How To Detach Surface Book From The Keyboard?

Love it or hate it, Microsoft produces some of the best looking 2 in 1s available on the market. The Surface Book is the high-end premium version of these devices. The 2 in 1 form factor is actually very useful and very well executed in the Surface Book, with excellent integration for the Surface Pen and the Surface Dial.

However, to switch to the tablet mode and back, you will first need to understand how to detach Surface Book from the keyboard. Here I shall discuss how to detach Surface Book, and what you can do if the Surface Book won’t detach from the keyboard.

How To Detach Surface Book?

Actually, removing the clipboard from the keyboard is very simple and can be done with the help of a single button, literally. You will have to follow these steps:

1. First, make sure that the screen is placed at 90 degrees and not bent halfway from the hinge.
2. Press the Detach button.
   You will find it sandwiched between the F12 and the Del keys.

3. Keep it pressed for a second or two, till you see the indicator light on the button go green in color.
4. Wait for the green banner on the screen that says, ‘Ready to detach’.
   You will also hear a click sound come from near the keyboard hinge.

5. Now simply grip the top of the screen and pull upwards. The screen should come right off.

With the Surface Book detached, you can work on the screen independent of the keyboard. This is very useful for drawing on the screen and other creative work.

Surface Book Creative Canvas

You can actually use the Surface Book like a creative canvas. For this, follow these steps:

1. First, you will need to detach the Surface Book screen from the keyboard.
2. Next, flip the screen 180 degrees horizontally. The display should now face away from the keyboard.
3. Attach the screen in this position to the keyboard.

Now you can turn the screen all the way down and use the Surface Book like a creative canvas for drawing or other creator purposes.

Surface Book Won’t Detach

There are some reports that the Surface Book won’t detach from the keyboard. This is actually a very common error as there are some conditions that you need to follow in order to detach the Surface Book.

• Charge

One of the most common reasons why the Surface Book won’t detach is that the devices are not charged. When connected, the display and the keyboard are charged simultaneously. However, both the devices must be charged to at least 10% before you can detach the keyboard.

• Graphics

The graphics processor of the Surface Book is actually placed inside the keyboard section. This means that for graphics-intensive tasks like photo and video editing, you will need the keyboard attached.

While these apps are running, you will not be able to remove the keyboard. Instead, you will be shown an error message asking you to close these apps instead.

• Power

You cannot detach the keyboard while shutting down the Surface device.

• Two-button shut down

If you are still unable to detach the Surface Book keyboard, perform a two-button shutdown. This involves pressing the volume up and power key to force the shutdown process of the Surface Book. Upon restart, you should be able to detach the surface keyboard.

This should also solve if the Detach icon is missing from the taskbar.

Surface Book Manual Detach

While many people have suggested many hacks, we suggest you not to look and implement these workarounds.

These workarounds involve looking for and pressing a button near the ventilation holes, but there is no proof that this would work. Instead of attempting manual detach, you should take your Surface Book to the repair center and ask the help of a professional.

Wrapping Up

So, there you have it. Now you know how to detach the Surface Book keyboard from the screen. Did you find this useful? Comment below if you did, and to discuss further the same.