Surface Pro 9 won't enter tablet mode after disconnecting the type cover

My brand new Surface pro 9 has the same issue. Contacted Microsoft...never heard of this problem before they said....unbelievable. I had to find this thread by myself! Come on Microsoft give us a honest answer, you are so quiet!

Just to summarize where we're at for everyone:

Microsoft has done nothing to fix the issue, as of September the issue persists

The issue is clearly a software issue because the device can correctly detect removal of the keyboard as indicated by Device Manager and/or the Surface app but just fails to respond to that

There are multiple workarounds of various levels of nuisance: enter standby and wake up after removal of keyboard (so long as you resume after removal it works), fold the keyboard back, attach/remove a charger, and one I haven't seen mentioned here but have seen elsewhere - rotate the device *before* keyboard removal. The last one is particularly strange because the tablet will correctly detect the screen rotation when the keyboard is attached, but *not* when it's detached if still in desktop mode.

I've got a sneaking suspicion that Microsoft just kind of gave up on this issue after a basic attempt at fixing it - the multiple warranty returns for what is clearly a fixable software problem (that didn't exist on earlier software builds at that) must be costing them a non-trivial amount of money...

Unfortunately, ISSUE PERSIST

This phenomenon is also happening to Surface Pro 8, after I got bamboozled into upgrading to Windows 11 from its original Windows 10

My experience dealing with my own device woes, the observations I have made, and things I have tested should be able to shed more light into this issues (which are very similar in nature). I've done it all like everyone else, REF. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfacepro-surfver_surfpro8-surftop_install/signature-type-cover-keyboard-with-slim-surface/2f4d9649-660b-4126-a5cd-b9eb0ee50784

• Run Surface Diagnostic Toolkit,
• Run System File Checker Tool,
• Reset this PC (Windows built in settings for troubleshooting),
• Hard reboot UEFI start up (Type Cover keyboard and trackpad does not work in UEFI),
• Cleaning of connection points between Type Cover and Pro 8 are clean as if brand new,
• Surface Image Recovery (fully clean the drive) using https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/surface-recovery-image?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US and Surface Pro8 i7/16/256 - Windows 11 Home Version 22H2
• Installing all current drivers and firmware for the Surface Pro 8 Download Surface Pro 8 Drivers and Firmware from Official Microsoft Download Center,
• I also did the Microsoft tool SensorExplorer test and found sensors related to autorotate stuck in their default values (usually zero).

But I can tell you one thing, your Surface is likely detecting the Type Keyboard, check out Lthe options inside the Surface App app version 61.23060.579.0, the Type Cover shows when attached, and goes away when detached, phenomenon and issues persists (unable to autorotate (regardless of whether rotation lock is engaged or notIt is definitely not the display drivers, as I can manually change from portrait to landscapeI have a high suspicion it has to do with the firmware changes to "get rid of tablet mode" in Windows 11

I am also getting the short end of the stick attempting to do In-Warranty claims

Because my Surface is six months from the purchase date, they are saying this is a hardware issue and tells me to do a In-Warranty Claim and gives me NO OPTION by a Standard Exchange.

So what does Standard Exchange entails? -- in one word Russian Roulette - Google to find out.In Microsoft Support's very own words,

**"**we are only limited to let you know of what we know when it comes for replacing our Customer's devices. It will be the customer's decision if they would go with the In-warranty replacement or not. Before agreeing with the replacement option, just a heads up, the replacement we send out are Genuine Microsoft Refurbished products that have been inspected, tested, cleaned, and refurbished using genuine Microsoft parts. Each product goes through a rigorous quality certification process. Genuine Microsoft Refurbished products help reduce waste, which contributes toward our sustainability goals. Learn more at Microsoft’s commitment to sustainability. r

Products may be replaced with a similar Genuine Microsoft Refurbished product available in your country closest to the original model’s form, functionality, and performance. The color may be substituted if unavailable."

After reading many worrying recounts of these so called Genuine Microsoft Refurbished product replacements, I pressed Microsoft to define that are the standards that the claimed "rigorous quality certification process" entails - they won't provide anything but a repeat of the exact same statement above"

They even added that there is likely to be cosmetic damage to these Genuine Microsoft Refurbished product replacements, essentially "you take it or leave it". And the conversation is such that they would not entertain you if you reject the replacement for "cosmetic condition", even when I countered that my Surface is unblemished and I have the macro shots of every angel to document it.

So, the In-warranty and Standard Exchange processes are NOT AT ALL REASSURING . I also learned I can't get my original device back even when I reject - look closely at the "Microsoft Limited Hardware Warranty", there is a very very sneaky clause they put in there.

It reads, "Microsoft may use either the same unit model or, if unavailable, the model nearest to the original model’s form, functionality, and performance, in Microsoft’s sole discretion*.*"

AND

"The Microsoft Product or all parts of your Microsoft Product that Microsoft has replaced become Microsoft’s property*.* "

And they won't even offer to repair my device In-warranty, only "Standard Exchange"

I was pretty cordial by giving Microsoft the chance to explain what are the policies and protection behind these vague terms like "Standard Exchange", "rigorous quality certification process" and "closest to the original model’s form, functionality, and performance", because such policies will be very helpful when there are disputes Microsoft and I , and arbitration is needed

But there is really nothing. They gave nothing. I feel its just empty words. Their official responses convey this, there is no mistaking it. If yours is a brand new Surface device and if your are wavering between waiting for Microsoft to work on a fix, or getting a refund- my gut feeling says demand a refund before your device is a few months old and they force you to do a Standard Exchange or throw in refurbished parts, for which "rigorous quality certification process" are undefined and **** unmeasurable

with little in way of remedy and roll back after you take up Microsoft's "Standard Exchange" offer

and "Microsoft may use either the same unit model or, if unavailable, the model nearest to the original model’s form, functionality, and performance, in Microsoft’s sole discretion*.*" - so you can totally just skip arbitration in the event of a dispute

Hi Wayne Strydom,

Thank you for reaching Microsoft Community and apologies for the inconvenience this has caused you.

Just to make sure: this happens every time you detach the typecover, right? or there are times also that when you detach the typecover, the device is able to detect it and automatically goes to tablet mode? or if you do a re-attach and detach several times, would the device eventually detect it and goes to tablet mode or not at all and you would need to restart the device without the typecover attached for it to go to tablet mode?

Tablet mode in Windows 11 no longer exists as a specific mode. The device should automatically go to tablet mode whenever the typecover is detached. See: Frequently Asked Questions: Windows 11 - Microsoft Community for more details. Considering that a reinstall of Windows were tried already and still issue persists, this seems to be a hardware issue already on the connectors of the device where it is unable to detect that the typecover is being detach and thus, it does not go to tablet mode, but can you please try these steps below first then let me know how it goes:

Detach the typecover (device stays in Desktop mode due to the issue)

Open Device Manager

Click on Action

Select Scan for hardware changes

Check if the device detects that the typecover is detached and goes to tablet mode

Kind regards,
Marrion