Plugs & Power Adapters in Egypt: What You Need to Charge Your Devices
Egypt uses Type C and F sockets at 220V. Here's exactly which adapter you need, whether you need a voltage converter, and how to land with every device charged.
It's the small thing that quietly ruins the first hour of a trip: you land in Cairo, your phone is at 9%, you need to call an Uber or open the map to your hotel — and your charger doesn't fit the wall socket. This guide is the two-minute version of everything you need to know about power, plugs and adapters in Egypt, so you arrive ready and never think about it again.
The short answer
- Sockets: Egypt uses Type C and Type F — the round two-pin "European" plugs.
- Voltage: 220V, 50Hz.
- Need an adapter? Yes, unless you're coming from continental Europe (same plugs).
- Need a voltage converter? Almost certainly no — your phone and laptop chargers already handle 220V.
That's it. If you remember nothing else: pack one universal travel adapter with USB ports and you're covered.
Do you need an adapter? (by country)
It depends entirely on the plug you use at home, not on Egypt:
| You're coming from | Your plug | Adapter for Egypt? |
|---|---|---|
| Spain, France, Germany, Italy, most of the EU | Type C/F (round pins) | No — same sockets |
| United Kingdom, Ireland | Type G (three rectangular pins) | Yes |
| United States, Canada, Mexico | Type A/B (flat pins) | Yes |
| Australia, New Zealand | Type I (angled pins) | Yes |
| Most of the Middle East, India, much of Asia | various | Yes |
If your plug already has the two round pins, you can use Egyptian sockets directly. Everyone else needs an adapter — a cheap little gadget that just changes the shape of the pins.
Adapter vs voltage converter — don't confuse them
This trips a lot of people up, so let's be clear:
- A plug adapter changes the shape of the plug so it fits the socket. It does not change the electricity.
- A voltage converter changes the voltage (e.g. from 220V down to 110V) for appliances that can't handle it.
Here's the good news for almost everyone: modern electronics are dual-voltage. Look at the small print on your charger or power brick — if it says "INPUT: 100–240V", it already works anywhere in the world on a simple plug adapter. This covers practically every:
- Phone and tablet charger
- Laptop charger
- Camera and GoPro charger
- E-reader, electric toothbrush, most USB devices
The only things that may need a real voltage converter are single-voltage 110V heat appliances from the US — some hair dryers, curling irons and travel kettles. Check the label; if it says only "120V", leave it at home and use the hotel's, or buy a 220V-compatible travel version.
Rule of thumb: if it charges over USB or has a "100–240V" brick, you only need the plug adapter. If it heats up and is American, check before you plug it in.
Why a universal adapter is the one to pack
You could buy a single cheap Type-C adapter. But a universal travel adapter with built-in USB-A and USB-C ports is the smarter buy, and barely costs more:
- One device, every country — Egypt now, and your next trips anywhere. No re-buying.
- Charge 3–4 things at once — phone, watch, earbuds and camera from a single wall socket, which matters when hotel rooms have one free outlet.
- No extra cables — the USB ports mean you can leave bulky charger bricks at home.
- Built-in fuse / surge protection on the good ones — useful with older Cairo wiring.
For a few euros/dollars it removes an entire category of travel stress.
A note on Egyptian sockets in the real world
- Older buildings and budget hotels sometimes have loose or recessed sockets — a slim adapter seats better than a chunky one.
- Power can flicker briefly in some areas; nothing dramatic, but don't leave a laptop charging on an old socket unattended for days.
- Higher-end hotels increasingly have USB ports built into the wall or lamps, but never count on it — bring your own.
- The airport and hotel gift shops do sell adapters, but at a markup and not always the universal kind. Buying before you fly is cheaper and saves you that dead-phone first hour.
Buy it before you go
The whole point is to not arrive empty-handed. Order a universal adapter at home, drop it in your carry-on (not the checked bag — you may want to charge at a layover), and you've solved this for this trip and every trip after it. The product box above is the exact type we recommend: universal, with USB-C and USB-A — you can check the current price on Amazon at no extra cost to you.
Where to stay
If you're still sorting out the rest of your trip, see our guides to where to stay in Cairo and the first-timer's tips — and don't forget a local SIM card or eSIM so that freshly-charged phone actually has data.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a plug adapter for Egypt?+
If your plugs are not the European two-round-pin type (Type C/F), yes. Travellers from the UK, US, Canada, Australia, most of Asia and the Middle East need an adapter. Travellers from continental Europe (Spain, France, Germany, Italy, etc.) use the same sockets and generally do not.
Do I need a voltage converter as well?+
Almost never. Egypt runs on 220V. Nearly all modern phone, laptop, tablet and camera chargers are dual-voltage (they say '100–240V' on the brick), so a simple plug adapter is enough. A voltage converter is only needed for single-voltage 110V appliances like some hair dryers or curling irons.
Will my phone and laptop charger work in Egypt?+
Yes — check the small print on the charger for '100–240V'. If it's there (it almost always is), you only need a plug adapter to change the shape of the pins, not the voltage. Charging speed is unaffected.
Is it better to buy an adapter at home or in Egypt?+
Buy it before you travel. It's cheaper and more reliable than airport or hotel shops, you avoid arriving with a dead phone and no way to charge it, and a good universal adapter with USB ports will serve you on every future trip too.
About the author
Cairo Stay Finder editorial team
An independent, bilingual team that has travelled Cairo many times, speaks Arabic, and visits every place before recommending it. We write each guide ourselves — no machine translation, no AI filler — and update it as the city changes.
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