Surface RT will not turn on, black screen

Question

we've been using the surface 1 day. woke up this morning. was hooked to charger all night. unit will not turn on. what's up?

Answer 1

Hello RgrWng,

Thank you for bringing the issue to our attention. Please try the following and let me know what happens:

1. Attach the Power Supply to the device.
2. Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds.
3. Repeatedly press and hold the power button for 1/2 second before releasing, wait a few seconds to see if the Surface boots up, if it does not, repeat the process.

Let me know what happens.

Answer 2

Greetings,

Please try the following:

To ensure its really off… hold power for 10 seconds.

Connect to power, ensure LED is lit.

TAP the power button to turn it on and wait a few seconds to give the Surface logo a chance to show up.  

Try tapping and waiting 5-10 seconds in between taps.

If your surface does not power on after trying these steps, please contact Surface Technical Support at http://www.microsoft.com/surface/support/contact-us/

Answer 3

I had the same issue after my Surface updated. No touch cover attached.

Hold power button down for 10 seconds. If nothing, plug the unit in (or if already plugged in, unplug it for 1 minute then plug it back in) then hold the power button for another 10 seconds.

This resolved my issue.

Let us know if the problem is not fixed. I would also suggest following the "get live help" button here in the this forum to chat with a rep. That is how I got these instructions.

Answer 4

On Sun, 24 May 2015 09:57:50 +0000, SianDunlop wrote:

>>recently my surface has not been waking up after it goes to sleep. the screen lights up but it stays black if that makes any sense. the only way i can get the screen to come back on is by completely restarting the tablet. please help because this is getting really bloody annoying!

you probably need to try a refresh, and if that does not work, a reset

https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/warranty-service-and-recovery/refresh-or-reset-surface

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Barb

Windows Experience MVP

My Blog - http://digitalmediaphile.com/

Please mark as answered if this answers your question

Answer 5

These help files apply to Surface and Surface 2 only. You will need to have a Microsoft email account and most likely have to register the device and associate it to your email account. If you can not logon to your device for whatever reason, or you are trying and need to factory reset the unit but it fails, these links will help you. You will also be able to refresh your system as well without losing your data " if you back it up first"! You will get the oportunity but please follow the instructions completely. Read all the instructions at least once  "prior" to beginning the process! I did all the research for you, it works perfectly! I now have my Surface RT back like new! 

Surface Recovery and Re-Installation Links:

Refresh or reset Surface RT or Surface 2

If you're having a problem with your Surface, you may be able to refresh or reset it and solve the problem:

https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/warranty-service-and-recovery/refresh-or-reset-surface 

Download a recovery image for your Surface

If you can’t get to the recovery tools on Surface, you can download the files you need to get your Surface working again: 

***** You must first Login and register your product or call MS and let them know you are repairing the device.******

https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/warranty-service-and-recovery/downloadablerecoveryimage 

Create a Surface USB recovery drive:

https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/storage-files-and-folders/create-a-recovery-drive

Using a Surface USB recovery drive

Your Surface USB recovery drive contains recovery tools for your Surface:

https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/warranty-service-and-recovery/usbrecovery

Hope you were able to reset your Surface, I know these instructions are a little late for you but they may help someone else with a similar problem.

Answer 6

I just finished with a Microsoft tech (Devin) who walked me thru a few tips. The one that worked was holding the power button for 30 seconds...no less. My Surface logo popped up (had nothing before) and it started updates. Devin said that the issue is likely shutting down when an update is ready. GTG now!

Answer 7

On Sat, 28 Mar 2015 03:43:56 +0000, JessieB75 wrote:

>> I have important documents on my surface.

If you are using a Microsoft account, by default, documents are saved to your

OneDrive account. You can check by logging on to OneDrive on the computer you

used to post this message. Are you documents there?

A complete reset WILL remove anything stored on the Surface.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Barb

Windows Entertainment and Connected Home MVP

My Blog - http://digitalmediaphile.com/

Please mark as answered if this answers your question

Answer 8

I had the same problem for over half year, I couldn't use the warranty service because it had expired 2 months ago when this issue first started.

The Surface RT goes to sleep and sometimes it doesn't wake up when pressing the power button, pressing any key on the keyboard, touching the mousepad etc... and when touching the windows logo, it vibrates but the screen remain off. In addition, sometimes the surface get hot when I left it in that state for long time, it is also more likely to get like that when the Surface goes to sleep by inactivity than when pressing the power button.

In order to wake it up, I have to do a hard reset, which means pressing the power button for 20 about seconds, and waiting 5 minutes before trying to turn it on. Sometimes it didn't work so I had to hold the power button 20 seconds once the Surface RT is off and then press it several times with a 1 sec interval.

So I looked up for information on internet but most of the affected devices were Surfaces 2 Pro and the solutions were either not functional or applicable to my Surface RT. I refreshed/reset the Surface more than 25 times in the hope that something changed and sometimes it did, twice the wlan adapter didn't work properly, and like half of the time the Surface bricked and blue or yellow lines appeared on the screen, needless to say that I couldn't get rid of the main problem and sometimes it happened just after the reset process finished or when rebooting. I also tried installing all the updates, but it didn't work, I was almost convinced it was a hardware problem  rather than a software problem and I never got useful help from Microsoft.

So the last resource was resetting it using a recovery usb from another Surface RT and voila! it turns out that that was the whole problem! I guess the recovery partition on my Surface RT was damaged or corrupted, because the problems began when I reset it for the second time. If you cant get a recovery image from another Surface, you can download it from here:

www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/warranty-service-and-recovery/surface-rt-startup-error-0xc000000d?lc=1033

and follow the instructions in order to fix the problem. I chose repartition, and fully recycle the disc in the options of the recovery setup.

I have so far 2 days without any problem.

Answer 9

Hello limsw,

I'm sorry to hear about this experience. How are you trying to connect with our Support team? Use this link. Try it on different browsers. Let us know if you are able to contact them and what they say about your problem.

Best Wishes and Happy Holidays,

Zack_T

Answer 10

Hi Mkl2002121,

Thank you for your response. I am sorry to hear that nothing seems to be working so far.

Considering the fact that your device is not turning on at all, this might not for you, but I would still recommend attempting a reset from USB. Please create a USB recovery media from here.

If that doesn't work either, please contact Assisted Support for further assistance.

Answer 11

Maybe your Surface is just in a sleep mode.

Try these steps:

1.Connect the charger and make sure you still have a light at the tip of it.

2. Press and hold the power button for about 20-30 seconds to fully shutdown the device.
3. Press the power button again to turn on the device.

See if that works.

Cheers.

Answer 12

Hi CallieN, 

Welcome to the community and thank you for your question. I understand that your RT can't go into Windows, correct? 

• You mentioned that you've tried the force shutdown but please give it one more try:

1. Press the power button on your Surface and hold it down for 30 seconds. This ensures that Surface shuts down instead of just going to sleep.
2. Next, press the power button again to turn Surface back on.

If shutting down Surface and turning it back on doesn't help, contact us.

Let us know if you have further questions or concerns in the future. 

Best Wishes,

Clare

Answer 13

Hi Vishwambhar,

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Community! We appreciate you taking the time to inform us about the issue you are experiencing with your Surface RT. I can see how concerning this is to you, so please know we will do our best to help and guide you in the right direction!

Please try the following:

1. Connect your Surface RT to the power source.
2. Press and hold the Power button for 10-15 seconds and then release.
3. Try to turn the Surface back on.

Additionally, please read the following support articles with troubleshooting steps:

• **Surface RT or Surface 2: Windows won't start or stops responding**
• Surface RT or Surface 2 won’t turn on

If none of the steps above solve this situation, we suggest you contact Technical Support by visiting our Self Service Center here or contact Support here.

We hope this information helps! Keeps us posted!

We are always here to help!

Best Wishes,

Answer 14

Hi elbewan

Welcome to the community and thank you for your question. I understand that you are not able to turn on your RT device and you also have a hardware issue regarding the volume button. 

I apologize for your inconveniences. 

Depending on what is most convenient for you, you can:

1. Open a service request yourself, using our Online Service Center
2. Contact our Technical Support team

I hope the information I provide is useful. 

Best Wishes,

Clare

Answer 15

Hi Veronica,

Thank you for your follow-up and I'm very sorry that your device remains unresponsive.

I'd highly suggest you contact support; they will be able to provide you with more troubleshooting steps.

Answer 16

Hi kmulcahy,

Thank you for reaching out to the Surface Communtiy! That doesn't sound too good that you are getting a blank screen.

When did this start happening, and what were you doing before the screen went blank?

Does the Windows icon vibrate when you touch it?

Sibron made a great suggestion of trying to leave it on charge for a day and I would also recommend that. Make sure that when it's plugged in, the white light on the charger turns on.

Additionally, I would suggest you try pressing the power button down for 10 seconds, letting go for 10 seconds, and turn it back on to see if it works.

Please report back to us with the results and we can go from there.

Answer 17

Hi Veronica,

Thank you very much for reaching out to us! That's not good that your Surface won't turn on. It must be very inconvenient, and I'll try my best to deliver a resolution for you.

I see that you are using the Surface RT; have you had the chance to take a look at this article? It provides troubleshooting steps for when your Surface won't turn on.

In the article, I'd suggest you try Solution 3 (Force Shutdown and restart Surface)

Step 1: Press and hold the power button down for 10 seconds.

Step 2: Release the power button.

Step 3: Press and release the power button again.

Let me know if this worked!

Answer 18

Hi robinshar,

Thank you for contacting the Microsoft Community with your question! I can definitely see how this is an inconvenience, especially while staying in a different country. We will do our best to guide you in the right direction.

In this case, since you are not in a release or supported area, our standard options are not available to you.

Here are two things you can try.

1. You can contact the Microsoft Store from which you purchased your Surface device and request a return, but please know, the return will be entirely under that store’s discretion.
2. Another option would be to send your Surface to someone located in a supported country (USA or Mexico), and have them facilitate an exchange for you.

We hope this is helpful to you. If you have any other questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to ask!

We are here to help!

Best Wishes,

Answer 19

Hi sandrarodrigues_936,

Welcome to the Microsoft Community! We appreciate the time you have taken to contact us and consult this issue regarding your Surface. I can imagine how concerning this issue is and of high importance to fix as well, so please know we will do our best to help and guide you in the right direction.

Please try this:

1. Connect your Surface RT to the power source.
2. Press and hold the Power button for 10-15 seconds and then release.
3. Try to turn the Surface back on.

If the previous steps don’t work, please follow the instructions presented in the following articles:

• Surface RT or Surface 2 won’t turn on

• Solution 1: Check for condition that might prevent charging

• Solution 2: Disconnect cords, remove accessories, and check connectors

• Solution 3: Force shutdown and restart Surface

• Surface RT and Surface 2: Windows won’t start or stops responding

• The Surface startup logo doesn’t display or stays at a blank screen

• Surface is struck on the Surface startup logo

• Windows doesn’t start

• Windows stops responding in a certain app

• Windows stops responding

If after all the steps provided, the problem persists, we suggest you contact Support by visiting our Self Service Center here or contact Technical Support here.

We hope this information is useful! Please keep us posted!

Remember we are always here to help!

Best Regards,

Answer 20

Hello Ladyinpink41,

Thank you for posting in the Microsoft community. I'm sorry to hear about your Surface RT not turning on. I apologize for the drama you going through right now and I want you to know that we are here to help and assist with this.

When you connect the Power cord to your Surface, does the LED light up? When you touch the Windows logo on the Surface screen, does it vibrate?

Try:

1. Attach the Power Supply to the device.
2. Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds.
3. Repeatedly press and hold the power button for 1/2 second before releasing, wait a few seconds to see

if the Surface boots up, if it does not, repeat the process. 

If that doesn't help, I'll suggest contacting our Support Team.

Thank you again for posting.

Cheers,

Answer 21

Hello EsterOhman,

Thanks for your question in the Community Forum. I'm sorry to hear that your Surface RT has been getting stuck at the Surface logo.  I'm sure this must be particularly frustrating to have occurred while studying abroad.

Please contact our Technical Support Team for help with this issue.

Thanks again for reaching out to us here.

Best Wishes,

Zack_T

Answer 22

I finally solved this problem I by using the next level of recovery. It erased all my files and reset to the default settings. It was a pain waiting for all the updates but at least it works now.

Answer 23

Thank you for answering my question funny enough about a minute after posting this question my tablet turned back on I think I just pressed random buttons but its ok now

Answer 24

Dear John,

After reading your mail, I was going to try what you have advised me to do.  Naturally, I plugged in the adaptor first, and guess what, 2 seconds later, it started by itself.  I was about to check the power connection before I pressed the 'START' button.  But like I said, miracle happened. It just started on its own.  I was wondering if I should just bring it back to the merchant.  What if it happens again?

Thank you, John, anyway!

Answer 25

Greetings Aleisha84,

Sorry to hear about your experience. Please try the following:

1. Hold the Power button for 10 seconds
2. Release the power button
3. Wait 5 seconds
4. Press the Power button once every 1/2 second for 20 seconds

If your Surface RT does not power on, please let us know.

Answer 26

Greetings RochelleCurbow Wheeler

Thank you for reaching out on us.  You may try hold the power button down for ten seconds, release and wait ten more, then start as normal. You can try a refresh on your device. Please visit the following site here.

Thank you for posting and please let me know how it goes.

Best regard.

Answer 27

Hello KLM85,

Sorry to hear about your experience on Surface RT. Please contact our Service center.

Let's know if you have questions.

Cheers,

Answer 28

Hello kellenlondon,

Sorry to hear you are having issues booting your Surface RT into Windows.

You can try using a recovery drive, if you did not create one, you can download it here. You can also contact support here.

Please let us know if that helps.

Best regards.

Answer 29

After doing some research on the internet, I understand this problem (blacking out or freezing) isn't unique to the MS Surface.  Other types of tablet can also have the same problem.

What I found was that the power saving option (of going to the sleep mode) might be the reason why the screen goes dark.  I went into the control panel (either via the metro icons or via the desktop screen), select power, select "never" in the "put the computer to sleep" in the "balanced" option.  Make sure you click on the "save changes".  Since I don't have my tablet in front of me I am not sure I am giving you all the "steps" but it's the general direction: control panel, power options, "never" in going to sleep.  You need to play around your tablet. 

I haven't had any "black outs" since I made the change.  This power saving option also caused my PC to go to "sleep" and I did the same "never" with the PC a year or so ago. 

Hope this works for you (and continue to work for me).  Hate when my toys are not working right.

Answer 30

Hello Yve,

Sorry to hear about your son experience on Surface RT. As I understand, the Surface RT won't turn on or accept charging. I also understand annoying this situation must e for you and your son. Be reassured that we're hear to help and direct you to the right support channels.

 I suggest:

Method 1

1. Connect the Surface to the charger  ( for a little while)
2. Press and hold the Power button for 10-15 seconds then release
3. If the Surface logo doesn't show up, repeat that few times.

If the Surface doesn't still turn on,

Method 2

Please take the device to the retail Store or contact our service center here.

Let's know if you have any further questions.

Cheers,

Answer 31

I figured out how to fix it, hold down top button long enough and it reboots and works fine

Answer 32

Did you create a restore USB? You might have to refresh using that.

There are instructions here http://www.windows8core.com/how-to-boot-your-microsoft-surface-with-windows-rt-into-recovery-mode/

If you didn't create the recovery USB you might be in luck as Microsoft released the Windows 8 restore image for the original Surface RT.

Answer 33

Greetings,

Please contact Surface Technical Support.

Answer 34

Greetings Corina,

Sorry to hear about your experience. Please contact Surface Technical Support and let them know what you are experiencing.

Answer 35

Greetings Tom,

Microsoft is aware of the issue and is working to resolve it as soon as possible.

Answer 36

It must have ran out of battery. Charge it with the powerbrick.

Answer 37

Probably the only thing you can do is press and hold down the power button for about 15 seconds and release and see if it will boot up.  If not, contact Microsoft Technical Support and send it back for replacement.

Answer 38

Greetings BrentColbert,

Sorry to hear about your experience with the Surface RT. Please contact Surface Technical Support.

Answer 39

Here is the web link to Microsoft Technical Support for Philippines: http://support.microsoft.com/?ln=en-ph&wa=wsignin1.0

Also, here is a phone number as well: +63 2 859 0505

You may also try to press and hold down the power button for about 20 seconds and then release to see if it will come on.

Answer 40

Hello RemoGonzales,

Sorry to hear that your Surface Rt will not turn on. Please ensure that your Surface is plugged in and the tip of the charger is showing the white light.

If your Surface still will not power on, please try the following:

1. Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds
2. Wait 5 seconds
3. Press the power button again

If your Surface still will not power on, please try:

1. Press the power button once every 1/2 second for 10 seconds.

If your Surface RT still will not power on, contact support here.

Best regards.

Answer 41

After trying for around an hour, I got it to power up. I had to hold down the power button for around 20 seconds. This was with the keyboard attached. So is this down to a certain update which had been applied ?

Answer 42

Hello rb810,

Sorry to hear that your screen went dark on your Surface RT.

Please try the following steps:

                1) Attach the power supply.

                2) Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds.

                3) Repeatedly press and release the power button once every half second

                4) wait a few seconds to see if the Surface powers on

If this does not resolve the issue you may need to have the device replaced.

Depending on what is most convenient for you, you can:

1. Open a service request yourself, using our Online Service Center.
2. Contact our Technical Support team here.

Best regards.

Answer 43

Greetings Stephen,

I would suggest contacting Surface Support: http://www.microsoft.com/surface/support/contact-us/.

Answer 44

Hi Hugo, unfortunately that didn't fix the problem.  I have contacted support by phone and they are going to swap out the device as the battery appears to have failed.

Answer 45

The same problem just occurred with my Surface RT tablet. When restarting the unit, the "restarting" screen faded out, but the tablet never booted back up. holding the power button did not help. I attempted this several times and the unit would not respond. out of frustration, I rapidly pressed the power button several times and the unit finally began to power on. I don't know if this was a fluke or a coincidence, but my Surface did finally power back on.

This was really helpful as everything I tried would not get it to power up.. Rapidly pressing the power button was the only thing that brought the power back on.

Answer 46

Hello DamianSharp,

Sorry to hear about the issues with black screen and keyboard. Hope this helps.

To remove High contrast do the following.

1. From the Start screen, open the Settings charm.
2. Tap or click Change PC settings.
3. Tap or click Ease of Access.
4. Turn off High Contrast

When you mentioned that the padded keyboard does not work, could you elaborate?

Is it certain keys or all of them?

Have you unplugged the keyboard and plugged back in to see if it makes any difference? 

Thanks.

Answer 47

Hello Tah11,

If the steps provided by Steven did not resolve the issue you may need to have the device replaced.

Depending on what is most convenient for you, you can:

1. Open a service request yourself, using our Online Service Center, or
2. Contact our Technical Support team here

We're sorry for the inconvenience and hope this helps.

Thanks!

Answer 48

Greetings,

Sorry to hear about your Surface. Please try the following:

1. If the Surface is on, press and hold down the Power Button for 10 seconds to turn Surface off. 
2. Tap the Power Button to turn Surface on.
3. Surface will, again, start with a "Preparing Automatic Repair" under the Surface logo.
4. Then, you will see the "Diagnosing your PC" screen.
5. Once you are back at the "Automatic Repair" screen, tap or click Advanced Options.
6. Now, from the Choose an Option screen, tap or click Troubleshoot.
7. On the Troubleshoot screen you will need to tap or click Advanced Options again.
8. This will display another list and from here, tap or click Command Prompts.
9. A Command Prompt window is opened.
10. From here you will need to type the following command to delete the "System" file.

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM /P

11. After typing the command, press Enter.  

12. Now answer "Y" (yes) to the command confirmation prompt and press Enter.

If the Delete command was successful, there will not be a message returned at the command prompt. If an error message is displayed, check to see that the command was entered correctly and try again. If the error message continues, the Surface will require a service. ***

13. Now, close the Command Prompt window by clicking the red X or type EXIT and press Enter.

14. You should be back on the Choose an Option screen.

15. Tap or click Troubleshoot, then tap or click Reset your PC.
16. Now tap or click Just Remove my Files.
17. Tap Reset to start the reset process.

Just a Reminder:  All personal files and apps will be removed from the Surface during the reset process. 

From here the Reset process should start.  When it finishes, Surface will restart in the Windows Setup Wizard just as it should when first unboxed.

*** If the Command Prompt failed, you may initiate an exchange yourself at the Surface Online Service Center

Answer 49

It is possible that your Surface has hung in sleep mode. The steps Kate gave you are similar to what I've had success with and have suggested to folks with frequent success. This is what I recommend:

1.) Press and hold the power button on the Surface for 10-12 seconds to ensure that it is powered off.

2.) Wait about 30 seconds.

3.) Press and hold the power button for 2-3 seconds.

4.) Give the Surface about 5 minutes and watch for the Surface logo. In most cases if this has worked users will notice activity within about 30 seconds but I have seen a couple that have gone approximately 2 minutes before noticing activity on the device.

If this doesn't work it is possible that the Surface has failed and, in this case, an exchange would be your best bet. If the Surface was purchased at a physical store it should be able to be exchanged at the same store it was purchased at, otherwise you can set up an exchange request yourself from myservice.surface.com or you can contact Surface Support and set up an exchange with a support agent.

I hope this helps!

Answer 50

From time-to-time the Surface can become stuck in sleep mode and requires a hard reset in order to get it up and running again. As Steven_B suggested, hold down the power button for 10-12 seconds to ensure that the unit is powered off, wait about 30 seconds or so and then hold the power button down for 2-3 seconds to attempt to turn it on. At this point it may take upwards of 2-minutes for the Surface splash screen to come up.

If it does not start up after this process I would recommend heading to myservice.surface.com, signing on with your Microsoft Account and using the Problem with a device option to set up an Exchange yourself or, if you prefer, you can visit Surface.com/support and select your product and the issue that best represents your problem from the dropdown. From that point select to either Start a Chat or Request a Callback to speak with a Surface Support agent to set up an Exchange that way.

I hope this helps!

Answer 51

Greetings VidhuJ,

When your Surface is charging, there should be a white light that shows on the end of the charger cable that is attached to your Surface.

If your charge cable is plugged in and connected to the Surface but the white light is not showing, there may be a problem with your charge cable. Can you please confirm if your charge cable is plugged in and the white light is showing?

Answer 52

Yesterday I checked for updates and everything was up to date, so I was planning to refresh the PC today, but this morning there were several updates ready for install including a new hardware update.  So I installed all of them, and everything is working properly so far.

Thanks.

Answer 53

Hello,

I returned the tablet and got a brand new one. I haven't had the same problem with the new tablet so far. I hope it won't happen again.

Answer 54

Are you sure your Surface is charging? Do you see the illuminated white LED light on the charger when it is plugged in?

1. Attach the Power Supply to the device.
2. Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds.
3. Repeatedly press and hold the power button for 1/2 second before releasing, wait a few seconds to see if the Surface boots up, if it does not, repeat the process.

If your Surface isn't powering on it may be defective.

You may exchange it online here: http://myservice.surface.com,

You can contact technical support here: http://www.microsoft.com/surface/support/contact-us/

Or you may exchange it at a Microsoft Store.

Answer 55

Make sure that your Surface has the latest updates, if it does and you are still experiencing the issue it may be worth trying a Refresh.

In the search box type "Refresh Your PC" with the SETTINGS box chosen. This will wipe your device back to default levels, removing all programs but KEEPING your files.

If this doesn't do the trick you could try "Remove Everything and Reinstall Windows" which will wipe everything completely.

If you still have the issues, you could submit a support ticket and/or exchange your Surface in-store.

Answer 56

Hello Brock,

It appears that you may have a faulty power button. Please get in touch with the Surface Technical Support to get an exchange.

You can do this yourself here: http://myservice.surface.com or by contacting the Surface Technical support team here: http://www.microsoft.com/surface/support/contact-us/.

Please let me know if the exchanged Surface starts the issue again.

Answer 57

Hello Ian Blackburn.

I am sorry you are having that issue.  It sounds like it might be a software issue, however there are a few things I would recommend before contacting the Technical Customer Support Team.

First, the settings on your Surface with Windows RT allow you to choose what the device does when you close the cover or press the power button.  You will want to double check what your settings are set as currently.

To do this:

1. Swipe for Charms
2. Type "Power" in the Search
3. Select "Power Options"
4. Select Choose what closing the lid does or Choose what the power button does

If making adjustments to your settings and restarting your Surface have not fixed the issue, you will want to try a refresh or a reset.

Refresh your Surface

Refreshing your Surface re-installs Windows while keeping your personal files, settings and any apps that you have installed.

1.Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings and then tap Change PC settings.

(If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, click Settings and then click Change PC settings.)

2.Tap or click General.

3.Under Refresh your PC without affecting your files, tap or click Get started.

4.Follow the on-screen instructions.

Reset your Surface

ImportantAll of your personal files will be deleted and your settings will be reset. Any apps that came with your Surface will be re-installed, but all other apps will be removed. However, your apps can be easily re-installed using the steps below.

1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings. 

(If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.) 2. Tap or click General. 3. Under Remove everything and re-install Windows, tap or click Get started. 4. Follow the instructions on the screen.

Note You'll be prompted to choose whether you want to erase data quickly or thoroughly. If you choose to erase data quickly, some data might be recoverable using special software (not included with your Surface.) If you choose to erase data thoroughly, this will take longer but it makes recovering data far less likely. After your Surface is reset, re-install your other apps using the following steps:

1. From the Start screen, tap or click Store.
2. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen (or right click your mouse), and then tap or click Your apps.
3. Swipe down on or right-click to select the apps you want to install, and then tap or click Install.

If you have completed all of these steps, and still having trouble with your sleep function. You will need to contact the Technical Customer Support Team or you can do this yourself by creating a Service Order.

I hope this helps! Let us know if you have any more questions!

Answer 58

MS is replacing my device. They believe it's either a bad image or a hardware problem. The tech suggested that you contact MS Store Support to get the process started.

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/html/pbPage.Help_Return_Exchange

Answer 59

Have you tried holding down the power button? Or, placing it back on the charger for awhile?

Also, make sure the charger light (small white light at top of connection) actually comes on when connecting it. Sometimes it doesn't seat itself correctly.

So, if holding the power button doesn't do it, place it on the charger, make sure the white light comes on, wait about 15 minutes then try turning it on.

Worst case scenario, you return if for another device.

Good luck.

Answer 60

My surface tablet will not power on, charger is connected,is there any way to do a hard reboot?

As the device is a new one so it must be under the warranty,so safe thing will be to get hardware inspected by the  servicing center.It seems your power supply needs service. Request service at the Surface Online Service Center

Answer 61

Anyone else have an issue where the power button is not responsive?  I have noticed that it doesn't turn on easily, will hold down button for 10seconds and sometimes it turns o, often it doesn't.  Then sometimes it will turn on with a very quick touch.  Usually the capacitative windows button is responsive but the screen won't turn on.  Very inconsistent and frustrating.

Answer 62

I hit the same issue this morning... It took me about 5 minutes before I actually got it to turn on. Anyone have any idea what's up?

Answer 63

My surface tablet will not power on, charger is connected,is there any way to do a hard reboot?