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
    2015-02-11T19:33:26+00:00

    I use two external monitors, one connected to the docking station and the other directly to the tablet. Often, the second external display (the one attached to the docking station) goes blank and the display appears on the tablet. Usually if I fiddle with the cable for a while, the second external display is restored. I am using CableMatters cables. The external display attached directly to the tablet works flawlessly.

    I don't know whether the problem with the monitor connected to the docking station is with the cable or the jack. I have switched the cables, though, with the same result, leading me to believe it's the jack.

    I'd like to solve this problem once and for all because it really interferes with my work.

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-02-11T03:30:07+00:00

    Of the two docking stations I have, one is harder to get a reliable connection than the other, but both are  difficult. I'm worried that I'm going to damage the connector trying to get the Surface to work on the dock.

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-02-11T03:18:19+00:00

    I have an SP3 and two docking stations.  On one docking station I never have any problems.  On the other the SP3 only occasionally recognizes the external monitor.  Multiple plug/unplug and reboot will sometimes get it to work.  All drivers are up to date.  I exchanged the non-working docking station at the store I bought it from but this did not change the experience.  Like others, any time I plug the monitor into the SP3 itself there is no problem.  Unfortunately, the whole point of the docking station is to dock the machine and use a desktop monitor and keyboard.  There are enough of us that MS should be able to replicate this problem and either fix it or at least acknowledge it.

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