You’re packing for London and suddenly realize: Wait, do they use the same plugs as us? They do not. Not even close.
The UK uses Type G plugs — those chunky three-pronged ones that look like they were designed to survive a nuclear war. Your American two-prong and three-prong plugs (Types A and B) won’t fit. At all. Not even with creative angling.
Convierge shows you the plug type, voltage, and frequency for every country it supports — so you know what to pack before you zip up your suitcase. Download it free.
A simple US-to-UK plug adapter is all most travelers need. It’s a small block that converts your American plug shape to fit a UK outlet. You can find them at any airport shop, but they’re cheaper on Amazon — usually $5–10 for a two-pack.
What you’re looking for:
Pro tip: Buy a multi-pack. You’ll want to charge your phone, laptop, and maybe a camera simultaneously, and UK hotel rooms rarely have enough outlets.
This is where most people get confused. Here’s the simple answer:
An adapter changes the plug shape. It does NOT change the voltage.
A converter changes the voltage from 230V (UK) to 120V (US).
The good news: most modern electronics don’t need a converter. Check the tiny text on your charger or power brick. If it says “Input: 100-240V” — and almost all phone chargers, laptop chargers, tablet chargers, and camera chargers do — you only need an adapter.
Honest advice: Don’t bring your American hair dryer to the UK. Even with a converter, it’s a hassle. Most hotels provide one, and if yours doesn’t, you can pick up a cheap dual-voltage one for your trip.
The US runs on 120V at 60Hz. The UK runs on 230V at 50Hz. That’s nearly double the voltage.
If you plug a 120V-only appliance into a 230V outlet (even with an adapter), one of two things happens:
Neither outcome is fun. Check your device labels. The “100-240V” marking is your friend.
A few things that might throw you off:
Every outlet has an on/off switch. If you plug something in and nothing happens, check that the switch next to the outlet is flipped to the “on” position. This confuses about 90% of Americans on their first UK trip.
Bathroom outlets are different. UK bathrooms typically only have a special “shaver socket” rated for low-wattage devices. It uses a different plug type (Type C, the two-round-pin European style). Your phone charger won’t fit here without a different adapter. Charge your phone in the bedroom instead.
Some hotels have USB ports built into outlets. Newer UK hotels are catching on and installing outlets with USB-A (and sometimes USB-C) ports. If you spot these, you don’t need an adapter for your phone at all — just bring your cable.
Here’s the minimum packing list for electronics:
Skip the universal adapter kits unless you’re hitting multiple countries on this trip. They’re bulky, and a simple dedicated adapter is more reliable.
Same plugs, same voltage, same everything. The whole United Kingdom uses Type G outlets at 230V. No surprises there.
If you’re continuing to Ireland (the Republic), it’s also Type G. One adapter covers both countries.
| Detail | UK Standard |
|---|---|
| Plug type | Type G (three rectangular prongs) |
| Voltage | 230V |
| Frequency | 50Hz |
| Adapter needed? | Yes — US to UK (Type G) |
| Converter needed? | No, for most electronics (check for “100-240V”) |
Don’t want to Google plug types and voltage for every country you visit? Convierge puts it all in one place — plug types, voltage, and every other detail you need, organized by country and available offline. One less thing to stress about before your trip.