Surface Pro Flex Keyboard Charging issues

I can charge the keyboard, only via the original Surface Charger, which came with the device. For me its unacceptable that none USB-C docking stations, is not enough for it. I would expect that I can decide that if the wattage is enough to charge surface, the surface should re-charge the keyboard, when its on 100% at least. But not.

MS is not doing any usc-c docking stations, I had the older surface speaker dock, and which is directly from MS, Surface line, and this works even worse than to compare to HP or DELL usb-c docks.

The whole Surface Pro 11, and the flex keyboard is a terrible experience.

April 20th 2025
I have just started exper6iencing this issue - same as described by everyone else.
I'm not sure why I escaped for so long, but here we are. Six months after the first report and no word from the people at Microsoft.

I am using the FlexKeyboard as main keyboard, attached and not attached. It is a great keyboard and offering some long-wanted flexibility for my workflow as illustrator. During a full day use, from one day to another, the battery loses about 30%, no matter if attached or not. Hence, I use it detached most of the time.

But, dear Microsoft, the charging procedure can be simplified, please.

To start charging, it usually needs a trigger as it will NOT charge automatically when connected: pressing the ESC button until the Fn LED is blinking and the pen LED is glowing. But - unfortunately - it is not really straightforward, as there are still three possibilities:

• sometimes it will start charging
• of not, I need to detach the keyboard, press the ESC key and attach again,
• if not, I need to restart the Surface Pro after the detach procedure.

The Surface itself hat to be in the following status:

• fully charged or charging, as the keyboard will only charge to the level of the Surface
• the keyboard lid has to be open
• charging the Surface via surface connector or USB-C has no impact. The keyboard will always charge.

When charging, it does 15% in about 10 min.

Please note, when at a level of <20%, it starts to unload rather quickly, so better start charging.

If the battery level is 0%, it still can be used, but only attached. The keyboard firmware has not changed in the last months: 10.10.139

P.S.
Despite those charging confusions I like it. As illustrator, I use the Surface line for drawing. But Photoshop, which is my major drawing app, demands for using a keyboard in addition which I can move aside to better draw on the screen. Left hand, I control the keyboard, right hand I draw. In the past, I used three keyboards: a bigger bluetooth keyboard in my office, the surface keyboard when travelling and another foldable bluetooth keyboard when drawing outside of the office. All keyboards had different layouts and made it more difficult to use. Now I just use the FlexKeyboard.
Also, when running seminars, I love using the detached FlexKeyboard to control my Surface from distance. But, as I said before, the charging procedure should be simplified...

I'm having the same problem.

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In addition to the other things, I thought I remembered somewhere reading that if the surface pro isn't charging, then the keyboard won't. For example, if it's set to stop charging at 79% or so, then you can have it plugged in all day and it may not charge the keyboard even though it's on power all that time.