You need a standard European travel adapter — the two-round-pin type (sockets C and F), running at 230V/50Hz. UK three-pin plugs do not fit Canarian sockets, so pack a couple of cheap adapters and you are sorted. The good news for British and Irish travellers is that the voltage is the same as at home, so nothing needs a converter — just the adapter that changes the pin shape. Here is the quick, no-nonsense guide.
The sockets you'll find
The Canary Islands use the same electrical setup as mainland Spain and most of continental Europe: Type C and Type F sockets, which take a plug with two round pins. Type F (sometimes called "Schuko") is the common wall socket and also accepts the smaller Type C plugs. The supply is 230 volts at 50 hertz — identical to the UK and Ireland.
Because both the UK and the Canaries run on 230V/50Hz, this is purely about the shape of the plug, not the electricity itself. You are adapting the pins, not converting the power.
What UK and Irish visitors need
Your British or Irish three-pin plugs will not physically fit the round-hole sockets, so you need a UK-to-European travel adapter for each device you want to plug in. These cost only a few pounds, take up no space and are sold everywhere — supermarkets, airports, pound shops and online.
- Bring at least two adapters — one for the phone, one for everything else. Couples and families quickly find one is never enough.
- Consider a multi-USB adapter — a single European adapter with several built-in USB and USB-C ports charges phones, watches, earbuds and a tablet from one wall socket, saving you carrying several.
- A UK four-gang extension lead plus one adapter is a neat trick: plug the lead's single UK plug into one European adapter and you have four home sockets by the bed.
Phones, laptops and cameras: adapter only
Almost all modern chargers are dual-voltage — look for "INPUT: 100-240V" printed on the plug or power brick, which nearly every phone, laptop, tablet and camera charger shows. These handle 230V perfectly, so they need only the plug adapter and nothing more. No converter, no transformer, no fuss.
Hairdryers and straighteners: already fine
This is where British travellers sometimes over-worry. Because UK hairdryers, straighteners and shavers are built for 230V, they run happily on Canarian power with just an adapter — the voltage matches. There is no need for a voltage converter.
Many hotels and apartments already provide a hairdryer, so check before you pack a bulky one. If you do bring styling tools, remember that plenty have a dual-voltage travel switch anyway — but for UK-to-Canaries travel you would not even need it.
When you might need more than an adapter
The only time a plain adapter is not enough is if you are carrying an older or unusual appliance rated for a single, different voltage — for example something built for the US 110V system. Those would need a voltage converter, not just a plug adapter. For the standard kit a British or Irish holidaymaker brings, that situation almost never arises.
A couple of practical extras
- Power bank — invaluable for long days out at the beach, on boat trips or up a mountain, where you will not see a socket for hours.
- Car USB charger — if you are hiring a car, a cigarette-lighter USB adapter keeps phones topped up for sat-nav on island drives.
- Buy a spare on arrival if you forget — resort supermarkets and the airport always stock European adapters, so a forgotten adapter is a minor, easily fixed problem.
Understanding the labels
If you want to check a device yourself before packing it, it takes ten seconds. Turn the plug or power brick over and read the small print near the pins:
- "INPUT: 100-240V ~ 50/60Hz" means the device is dual-voltage and works anywhere in the world with just a plug adapter. This covers virtually all phone, tablet, laptop and camera chargers, and most electric shavers and toothbrushes.
- A single voltage such as "120V" (rare on modern UK kit) means the device was built for a different mains system and would need a voltage converter, not just an adapter. If you see "230V" or "220-240V", you are already on the same standard as the Canaries and need only the adapter.
Since both the UK and the Canaries run at 230V, anything you use happily at home works here — the label check is really just reassurance.
USB-C and modern charging
Newer laptops and phones increasingly charge over USB-C, which changes nothing about the adapter but is worth planning for. A single high-wattage USB-C wall charger plugged into one European adapter can top up a laptop, a phone and a tablet in turn, cutting the number of adapters you need to pack. If your devices use USB-C, one good multi-port charger plus one adapter often replaces a bagful of separate plugs — lighter luggage and one less thing to lose.
Fitting it into the wider packing list
Adapters are just one small item on a well-planned bag. For everything else — from reef-safe sun cream and a light layer for breezy evenings to what to leave at home — see our full guide to what to pack for the Canary Islands, which covers the seasons and the different islands.
It is a small thing, but the same "will my kit work?" question comes up for other practicalities too — for how to stay online, see our guide to SIM cards and wi-fi, and for the wider run-down of first-timer questions, our Canary Islands travel tips pull it all together.
The bottom line
Pack a standard UK-to-European two-round-pin travel adapter (or two), and you are ready for every socket in the Canaries. The 230V/50Hz supply matches home, so phones, laptops, hairdryers and straighteners all need the adapter and nothing else — no converters required. Throw in a multi-USB adapter and a power bank, and your charging is completely covered. For the rest of the bag, our packing guide has you sorted.