Keyboard stopped working on Surface pro 8. Why?

Anonymous
2023-03-12T21:37:29+00:00

So I take my surface pro 8 and the keyboard doesnt work or charge the pen, though it did an hour ago. I tried going to uefi but the keyboard still work. I updated it and it still wont work. My microsoft virtual keyboard also stopped popping up when I click on typable fields, so i had to go to settings and change it from "when keyboard is disconnected" to "always" to be able tp type anything.

Surface | Surface Pro | Performance and maintenance

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Anonymous
2023-03-13T16:05:13+00:00

Hi AaronKilo,

Thank you for reaching Microsoft Community. We're sorry to hear that the keyboard on your Surface device stopped working.

There could be several reasons why your Surface Pro 8 keyboard is not working, the keyboard may not be properly connected to the Surface Pro 8. Or Outdated or Faulty Drivers: The drivers for the keyboard might be outdated or faulty. Here are some troubleshooting steps you can try:

Detach the Type Cover or Keyboard

  1. Unplug your Surface and detach the Cover.
  2. Make sure there's no debris, damage or anything that may inhibit a connection.

Force your Surface to restart

  1. Select Start> Power> Shut downand wait for your Surface to shut down.
  2. Now, press and hold the power button for 20 seconds. If you see the logo screen appear after a few seconds, continue to hold for the full 20 seconds until you see it again.

Reattach the Type Cover or Keyboard

  • Re-attach the Cover, making sure that all the magnets touch the bottom edge of your Surface.

Confirm functionality

  1. To confirm connectivity, press the Caps and Fn keys on your Surface Type Cover or Keyboard a couple of times to check whether the LED lights turn on and off.
  2. If the LED lights don't turn on, there might be a hardware issue and the next option is tosubmit a service order.
  3. IF the LED lights turn on, please see Troubleshoot Surface Type Cover or Keyboard - Microsoft Support for more troubleshooting steps.

Let us know how it goes.

Kind regards,

Lavenia

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-01-03T03:45:43+00:00

    I have same problem. First keyboard not working, bought brand new one and still nothing.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-01-02T15:44:05+00:00

    Me too... have contacted support who've told me to buy a new keyboard. Seeing as though there are others with the same issue I'm not convinced it's hardware, but I've ordered one anyway to tell. Unfortunately 17 days of out warranty! Still, doesn't seem right that a £160 keyboard should only last two years. Will update when my new one comes.

    Seems the signature keyboard introduced with the Pro X (and used by Pro 8 and 9 as well) has some longevity issues. I got my first one in December 2019, and had to replace it under warranty within the year. The 2nd one died a bit more than a year later. I think now I'm actually fighting the keyboard connect port as the 3rd signature keyboard has gotten finicky, and a non-signature keyboard does the same thing (the one without the pen )... I suspect those tiny pins don't hold up well either.

    Compared to the Surface RT... got a first gen + type keyboard and it worked flawlessly up through the end of 2019 when I finally replaced it. I love the thin design of the new models, but the keyboards have been a downgrade from my own experience. Hence I'm not surprised when I see threads about Pro 8/9 having keyboard issues unfortunately.

    All I can say is good luck y'all. Maybe you'll luck out and it really is a windows update or firmware update.

    After getting tired of dealing with a flaky keyboard, I briefly considered trying to replace the keyboard connector (what I think is actually wrong with it now). I decided I didn't want to risk messing up my Surface Pro X that works fine otherwise, and decided to try a third-party Surface-compatible Bluetooth keyboard instead. I even found one that has a slot for the pen, though it doesn't charge it (expected).

    I'm pleasantly surprised at how close a match it is to my Microsoft signature keyboard. It's slightly thicker due to having a battery itself. And it's cheaper. There are a few downsides though. I'll have to charge it once in awhile, and use the separate pen charger. Windows will no longer automatically adjust the taskbar depending on whether they keyboard is connected or not, but honestly I am not really a fan of the latest iteration that switches to the slim, mostly hidden taskbar when the keyboard is disconnected. So I just disabled the auto-switch function which leaves the taskbar in desktop mode all the time. I can live with all this, and it sure is nice to have a dependable working keyboard again!

    We shall see how well it holds up. I'm also curious to see if there is any noticeable change in battery life, since the keyboard is no longer being powered by the Surface.

    I really hope the next Surface Pro model improves on the keyboard and keyboard port longevity ...

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-12-27T21:04:11+00:00

    My solution to this problem was buy another type cover, and buy a slim pen dock. I know, it sucks. BOO MICROSOFT, STOP STEALING OUR MONEYYYYYYY

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-12-27T20:00:23+00:00

    Mine does not work in Outlook...but it works everywhere else.

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