Surface Pro 7 trackpad freezes

Anonymous
2020-03-31T15:50:24+00:00

I received a new Surface Pro 7 8GB 128GB on 27/03/20. The trackpad cursor freezes after a very short time of use on mains power. Cursor unfreezes with power cable is removed. My SP7 is fully updated from Windows update and no other software installed.

Going to Microsoft Support and speaking with a chat agent, I completed steps of running diagnostics and resetting the computer. The problem remained just as bad. The agent decided it was a hardware issue and authorised a return. A new SP7 arrived today 31/03/20 and it has exactly the same problem! In fact it is worse, in that the cursor goes into frozen state more quickly after I attach the power cable. Further chat with agents - they are going to send me a new power supply. But I am dubious that will help.

I like the Surface Pro 7, and it works great on battery power, but is frustrating that the trackpad is completely unusable while on mains power. I suspect some manufacturing fault of inadequate shielding of the trackpad from magnetic interference caused by the power supply. But who knows? I have Surface Laptop 2 and have never had any problem with its trackpad while on mains power.

The last Microsoft chat agent told me my case would be escalated to a more advanced technician. I mentioned that there are over 200 people reporting the same problem in https://answers.microsoft.com/. See http://tiny.cc/u5f8lz He said they have nothing about this problem in their database.

Surface | Surface Pro | Power and battery

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-04-18T13:34:31+00:00

    I have the same problem - i tried 3 microsoft original power supplies (including the dock). and even a 3rd party USB-C power supply.

    same problem. what mitigates the problem is touching the BACK of the Surface Pro 7 screen while this happens and it will return to normal operation for a few minutes and then show up again.

    I got my SF 7 as a bundle on black friday sale. it came bundled with that type cover.

    If i could return it - i would - useless piece of hardware which i cannot use. This is 100% design flaw in the EMF sheilding of the SF 7 and i read online on other forums that this issue was present in SF 6 as well.  I did all the nonsense microsoft asked me to do as mentioned above. nothing helped. 

    i even reached to MS support on twitter - they said they had "no such incidents that they are aware of" and waived me off.

    Lousy hardware and lousy support. Microsoft should acknowledge this flaw and take back the device and refund us.

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-09-17T18:54:20+00:00

    I have the same problem, but found something that does help.

    When the cursor starts sticking, but hasn't yet completely become immobile, touch your fingers to the metal part of the Surface (the part that unfolds to make a stand) and the mouse will un-stick.

    Of course, sooner or later, probably sooner, it'll start sticking again.

    If it gets completely frozen, touching the metal doesn't help. When it's completely frozen, unpluging the power cable and reattaching it doesn't help. I have to detach the type cover. Doesn't take but a few seconds, but it's very frustrating.

    This has been going on for years with the Surface Pro and I can't understand why Microsoft doesn't seems to care there's no cure.

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-04-06T17:02:20+00:00

    Hi RichardWeber1,

    Thank you for reaching out Microsoft Community. We're sorry for the run around and for the inconvenience this has caused you.

    Kind Regards,

    Crest_Z

    Thank you Crest_Z for offering this help. However, these steps of deleting and reinstalling drivers and then running the Surface Diagnostics Toolkit did not solve my problem. Just to summarise.

    1. The touchpad cursor freezes only when I am running the Surface off mains power. On battery power the touchpad cursor behaves smoothly. I can usually unfreeze the cursor by momentarily removing and then replacing the power cable.
    2. This has happened consistently with both of the two Surface Pro 7s that I have received from the Microsoft Store on 26 and 31 March (and Signature Covers) and 3 different power supplies. I don't know whether this fault that happens with every Surface Pro (and perhaps other customers do not notice - something I think is unlikely) or whether it is a manufacturing fault in only the two I have received. My Surface Laptop 2 has no similar problem.
    3. I have tried what you explained above. I  have also tried plugging the power supply into different wall sockets around my home. With the first Surface Pro I received I tried the step of resetting the machine. All my Windows software is up-to-date with
    4. The problem was evident before I installed any application software.
    5. Using an external wireless mouse works fine. But I really would like to be able to use the touchpad.
    6. The problem is very easy to reproduce. I only have to be on a page and start making circles or lines back and forth on the screen. The cursor will usually freeze after less than a minute - but, as I say, only when the computer is running on mains power.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-12-13T02:10:47+00:00

    fix:

    Install the Intel Graphics Command Center from the Microsoft Store, opening it, going to System>Power>Panel Self Refresh and turning it off  (may have to do it for both "On Battery" and "Plugged In")

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-07-09T16:18:07+00:00

    "This is 100% design flaw in the EMF sheilding of the SF 7 and i read online on other forums that this issue was present in SF 6 as well.  I did all the nonsense microsoft asked me to do as mentioned above. nothing helped. "

    THANK YOU!!

    You just saved me a bunch of time and wasted energy.

    I guess the silver lining here is that all I need to do to get the stupid trackpad to work properly is unplug the device from the power cord, which has worked the several times I tested your comment. 

    Pen works.

    Mouse works.

    Touch screen works.

    So I can't use the trackpad as efficiently as I'd like - ironically the same reason I bought the SP7 to replace my ASUS Flip. Got tired of using a trackpad as it hurts my wrist.

    Thanks again

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