Charging the iPad Air when staying in Canada

Using the USB Lightning Apple connector with a two pin Type A USB charger to power the iPad Air from a Canadian power outlet.

Canadian power outlet

Varying different standards and voltages can often be daunting when planning to travel to another country if you've never been there before. This page is a step by step guide demonstrating how to charge your iPad Air when you are in Canada using a standard 120 volt 60Hz A Type wall outlet, with the Canadians using NEMA 1-15 P ungrounded plugs for power outlets. If your iPad Air charges slowly or does not power up when you are visiting Canada from a different region then check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Electrical devices which come from a country which use a higher voltage such as 240 volts sometimes take longer to charge or won't power up, so check your iPad Air is dual voltage (marked with 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 iPad Air.

Charging the iPad Air in Canada

Can the iPad Air be used in Canada?

Yes, you can use the iPad Air in Canada.

What is the best power charger for recharging the iPad Air in Canada?

If travelling to multiple countries then the best international travel charger for Canada to buy is a multiple USB charger which includes compatible plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. As these types of chargers are supplied with interchangeable pins and can handle from 100 to 240 volts it makes them ideal for multiple countries around the world simply by changing the included plugs over. If your iPad Air is compatible with Fast Charge (not all USB devices will) then you'll benefit from quicker recharging times with one of these USB travel chargers along with support for more power hungry devices.

This will allow you to charge multiple devices at the same time without needing to buy seperate travel adapters for your trip. Only bringing a single international USB travel charger will help keep the overall size and weight down, making it perfect to fold up and store in hand luggage while travelling and on hand for charging your iPad Air at the airport or on a plane. Due to their versatility these types of travel adapters can be used at home so when you’re not travelling they can be used overnight charging multiple phones, tablets and e-readers without using up an additional plug socket.

We recommend searching for an adaptable power adapter like this online. The multipurpose power charger illustrated below is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been tested successfully for charging multiple USB devices in numerous countries with good reliably.

Alternative travel adapter for Canada

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from around the world wanting to recharge devices via USB, however for visitors also wanting to use their domestic plugs the following power converters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All three power converters offer surge protection which can be crucial for travellers to counties with unreliable power grids. These travel adapters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs which cover Continental Europe, America, Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, China and over 150 destinations:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK travel adaptor has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the most popular compact option for travellers originating from North America visiting Canada.
  • 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 from the US using type B plugs and is a much cheaper alternative to the BESTEK with 1 less AC outlet for 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 most travellers from around the world visiting Canada. [6] [AD]
What is the best power charger for recharging the iPad Air in Canada?

Powering the iPad Air with a Canadian power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

Instructions showing you how to recharge your iPad Air with a Canadian power outlet with a Lightning connector and a Type A USB adapter.

  1. If you want to supply power to your iPad Air from a Canadian power outlet you will need to use a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5], Apple will usually include the cable when you buy the iPad Air.
  2. Start the process by taking the Type A USB power plug adapter and inserting it in the Canadian power outlet. This plug supply (called the Type A power outlet [3]) can be recognised by the two slots adjacent to each other.
  3. Connect the USB end of the Apple USB power cable into the bottom of the power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Air. The iPad Air lightning connector is situated at the base of the iPad Air.
  4. Switch on the Canadian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right hand corner of your tablet will display a charging icon to indicate that the tablet is charging and takes around 1 - 4 hours to recharge to full capacity. [AD]
Powering the iPad Air with a Canadian power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Canadian country entry on wikipedia
  2. Apple - official iPad 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. 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..