How to turn off Surface Pro monitor only WITHOUT it sleeping?

Anonymous
2013-06-25T07:44:51+00:00

I've read many question posted similar to this.  The truth is none of them answer it. Let's change that or at least get Microsoft to do something about it. Every other computer in the world can do this...why not the surface pro!!! I see the exact behavior occur that I desire when I go to second screen only option...but it doesn't stay there.  For obvious reasons....we need a new power option! Does anybody know how to effectively "yell" at Microsoft?

***Subject edited for clarity by the moderator.***

Surface | Surface Pro | Install and update

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Anonymous
2013-09-19T00:48:23+00:00

Greetings Mark,

The best option available, is while the Surface is connected to a second monitor, to set it to "Second screen only".

You can do this by:

  1. Swipe from the right
  2. Touch Devices
  3. Touch Second Screen
  4. Touch Second Screen only.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-09-24T10:03:55+00:00

    Yes, it would be great to have a real solution to this issue. Most Windows laptops have separate options for Sleep (after x minutes) and Turn Off Display (after y minutes). On the Surface Pro 3, those settings are inexplicably intertwined--change one, and you change the other. So, if you put it in the docking station and want to leave the Surface running, that means you have to leave the external monitors running also (aside from powering the displays off manually, which of course disconnects them).

    The best option I've found so far is setting the Screen Saver to Blank. I would think that shouldn't stress the computer, but surprisingly I come back to a Surface with the fan running at full speed each time.

    Perhaps a firmware or software update is in order? It feels like it should be simple change to enable, since it's already available for other mobile devices running Windows.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-11-13T09:48:59+00:00

    Why can't we mark this as "not answered"? This is a workaround, not an answer. It's wasteful to leave a monitor running 24/7, and it's baffling why this option isn't available when it's found on virtually every other mobile Windows device out there. If you need your machine to be available (remotely, for example), sleep mode is effectively the same as off.

    Imagine a smartphone giving you two options: off, or leave your screen on 24/7.

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