How to Detach the Keyboard on a Surface Book

Written By: Carsten Frauenheim

Comments: 11

How to Detach the Keyboard on a Surface Book

Difficulty

Easy

Steps

Time Required

5 - 15 minutes

Introduction

Follow this guide to safely disconnect the keyboard base from the display on a Microsoft Surface Book.

The Surface Book’s keyboard base is magnetically attached to the screen and needs to be manually detached if the device can’t power on. Detaching the display from the keyboard base is a helpful prerequisite, making repairs significantly easier.

Tools

Step 1

In order for the keyboard to be detached with the Detach buttons, both batteries must be charged above 10 percent. If your device doesn't power on and you can't use the Detach buttons, skip to the next step.
Press and hold the Detach button on the keyboard.
Once pressed, the Detach button it will light up red. After a second, it’ll turn green and you’ll hear an audible clicking sound.
Alternatively, click the Detach icon on the right-hand side of the Windows 10 taskbar.
Remove the display.

Step 2

The next six steps show how to detach the display manually if you’re unable to power on the Surface Book.
Flip open the display as far as it will go.
Lift the device up and place it on its side, with the display facing away from you and the SurfaceConnect port facing up.

Step 3

Straighten out one section of a paper clip.

Step 4

The Surface Book has an internal lever arm mechanism that can be manually actuated through an access hole in the vents on side of the display.
Insert the straight end of the paper clip at a 45 degree angle into the sixth hole from the left.

Siete geniali! Bravissimi! Ggrazie di cuore

Adriano Mezzi -

Step 5

Firmly push the paper clip into the hole.
This may take a considerable amount of force.
Once the internal lever arm is fully depressed, you can disconnect the display.
Pull the base away from the display to detach it.
If you are unable to detach the display from the base on this side, release pressure on the paper clip and try again.

You should feel slight resistance when pressing against the internal lever arm. If you don’t feel the resistance after about half an inch, back out and try again. Be careful not to push the paper clip too far, as it can scratch the screen bezel from the inside, leaving a visible mark.

Alexander V Trofimuk -

This doesn't work on mine... there's a 90° metal support bracket that covers the entire corner (goes up to about the 8-9th hole on the side) and blocks any & all access to the screen release mechanism. After seeing this "solution" online so many times, I never understood how this worked for anyone else...

miked9746 -

I could detach mine following these instructions. When inserting the paper clip you will feel a resistance like pushing a spring. In my case, pushing the paper clip in about 5 millimeters and holding it when I hear a "click" sound. Be sure to grab the tablet when you see it separating (or have at hand a plastic spudger or opening pick to avoid snapping into place again due to the very strong magnets present).

Andrés Vettori - 27/11/23

Step 6

The magnetic connections are prone to snap back into place, so hold the two halves apart.
With one side detached, pull firmly to pivot the display out to disconnect the second side.
If the magnetic connection feels extra strong and the display won't detach on the second side, keep the detached side separated with a spudger, pen, or pencil, and repeat the paper clip process on the other side of the display.