Can You Use UK Plugs In Abu Dhabi Or Dubai?

Most tourists or residents from UK have this question in common whether they can use their appliances, especially mobiles and laptops in Abu Dhabi or Dubai or United Arab Emirates.

UK and Abu Dhabi or Dubai or UAE use same plug type G, which is the plug having three rectangular pins in a triangular pattern. Also, both countries operate on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz. Therefore, you can safely use UK plugs in Abu Dhabi or Dubai or UAE without adaptors.

Let me tell you more about

UK plugs and United Arab Emirates plugs and sockets
Supply voltage
Travel adaptors and extension boxes
Voltage converters
Should UK travellers carry travel adapters?
Countries using same plug Type G as Abu Dhabi or Dubai or UAE

Table of Contents

UK plugs Vs UAE plugs and sockets

In United Kingdom, people mostly use type G plug. In United Arab Emirates (including Abu Dhabi and Dubai), people use type G plug. Above image shows typical type G of my clothes iron in Abu Dhabi.

Type G plug has three rectangular pins in a triangular pattern. Both UK and UAE use same plug type G. If your appliance, mobile or laptop is purchased in UK or UAE, it will be of same plug G. It can be used in anywhere in UAE including hotel or apartment.

Above photograph is taken in my kitchen in Abu Dhabi which has shows socket with switches. You can see socket is for type G plugs. All the sockets are of same type G.

Supply voltage

All power sockets in United Arab Emirates (including Abu Dhabi) provide a voltage of 220V with a frequency of 50Hz.

Electricity supplies worldwide can vary from anything between 100V and 240V. United States, Canada and countries in South America provide voltage of 100-120V where as Countries in Europe including United Kingdom, Asia, Australia and Africa provide voltage of 220-240V.

Electrical appliances can be divided into two categories:

Single Voltage Appliances

In United Arab Emirates (including Abu Dhabi and Dubai), supply voltage is 220V. If the appliance is a single voltage rated appliance, it needs to operate at the same voltage as the supply voltage of the country i.e. 220V.

If you have single voltage appliance that works with voltage 110V, you need to voltage convertor or transformer.

Dual Voltage Appliances

Second type of appliances is Dual Voltage appliances. These devices work with both type of voltages 110V and also 220V.

It is very easy to identify Dual Voltage appliances. A dual voltage rated appliance displays ‘INPUT: 110-240V’ on the body of the appliance. This means that you will not need a converter or transformer.

Abu Dhabi operates on a 230V supply voltage, which is within the 110-240V range that the dual voltage appliance operates on.

Travel adaptors or Extension boxes

Travel Adaptors

Travel Adaptors are useful in following cases

It allows one type of plug to connect to other type of socket.
It sometimes have multiple sockets to connect to. This is typically useful when traveller has multiple appliances like mobiles, laptops, macbooks.

UK travellers need not use Travel Adaptors for first use but they can use in case of second use. UK travellers can purchase Travel Adaptors in UK shops or on amazon.co.uk.

Extension Boxes

Extension Boxes are useful in case you have multiple devices to connect. However, unlike travel adaptors they need to be of matching type as of socket. Extension boxes are generally universal adaptors which work with any type of plug. Travellers from UK can bring their own extension boxes from UK. Alternatively, they can purchase Extension Boxes from various gift shops (as they are called here) in Abu Dhabi or Dubai.

Above screenshot shows my extension box which I purchased in Abu Dhabi. I purchased it in Gift shop and it costed me AED 29. It allows me to connect our couple of mobiles, laptop, macbook, iPad, tablet etc.

If you are staying in a business hotel, generally they keep extension boxes for the customers in their rooms.

Voltage converters or transformers

The first image in this article is my Macbook plug which works in all range of voltage and frequency. I purchased this macbook in Abu Dhabi and it works everywhere in the world. It comes with voltage converter or transformer. If I am in United Kingdom or United Arab Emirates, I don’t need to buy travel adaptor. It works seamlessly.

All converters and transformers will have a maximum power rating (AMPS or WATTS) so make sure that any appliance you intend to use does not exceed this rating.

As electricity supplies worldwide can vary from anything between 100V and 240V. It can be extremely dangerous to use an electrical appliance that is rated at a voltage different from the supply.

Most voltage converters and transformers come supplied with plug adaptors, so you may not need to buy a separate travel adaptor.

Should UK travellers carry travel adaptors?

As I explained in the article, UK and UAE plugs are same. You can use your appliances or charge mobile or laptops with using any adaptors.

However, travels adaptors like shown above have multiple output sockets. This means you can connect multiple plugs to the same adaptors. This usually helps you connect multiple appliances at the same time. Nowadays, in a family you have multiple mobiles which need to be charged everyday or even some travellers carry laptops or macbooks. In this situation, it is helpful to carry your travel adaptors during your trip.

If you are staying in business hotel rather than tourist hotel, it is more likely that hotel will have extension boxes as their guests typically carry laptops and mobiles. The extension boxes allow you to connect multiple appliance at the same time.

To summarize for UK travellers, travel adaptor helps in case you have multiple mobiles, appliances or laptops to connect to socket. If this is not your requirement or you have only one appliance, UK travellers need not carry travel adaptors.