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Surface detecting screen finger touches randomly.

TheCudder

Member
My Surface (1) is intermittently detecting finger touches along the right hand side of the screen. Some times it displays the translucent circle around about where the Start button would be in the charms bar as if my finger is there, and other times it'll completely go haywire and detect swipes going up & down the same side of the screen. Other times it works just fine. Has anyone else run into this issue? I bought my Surface on release day last year so unfortunately its out of its warranty period.
 

Trovahead

New Member
I have had a similar thing happen to me a few times. It seems be possessed or something. A quick re-start usually fixes things up though.
 
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TheCudder

Member
Follow up: So I contacted Microsoft (on-line chat) yesterday and reported to them my "phantom touch" issues (which have gotten worse) and after peforming a Reset (clean install) of Windows RT 8.1 and that not resolving the issue, they're exchanging the device. The customer service was smooth, helpful and hassle free. I chose the Advanced Exchange option so they're shipping me the replacement before I have to return the old one.
 

Ruffles

Active Member
My Pro 2 does something similar (my Pro 1 didn't). Sometimes when I log in with my picture password, the first tap I do makes a long line from the top right corner as if it thinks I'm entering the second part of the password and the first was to touch the top right corner.
 

kuodachrome

New Member
my surface RT has been doing the exact same thing! I have to lock/unlock to resolve the issue. Sometime, I'll go for almost a whole day with no issues whereas at other times it seems like it'll happen every 30 seconds. When you send in the defective unit, do you reset it to factory settings?

I'm running 8.1. Tried a reset, touch recalibration, cleaning the screen, and nothing has helped. The random touch dots keep happening. I thought maybe the type keyboard was the culprit, but having it connected or off doesn't matter either. Glad to hear Microsoft is letting you exchange it past your 1 year warranty period. Hopefully, I'll update back on the boards with good news as well!
 
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TheCudder

Member
my surface RT has been doing the exact same thing! I have to lock/unlock to resolve the issue. Sometime, I'll go for almost a whole day with no issues whereas at other times it seems like it'll happen every 30 seconds. When you send in the defective unit, do you reset it to factory settings?

I'm running 8.1. Tried a reset, touch recalibration, cleaning the screen, and nothing has helped. The random touch dots keep happening. I thought maybe the type keyboard was the culprit, but having it connected or off doesn't matter either. Glad to hear Microsoft is letting you exchange it past your 1 year warranty period. Hopefully, I'll update back on the boards with good news as well!

Well the standard warranty is actually a 2 year limited hardware warranty. I initially didn't realize Microsoft gave that for the Surface, but I'm glad they do. I haven't yet, but I will be doing another clean install / reset before I return my defective Surface. Call them up or start a chat with support and they'll surely replace yours as well. The only headache is the new unit is fresh from 2012....not a single update and no 8.1. I literally spent the first day getting updates installed lol.
 
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