How to charge your Surface with a USB-C Cable - Old Video - See description for updated version

[@cjless1991]

Excellent, solving a problem by buying two additional components! Lovely! Well done Microsoft, you've officially been put into the same bin as Apple!

[@oztabletpc]

You know this is an old video right? Current models have USB C...

[@liamdale130]

USB C should come standard on the Surface Pro

[@oztabletpc]

Agreed. It is on Surface Book 2, Studio 2 and Surface Go. They clearly didn't want to make chassis design changes on Surface Pro 6 model, but everything points to USB C on the next iteration.

[@JonB55198]

Agreed!

[@Tarjema]

Somehow, despite all my searching, I didn't know about the PD standard for USB-C. The main thing I've been looking for is a powerbank that will deliver enough to charge my Surface Go, looks like you've solved my dilemma! Thanks for all the great video content.

[@MariaBure]

Amazing, just plugging in USB C into my surface pro 7 and connecting it to the charging block suddenly "woke up" my main charger 😆 thanks a million for the tip!

[@catatonicbug7522]

My Surface Pro 7 has a USB-C port right on it. No need for that dongle. However, the info about incompatibility with thunderbolt is a piece of information that still applies.

[@davidtran-dinh1385]

Note: another benefit for charging through usb-c apart from the weight loss, is the possibility of a lower voltage charging, which increases capacity retention of the Li-on battery.

[@3Toy]

I totally agree. I am with Surface pro 7 plus now and searching for cable and charger. Can you pls help me, I am confused about what charger and cable to get. There are Anker nano 45W or 65W. I think the charging should be from power connector instead of usb-c but can't find surface charging connector to usb-c cable.

[@oztabletpc]

With Surface Pro 7+ you can charge directly with a USB-C to USB-C cable. That said, if you want to keep the port free, grab a J-Go Tech USB-C to Surface Connect.

[@3Toy]

@@oztabletpc ok, I will purchase the cable but than I will need charging adapter. Do you think the the Anker Nano II 45 W ?

[@oztabletpc]

It's hard to say because Anker do not seem to list the PD standard in thier specifications. Although to charge what they claim to they could only use PD. It's a bit of a mistake on thier part by the looks of it.

[@3Toy]

@@oztabletpc I bought anker nano ii 45w and it works with usb c to usb c power cable, it charges surface pro 7 plus even when using it actively and it doesn't warm as much as the original charger which is 65w? Haven't tried the surface connect to usb c cable with anker 45w yet but I am thinking of buying it and see...

[@rayroche94]

Thanks for the info, Brett. I have been using a Cygnett Laptop Power Bank to charge my Surface Go when travelling. That is capable of USB-C PD charging and has a capacity of 27Ah so charges the Go twice from almost flat. That is also the biggest battery bank that is allowed on international flights. However $A100 for an adaptor to charge my Surface Pro from that battery is a bit much and the Go is better for use in flight anyway.

[@sharondslater2774]

Is this the charger you mentioned? Thanks. www.cygnett.com/products/chargep-pro27k-60w

[@rayroche94]

@@sharondslater2774. Yes, that's the one, Sharon. I purchased mine from JBHifi in Canberra and was able to get a bit of a discount on that list price, plus I got an Apple USB-C to USB-C cable to connect to the Surface Go. Interestingly the Apple cable was the cheapest of the range of USB-C cables.

[@hustlefitness6008]

I WAS LOOKING FOR THIS INFO THANK YOU!! What wire are you using?

[@Alex-zy6qu]

which battery pack would you recommend for a surface go? I'm a student and use my go for EVERY class and EVERY assignment.

[@sharondslater2774]

Yes, please be specific. Need to charge my Surface Go on the go where there are no electrical outlets. Which models/specifications of battery packs will safely charge my Surface Go; my new Pixel 3a XL phone came with a USB-C to USB-C cable, so I have the cable. Thanks.

[@oztabletpc]

@@sharondslater2774 The battery that I used was from eBay. It is a Xiaomi Mobile Power 3 20,000mAh battery. Whatever you BUY - battery or wall charger - make sure it supports Power Delivery (aka PD) 2.0.

[@grahamgolding7052]

I am looking for a cable to charge my Surface Pro 3 (no USBC) on the road. There are cables on Amazon that plug into the 12V car socket and have the special Surface connector. As always with these things of unknow provenance I am suspicious. I found your video very helpful, given me stuff to think about. I want to avoid the MS brick if I can, this is just a principle, I have had to buy various MS bricks for work over the years. I always imagine that the leader of the power team was getting revenge on the Surface design team. "We'll so show those guys, they may have a beautiful computer but we'll make them attach to an ugly heavy brick, or two heavy ugly bricks if they want a docking point"

[@oztabletpc]

See our updated video in the description for some options. J-Go Tech have a cable that works with USB-C PD standard chargers that works with the Surface Pro 3.

[@rayroche94]

I see the Microsoft Store has just dropped the price of the Surface Connect to USB-C adapter to $A60 with free delivery. This may be a clearance prior to the release of a new Surface Pro model, or just admission that $A110 was just a bit high.

[@aaryanpradhan48]

You are my saviour all hail oztabletpc

[@casq882]

Thank you for your videos, I have a old surface 2 and I have problems using the magnetic charger with the side port with five pins. Can I charge it using the USB 2.5 port that this surface has on the side? and can you recommend any charger please.

[@oztabletpc]

No, sorry. USB 2 does not have charging capability.

[@casq882]

@@oztabletpc Thank you

[@GeorgeKarayannis]

How about USB C cables to SP connectors from amazon?

[@ddbamnong1261]

Hiii! Would you mind tell me which percentage suits best to charge your surface pro? and could we charge while using it? does it will damage the battery in the future

[@oztabletpc]

You can charge it while you use it. Read up on Lithium Ion batteries for tips on how to make them last. They're pretty reliable in general.

[@mjda3903]

Would you mind posting what the other end of the USB-C is supposed to look like? Thanks.

[@oztabletpc]

It's the same on both ends. USB-C to USB-C.

[@AndrewSheldon]

The issue you didn't address is the rating of the PD devices. With power banks, you can get 18W, 30W, 45W, 60W, 100W charges. I know a Surface Go laptop will charge at 30W, but I'm not sure about Surface Pro. I think that has a higher requirement. Not 'actually 45W', because it has a USB 5W built into the brick, so I think 40W, but I'm not sure for Pro.

[@oztabletpc]

They all need a minimum charge of 18W when off and 30W when on. Bigger battery in the Pro will charge slower at 30W of course, so 60W is ideal. I use 30W PD to charge my Surface Pros commonly. It is fast enough.

[@AndrewSheldon]

@@oztabletpc Oh thank you. That's good to know. I have a Surface Go laptop and Pro 4. So that means I have charge either with 30Watt external battery right, through PD (30Watt) on Go, and Surface Connect on I'm looking at a jumpstarting power bank offering 12V/16V/19V --- 2A/3A/3.5A output. Can I assume 16W is within the tolerances of 15V? But I understand the Go, with PD is more flexible. Its so confusing. I literally had to go for a walk. Makes me anxious.

[@oztabletpc]

Make sure you are familiar with PD. It is a protocol, not just a voltage. If your powerbank is not a PD powerbank it will not work (and could cause damage).

[@oztabletpc]

The devices talk to each other to establish the required voltage based on what's available from the charger.

[@AndrewSheldon]

@@oztabletpc Ok, ok, I see your point. This power bank offers PD30W: 5V/3A, 9V/3A, 12V/2.5A, 20V/1.5A, so Surface Go laptop uses 15 volts 2.58 amps (39 watts), so not compatible.

I think most people would be better of with a USB-C to Surface Connect adapter, as they are cheaper and smaller. Also there are small USB-C laptop chargers that have spare USB-A ports. That probably work unlike the one on the charger of the Surface. Also Thunderbolt uses the USB-PD standard as well, so that's not a problem. Also there's no such thing as a Thunderbolt charger as it's a data protocol, not a power protocol.

[@oztabletpc]

Ok, thanks for the clarification and correction!

[@oztabletpc]

I mentioned it because I fried a Lenovo X1 Tablet (Gen1) by plugging in the USB C charger from a HP Elitebook X2 (USB C & Thunderbolt). So I'm not sure why that happened... Any thoughts?

@@oztabletpc I don't really know. The X1 tablet didn't charge using that charger?

[@oztabletpc]

@ It did charge, but it got so hot I thought it was going to explode. I ran it outside and waited for the flames! Fortunately it didn't, but it needed a battery replacement. So I've been cautious with USB C ever since.

@@oztabletpc it looks like the charger didn't step down the power. Unfortunately things like this can happen as usb-c is a to way connection for power too. The direction of the power usually depends on communication between the devices and that doesn't always work. My friend has a usb-c external battery, and if he uses it to charge his phone with a usb-c to usb-c cable after the battery has a lower level than the phone the phone started to charge the external battery. So there can be problems unfortunately. Did warranty cover the battery replacement?

[@joeb.fromsydneyaustralia5313]

Great video... thanks!

[@Majid.Shahverdi]

I have a faulty surface pro charger, but the connector works fine. Can I use any 12v 2.5A laptop charger and connect it to my surface if I cut off the connector nad use a surface connector? Thanks

[@oztabletpc]

No, I don't think so. There are some smarts required I believe. A PD charger with USB-C or a Surface Connect adapter (e.g. J-Go Tech) is a good alternative

[@philbraginetz1740]

I''m looking for a solution that allows me to use a power bank to charge my new Surface Pro 6. My understanding is that the SP6 requires a 15V USB-C cable compared with 12V for older Surface Pros. Will the dongle you described work with the SP6? Thanks.

[@venomousvenom010]

It works perfectly as that surface connect adaptor was designed for surface pro 5 and newer models. Cheers

[@rsmolkin]

I got the Surface Connect for Surface Pro 4, and tried using it with a Lenovo USB-C dock and also with MacBook charger. With the doc, the video goes to the monitors, but the Surface is not charging. WIth MacBook brick, it's also not charging the Surface, the light on the end of the Surface Connect dongle comes on for like 5 seconds and goes off.

[@oztabletpc]

Surface Pro 3 and 4 do not work with this solution sorry.

[@erickbourdin4039]

Hello I have a surface pro 3 ... the charger is not that big ... so the only reason to use this usb c charger is when you dont have access to a power socket ... How do you determine that the cable is a thunderbold cable ? Thank you for your Tip vidéo always very helpful Erick

[@oztabletpc]

The only time you'd use this is if you wanted to charge the Pro 3 from a battery bank. I'm not 100% sure about Thunderbolt, but I believe that they have a special symbol identifying them. Might be worth searching to check...

[@Jedmanuel91]

Anyone know where I can but this adaptor? It is discontinued and I can’t find it.

[@AM-un5eb]

Going on your advise 2:02 I purchased the Microsoft adapter and Xiaomi battery pack the exact same one you have 45W. When i fully charged the Xiaomi plugged into my surface book the white charging light on the Microsoft adapter came on for 1 second and went off. What this means is the Xiaomi is not able to deliver enough power so a complete waste, thanks mate.

[@oztabletpc]

Do you have a Surface Pro 4? We mentioned clearly in the comments here that this would not work as it uses a different voltage. The battery pack (if it is the correct type, and not a dodgy knock off) will certainly work, but the Surface Connect adapter only supports Surface Pro 5, 6 and 7 (as stated in the video description).

[@manishkhabrani]

I have surface pro 5, surface connect and Xiaomi battery pack with output of 45W. It does not charge my device. I have all the required gadgets but I fail to understand why it is not charging. I purchased surface connect, battery pack and usb c cable after seeing your video. Can you please guide?

[@oztabletpc]

Cable must be USB C to USB C (both ends). Is that what you have? Also, is your battery pack PD compatible ?

[@manishkhabrani]

@@oztabletpc Thank your for your response. Yes I have USB C to USB C, Amazon Basic cable, and Mi powerbank 3 with output of 45w. It supports PD as per the description. Is there some problem with firmware or driver for Microsoft USB C connect?

[@oztabletpc]

@@manishkhabrani There are no drivers or firmware, so I'm not sure what is wrong for you. Cables can be an issue for high current charging. Perhaps check that. Also, I have been caught out with fake Xiaomi products before too. See if you think the battery pack is the real deal.

[@aj_aka_alan]

If you used a USB C port with PD, would you also be able to transfer data through that device? As in, the port has USB C on one end and say as SD card on the other.

[@oztabletpc]

The PD part is the power protocol from the charger. The device (Surface Go / Pro with adapter) still supports USB data connections and devices via USB C.

[@AppleiPhone379]

How about charging the very old Surface Pro 2 since the charging port is completely different from all surface products after it? Thank you!

[@oztabletpc]

Sorry, I don't have a good solution for the Pro 1 or 2. I would check Amazon or eBay for options...

[@AppleiPhone379]

oztabletpc - Thank you for trying to help!

[@kidosentertainment2158]

I get microsoft surface 3 as modul number 7G6-00001.his port charger is broken so how can I fix that problem guys????????? Thanks

[@wayne9139]

Does the USB-C adapter work with Surface Pro 3 in terms of charging while TV-outing to my USB-C monitor?

[@oztabletpc]

No, sorry Pro 3 supports charging only.

[@jazzifized]

I'm using MacBook 61W charger with an AliExpress bought Surface Connector. Most of the time it's working well, but sometimes it connects and disconnects continuously. Shutting down the computer, plugging in while it's off seems to work, it continues charging when the computer is turned back on. Anyone else experienced this issue? It feels like Windows actively somehow disconnects USB PD when plugged in while Windows is running.

[@janr5213]

I bought a new surface charger and sometimes it works, sometimes not. Do you know why it's intermittent?

[@oztabletpc]

Check the charging port, there could be some debris in it. The magnets do like to attract.

[@bl4ckx977]

Hi i have been using the surface pro 6 since 3-4 months. My question is is there any possibility to charge it faster ? I mean im using the original charger for the surface pro 6 but somehow it takes to long to get charged. Does the surface pro 6 have quick charge ? Thank you for your videos tho. 👍

[@oztabletpc]

Thanks for the question. The Surface Pro 6 should charge in a little over 2 hours which is pretty fast for a device with a 45,000mAh battery. How long does your Surface take to charge?

[@AnttiVesanen]

@@oztabletpc it's 45Wh, which comes around at 5,940mAh. 2 hours isn't terrible still though.

[@oztabletpc]

Right you are!

[@axzelo]

unfortunately this adapter seems to have been withdrawn from the market, at least in Europe

[@nznn4187]

Hi. I have the surface pro7 which has usb-c port but i dont know how to charge it with a powerbank cause my powerbank didnt explain about the PD on it's box. I have the Samsung battery pack thats provide fast charging and its compatible with Qi cartified products. Could you help me to find out that my powerbank is suitable for the surface or not?

[@nznn4187]

And as i check my battery pack , it didnt show actually the watts of itself . Its written here that " Normal typical 6600 mAh (5.0V 1.0A) 33Wh , typical 6300 mAh (5.0V 2.0A) 31.5Wh , fast typical 3100 mAh (9V 1.67A) 27.9 Wh , fast typical 2300 mAh (12V 1.25A) 27.6 Wh " So it would be very nice of you to help me with this things

[@oztabletpc]

If it does not specify PD on the box it is unlikely to be compatible.

[@nznn4187]

And what about the Watt of the battery pack?

[@oztabletpc]

It's not relevant unless it supports the charging protocol.

[@rajsoni8454]

is there anyway to use the apple USB c charger with surface pro ?

[@oztabletpc]

If your Apple charger supports the PD standard with 30 Watts plus...

[@bakuldada7838]

the problem is coz all surface dock leads so short..it is a pain to use it in tablet mode...as mostly use it in tablet mode

[@oztabletpc]

Yeah, you really have to have it sitting on the right side of the device to do this...

[@ome69]

How do you charge a Surface pro 7 from a battery pack? My Samsung battery pack only has a usb and a micro usb port for charging Samsung phones. I purchased a USB 3.0 - USB-C cable but it doesn't seem to be working.

[@oztabletpc]

It is shown in the video. You need a battery back that has a USB C connector. That USB C connector needs to be rated to the USB PD 2.0 power specification. And then you use a USB C to USB C cable into your Surface Pro 7.

[@ome69]

@@oztabletpc Thankyou, I thought maybe it might have been different now with the the 7 having the usb-c but alas. Appreciate your help thanks.

[@oztabletpc]

@@ome69 Yeah, typical USB does not deliver enough power fast enough to charge a device with such a large battery. The PD standard is designed to deliver much more power at higher voltages. A battery pack like this is very handy though!

[@AngshumanDas13x]

Does it charge over usb c when surface go is in sleep or turned off??

[@oztabletpc]

Yes

[@AngshumanDas13x]

@@oztabletpc thanks for the update.. I have been charging with an USB A to USB C cable..and it doesnot charge while device is shut down. Looks like I need a PD compatible charger

[@oztabletpc]

@@AngshumanDas13x yes, watch the latest video linked in the description. USB-A cannot deliver the power needed. You need to use a PD charger, and PD can only be delivered over USB-C.

[@gummo1997x]

SO let down:( had my pro for about 3 months and love everything but this charger drive mes NUTS. its barley stays in... i miss the old mechanical click in ones... this magnetic shit falls out so easy.

[@thereallofigirl]

Mine like exploded a few months after I got it I was really disappointed

[@twoonezeronine]

Don't suppose you still have the MS Surface Connect to USB-C adapter and would be willing to sell it? Desperate to buy one and they have been discontinued!

[@GNL78]

Can anyone tell me why my surface pro 3 is not holding charge? Bought it brand new, hardly ever used but working from home lots just now. Got notification that battery was running low, made sure cable was plugged in but it suddenly switch off. Since then I've never been able to charge it. Switch on only to see battery icon on screen at 1 bar for around 10 secs and switches off again! Any help would be appreciated...thanks

[@oztabletpc]

Lithium batteries (as used in most mobile electronics) discharge and degrade over time. They need to be used to keep them working. Depending on how long it was unused, sitting for a long time (eg. 1 year or more) could have discharged the battery beyond its low voltage threshold. From there, it can never recover. I hope for you that it's under warranty still, because it probably needs to be replaced.

[@GNL78]

@@oztabletpc Thanks for the response, for a while it sat unused but latterly as in the last couple of months it has been used more often with no problems whatsoever. It seems that over night it has charged ever so slightly so I can now swith it on however the battery life remains low at 9%. Its actually a surface pro 2 not 3. I think it has to do with the charger port as the connection between port and cable feels loose, its always been like that....

[@oztabletpc]

@@GNL78 oh IC. Good to hear that you're still getting used it of a Pro 2!

[@GNL78]

@@oztabletpc LOL exactly!

[@manalinadkarni2793]

Can you please tell how can l charge microsoft surface pro 4 ?

[@oztabletpc]

Correction to this: The Surface Pro 4 will not charge with this device unfortunately. I have now tried it...

[@stefansch2789]

Is it possible to charge a surface pro 4 with this powerbank? Are there some people who did successfully?

[@oztabletpc]

Correction to this: The Surface Pro 4 will not charge with this device unfortunately. I have now tried it...

[@oztabletpc]

Yeah, there is a solution, but it works on all Surface models from Pro 2017 (aka Pro 5) forward. The Pro 4 and Pro 3 do not work as they don't support the charging mode required...

[@uski59]

Why not just get a new charger made for this unit?

[@oztabletpc]

It's very handy to be able to charge directly from a battery pack or a car charger. Plus you can charge phones on the same cable (as long as they're not fruit brand).

[@dustinschmidt2494]

Why won't my surface go 3 charge with the USB port

[@oztabletpc]

Sorry, but you cannot charge a Surface Go from a USB-A port. You need a USB-C PD charger (30 Watts or more) or a Surface Connect (original) charger.

[@iamstable4591]

Why would you buy a $100 adapter when you can order the original charger for 15 bucks?

[@oztabletpc]

Why would you ask a question like this when the video is clearly four years old? The video title also specifically says it is out of date. Reading and watching need to go hand in hand.

[@CarlosRibeiroArtist]

my surface go does not charge via usb c

[@oztabletpc]

Do you have a PD charger or power source?

[@Eduard482]

can anyone recommend a surface pro 5 car charger?

[@KuwaitiRock]

Griffin 30 watt Surface Connect Vehicle Charger. You can find it on MS store so it's officially licensed by MS.

[@eliermaxwell5910]

Try cleaning the connection part that goes into the computer it gets dirty every once and a while

[@theprussianmink]

Damn, that is one expensive adapter.

[@oztabletpc]

And not needed anymore finally if you have a Surface Go, Pro 7, Book 2 or Laptop 3.

[@theprussianmink]

​@@oztabletpc Still on Pro 4. It holds up quite well for my use.

[@Andrew-vz3qk]

why does microsoft love ripping off surface customers with huge expensive bricks?

[@oztabletpc]

Please read the video title and description.

[@scottyfhf]

this is click bait

[@oztabletpc]

Do you mean that you don't like the Surface dongle solution? Or the fact that I explained how to use it? Or do you think that I should just not tell anybody about it?

[@scottyfhf]

@@oztabletpc I was mostly just sad that it wasn't a "hack" like jam a usbc cable into the surface charging port. it was more of, I had to go buy something which if I was going to go shopping id just get a new charger. So for me trying to figure out how to charge surface pro at that moment, the video was not helpful, I felt click baited at the time.

[@edjrage7745]

your comment is click bait

[@seanpaulson9098]

The surface chargers suck ass. I've gone through 5 of them. Also if you buy a new one they charge you 60 bucks! Rip-off

[@holdencaulfield8429]

tl:dr Go shopping.

[@Dub1B]

Magnetic Surface Connector is a PIA. Stupid, pointless and prone to damage. Hate Surface for this SILLY connection. Cost me lots!

[@NeoSilvanus]

useless information, and that charger is god damn defective, i love and hate the 3 so much

[@dhyaneshwarra5851]

Oh god what a big dongle 🤦🏻‍♂️ Waste of money and space and resources.... We could easily get a HDMI out, USB 3.0 and USB C port adapter for that price

[@oztabletpc]

Read the description.

[@dhyaneshwarra5851]

@@oztabletpc I mean I was saying the appearance of the dongle, it's big for such a minimal use

[@oztabletpc]

It's obsolete. Long gone...

[@dhyaneshwarra5851]

@@oztabletpc thank god then😂 I also saw your new video, and I discovered that my Xiaomi power bank can charge my Surface Go, and it's max. 18W only.. is it fine?

[@oztabletpc]

Should be OK, but would only charge when it's off. As long as it is 18w PD.