Travel Plug Adapter Guide: Plug Types A-N and Voltage

Updated 2026-10-19. Written with AI assistance and checked against our editorial rules; entry rules and prices change, so confirm with the official source before you travel.

Quick answer

A travel plug adapter changes your plug shape so it fits a foreign socket. It does not change the voltage or frequency. Check two things: the plug type at your destination and the input rating on each device. If the label covers the local voltage and frequency, an adapter is enough. If not, use a voltage converter or transformer, or leave the device at home.

To compare sockets, voltage and currency for two countries, use our travel plug adapter and currency checker.

Plug types A to N in plain words

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) gives each plug system a letter. Here is what each one looks like and where you will meet it.

Flat-pin plugs

• Type A: two flat parallel pins, no earth. Used in North and Central America and Japan. On the US version one pin is wider, while Japanese pins are equal. A Japanese plug fits a US socket, but a US plug often will not fit in Japan.
• Type B: Type A plus a round earth pin. The earth pin is longer, so the device is earthed before power flows. Same regions as Type A.
• Type G: three rectangular pins in a triangle, with a fuse inside the plug. Used in the UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong. UK sockets have shutters over the live and neutral holes.
• Type H: two flat pins in a V plus an earth pin. Only in Israel, where a round-pin version is replacing it.
• Type I: two flat pins in a V, usually with an earth pin. Used in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Argentina. It also fits sockets in China.

Round-pin plugs

• Type C: the "Europlug", two round pins and no earth. Used across Europe except the UK, Ireland, Cyprus and Malta. It fits E, F, J, K and N sockets, but it is meant for small loads of about 2.5 amps or less.
• Type D: three large round pins in a triangle. Used in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Namibia.
• Type E: two round pins and a hole for the socket's earth pin. Used in France, Belgium and others.
• Type F ("Schuko"): two round pins with earth clips on the sides. Used in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Spain and others. A hybrid plug, CEE 7/7, fits both E and F sockets.
• Type J: two round pins plus an earth pin. Used in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
• Type K: two round pins plus an earth pin, used in Denmark and Greenland. It looks like Type F but has a real earth pin instead of clips.
• Type L: two round pins with an earth pin in the middle, all in a line. Used in Italy, in 10 amp and 16 amp sizes.
• Type M: like Type D but much larger. Used in South Africa, Eswatini (listed by the IEC as Swaziland) and Lesotho, and for bigger appliances in some Type D countries.
• Type N: two round pins plus an earth pin, used in Brazil. Its socket takes Type C too. Most Brazilian states use 127 V and some use 220 V.

The IEC list also has Type O, a newer round-pin standard that Thailand is slowly bringing in.

Adapter vs converter vs transformer

These devices do different jobs, and mixing them up is the most common mistake.

• Plug adapter: it only changes the plug shape. Energy Safe Victoria, an Australian state safety regulator, says plainly that travel adaptors do not convert voltage or frequency and are made for temporary use only. A "universal" adapter still passes the local voltage straight through.
• Voltage converter or transformer: a separate device that changes the voltage. Japan's official tourism site notes that dual-voltage hair dryers, travel irons and shavers work anywhere in Japan, while other appliances need a transformer to convert the voltage.
• Dual-voltage device: a device that accepts a wide input range on its own. It needs only an adapter.

So the question is never "which adapter handles 230 V?" The question is "does my device accept 230 V?"

How to read the label on your device

Find the printed label on the charger, power brick or appliance and read the "INPUT" line, not "OUTPUT".

• INPUT: 100-240V ~ 50/60Hz means the device is dual voltage. It covers every voltage and both frequencies in the IEC list, so it needs only a plug adapter.
• INPUT: 120V 60Hz means it is single voltage. It is fine in the United States, but in a 230 V country it needs a converter or transformer.
• INPUT: 220-240V 50Hz means it suits the UK, most of Europe, India and Australia, but not Japan or the US unless you use a converter or transformer.

Energy Safe Victoria's rule: if the rating label does not cover the local voltage and frequency, do not use the device.

Safety tips before you plug in

• Heating devices: do not use a plug adapter with hair dryers, straighteners, travel irons, kettles or heaters unless the label shows they are dual voltage. They draw a lot of power, and the IEC notes that Type G plugs use a larger fuse for heavy appliances such as heaters.
• Check for a ground pin: if your device has an earth pin (Types B, G, I and others), use an adapter that keeps the earth connection. A two-pin adapter drops it.
• Check the pins: Energy Safe Victoria warns against adaptors without plastic insulation on the plug pins. In Australia, adaptors should carry the RCM safety mark.
• Watch for poor fits: the UK product safety regulator (OPSS) has turned away multi-country adaptors at the border because they were too small for a standard UK socket and carried a high risk of electric shock.
• Wrong voltage can ruin a device: the IEC warns that the wrong voltage can destroy an appliance.

Country examples

Figures come from the IEC World Plugs list and, for Japan, the official tourism site.

Japan

Japan runs on 100 V. The east uses 50 Hz and the west, including Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka, uses 60 Hz. Sockets take flat-pin Type A and B plugs. A US plug with one wider pin often will not fit, so pack an adapter anyway.

United States

Power is 120 V at 60 Hz with Type A and B sockets. Devices from 230 V countries must be dual voltage or need a converter.

United Kingdom

The UK uses the three-pin Type G plug with a fuse, at 230 V and 50 Hz. Ireland, Cyprus and Malta use the same plug.

European Union

Most EU countries run at 230 V and 50 Hz, but sockets differ: C and F in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and Austria; C and E in France and Belgium; L as well in Italy; K as well in Denmark. A two-pin Type C plug fits almost all of them.

India

India uses 230 V at 50 Hz, with Type C, D and M sockets.

Australia

Australia uses Type I at 230 V and 50 Hz, the same as New Zealand.

Country guides: Japan, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, India and Australia.

Before you pack, check both countries in our plug and currency checker. Our carry-on packing list covers the rest.

Sources

• IEC World Plugs (plug types A to O, voltage and frequency by country)
• Japan National Tourism Organization: plugs and electricity
• Energy Safe Victoria: tips for buying safe travel adaptors and USB chargers
• UK Office for Product Safety and Standards: International Travel Adaptor report, 14 Aug 2023

Frequently asked questions

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