Surface Pro 3 Type Cover Not Working, In BIOS/UEFI or Windows 10 after 1803 Update

Hi James,

Add me to the growing list of Surface Pro 3 users that the Type Cover just stopped working.  I tried all of the above fixes updates, power cycling.... no luck with them.  I also tried installing 1903 from the Windows Insider program and tried a reset to an earlier version but, the Surface still does not see the Type cover.

It definitely is a BIOS/Firmware issue that needs to get resolved.  Carrying around a keyboard with my Surface is not really productive and a pain sitting in an airplane.  Not to mention the looks and bad press the Surface gets when people see it.

I have followed your previous steps but did not work.  Type cover does not work in BIOS.

Completely drained the battery but still does not work.

This sounds good, although a little too simple. I could not recreate it but I could be just doing it wrong so:

Do you still have Hibernation activated instead of sleep mode?

Do you have it turned on or turned off/in hibernation when plugging it in, removing cover, removing charger, connecting cover?

Or most importantly, are you still able to do so?

And one last question, does the type cover work for you in the BIOS? :)

I still have sleep mode disabled, though I'm not sure if that makes a difference.

The computer needs to be on, I was in Windows 10 when I performed this. 

Prior to being able to get my type cover working again, it was completely unresponsive in Windows as well as in the bios.  Previously, the only way I was able to get it working again was by draining the battery and then waiting up to 24 hours before the keyboard would work again. 

On a side note, this is clearly a firmware issue related to the power state of the SP3 and communication of the type cover port. As soon as the type cover loses connection or power, communication with the port stops until the battery has completely drained and erased whatever memory state was holding the port information. Hence why I tried shorting the two power nodes on the type cover port on the SP3.

I thought it was too simple as well, that's why I needed others to test. So far, it has continued to work for myself and it seems another on this forum as well. It's possible that you have a different (although similar) issue with your type cover. Maybe give my suggestion another try? 

I am draining the battery now.  I will post an update in 3 days time.

Thank you.

Draining the battery should not be necessary if you follow my previous steps. 

Best of luck!

This sounds good, although a little too simple. I could not recreate it but I could be just doing it wrong so:

Do you still have Hibernation activated instead of sleep mode?

Do you have it turned on or turned off/in hibernation when plugging it in, removing cover, removing charger, connecting cover?

Or most importantly, are you still able to do so?

And one last question, does the type cover work for you in the BIOS? :)

I still have sleep mode disabled, though I'm not sure if that makes a difference.

The computer needs to be on, I was in Windows 10 when I performed this. 

Prior to being able to get my type cover working again, it was completely unresponsive in Windows as well as in the bios.  Previously, the only way I was able to get it working again was by draining the battery and then waiting up to 24 hours before the keyboard would work again. 

On a side note, this is clearly a firmware issue related to the power state of the SP3 and communication of the type cover port. As soon as the type cover loses connection or power, communication with the port stops until the battery has completely drained and erased whatever memory state was holding the port information. Hence why I tried shorting the two power nodes on the type cover port on the SP3.

I thought it was too simple as well, that's why I needed others to test. So far, it has continued to work for myself and it seems another on this forum as well. It's possible that you have a different (although similar) issue with your type cover. Maybe give my suggestion another try? 

I am draining the battery now.  I will post an update in 3 days time.

Thank you.

This sounds good, although a little too simple. I could not recreate it but I could be just doing it wrong so:

Do you still have Hibernation activated instead of sleep mode?

Do you have it turned on or turned off/in hibernation when plugging it in, removing cover, removing charger, connecting cover?

Or most importantly, are you still able to do so?

And one last question, does the type cover work for you in the BIOS? :)

I still have sleep mode disabled, though I'm not sure if that makes a difference.

The computer needs to be on, I was in Windows 10 when I performed this. 

Prior to being able to get my type cover working again, it was completely unresponsive in Windows as well as in the bios.  Previously, the only way I was able to get it working again was by draining the battery and then waiting up to 24 hours before the keyboard would work again. 

On a side note, this is clearly a firmware issue related to the power state of the SP3 and communication of the type cover port. As soon as the type cover loses connection or power, communication with the port stops until the battery has completely drained and erased whatever memory state was holding the port information. Hence why I tried shorting the two power nodes on the type cover port on the SP3.

I thought it was too simple as well, that's why I needed others to test. So far, it has continued to work for myself and it seems another on this forum as well. It's possible that you have a different (although similar) issue with your type cover. Maybe give my suggestion another try?