Surface 3 charging issues

Anonymous
2015-05-06T14:21:00+00:00

I'm sure the Surface 2 and other models suffered from this problem...

After getting my Surface 3 yesterday, I plugged it in as it was delivered with about 24% batter life.  The little white light on the micro-USB charger than comes with the Surface lit up.  I assumed all was well, and started the Windows Updates.  It was taking a while so I left it and went to bed.

The next morning the Surface was off, and when I tried to switch it on the battery symbol appeared that indicates it had no juice.  It was still plugged in to the charger and the plug was still lit.

I removed it a couple of times and eventually it must have started to charge as it allowed me to boot, and I could see it was charging.

However, whenever I plug it into any other USB port to charge it (such as on my PC), I get the "Plugged in, not charging" message).

I suspect a faulty micro-USB connector (a poor replacement for the old magnetic ones), but wanted to see if anyone elese was having trouble with either the supplied charger or charging from other USB ports.

Surface | Other

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Anonymous
2015-12-17T00:35:26+00:00

MA_905,

Thanks for the update and sorry for the delay in following up.

I am reaching out to find out if your issue is now resolved and if not, I would like for you to please give the two button shutdown a try.

Here’s how:

Step 1: Press and hold the power button on your Surface for 30 seconds and then release it.
Step 2: Press and hold the volume-up button and the power button at the same time for at least 15 seconds and then release both.        <br> <br><br>The screen may flash the Surface logo, but continue holding the buttons down for at least 15 seconds.
Step 3: After you release the buttons, wait 10 seconds.
Step 4: Press and release the power button to turn your Surface back on.

 Once done, please proceed to fully charge the device and let us know your outcome.

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Anonymous
2015-05-06T16:58:56+00:00

what's more likely is that the USB ports that you've used can't provide enough power to charge the device.

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Barb Bowman 80,810 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2015-07-22T16:55:03+00:00

On Wed, 22 Jul 2015 16:31:18 +0000, quadtek wrote:

>> This is a surface 3, not a pro3

take a look at

http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/warranty-service-and-recovery/surface-wont-turn-on#shutdown

  • this applies to your Surface 3

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Barb

Windows Experience MVP

My Blog - http://digitalmediaphile.com/

Please mark as answered if this answers your question

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Barb Bowman 80,810 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2016-03-05T11:51:47+00:00

did you try the solutions at https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/warranty-service-and-recovery/surface-wont-turn-on-battery-wont-charge?os=windows-10 ?

If yes, your best option is to go to a physical retail Microsoft Store if you are near one in the US, and if not near a store https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/contact-us

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Anonymous
2015-12-17T00:48:32+00:00

I contacted MS and they helped me in this one. I had to do a current update. when this did not fix it I had to a a factory reset. then do the update battery life is now as expected.

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-10-03T13:21:35+00:00

    11 pages in a thread about charging the Surface 3 (not Pro for the avoidance of doubt) tell their own story: there is a significant issue which Microsoft has both created and now, over a period of months, failed to address in any meaningful way.

    I think it fair to make three initial points before launching in criticism:

    1. The Surface 3 is a really great device
    2. Having a standard Micro USB power interface is a tremendous bonus as it should mean one power source for the phone as well. Far better than a proprietary "brick"
    3. The next model will probably cure all this as it will have USB3 - see the Lumia 950 due to be announced and other devices coming onto the market.

    The criticisms fall into two categories:

    i. Design

    ii. Software

    i. Design

    This is above all a device designed to be portable and therefore for travel. To leverage the advantage of a single connector type the connector needs to be usable with other devices as well. Above all, the connector needs to fit the device for which it was made. The Surface 3 brick and cable fail on all counts:-

    1. The brick is sharp edged and therefore inimical for travelling in a bag
    2. Although the brick can take different adaptors for different countries these are neither provided in the package nor, it would appear, available. Thus I bought my S3 at an airport in the UK travelling to Europe. Why was I not provided with the UK plug adaptor, the EU one and, ideally, a US one? Peanuts on the price.
    3. A Surface design feature, presumably so as not to upset the Apple patent lawyers, is the bevelled edge. The cable end does not fit the edge. There was no production reason why the port could not have been inset do as to be square. Some in this thread think it may be one of the reasons for charging failing
    4. Even worse as far as I am concerned, the block design on the micro USB end means that the connector will not fit a phone. Especially if the phone is in a case
    5. It would appear, and I think I can confirm, that unless a USB cable with a decent amount of copper is used there will be significant and potentially problem creating voltage drop. OK but the MSFT instructions do not make this clear. Instead saying to use the provided kit. Which in turn negates the advantage of universality and then generates pages of complaint here.

    ii. Software

    Others have commented on the threshold requirement. It seems to me that MSFT have simply failed to address the issue. Not least in providing proper warnings.

    Conclusion

    This thread has helped me and confirmed my own experience. It also shows the amount of ill will a company such as Microsoft can needlessly generate by failing to write sensible instructions and then failing to have competent people answer a thread such as this.

    a. One needs at least a 2+ma  power source. No need to use the supplied one. I use a MU which has a folding UK plug so is good for travelleing. Otherwise a wall plate with built in 2.1 USB

    b. One needs a decent USB cable. I use a Nokia one from a not recent mobile phone. Shows the quality they insisted on when they were a Finnish company!

    I have not had problems since. Other than irritation that the Micro USB port is not recessed as decent design would have dictated.

    I hope this synopsis helps others to also solve the problem in a cheap and practical way.

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