Issue with touch screen on Surface - Must be a setting

[cgcmgr]

Hi Everyone,

Hope you can help. The Surface is actually my aunts and I tried to help her last weekend, but I couldn't figure out how to fix the problem. I'm going to see her again this weekend so I hope to have an answer for her. Just to be clear, I'm not sure what version she has. She just got it last week and it is 32Gb.

Here are a few issues:

1. She has purchased one of those snap on keyboards (Touch Cover). It works without any problems. However, when the keyboard is attached, I can no longer use the touch screen. I just wanted to confirm this is supposed to happen. I don't think all touch functions are disabled, but it seems as if most are. This is really not a problem if it is supposed to act that way since she can do everything with the keyboard and touchpad.

2. This is the real annoying issue. Once she detaches the keyboard, the Surface goes back into touch mode. However, it is a strange mode. To move around I can't just swipe and tap. I have to hold my finger on an app's icon. That icon then gets a blue box around it. I can then move my finger around the screen and that blue box follows my finger until I stop on the icon I want. I then have to double tap to open that app. Somehow, don't know what I did, I got it to act the way we wanted. I was able to get the Surface to open apps by just single pressing on an app's icon. I also didn't have to have this blue box follow my finger. It must be a setting that I just don't see.
I left the Surface in that mode and my aunt used it all night. The next morning she connected the keyboard. When she disconnected the keyboard, the Surface went back into that blue box mode. I'm sure it is just a setting I'm missing. Can someone tell me where it is or what I have to do keep the touch method we want?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[oion]

Hi Everyone,

Hope you can help. The Surface is actually my aunts and I tried to help her last weekend, but I couldn't figure out how to fix the problem. I'm going to see her again this weekend so I hope to have an answer for her. Just to be clear, I'm not sure what version she has. She just got it last week and it is 32Gb.

32GB means it must be a Windows RT model. A black body is Surface RT (first gen), and a silver body is Surface 2 (second gen).

Here are a few issues:

1. She has purchased one of those snap on keyboards (Touch Cover). It works without any problems. However, when the keyboard is attached, I can no longer use the touch screen. I just wanted to confirm this is supposed to happen. I don't think all touch functions are disabled, but it seems as if most are. This is really not a problem if it is supposed to act that way since she can do everything with the keyboard and touchpad.

That is absolutely NOT normal behavior. The touchscreen should still work perfectly well while the keyboard is attached.

2. This is the real annoying issue. Once she detaches the keyboard, the Surface goes back into touch mode. However, it is a strange mode. To move around I can't just swipe and tap. I have to hold my finger on an app's icon. That icon then gets a blue box around it. I can then move my finger around the screen and that blue box follows my finger until I stop on the icon I want. I then have to double tap to open that app. Somehow, don't know what I did, I got it to act the way we wanted. I was able to get the Surface to open apps by just single pressing on an app's icon. I also didn't have to have this blue box follow my finger. It must be a setting that I just don't see.

When you long-press a tile on the Start Screen, a gray box should appear around it and a gray status bar on the bottom that allows you to customize tile settings, including moving the app tile location, resizing, and so on. This customization mode won't disappear until you double-press in a blank space or hit Escape on the keyboard. If you're not seeing the customization status bar appear on the bottom when pressing a tile, then you're not accidentally entering that mode. I don't suppose photos are possible?

Here's the Microsoft troubleshooting page: The Microsoft Surface touchscreen | Touchscreen problems | Touch not working

Since your aunt bought it new, she has access to Microsoft phone tech support as well.

I left the Surface in that mode and my aunt used it all night. The next morning she connected the keyboard. When she disconnected the keyboard, the Surface went back into that blue box mode. I'm sure it is just a setting I'm missing. Can someone tell me where it is or what I have to do keep the touch method we want?

Thanks,
Chris

There is no mere setting that disables or switches touchscreen modes on the Surface; it's simply enabled by default, and the keyboard should not interfere. I would suggest the troubleshooting methods on the MS site, and if that doesn't work, give them a call and they would suggest an exchange if it's a hardware issue, though whether it's the Surface or the keyboard is a bit mysterious (maybe they can let her exchange both).

 

[cgcmgr]

Thanks for the response. I was hoping it was something simple. I will be at my aunts this weekend and I'll try to take pictures or video (post to Youtube) to show you what I mean. If she has to return it then she has to return it.

Thanks again,
Chris

 

[cgcmgr]

Thanks for the response. I was hoping it was something simple. I will be at my aunts this weekend and I'll try to take pictures or video (post to Youtube) to show you what I mean. If she has to return it then she has to return it.

Thanks again,
Chris

So it turns out the unit was damaged. It was rep;aced and all is well.

Thanks for the help.