Travel · Denmark · Type K / C / F · 230V
Denmark: Type K, the Nordic exception.
Denmark runs 230V at 50Hz like its neighbours, but the local socket standard is Type K — three round pins with the earth carried as a pin on the plug rather than as clips on its sides. That one difference is why a Schuko adapter bought for Sweden is not automatically the right thing here.
Denmark at a glance
| Spec | Denmark |
|---|---|
| Plug types | Type K (local standard, three round pins with the earth pin on the plug), plus Type C and Type F |
| Voltage | 230V |
| Frequency | 50Hz |
| What fits | Type K plugs; the slim two-pin Europlug (Type C) fits every Danish socket |
| What doesn't | US Type A/B, UK Type G, Italian Type L. A Schuko Type F plug fits most modern Danish sockets mechanically but does not always earth properly |
Why Denmark differs from Norway and Sweden
Schuko sockets earth through two metal clips that grip the top and bottom of the plug body. A Danish Type K socket earths through a hole that mates with a pin on the plug. Push a Schuko plug into a modern Danish socket and it generally goes in — but the earth path it expects is not there, so it can end up connected for power and not for protection. Type K remains the local standard and the reason the country is the odd one out among its Schuko neighbours, Norway and Sweden included.
Which adapter you actually need
| What you are plugging in | Buy this |
|---|---|
| USB-C or USB-A charger, two flat US prongs | Type C Europlug adapter — cheapest, fits every Danish socket |
| Laptop brick with a three-prong US plug or IEC cord | A true Type K adapter, or a Danish IEC cord |
| Multi-country trip through Scandinavia | Type C adapter (works in all three) plus Type K if you carry anything earthed |
| Universal adapter you already own | Check the listed plug shapes — many do not include Type K |
Almost everything a traveler carries falls in the first row. Phone chargers, laptop bricks with two prongs, camera chargers and toothbrush bases are all Class II double-insulated: they have no earth conductor to connect, which is why the whole Type K debate evaporates for them.
What to pack
- Type K
Type K plug adapter (Denmark)
The honest local fitting: three round pins, earth included. The one to buy if anything you carry has a three-prong plug.
- Fits
- Danish Type K sockets
- Earthed
- Yes
- Also used in
- Greenland
- Type C
Slim Type C Europlug adapter
Fits Type K, Schuko and French sockets alike. The single item that covers a Copenhagen-Stockholm-Oslo trip.
- Fits
- C, E, F, K sockets
- Earthed
- No
- Best for
- Two-pin chargers
- 30W
Anker 511 Nano 30W GaN
A compact dual-voltage brick to sit behind the adapter — full phone speed with a folding-prong body that travels flat.
- Output
- 30W USB-C PD
- Input
- 100–240V
- Ports
- 1× USB-C
Adapter, not converter
Your charger's label settles it: 100–240V ~ 50/60Hz printed next to the prongs means 230V Danish mains is already inside its design range. A converter only earns its weight for single-voltage heating and motor appliances — hair dryers, curling irons, travel kettles — and even then a dual-voltage replacement beats carrying a transformer. The reasoning in full is on travel adapter vs converter, and the plug shapes worldwide are mapped in plug types by country. More destinations at the travel adapter hub.
FAQ
Will my Schuko adapter from Germany work in Denmark?
It usually fits a modern Danish socket, but the earth connection is the problem: Schuko earths through side clips and a Danish Type K socket earths through a pin. For two-pin double-insulated chargers that is irrelevant. For anything with an earth conductor, use a real Type K adapter.
What plug does Denmark use?
Type K is the local standard — three round pins, with the earth as a pin on the plug. Type C and Type F plugs also appear, and the slim two-pin Type C Europlug fits every Danish socket.
Do I need a converter for my phone or laptop in Denmark?
No. Denmark is 230V and every US-sold phone and laptop charger is rated 100-240V. You only need the pins to fit.
Does a universal travel adapter cover Denmark?
Not always. Many universal adapters advertise Type A, C, G and I only, with no Type K position. Their Type C prongs will still seat in a Danish socket, so chargers are fine, but you get no earth connection.