Surface Cover keyboard latching magnetically to screen disables Surface cover Keyboard.

Question

Hi there, My surface pro 4 got updated to Windows 10 Pro 2004 Build 19041.388. My keyboard gets disabled when latched to the screen in the Laptop Typing position. My tablet mode is 'Never Use Tabled Mode' and 'Don't switch to tablet mode'. However, my hardware Surface keyboard works when left flat on the table with only the Bottom/under side connectors and Magnets connected. The Kb has magnet at the top row to latch onto the screen for better typing position and laptop mode. When I do this the system goes to tablet mode and disables my Surface cover keyboard but it used to work before that way. Any help is highly appreciated. I have been struggling with this for over 8 hours googling and all sort. Thanks in Advance.

Answer 1

Hi J.H.Riyaz,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Community.

Please run these steps on your Surface Pro 4 then check if still the persist:

1: Run Surface Diagnostic Toolkit and check Windows Update

2: Update drivers and firmware

                               Check what is the current OS Build of your Windows version by going to Settings > System > About.

                               Go to Download driver and firmware for Surface, choose Surface Pro 4 then click Download on the next page.

                               Choose the .msi file that matches your current OS Build and click Next.

                               After downloading, run and install the .msi then Restart.

3: Run System File Checker Tool in Windows 10

If still the issue persist, I suggest that you proceed in re-installing Windows on the device using a USB Recovery Image. This option will reimage the entire device and reload Windows including the drivers and firmware. It is the most complete form of Reset and it will wipe out everything on the device so you might need to back up your files first. You will need also a 16GB/32GB of flash drive that must be formatted into FAT32 prior to downloading the Recovery Image. If you like to try, you can follow the steps provided below:

How to Download, Create and Use a USB recovery drive

To download the Recovery Image:

• You'll need a PC running Windows 7 or later or Surface Device.

1. Visit the page to Download the recovery image for your Surface
2. Sign in with your Microsoft Account
3. From the list of Surface devices available, select the device that you need a recovery image for

Please note that while you will only be presented with devices that are currently registered on your account, you will also be presented with the option to get an image for a different type of device. If you try to use this option, you will be prompted to enter the serial number for that device 4. Download the recovery image using the button on the page 5. When the download bar pops up at the bottom of your screen, save the file in a location you will be able to find it.

 Format USB Drive:

• Note: Formatting a recovery drive will erase anything that is already stored on your USB drive. Make sure to transfer any important data from your USB drive to another storage device before using it to create a Surface USB recovery drive.

1. Insert your USB drive into the USB port of your PC.
2. From the desktop, open File Explorer
3. Tap and hold or right-click on the USB drive and choose Format
4. Select FAT32 as the file system and enter a Volume label to name the USB drive, such as RECOVERY, and then tap or click Start
5. Tap or click OK to erase the contents of the USB drive
6. Tap or click OK when the format is complete

Create a recovery drive:

1. On your Surface or PC, open recovery image that you downloaded by double-clicking it or right click then select Extract and then Extract all.
2. Select the USB drive you formatted earlier for the location and click Extract.

Use a USB recovery drive to reset your Surface:

1. Shutdown the Surface
2. Insert the USB recovery drive into the USB port
3. Press and hold the volume-down (-) rocker
4. Press and release the power button
5. When the Surface logo appears, release the volume-down (-) rocker
6. Surface will start the recovery software on the USB recovery drive
7. When prompted, choose your language options and keyboard layout
8. Select Troubleshoot
9. Select Recover from a Drive. Choose Remove Everything and Fully Clean the Drive. Recovering this PC.
10. If prompted, select Repartition the drives
11. If prompted for BitLocker Key, tap Skip this Drive

If this answer your question, we highly encourage you to inform our Community by clicking on Yes or marking my post as an answer. This will help other members who may have the same issue as you. Otherwise, don't hesitate to update us so we can further assist you.

Kind Regards,

Marrion Y.

Answer 2

Hi Marrion,

Thanks very much for the help. I tried many solution on the internet. Nothing worked. I tried all your suggestions but one. none worked except the Recovery with Recovery Drive and Clean Install. Oh my, it took the whole day off with updates right from the first Firmware release to the latest update. However, I could not go on to the 2020 version. No big deal.

Two things:

1.  A Nagging Screen burn-in and flickering that I did not mention earlier went off. A Big relief.

2. The Surface Cover Key board is still behaving errantly. A slight shake in the keyboard also Activates Auto rotation. However a relief here too. When I set the ''when this device Automatically switches tablet mode on or off' to 'Don't ask me and don't switch' is a relief. In this case my surface cover keyboard works in a Flat position and keeps switching on an off for a slight shake in the keyboard but keyboard comes back on automatically with the above setting. There is a Break/pause inbetween and when typing fast I lose a lot.

The Key board still cannot be latched to the screen for the typing position. The moment the magnet snaps to the front bottom of the display, the system activates the Auto rotation/sensor/sensor data and the keyboard is fully off. Again a relief here, if I pull the keyboard to the flat position on a proper flat surface, the KB goes on. Earlier, I had to frequently detach the Surface KB and then attach and wait a couple of seconds for the KB to get on. Just to let you know, I HAVE DONE A LOT OF CORRECTIONS AS I TYPED THIS MESSAGE since the KB has been switching on and off.

My current System info is: Win 10 Pro 64 V1909 build 18363.959. If I check for updates, it shows an optional 2020-07 cummulative update preview. I didn't bother to install this.

It looks like just at the time of the latest upgrade to 2020 earleir, my system developed a hardware fault with the screen rotation sensor which gets activated as the magnets latch to the front face of the screen. Is there anyway that I can work around on this with a reg edit or stopping Sensor data services. I tried stopping Sensor Monitor services through gpedit.msc. Didn't help.

My current System info is: Win 10 Pro 64 V1909 build 18363.959. If I check for updates, it shows an optional 2020-07 cummulative update preview. I didn't bother to install this.

Do I need to take it to the MS Service centre? More help will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Best Regards,

Riyaz

Answer 3

I'm facing the same problem and this started after the most recent windows update. The type cover just works fine when the magnet isn't latched on. When it latches on, "Auto Rotate On" gets displayed and then the type cover doesn't work any more. You unlatch it, it starts working again! Wondering how can such untested / buggy updates be pushed to users just like that. I'll try the suggestions that you've provided tomorrow, Marrion and will let you know if that works.

Answer 4

My cover keyboard does not work when attached nor when not attached. How do you get it to work unattached? Is it bluetooth? Not finding it as a device to pair.