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Surface Pro 7+ not charging from USB-A-to-C cable despite high wattage

Anonymous
2024-11-30T09:30:37+00:00

I have a Surface Pro 7+.

  • When I connect it to a 45W USB-C charger with a USB-C-to-C cable, it charges normally.
  • When I connect it to a 10W USB-C charger with a USB-C-to-C cable, it charges normally, if very slowly, as one would expect.
  • When I connect it to a 35W USB-A charger with a USB-A-to-C cable, it does not charge at all.

I tried multiple combinations of chargers and cables I had in the flat, but it remained consistent: USB-C-to-C works, even at low wattage, while USB-A-to-C won't do any charging whatsoever, again, regardless of the wattage.

Based on

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/all/surface-device-will-not-charge-on-usb-c/aca027eb-ccb3-4484-9a8b-d5e2991dacff

I would expect this issue from low-wattage USB-A chargers, which can charge at as little at 5W, but would expect high-wattage USB-A charger to work.

Is this expected behavior for the Pro 7+?

Surface | Surface Pro | Power and battery

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-11-30T16:25:18+00:00

    Hi Kdb103,

    Looks like a simple misunderstanding. Surface devices require a USB-C PD charger. You are not able to charge the device using a USB-A charger.

    If you connect a lower-wattage charger or a USB-A charger with a USB-A-to-USB-C cable, your device may charge slowly or not at all. It won’t use Fast Charging. Please connect a recommended charger instead.

    USB-C and Fast Charging for Surface

    Here are the power requirements for Surface, should you get a USB-C PD charger.

    Surface power supplies and charging requirements

    Hope this helps,

    Greg

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-11-30T16:41:59+00:00

    Hello Greg,

    What you wrote doesn't account for what I observed actually.

    If you connect a lower-wattage charger or a USB-A charger with a USB-A-to-USB-C cable, your device may charge slowly or not at all. It won’t use Fast Charging. Please connect a recommended charger instead.

    As described above, I tried a 10W USB-C charger and it worked, whereas a 35W USB-A charger did not. Both connected to the USB-C port of the surface. From the links you provided, I expect that low-wattage USB-A chargers won't work, but 35W is hardly low-wattage. It is more than half the charging power of the proprietary charger, and more than three times the power of the USB-C charger that did work.

    The provided links don't let me see that as expected behavior.

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-11-30T17:05:17+00:00

    Sounds like you got it right... In summary: a supported charger works, an unsupported charger does not work.

    ... and yes, at 10W, the USB-C charger does not meet the energy demands of the device and your battery would drain, albeit slightly slower, even if it was plugged in. Possibly if it was off, you could slowly charge the device this way in an emergency, but of course we recommend using a wattage that meets the recommended power level of the device (link above).

    Hope this helps,

    Greg

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