If your Surface won’t start up, or if it goes to sleep and won’t wake up, here are some solutions that can help you get it running again.
If you don’t use your Surface for a few minutes, the screen turns off and your Surface goes into a power-saving state. If you don’t use your Surface for several hours, it hibernates—saving all your work and shutting down. For info about Surface power states, including how to turn Surface on, shut it down, or wake it from sleep, see Surface power states.
Pressing the power button should turn on your Surface or wake it from sleep. If your Surface won’t turn on or wake from sleep, try the following solutions.
Solution 1: Press the power button once to turn on your Surface
It’s normal for your Surface to take several seconds to start up or wake from sleep. Try waiting a bit to see if it responds.
- Press and release the power button on your Surface.
- Wait several seconds. Your Surface may take a few seconds to start up or wake from sleep or to display the Surface logo.
- Check to see if your Surface has turned on.
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If your Surface turns on: Charge the battery for a while, and when it has at least a 40 percent charge, install the latest Surface and Windows updates to help prevent future problems. For more info, see Install Surface and Windows updates.
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If your Surface still won’t turn on: Try Solution 2.
Solution 2: Try waking your Surface with hotkeys
You might be able to wake your Surface using a special keyboard shortcut.
- If you have a keyboard connected, simultaneously press the Windows logo key
+Ctrl+Shift+B.
- If you are in tablet mode, simultaneously press both the volume-up and volume-down buttons three times in quick succession (within two seconds).
If Windows is responsive, you should hear a short beep while Windows tries to refresh the screen. If your Surface still won't turn on, try Solution 3.
Solution 3: Force a shut down
See Force a shut down and restart your Surface to find out how.
If your Surface turns on after you force a shut down and restart: Charge the battery for a while. When it has at least a 40 percent charge, install the latest Surface and Windows updates to help prevent future problems. For more info, see Install Surface and Windows updates.
If your Surface still won’t turn on: Your Surface may need service. For more info, go to Send my Surface in for service.
Solution 4: Clean the connectors on your Surface Book
If you're using a Surface Book, try cleaning the connectors between the Clipboard and the keyboard.
- Detach the Clipboard from the keyboard.
- Clean the pins on the connector with a pencil eraser. Rub the eraser back and forth across the pins.
- Wet a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol. Clean the pins on the long, narrow part of the charger that you plug into your Surface. Rub the cotton swap back and forth across the pins. After you are done cleaning the connector pins, make sure that the pins are dry, and then reattach the Clipboard to the keyboard.
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