Microsoft Surface 2 Troubleshooting

Surface does not turn on after multiple attempts.

Press and release power button to turn on. Wait a couple of seconds to determine if Microsoft Surface 2 has turned on because it may take a few seconds to start.

Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds. The screen may flash, but continue to hold down the power button for the full 30 seconds. Then press and release the power button to turn it back on.

First plug in your Microsoft Surface 2 and turn on the device. Check to make sure it is charging the battery. There should be a plug icon over the battery symbol. If there is not a plug symbol or it says "plugged in, not charging", uninstall the battery driver located in Device Manager under the battery section, it is called "Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery". Then reinstall the battery driver and restart your device to determine if it is charging. If it is not charging, a faulty battery may be the cause.

The device may have a faulty charging port which will not allow the battery to charge. Here is a guide on how to replace the charging port (Microsoft Surface 2 I/O Cable Replacement).

The Microsoft Surface 2 will turn on but Windows will not load properly or get stuck while loading. The problem can be identified depending on what is on the screen when it is frozen or not loading.

If you see this screen, updates may be installing which can take up to 20 minutes. If the device will not continue you can attempt a force restart. Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds. The screen may flash, but continue to hold down the power button for the full 30 seconds. Then press and release the power button to turn it back on.

If you see this screen updates may be installing which can take up to 20 minutes. If the device will not continue you can attempt a force restart. Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds. The screen may flash, but continue to hold down the power button for the full 30 seconds. Then press and release the power button to turn it back on.

If you get this screen on start up select Restart. If Windows doesn't start go to advanced options on the automatic repair screen and select continue. If Windows fails to boot on the automatic repair screen select advanced options then troubleshoot the advanced options again and finally startup repair. If this does not work you can either restore or reset your Surface 2. A reset will delete all data on the device so use it last. To perform a restore on the choose an option screen select troubleshoot then advanced options then system restore. To perform a reset select troubleshoot then reset this PC.

If this screen appear attempt a force restart. Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds. The screen may flash, but continue to hold down the power button for the full 30 seconds. Then press and release the power button to turn it back on.

Click the Continue button if this does not work, select troubleshoot, advanced setup, then startup repair. If this does not work you will need to restore your Surface 2. Select troubleshoot,advanced options, then system restore. If this does not fix the issue you will have to reset your Surface 2 which will delete all data on the device restoring it to factory condition, select troubleshoot then reset this PC.

This screen may appear after a system reset. You will need a keyboard to fix this problem. Press F12 or fn+F12 if using the Surface 2 typing cover. This will allow windows to boot.

This screens means that your Microsoft Surface 2 is too hot to use because it has exceeding its operation temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius). Turn off the Surface 2 and allow it to cool down. If the Microsoft Surface 2 continues to not cool properly then a faulty fan may be the reason.

This icon means your battery is critically low, plug in your surface and allow it to charge. If your device does not charge the battery go to the "Device will not turn on" section of this troubleshooting guide for ways to diagnose a possible bad battery.

If you get this screen you will need to change some settings in the UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface). To do this shutdown your surface, press and hold the volume up button, while holding the volume up button press the power button the UEFI screen will appear. Make sure that the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and secure boot control are enabled. Press Exit Setup and restart the Microsoft Surface 2.

This screen indicates a certificate error. Attempt a force restart by holding the power button for 30 seconds. The screen may flash, but continue to hold down the power button for the full 30 seconds. Then press and release the power button to turn it back on.

The touch screen does not respond correctly, such as registering a click in the wrong place or not responding to touch at all. You may want to use a computer mouse if you are having trouble with the touchscreen, otherwise, you will need to use a keyboard to select any on-screen options.

First try cleaning the screen with a damp lint-free cloth. Do not spray anything directly on the screen.

Go to the Windows logo, click on power and then restart.

If the above solutions did not work or your touchscreen is registering clicks offset from your fingers touch, go to the Windows logo and type calibration in the search box. Then click on "Calibrate the screen for pen or touch input", then click on reset and follow the on screen instructions.

Press the Windows key + "i" to open settings or click the Windows logo and then settings. Go to "Update and Security" and click on check for updates. If any updates are available, click on details, then click the check boxes for which updates to install, then click install.

To check if this is the problem go to another room and see if the problems persists. Sometimes a device in a room can cause the cursor to do random actions, like moving by itself. If the problem goes away try and locate the device that is causing the interference.

A restore will undo any recent changes to your device that may be causing issues. Restoring your device will not affect your files, but might remove recently installed programs. A reset will reinstall Windows and delete all personal files and programs as well as change the settings back to default. Click on the Windows logo and then control panel, system and security, then recovery. To perform a restore click on "Open system restore". To perform a system reset click on "Reset this PC".

If all other troubleshooting options do not work, the device may have a faulty digitizer. This will require replaces the screen to fix this issue. Here is a link to a guide on how to replace the screen (Microsoft Surface 2 Screen Replacement).

The sound, volume, or audio playback on your device is distorted, not playing at all or there are troubles with recording audio.

Press the Start key and go to Settings. Select "Update & Security" and then select Windows Update. Press Check for Updates to automatically install any available updates.

Press the Start key and select Power, then press Restart.

In the task bar, search for control panel. Select Control Panel, and then press Hardware and Sound. Select Sound. From this menu, navigate to the Playback tab and select the device you want to use for audio playback. Press Set Default. Next, navigate to the Recording tab and select the device you wish to use for audio recording. Press Set Default. Select OK to save these settings.

To Restore your device start by pressing the Start key and going to Control Panel. In the search bar located to the top-right, search for recovery. Select Recovery and then Open System Restore. Follow the prompts to restore your device. To reset your device go to Settings, select Update & Security, then navigate to Recovery. Under the section Reset this PC, select Get started.

The speakers may be faulty because of age, damage or wear and tear. Here is a guide on how to replace the speakers (Microsoft Surface 2 Speaker Replacement).

The Microsoft Surface 2 is getting really hot. A common side effect of overheating is the screen becoming dimmer.

Go to Settings and click power, then restart. Let the device reboot and take a break to allow the Microsoft Surface 2 cool down.

If you have not used your device recently or have completed a system restore you may need to install or reinstall an update that was released. This update solves the issue of screen dimming when the device is used for a long period of time.