visitors also wanting to use their domestic plugs the following power converters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power adapters offer surge protection which can be necessary when visiting counties with unreliable or unstable power supplies. These travel converters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering both Taiwan 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 most popular compact option for travellers originating from North America going to Taiwan 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 gives the same functionality as the BESTEK with only 1 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 Taiwan. [8] [AD]
What is the best power charger for the iPhone 5 in Taiwan?

Powering the iPhone 5 with a Taiwanese power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

Using a USB Lightning cable and a Type A power charger to power your iPhone 5 from a Taiwanese power outlet.

  1. In order to charge your iPhone 5 from a Taiwanese power outlet you will need a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (normally included with your device by Apple).
  2. Start the process by inserting the Type A USB power plug adapter in the Taiwanese power outlet. The power outlet (called a Type A power outlet [3]) can be identified by two thin adjacent slots.
  3. Connect one end of the Apple USB Lightning charging cable into the USB power charger 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. Turn on the Taiwanese power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right corner of your phone screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the mobile is charging which typically takes roughly 60-240 minutes to recharge. [AD]
Powering the iPhone 5 with a Taiwanese power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

Charging the iPhone 5 from a Taiwanese power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

A page on how to power your iPhone 5 from a Taiwanese power outlet with a USB Lightning cable with a 3 pinned Type B power charger.

  1. If you want to power your iPhone 5 using a Taiwanese power outlet you will need a Type B USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (Apple should usually supply this cable when you first purchase your iPhone 5).
  2. Begin by inserting the Type B USB power plug adapter in the Taiwanese power outlet. The power supply (called a Type B power outlet [6]) can be identified by two thin slots with a semicircle shaped hole below for the slightly longer earthed pin.
  3. Then connect one end of the cord into the USB 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. Turn on the Taiwanese power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right hand corner of the iPhone 5 will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPhone 5 is recharging and takes roughly 1 - 4 hours to fully recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
Charging the iPhone 5 from a Taiwanese power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

See also

  1. Wikipedia - wikipedia.org page about Taiwan
  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. Universal multi-device USB wall charger - A universal multi-device USB wall charger features USB PD and standard ports for fast charging simultaneous. These includes interchangeable international plug adapters making it ideal for travel and certified for safety to protect against current and heat.