Does your surface pro keyboard deactivate when its folded back?

[Junwei]

Hi,

Did you guys know that when your surface pro touch keyboard is folded backwards, the keyboard stops working? It ceases to operate after it passes the vertically down angle.

I have not seen this feature documented anywhere. But as i was using it today i noticed this odd phenomenon happening and tested it and it seemed to work consistently. I am still not sure if it is a 'feature' or its that my keyboard is faulty. But if it is a feature, it is very well designed indeed!

No wonder i have not seen any accidental key presses when i was using it in tablet mode and the keyboard is folded backwards. I always thought it was because i did not apply sufficient pressure to the keyboard.

 

[mutunekk]

Its a very cool surface feature. After a point the keyboard stops taking inputs.

 

[hd94]

But will this damage it?

 

[Junwei]

Let's put it this way. If the keyboard was designed to shut off when folded backwards, don't u think they would have designed it not to be damaged when folded backwards too? =p

 

[hughlle]

This is a well known and documented feature. Same thing carries through when using it with the kickstand. The stand can just rest on the back of the keyboard when annotating etc, meaning you don't have to bother removing the kayboard and pop it off to one side and then re-attaching when ready to type again.

 

[kristalsoldier]

And, not only is it well-known, it has also been a feature since the early release of the original Surface machines.

 

[enthuz]

I must have been living under a rock, because I never knew this. Of course I never tried it on the SP1 or SP2. Good to know.

 

[Aeron15]

it's so that when you're holding it like a tablet, your type cover presses won't get registered. honestly I don't like holding my SP3 with the type cover folded back because I just don't like the sensation on my fingers that I'm pressing something everytime I move my hand

 

[nipponham]

it's so that when you're holding it like a tablet, your type cover presses won't get registered. honestly I don't like holding my SP3 with the type cover folded back because I just don't like the sensation on my fingers that I'm pressing something everytime I move my hand

Do what I do and flip the type cover around so that when you fold back, the keys are facing the back of the device and your hand gets to grip the felt material.

 

[Junwei]

Do what I do and flip the type cover around so that when you fold back, the keys are facing the back of the device and your hand gets to grip the felt material.

That actually works really well! wow! doing that and writing on the tablet with the stylus actually makes the tablet more stable as the felt backing acts as an anti-slip backing! I never knew the keyboard could still snap into place when it was inverted.

 

[malberttoo]

Do what I do and flip the type cover around so that when you fold back, the keys are facing the back of the device and your hand gets to grip the felt material.

I do this also, when I need to switch to tablet mode and walking around. Takes all of 5 seconds and is super useful.

 

[Liam2349]

I always flip the keyboard. Don't like holding the keys, and I don't like resting the keys onto tables and stuff.