Surface Pro 3 dock not detecting external monitor

Anonymous
2014-08-13T15:12:33+00:00

I have a new surface pro 3 and I purchased two docking stations. 1 for the office and one for home. Neither docking stations allows the pro3 to detect a monitor that is plugged into it.   I can plug the monitor directly into the pro3 and it detects if fine both at home and at the office.   I can tell you that its a serious interruption professionally, and personally and does not bode well for MS's desires to serve the business community.   What I need is a solution.

Surface | Accessories | Surface Dock

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Anonymous
2015-10-25T14:03:15+00:00

I have a new surface pro 3 and I purchased two docking stations. 1 for the office and one for home. Neither docking stations allows the pro3 to detect a monitor that is plugged into it.   I can plug the monitor directly into the pro3 and it detects if fine both at home and at the office.   I can tell you that its a serious interruption professionally, and personally and does not bode well for MS's desires to serve the business community.   What I need is a solution.

hey guys

I had exact same issue and I did this and the issue magically solved!!

a two button restart:

  • Power off the Surface Pro
  • Hold Volume Up and the Power button for 10 seconds
  • Release buttons
  • Wait 5-10 seconds
  • Power on the Surface

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Anonymous
2014-08-13T23:38:43+00:00

Hi will-eman,

Thank you for visiting the Microsoft Community! Sorry to know that your Docking Stations are not detecting your external displays. I can certainly understand why this is an inconvenience, especially when, as you mention, it is used in a business environment and for professional purposes. I’d like to help and hopefully provide the best possible solution!

Please try the following:

  • With the Surface and external display connected to the Docking Station, unplug the Docking Station from the power outlet, leave it unplugged for 30 seconds to a minute, then plug it back and see if the displays are recognized.
  • Please make sure all and latest Windows updates are installed. If so, verify all updates were taken while the Docking Station was connected to the Surface.
  • When you connect the external monitor, do you have any other devices connected to the Docking Station as well? And if so, have you tried removing all devices and connecting the external monitor only?
  • Have you tried connecting other external displays to the docking Station? Are ALL displays or devices not recognized?
  • Have you tried the what Ed Bott - MVP suggests?

 Additionally, please read the following support article:

We hope this information works! Please keep us posted!

We are always here to help!

Best Wishes,

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-01-25T20:41:31+00:00

    This actually worked! How weird. Did not show monitor 3, but when you go to the pulldown it was an option. Selected it and low and behold there it is working. Really a shame that Microsoft cannot get their stuff together on this. They are going to drive business users away. This really is a bug that needs fixing to keep me as a customer.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-01-25T20:36:01+00:00

    Not helpful. I have two Dell U2414H monitors daisy chained off the DisplayPort, and intermittently when I dock it does not identify one of the monitors. Happens so frequently that I am thinking of giving the Surface Pro and dock to one of my employees to use and getting a different device. The only thing else connected to the dock is the Logitech K520 bluetooth keyboard/mouse via USB. I have tried removing this to see if it was interfering with it, but to no avail. I have checked to make sure I have all the updates. I have tried unplugging all of the devices, both power and DisplayPorts. Powered down the Surface, did the volume up power recycle, etc. No explanation I can find, and none of these fixes listed are helpful. It comes and goes, some days I put it in the docking station and no problem. Others not so much.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-01-21T16:05:05+00:00

    Maybe this is a clue to what is happening.

    After months of not having 2 monitors when they were working in the past.  I finally decided to purchase a Diamond USB 3 to HDMI adapter and plugged it into the dock.  Installed the drivers, and the additional screen didn't work. 

    Ugh!!!!

    When I right clicked on the Desktop and clicked Display Settings, I could only see two Monitors 1 & 3, (i.e. the SP3 and mini display port monitor on the docking station)

    I then clicked on "Advanced display settings" located under the apply button.

    Even though extra display didn't show up in the identify monitor display window.  Clicking the dropdown under Multiply displays, I could see "duplicate monitors on 1 and 2".  I clicked it and all three monitors appeared in the main display settings page and started working.  A little rearranging on the screen and all three monitors worked the way I wanted them.

    So being the curious type, I unplugged the USB 3 adapter and re-plugged in the mini display port adapter and 3 monitors are working again as they where originally setup, i.e. one monitor plugged into the mini-display port on the docking station and the second monitor plugged into the mini display port on the surface pro 3.

    Hence, it's definitely not a hardware issue or an issue with the monitors.

    Obviously, I can't recreate it and I don't recommend buying a USB3 to HDMI adapter, but someone with the issue might try this:

    Hook up 2 monitors.

    Right-click on the desktop and click Display Settings.

    Notice they only see monitors 1 and 3 or 1 and 2.

    Click on Advanced Display Settings.

    Select the drop down on Multiple displays and see if it contains the missing monitor. 

    Select the option that contains the missing monitor and see it fixes the issue.

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