Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Troubleshooting

No matter what you do, you can't get your Surface to turn on.

Solution-

1. Force Restart: Press and hold power button for 30 seconds. Screen may flash but do not release power button until 30 seconds is complete. Then press the power button again to turn the Surface back on.

2. Two-button Shutdown: Press and hold the power button on your Surface for 30 seconds and then release it. Press and hold the volume-up button and the power button at the same time for at least 15 seconds and then release both. Wait 10 seconds and then turn your Surface back on

Windows is not starting up on your Surface Pro 3.

Solution-

1. Force Restart: Press and hold power button for 30 seconds. Screen may flash but do not release power button until 30 seconds is complete. Then press the power button again to turn the Surface back on.

2. Two-button Shutdown: Press and hold the power button on your Surface for 30 seconds and then release it. Press and hold the volume-up button and the power button at the same time for at least 15 seconds and then release both. Wait 10 seconds and then turn your Surface back on

3. Install Surface and Windows Updates: Go to Start , and select Settings > Update & security > Windows Update. Select Check for updates. If updates are available, select Details. Select the updates you want to install, and select Install. Surface may need to be restarted.

4. Scan Surface with Windows Defender: In the search box, enter defender, and in the search results, select Windows Defender. On the Home tab, choose a scan option, and select Scan now.

Your Surface is plugged in but isn't charging

Check your charging port to make sure your charger is being plugged in correctly

Solution-

Boot the system with the power adapter connected, by holding down the power button until the unit powers itself off. Then disconnect the power adapter from the unit. Press and hold the Power button and wait for a depleted system battery icon full screen. Reconnect the power adapter to the unit. Then press and hold the volume up and power button for 15 seconds. Finally, press and hold the volume up and power button until the keyboard lights up.

This may mean that it is time to replace your battery. To replace the battery, follow this link to our battery replacement guide.

Trouble connecting to the internet from your Surface Pro 3?

Click on your start menu, located on the lower left side of your screen. Click on the search box located in the menu. Search “Network Troubleshooter”, in the results you should see “Identify and repair network problems” click and follow the steps. It will try and fix any network issues that may be present.

Try to install the latest updates on your surface to fix the issue. If you cannot connect to your home network try to connect to a public Wi-Fi connection. If you are unable to connect to a public connection. Connect to the internet using an ethernet connection. As a last resort, you might be able to use your phone’s internet connection by enabling the mobile hotspot option.

Sometimes the issue can be the date and time setting. To fix this click on the icon located in the bottom right hand side of your screen’s toolbar. The icon contains the time and date. Click on the red highlighted text that says “Date and Time Settings” you can enable the set time automatically option or you could manually set it yourself.

Click on your start menu icon located on the bottom left side of your toolbar. A menu will open up, you will then see a search bar located near the bottom left side of your screen. Type in there “Wi-Fi Settings” click on the “Change the Wi-Fi Setting” option. There you can toggle on/off the Wi-Fi. Choose the Wi-Fi connection you would like to connect to. If this still does not work try disconnecting completely from your Wi-Fi, by clicking on your connection and then clicking “disconnect” and connect back onto it. It will make you input your password again so make sure you know your Wi-Fi password before attempting this.

After attempting everything above, your Wi-Fi still does not connect then try manually installing your Wi-Fi drivers, follow this Microsoft guide to install wireless drivers.

Surface Pro Driver Installation

Trouble connecting bluetooth device with your Surface Pro 3?

You can also search for the ”Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter” program in the search box under the start menu. Follow the instructions that the program gives.

Learn how to make your device discoverable by any other device, by reading their manual or website. Click on your start menu located on the bottom left corner of the your screen and click on settings, devices, bluetooth. When your Surface Pro 3 finds your bluetooth device click on pair.

Make sure you have the latest drivers on windows, by running the windows live updater. You can easily find this by typing in the search box “Check for Updates.” Then click on the “check for updates” button, this will start making sure your computer is up to date. Any updates it may still need to download will start downloading them automatically.

If you have the Surface Pro 3 Core i7 version, you may have issues with overheating. The i7 version delivers great power into a small package, thus the device is prone to overheating. This problem has been associated with the running of Windows Installer Module and Windows Installer Module Worker. Shutting those two systems down is believed to cool your Surface Pro, but if not you will probably need to downgrade to i5 processor version.

Your screen freezes at random times, your screen will not rotate, the touchscreen is not responding to touch, or your screen is broken.

This can occur when switching apps, on the Start screen, or even when doing nothing. There is no common cause so pay attention when freezing occurs to see what the problem could be. Try holding down the Power button and the Volume up button for 15 seconds. Wait a couple of seconds and then press the Power button again and it will restart.

Follow this link to fix your screen rotation problems.

Follow this link to fix touchscreen problems.

Folding the Type Cover keyboard back is known for causing the cursor to disappear, and it refuses to return when the keyboard is flipped back around. Others have found that the cursor just disappears at random when they’re using the mouse.

Follow this link to fix your broken screen or digitizer.

Look to our replacement guides to learn how to replace your SSD card.

Make sure your headphone jack is clear and your head phones are being plugged in completely and properly. If this is not the case, follow this link to replace your headphone jack.