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How to Fix Video Issues on a Microsoft Surface Pro

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This guide will assist you in resolving common video issues you may experience with your Surface Pro tablet.

A surface pro tablet.

These are the following known video issues you may encounter:

  • Screen is black
  • Screen dimming problem

? What kind of issues you are having?

  1. Screen is black
  2. Adjusting Screen Resolution
  3. Screen dimming problem

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This guide will assist you in resolving common video issues you may experience with your Surface Pro tablet.

A surface pro tablet.

These are the following known video issues you may encounter:

  • Screen is black
  • Screen dimming problem
Solution 1: Press the power button.
A surface pro showing the power button on top.
  1. Press and release the power button on your Surface.
  2. Wait several seconds.
  3. Check to see if your Surface has turned on.

Solution 2: Use hotkeys to wake the Surface

  1. Using your keyboard, simultaneously press the Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B.
  2. If you are in tablet mode, simultaneously press both the volume-up and volume-down buttons three times.

To adjust your Screen resolution for Surface Pro

  1. Right-click on your desktop and select Display Settings.
    A windows 10 right click menu with display settings circled.
  2. Under Scale and Layout you'll find an option for Change the size of text, apps and other items. Make sure it's set to 100%.
    A windows 10 settings screen with display tab selected. 100% size of text, apps, and other items is highlighted.
  3. Also beneath Scale and Layout is Resolution.
    Windows 10 display settings showing resolution highlighted.
  4. Below shows the default resolution of the Surface 3, Surface 3 Pro and Surface 4 and then recommended display setting that make TM2 more comfortable to use on the 12 inch screen.
    Microsoft Surface 3 Microsoft Surface 3 Pro Microsoft Surface 4 Pro
    3:2 Aspect Ratio 3:2 Aspect Ratio 3:2 Aspect Ratio
    Default Resolution 1920 x 1280 Default Resolution 2160 x 1440 Default Resolution 2736 x 1834
    Recommended Font Scaling 100% Recommended Font Scaling 100% Recommended Font Scaling 100%
    Recommended Resolution 1440 x 900 Recommended Resolution 1440 x 900 Recommended Resolution 1440 x 900
     
  5. Once you've chosen your desired Resolution, a pop up box will ask you whether you want to keep it. Click Keep Changes to update to your new resolution or revert to go back to your old one.
    Keep or Revert changes popup.
  1. Within the Windows 10 search box, type 'power options', and click or tap Power Options within the search results.
    A windows 10 search for power options showing power options from the control panel.
  2. A list of available power plans will be displayed. To the right of the currently selected power plan, click or tap Change plan settings.
    Windows 10 Settings with power options selected. Change plan settings is highlighted.
  3. Within the change settings screen, click or tap Change advanced power settings.
    Windows 10 change power settings screen with change advanced power settings highlighted.
  4. Within the Power Options window, locate the Display header and click the + to expand it and reveal additional options. One of those options is Enable adaptive brightness. Click the + next to it to reveal its additional options.
    Windows 10 power options with expanded Display menu.
  5. Beneath Enable adaptive brightness, ensure that both ‘On battery‘ and ‘Plugged in‘ are set to Off.
    Windows 10 menu showing enable adaptive brightness selections.