Voltage Adapter Guide
Learn about voltage adapters and converters for international travel. Find out what voltage converters you need for your trip.
For historical reasons, the voltage in different countries can vary. There are two main voltage standards in the world: 120V and 230/240V. If you are traveling from a country with a different voltage standard, you will need a voltage adapter to convert the voltage from the local standard to the standard used in your country.
For example, if you are traveling from the United States to Europe, you will need a voltage adapter to convert the 230V used in Europe to the 120V used in the United States. If you do not use a voltage adapter, you may damage your electronic devices or cause a fire.
Some modern devices, particularly phone and laptop chargers, are designed to work with both 120V and 230V. These devices have a built-in voltage adapter that can automatically adjust to the local voltage standard. You can check the label on your device to see if it is compatible with the local voltage standard.
If your device is built for 120V, and you are traveling to a country with a 230V standard, you will need a so-called step-down voltage adapter to convert the voltage from 230V to 120V. You can have a look at our recommended step-down voltage adapters.
The opposite, a step-up voltage adapter, is needed if you are traveling from a 120V country to a 230V country. These involve more complex electronics and are generally more expensive. In most cases, we would recommend you to buy a device that is compatible with the local voltage standard.