Surface Pro won't recognize keyboards anymore

Question

For the past few weeks my surface pro has been having trouble recognizing my type cover. It sometimes takes a minute for it to recognize it and I have to disconnect and reconnect multiple times. I thought it was just my keyboard, but I have also tried it with my other touch cover and it is having the same problems. I have tried the restart trick a few times (volume and power button) and it isn't helping. What can I do to fix this problem or will I need to send it in?

Answer 1

I performed a hard boot and it started working again. Hold down power button for 20-30 seconds, then hold power and volume up until it boots to bios screen. Keyboard should be working.

Answer 2

Hi lauraCameron,

Thank you for sharing your experience with us.  Could you tell us what OS  you are using on your Surface Pro device?

Have you tried the troubleshooting steps in this article?

Give the steps a try and let us know how it goes.

Kind regards,

Clare

Answer 3

Same fault happen to my surface pro 3, I have tried cleaned recovery as advised on Microsoft solution still the fault persist, brought to the retailer where I bought this, they've tried new keyboard still the same fault so I left my surface  pro 3 to the retailer, after three days the retailer called me and explained as per Microsoft service policy I should be the one will contact Microsoft service to arrange my unit for service, imagine after three days hoping that my unit already repaired, really upset me, if I only knew that this is the procedure I shouldn't bought this product, only bought last May 2015 and now having a fault. Now no choice but to personally arrange this unit to send to Microsoft, really upset me.

Answer 4

Windows 8.1 I believe.

Yes. I have tried everything. 

Any time my computer goes to sleep or restarts the keyboard is a pain the a^^ and doesn't want to be recognized. The only way to make it do so is to clean it with an alcohol wipe (works maybe 70% of the time). But now I have noticed rust/oxidization on one of the gold connector things on the computer battery. I am assuming this is why it isn't connecting. I was having keyboard connection problems before I started cleanign it with the alcohol wipes but now I am not sure if the problem has gotten worse naturally or if this is making it worse. I have exams in two weeks and can't send my computer in until after then. I am really upset as this computer is only a year old.

Answer 5

After trying rubbing alcohol I tried a bit of CLR (calcium, lime, and rust remover) on a cotton swab and it worked great! The corrosion or rust .. whatever it was (not happy that it happened after only a year) was easy to scratch off and now my connector is bright and clean again and working great. 

Others should try this if they are having trouble.