Online Tool Store
Power Plug Type Guide
Check the plug types, voltage, and frequency used at your destination, and whether your devices need an adapter, a converter, or both.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server.
Education
Power Plug Type Guide
Frontend preview — no upload or external service.
Power details
Japan uses types A and B at 100 V, 50 or 60 Hz depending on region. A dual-voltage charger needs only a plug adapter; a 230 V-only appliance needs a converter as well.
How the Power Plug Type Guide works
- Look up the destination's plug types, voltage and frequency.
- Check each device's rating label — "100-240 V" means dual voltage and needs only a shape adapter.
- Take a converter only for single-voltage devices, and check whether it handles the wattage your appliance draws.
The method
An adapter changes the plug shape; a converter changes the voltage. They solve different problems and one does not do the other's job.
a device marked 100-240V ~50/60Hz needs a plug adapter only, anywhere
Plugging a 120 V-only appliance into 230 V through a plain shape adapter applies double the intended voltage — which usually destroys it immediately.
FAQ
What is the difference between an adapter and a converter?
An adapter only changes the plug shape. A converter changes the voltage. Almost all phone and laptop chargers are dual voltage and need only an adapter; hairdryers and kettles frequently are not.
How do I know if a device is dual voltage?
Read the small print on the plug or the label: "INPUT 100-240V" means dual voltage. A single figure like "120V" means it needs a converter outside its home voltage range.
Does frequency matter?
Rarely for electronics, which mostly tolerate both 50 and 60 Hz. It matters for anything with a synchronous motor or a mains-timed clock, which will run at the wrong speed.
How we compare
| Feature | Online Tool Store | Pen and paper | A classroom platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adapter versus converter explained | ✓ | ✗ | Sometimes |
| Voltage and frequency | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| No account | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Works offline once loaded | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
Power Plug Type Guide separates adapters from converters, because a shape adapter on a single-voltage appliance is how travel electronics get destroyed.