Charging the iPad Mini 4 when planning a trip to America

Using the USB Lightning Apple cable and a Type A USB charger to charge your iPad Mini 4 with an American power outlet and charging the iPad Mini 4 using a Type B USB charger.

American power outlet

If planning a vacation to America it can often be helpful to know in advance if you'll be able to charge all your devices when you're there. But by not knowing which plug socket is used you could pack the wrong power charger, therefore leaving you needing to buy or borrow a suitable power adaptor on arrival that could be incompatible and cause damage to the iPad Mini 4. Various combinations of frequencies and standards can often be confusing when planning on staying in another country for the first time traveller. This guide has been written to stop you having to worry if you'll be able to charge the iPad Mini 4 when you are going abroad.If staying in America this page contains useful instructions showing charging the iPad Mini 4 by using their standard Type B or A 120 volt 60Hz wall outlets, please note Type B power outlets will be used by a majority of Americans. Power sockets are different depending on which area you are visiting so we suggest reading the power supplies page for a complete list of regions and countries. If the iPad Mini 4 charges slowly or does not power up when you are visiting America from another country check that it is compatible with a 120 volt power supply. Typically electrical devices which originate from a different country which use a higher voltage such as 240 volts can take longer to charge or won't power up, check that your iPad Mini 4 is dual-voltage (normally indicated by 100-240 volts) otherwise you may need to use an additional converter to ensure proper use. These instructions assume that you are running Apple iOS 9 or greater on the iPad Mini 4.

Charging the iPad Mini 4 in America

Can you use the iPad Mini 4 in America?

Yes, you can connect the iPad Mini 4 to an American power outlet.

What is the best power adapter for the iPad Mini 4 in America?

When travelling with more than just your iPad Mini 4 and visiting multiple countries the best international travel adapter for America is a multiple USB adapter which includes swappable plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. Americans use two different types of power outlets (types B and A) and bringing this ensures that you are covered for type A.

Because these types of chargers are supplied with interchangeable plugs and handle from 100 to 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 4 supports Fast Charge (please note not all USB devices can) then you'll benefit from faster charging times by using one of these USB power adapters, and additional support for more power demanding devices like tablets. This means you can recharge multiple devices at the same time without needing to pack individual power chargers. By only packing a single lightweight USB travel charger will help keep the overall weight down, making it ideal to fold up and store in hand baggage and convenient for charging your iPad Mini 4 at the airport or on your flight. Due to their space saving flexibility these types of power adapters can be used back at home so when you’re not travelling they can sit overnight charging multiple tablets and phones without using up an additional plug socket.

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

Alternative travel adapter for America

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from any country wanting to charge devices using USB, however for visitors also wishing to use their domestic plugs these power adapters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All three power adapters offer surge protection which is useful for visitors of regions with unreliable power grids to prevent damage to any connected appliances. These travel adapters are supplied with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering both America and over 150 destinations:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK travel converter has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the best selling compact option for travellers originating from America going to America.
  • 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 much 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 ideal for a majority of travellers from around the world visiting America. [8] [AD]
What is the best power adapter for the iPad Mini 4 in America?

Powering the iPad Mini 4 with an American power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

Using the USB Lightning Apple cable and a Type A USB charger to charge your iPad Mini 4 with an American power outlet.

  1. To power your iPad Mini 4 from the American power outlet you will need to use a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - typically supplied with your iPad Mini 4.
  2. Begin the process by plugging the Type A USB power plug adapter into the power supply. This ungrounded plug supply, technically called the Type A power outlet [3], is identified by the 2 thin adjacent slots where the plug outlet blades slide into.
  3. Connect the USB end of the Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of the USB charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Mini 4. The iPad Mini 4 lightning connector can be found at the bottom of the iPad Mini 4.
  4. Switch on the American power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right hand corner of your iPad Mini 4 screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the tablet is recharging, typically taking between one-five and a half hours to completely recharge. [AD]
Powering the iPad Mini 4 with an American power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

Charging the iPad Mini 4 from an American power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

Instructions showing you how to power the iPad Mini 4 from an American power outlet with a Lightning connector with a Type B USB charger.

  1. If you want to power your iPad Mini 4 using the American power outlet you will need to use a Type B USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5], usually supplied with your iPad Mini 4.
  2. Start by inserting the Type B USB power plug adapter into the wall supply. You can recognise this plug supply by the two thin slots next to each other for live and neutral blades with a semicircle hole below for the earth pin.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the USB Lightning cable into the bottom of the USB power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Mini 4. The iPad Mini 4 lightning connector is situated at the base of the iPad Mini 4.
  4. Turn on the American power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right hand corner of your iPad will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPad Mini 4 is powering up and takes around 1-4.5 hours to recharge. [AD]
Charging the iPad Mini 4 from an American power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

See also

  1. Visittheusa - Visit The USA
  2. Apple - iPad Mini 4 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..