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 Or Outdated or Faulty Drivers: The drivers for the keyboard might be outdated or faulty.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
    2024-02-28T16:41:45+00:00

    I’d like to share my observations regarding the Surface Type Premium Covers for the Surface Pro 8. As part of our high school’s technology program, we provide Surface Pro 8 devices with Type Covers to our Freshmen students. Unfortunately, we’ve encountered a recurring issue with these Type covers.

    Issue Description: At least ten Type covers have malfunctioned this year. Importantly, these keyboards were in pristine condition when students initially brought them to us. The problem appears unrelated to external damage, software glitches, or drivers.

    Additional Testing: We’ve conducted further testing by trying these covers on other Surface Pro 8 devices, and unfortunately, they still don’t work as expected. Additionally, we tested working Type covers on the Surface Pro 8 devices from which these covers initially came, and those covers functioned perfectly.

    Potential Hardware Issue: Given the consistent occurrence of this problem, it seems likely that there is an underlying hardware issue specific to the Surface Pro 8 Type covers.

    Warranty and Replacement: Fortunately, our students are covered by the warranty, and Microsoft has been prompt in replacing the faulty keyboards. Their responsiveness has been commendable.

    Sharing with Others: I wanted to share this information with fellow educators and administrators. If you encounter similar issues, rest assured that you’re not alone. These Type covers may be prone to hardware malfunctions, even when handled with care.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-02-29T11:45:10+00:00

    THANK YOU! My cover is certainly past its prime, so I wasn't particularly surprised when I tried to use my surface after a long hiatus and it didn't work (no power or connectivity at all). I was slightly bemused by the fact it seemingly broke from sitting on a table but I just tried this and it confirms it was entirely a software issue (even after updating to the latest Feb 2024 version)! Hopefully I don't have to make a habit of this for long...

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-03-14T00:47:15+00:00

    Same issue here, keyboard has just stopped working. Tried to uninstall the items from device manager (except USB hub) and no change.

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-03-28T22:03:05+00:00

    Tried everything above except the USB option. What's next? This is ridiculous....looks like a common problem.

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