How to Fix a Surface Pro Not Charging
To fix a Surface Pro that won’t charge, you have to inspect the power supply, try different power strips or outlets, and clean components if they are dirty. In rarer circumstances, you may need to adjust your Surface Pro battery settings or even replace a bad or outdated driver.
Use This Troubleshooting Procedure:
- Check the LED light on your Surface charger. If the light isn’t on, then that means it isn’t getting power either. First, perform a lamp test to check for power where you have your Surface plugged in. If there is no power, try switching it to a different outlet, and see if the light comes on. If you’re using a power strip, make sure the power strip is on, and then try a different strip or just plug directly into to an outlet.
- Check the USB port on your surface charger for power. If your Surface Pro charger has a USB port, try plugging in a device. If that device doesn’t turn on or start charging, then the charger is bad.
- Check the power cable for damage. If the cable is frayed or damaged in any way, the unit may fail to charge your Surface Pro. It may also be a fire hazard. Replace the charger, and see if that fixes the problem.
- Inspect the charger connector for damage. The Surface Pro uses a unique flat magnetic charger connector that can be inserted two different ways. Some have a row of connectors, while others have a flat board with connectors on both sides.
If the connector is bent, has been chewed by a child or animal, or is damaged in any other way, replace it. If the contacts are dirty, clean them with a lint-free cloth and then check to see if the Surface Pro charges.
- Reset the power supply. Disconnect your Surface Pro from the power supply, unplug any devices you might have plugged into the USB port, and wait at least 10 seconds. Then plug it back in and see if it works.
- Plug the charger in the other way. The Surface Pro charger connector is designed to be installed two different ways. Unplug it, flip it over, and plug it back in the other way. If it charges with the connector flipped, there may be dirty contacts on the connector or in your Surface Pro’s charging slot.
- Check your charging settings. Windows 10 provides an option to only charge your battery to less than 100 percent to extend battery life. If your Surface Pro has this setting enabled, it will stop charging before it reaches 100 percent.
- Restart your Surface Pro. Fully shut the computer down, don’t put it in sleep or hibernation mode, and disconnect the power supply. Leave it off for at least 10 seconds, then plug it back in and turn it on.
- Run Windows Update. If your battery driver is out of date or corrupted, it can cause this problem. Start by making sure that you are fully updated through Windows Update.
- Reinstall your battery driver. If your Surface Pro still doesn’t charge after updating, try reinstalling your battery driver specifically.
