Surface Pro Flex Keyboard Charging issues

edit - Several months in now and the keyboard does not charge on its own. It needs to be forced into a charge. I have to do this several times a week. Despite knowing this I *still* end up in situations where I am unplugged on the couch or in a meeting room and the keyboard is completely out of power.

To force it into a charge:

• Open the Surface App - remark to yourself that the keyboard is shockingly down to less than 2% power
• Physically disconnect the keyboard from the Surface tablet
• Turn off the keyboard by holding the ESC key for about 10 seconds (the Fn key will flash then go off)
• Wait for the pen to light up then turn off (if you don't wait long enough, it won't force the charge)
• Surface Pro App now says the keyboard is disconnected
• Reconnect the keyboard to the surface - it now says Connected
• Watch the keyboard start to charge and remark to yourself how silly this all is for such an expensive device
• Repeat in 2 days when the keyboard is once again fully drained even tho it has been connected to a power source

I've also noticed that when the Surface Pro and keyboard are attached that by plugging in a powered USB C (like the one I use to charge my phone) into the side of the Surface the keyboard will also start to charge - as long as the computer ISN'T being powered itself through.

I have noticed that the keyboard stops charging when my surface pro has reached 80% smart charge or 100% full charge. Which is frustrating - the reason I upgraded to this keyboard was so that I can disconnect it. But I've yet to have the keyboard reach a full charge. I only get at best 4 hours before it dies on me and have to run down my surface pro to start the charging.

I've had limited and sporadic luck in forcing the keyboard off (by long pressing the ESC key) and reconnecting it to start charging.

Definitely very buggy considerating the extremely high price tag.

Hello everyone,

I am writing to express my frustration and disappointment regarding the charging issue with my Surface Flex Keyboard. Despite knowledge about this problem for at least a month now, this rather significant problem with an expensive technology is still persisting.

What is even more frustrating is the lack of communication from Microsoft. I have spent hours searching for a solution online, only to discover that many other users are experiencing the same issue. Yet, there has been no official statement or acknowledgment from Microsoft addressing this problem or providing a timeline for a fix.

As a loyal customer who invested in a premium product, I feel let down by the company’s silence. It is unacceptable to continue selling a product with known issues without informing customers or offering a resolution. This lack of transparency and support is deeply disappointing.

I urge Microsoft to address this issue promptly and communicate openly with affected users. We deserve to know that our concerns are being taken seriously and that a solution is on the way.

Thank you for your attention.

I agree, this is an awful situation for such an expensive keyboard. The number of times I open up the SP 9 and see the keyboard fully charged is NEVER. It does not charge when the TB 4 dock is connected. It does not charge if the machine isn't charging by way of the proprietary OEM port. It does not charge until the machine is fully charged. I loved this keyboard when I got it. Going back to Logitech if this doesn't get better.

I've had the same problem since I got my Surface Flex keyboard. It seems to working well again when connected which is a plus but this charging problem is unaccptable.

I am using the FlexKeyboard as main keyboard, attached and not attached. It is a great keyboard and offering some long-wanted flexibility for my workflow as illustrator. During a full day use, from one day to another, the battery loses about 30%, no matter if attached or not. Hence, I use it detached most of the time.

But, dear Microsoft, the charging procedure can be simplified, please.

To start charging, it usually needs a trigger as it will NOT charge automatically when connected: pressing the ESC button until the Fn LED is blinking and the pen LED is glowing. But - unfortunately - it is not really straightforward, as there are still three possibilities:

• sometimes it will start charging
• of not, I need to detach the keyboard, press the ESC key and attach again,
• if not, I need to restart the Surface Pro after the detach procedure.

The Surface itself hat to be in the following status:

• fully charged or charging, as the keyboard will only charge to the level of the Surface
• the keyboard lid has to be open
• charging the Surface via surface connector or USB-C has no impact. The keyboard will always charge.

When charging, it does 15% in about 10 min.

Please note, when at a level of <20%, it starts to unload rather quickly, so better start charging.

If the battery level is 0%, it still can be used, but only attached. The keyboard firmware has not changed in the last months: 10.10.139

P.S.
Despite those charging confusions I like it. As illustrator, I use the Surface line for drawing. But Photoshop, which is my major drawing app, demands for using a keyboard in addition which I can move aside to better draw on the screen. Left hand, I control the keyboard, right hand I draw. In the past, I used three keyboards: a bigger bluetooth keyboard in my office, the surface keyboard when travelling and another foldable bluetooth keyboard when drawing outside of the office. All keyboards had different layouts and made it more difficult to use. Now I just use the FlexKeyboard.
Also, when running seminars, I love using the detached FlexKeyboard to control my Surface from distance. But, as I said before, the charging procedure should be simplified...