How to Use Surface Pro as a Tablet

In this video, we'll walk you through the essential tips, tricks, and features that will transform your Surface Pro into a powerful and versatile tablet device with Windows 11.
By the end of this video, you'll have a solid understanding of how to utilize your Surface Pro as a tablet, unlocking a world of possibilities and making the most of its versatile features. Whether you're taking notes, browsing the web, or indulging in your favourite apps, your Surface Pro will be your ultimate companion.
My gear:
Sony ZV-E10 amzn.to/3LdIm6E
Rode VideoMic Pro amzn.to/3FNuJdd
SanDisk Extreme 128GB SD Card amzn.to/3Mweggd
Logitech MX Master 3 Mouse amzn.to/37QPDf2
iPhone 13 Mini 128GB amzn.to/39PeVdV
HeyMix 120W GaN Charger amzn.to/3HG41WX
UGreen USB-C SD Card Reader amzn.to/3Vat0o9
Overhead iPhone / Camera mount amzn.to/3hwUrLc
Timestamps
0:00 Intro
0:38 Tablet Mode in Windows 11
1:20 How to right click, double click and select
1:55 Touchscreen gestures
2:28 Customising quick actions menu
4:07 Onscreen keyboard
5:45 Split Screen and Windows Snap
7:15 Surface Pen tips & snipping tool
8:54 Customising Pen button
11:20 3 & 4 Finger Swipe gestures
12:15 Multiple Desktops
13:30 Screen rotation and rotate lock
14:08 Annotating a PDF document
#Microsoft #Surface #Windows 11

[@jimmyzhao2673]

Using the end of the pen as an eraser is genius, Something Apple should take note of. lol

[@AldoJames]

yea it's so handy

[@JustinKreule]

Really appreciate this video. Every video of the surface pro nine just reviews it with the keyboard case attached, they never talk about the experience of using it as a tablet compared to an iPad for example

[@ahmedcelik8367]

I love this device about to get the pro 8!

[@Buddychigo]

Great video, thanks a lot for the tips!

[@AldoJames]

Glad it was helpful!

[@907nvl]

Excellent video! Thank you 👍

[@AldoJames]

Thank you too!

[@abcdefg67386]

This channel is a gem if you have a Surface Pro. I'm very happy about the hardware but the software still needs a lot of refining in my opinion, especially when using the pen or when it comes to the Microsoft Store, Office 365, things like that. Anyways, thanks for the videos!

[@AldoJames]

Aww thank you so much! Feel free to share it around :)

[@Robert-yp9zs]

I will probably be visiting this video very often. I'll be getting a Surface Pro 3--mainly for viewing MPEG-4 movies. But, since it is also a legitimate PC, the whole concept of tablet navigation, as opposed to desktop navigation via mouse holds a certain amount of fear and apprehension. We'll see how well a 79 year old person does.

[@AldoJames]

Good luck with it :)

[@mariolucius841]

I have a new surface pro 9. This is a great and concise tutorial on how to use it as a tablet!

[@AldoJames]

Really gla to hear it helped! How is your new pro??

[@WiikLyID]

I want to buy an sf9(i5 8/256) in 2024 for my light video editing needs, is this device still relevant? is the device hot and noisy? give me a review of your daily use, thank you.

[@louloubix]

Thanks. Only helpful video out there !!

[@AldoJames]

Glad it was helpful!

[@gregoryowain2073]

Wow it seems that Windows 11 on these newer SPs is miles better than Windows 10 on my old SP4. Seems much more intuitive to just have a more tablet friendly version of the existing desktop interface than to try and create something entirely new and more confusing.

[@nicknelson9450]

Aldo is a name I haven't heard since my chidhood...are you of Italian ancestry, by any chance? I'll admit that I watched your video very rapidly so I may have missed it, but aren't you forgetting to mention what I believe is a crucial advantage of the stylus pen over a finger, and that is the ability to trigger the Windows hover / popup message function, otherwise only possible by moving an on-screen pointer with a mouse or touchpad? PS: You have some interesting slightly tapered phalanxes there which seem perfectly suited to the little icons on a touchscreen! 😉👆

[@nowimcool1982]

Hi thanks for the video! i have one question: do you know ho to disable the widgets menu? (gesture)

[@AldoJames]

Yes and no…it’s a little bit of scripting which I wouldn’t recommend for most people

[@leogrant2507]

Have you had any problems with folding the surface keyboard backward? I just got my surface pro and didn’t want to damage it, but it seems like it might be intended.

[@AldoJames]

Congrats on your new Surface! You won't have any issues folding it backwards, it's designed for it :)

[@xZxOxVx]

Nice and useful! I was checking what drawing tablet to buy and thinking about wacom, then wanted to check how's Microsoft surface because my wife has one and she's not using it so now I guess I'll just buy a surface pen instead of drawing tablet and draw on MS, thanks a lot! Can you please tell me is it going to be possible to model in blender (since surface isn't that strong)? Is it going to be laggy or something, any advice?

[@AldoJames]

If you're going to get blender and run really heavy renders you might want to consider the Surface Laptop Studio as it has a H class processor and dedicated nVidia graphics. It's a bit more expensive but it's a beast of a machine

[@jimmyzhao2673]

Can you use the pen to navigate around or is it easier using your fingers ?

[@AldoJames]

you can, depends on what I'm doing but I switch between pen or hand input

[@godchick4ever]

I am considering purchasing the surface pro 9 but have a query. When the surface pro 9 is in tablet mode, and in portrait orientation, and a multiple page pdf is open, is it possible to through the pages from left to right rather than swiping up? I want to use the pro to read music and it would be much better to swipe from right to left. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

[@adeshgupta6172]

Yeah of course you can do that. But that's a function of app actually, unfortunately Microsoft edge doesn't offer side slide function till now, but you can use other software like drawboard, foxit, Adobe acrobat (may be, not sure). But you can do it in surface for sure

[@AldoJames]

It depends on the program you’re using

[@decastro76]

You will love Gnome desktop for a tablet experience on surface.

[@ahmedcelik8367]

When im given a handout is it possible to scan the handout and turn it into a PDF to write on? Thank you in advance

[@AldoJames]

It is, it’s an app called office lens on the store

[@mr-ladi617]

How it works for installing apps?

[@ramiygr.3629]

What pdf app are you using? Adobe asked me to pay a premium for annotating

[@th007]

I see no tablet mode... I had a Surface Pro for testing and I do not like the windows system in a free hand mode / using as a tablet.

[@AldoJames]

Windows 11 has removed the specific “tablet mode” button and the device just automatically converts to larger icons and easier tablet use when they keyboard is disconnected

[@user-zq9se9vr2g]

what ram size you use, I saw some delay, is it because you use 8GB model?

[@AldoJames]

16GB model

[@WiikLyID]

I want to buy an sf9(i5 8/256) in 2024 for my light video editing needs, is this device still relevant? is the device hot and noisy? give me a review of your daily use, thank you.

[@beamboy420]

I hope you didn’t get it .. Please wait for the new surface pro releasing in couple of weeks. The new Arm laptop should have amazing battery life. It has some other cool features as well but it has a great translation tool to translate non native apps

[@beamboy420]

I hope you didn’t get it .. Please wait for the new surface pro releasing in couple of weeks. The new Arm laptop should have amazing battery life. It has some other cool features as well but it has a great translation tool to translate non native apps

[@WiikLyID]

@@beamboy420 yeah, It's surprising that just a few weeks after I commented Microsoft has released the 11th edition which already uses the Snapdragon Processor. Thank's Bro

[@reverend_wintondupree]

6:00 But can you enable the Surface Pro to play multiple videos simultaneously in full windowed mode? Whenever attempting to do so Windows forces one of the videos to override the other and goes into full screen.

[@AldoJames]

What kind of videos?

[@reverend_wintondupree]

@@AldoJames Any video played via web browsers.

[@user-zq9se9vr2g]

so don't use fullscreen mod, it's a windows system, you use webfullscreen or just small window, it'll work

[@macanthonysaguindang8438]

Is tablet mode works even if the keyboard is detached?

[@AldoJames]

Of course :)

[@diegoslopez1]

Imagine a modern smartphone or "phablet" powered by a snapdragon 8 gen 3 or snapdragon X Elite, and maybe a undervolted RDNA3 AMD chip, running a optimized Windows 11 ARM handheld version in a touch/tablet mode (with gesture support)... I wish we had a "PDA" type device back to the market, modern smartphones are powerful, Android is great, but nothing compared with a full robust OS like Windows/Linux, would be great for productivity and portability purposes

[@AldoJames]

Ohhhhhhh that would be interesting

[@nasergh9354]

Can we use this surface with just power that battery be off and doesn't charge to avoid high temperature?

[@AldoJames]

As in just on battery mode?

[@nasergh9354]

@@AldoJames no. I mean i want to use SP9 like desktop computer with power. Because battery life of surface maybe not enough and we need to continue using tablet with charging but this charging and using tablet same time maybe make battery damage and hot. I wish there is an option on windows to disable battery to use tablet with just power adapter. Sorry I have another question too. Can we charge it with usb c port? With powerbank too? Same 65 watt fast charge?

[@mur3aza]

what is your smart watch?

[@AldoJames]

Apple Watch SE 2

[@mur3aza]

@@AldoJames i see... thanks

[@afb9023]

my onenote won't launch when i click the pen.

[@leogrant2507]

I have had this problem as well. Sometimes it’s because the pen isn’t paired, but there also seems to be an issue with one note specifically where the other shortcuts will work but one note won’t. A restart has always fixed it for me.

[@stroeherj]

It's not the default setting for single click either, make sure you set it correctly:)

[@silverpro8356]

The screens on this surface pro are just so damn reflective its honestly annoying.

[@AldoJames]

Yea I can see that if you’re in bright areas. What laptop do you use?

[@adeshgupta6172]

Yeah it is, but you can get Matt finish screen guard, that woks really good.

[@Garymayes24]

I have a surface pro 5 and it doesn't do half the things you showed us here, Weird.

[@AldoJames]

like what?

[@Gray-Today]

Define "tablet."

[@AldoJames]

A device without a keyboard