Hi
Welcome to Microsoft community.
The issue you're experiencing with your Surface Pro 8 where the fans are constantly running after the latest updates is an unusual one, but not unheard of. This can be caused by various factors including software glitches introduced by the update, misconfigured power settings, or the system's cooling policy being overly aggressive. Here are steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue:
- Review Power Settings: You've mentioned changing power settings, but it's worth diving deeper. Go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options. Click on "Change plan settings" for your selected plan, then "Change advanced power settings". Review the settings for cooling policy and processor power management to ensure they're not set to maximize performance at the expense of increased fan activity.
- Reset Thermal Profiles: Occasionally, the thermal management system can get out of sync. Performing a two-button shutdown might help reset this. To do this, press and hold the power button on your Surface for about 30 seconds and then release it. Next, press and hold the power button and the volume-up button together for 15 seconds (the screen may flash during this time), then let go and wait about 10 seconds. Press the power button once more to turn on your device.
- Check Background Processes: Even though you've mentioned CPU usage is low, it's worth checking for any unusual background processes that might be causing the system to heat up. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and review the processes for anything unfamiliar or unnecessary that might be running.
- Cooling System Check: Though you've stated there have been no physical changes, it's worth considering if dust accumulation or a malfunctioning fan could be contributing to the issue. If comfortable, check for dust and ensure the ventilation areas are clear.
- Contact Support: If none of the above steps resolve the issue, it might be worth contacting Microsoft Support. It could be a hardware issue or something specific to your device that they can assist with. They would be able to give you further options and assistance on this matter. See steps below in reaching them:
- Go to Contact Us - Microsoft Support
- Choose how you would like to get support for your Surface device.
- Type in the problem you need help with.
- Look at any available solutions offered and select Contact Support.
- Factory Reset: As a last resort, consider performing a factory reset of your device. This can resolve issues caused by software, but make sure to back up all important data before proceeding.
Please feel free to let me know how it goes.
Best regards
Derrick Qian | Microsoft Community Support Specialist