Some Surface Pro 3 owners have been suffering from battery issues for months now, whereby the tablet loses charge much quicker than it should.
Many were hoping the problem could be fixed with software, as a hardware problem would have likely led to a recall.
But Microsoft announced this month it was working on a firmware fix, and now it has finally released the patch.
The company provided a FAQ alongside the new update, which explains how the issue meant that many users could only use their tablets when plugged into the mains.
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Once unplugged, the tablets would lose charge very quickly, essentially meaning they had to be tethered to a plug at all times.
Microsoft says the problem affected a ‘limited number’ of the devices, and was down to “an error condition occurs that causes the full charge capacity of the battery to be misreported to the operating system and device firmware”.
Explaining further, the company states: “Think of this like a fuel gauge in a car, where the car looks to the fuel gauge to determine how much to fill the tank.
“In this case, if the fuel gauge isn’t working right, the car would also not be able to fill the tank—even though the tank is fine.”
If you need to download the update, you can read how using the link above, but here’s a quick rundown of the process:
Make sure the tablet is plugged into the mains using only the standard AC power adapter, disconnect any and all peripherals, and ensure the tablet shows at least a 40% charge.
Step 1: On Windows 10, go to Start and select Settings > Update & security > Windows Update.
Step 2: Select Check for updates.
Step 3: Install System Firmware Update – 8/29/2016, and then select Restart now. Do not shut down.
Step 4: After your Surface restarts, you’ll see a black screen with the Surface logo and the message that a system firmware update is being applied. The update may take several minutes to complete.
IMPORTANT: Do not disconnect from AC power while the system firmware update is being applied.
Step 5: After the update has been applied, your Surface will boot back into Windows. At this point, you’ll need to do another restart for the new battery logic to take effect.
Hopefully, this will be the end of the charging issues for all those affected.
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Let us know if the update works for you in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.