Fix: Surface Pro 4 Keyboard not Working

Surface Pro 4 is a detachable laptop-tablet which has gained lots of traction over the recent years. It features SkyLake CPUs and top-notch SSDs as well. The ideas is that the keyboard on the laptop can be detached to convert the laptop to a tablet and vice versa.

There were some instances where the Surface Pro 4’s keyboard stopped working. The computer either didn’t respond to it being attached or the computer stopped registering keystrokes of all a sudden. This was a very common scenario and occurred quite on and off according to users. In this solution, we will go through all the possible causes as to why this issue occurs and later on, go over the solutions on how to fix it.

What causes Surface Pro 4’s Keyboard not to Work?

Surface Pro 4’s keyboard is more prone to issues than other conventional laptop counterparts because it can be detached. Even though the idea seems simple, the keyboard has a separate firmware being used in parallel to the laptop detection software in the computer. Here are some of the reasons as to why these issues might occur:

Before we start with the solutions, make sure that you have all your worked saved and data backed up. Also, we will be referring to the keyboard for type cover. Both mean the same thing.

Solution 1: Checking your Keyboard

The first thing which you should check is whether your keyboard is indeed in a working condition. If your keyboard itself is broken or damaged, you will not be able to make it work even after troubleshooting all the solutions below.

Unplug the keyboard from your device and try connecting it with another Surface where its keyboard is working perfectly. If the keyboard works there, it probably means there are some issues in your device configuration. If it doesn’t work there, it means that the keyboard itself is broken. You can try solution 2 and even if that doesn’t work, consider getting it replaced or checked.

Solution 2: Cleaning Connectors

Another issue we came across was where the keyboard wasn’t connecting with the Surface properly because there was dust or other materials blocking the connectivity. This usually occurs after you have been using the Surface for quite some time but didn’t take time to clean it.

Turn off your Surface completely. Now take a clean cloth, apply a little alcohol and clean the connectors. You can also use a q-tip to clean more properly. After it is cleaned, give it around 2-3 minutes and then turn on your computer again. Now connect your keyboard and check if the issue is resolved.

Solution 3: Performing Two-Button Shutdown

If you have restarted your Surface and it still didn’t work, it probably means there are some issues with the connectivity modules of the device. Here a normal shutdown is not enough to fix the problems. We will be performing a two-button shutdown. This will clear all the temporary configurations and remove all the cache files as well. When we start the computer again, the files will be made by default again.

1. Locate the power button on your device. Now press and hold it for around 30 seconds.
2. Now press and hold the power button and volume-up (+) button at the same time for around 15 seconds and then release both. Do not let go even if you see the surface logo pop up.

3. Now, wait for about a minute before starting your device again. After it has started, connect your keyboard and check if the issue is resolved and you are able to use all of its functionality.

Note: If you have Surface RT, 2, or 3, you need to force shutdown instead. This can be done by pressing and holding the power button of your device for about 10 seconds.

Solution 4: Updating Windows

Microsoft releases frequent updates for fixing bugs or introducing new features. If you haven’t updated Windows for quite some time, it is recommended that you do right away. There have been similar cases in the past where the keyboard stopped working because of some issue in the operating system. After installing the updates, it worked perfectly. Make sure you are logged in as an administrator.

1. Press Windows + S, type “update” in the dialogue box and open the application.

2. Now Settings will be opened up. Click the button Check for updates. Now your computer will automatically check for any latest updates available and install them on your computer.

Note: An active internet connection will be required to apply the updates. Also, make sure that your keyboard is attached during the update process.

Solution 5: Updating Firmware

Sometimes even Windows update slips and fails to update the firmware of your keyboard. This can be due to many cases such as you disconnecting the keyboard from the Surface during the update process or not having it plugged in. In this solution, we will navigate to Microsoft’s official website and after downloading the firmware, install it.

1. Attach your keyboard with your Surface. Now turn it on and navigate to Microsoft’s official website for downloading drivers and firmware.

2. Now execute the executable by right-clicking it and selecting Run as administrator. After all the updates are installed, restart your computer and check if your keyboard works as expected.

Solution 6: Contacting Microsoft Support

If even after performing all the above solutions your keyboard doesn’t work, you should move on and contact Microsoft Support or take it to the store if you have a warranty. If you have a warranty, the unit will get replaced.

If you don’t have a warranty and the support concludes that your keyboard is physically damaged, consider replacing it with a new one by yourself. You can easily get used ones in eBay or get a new one from Amazon or the Microsoft Store itself.

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