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May 2026 Status – HDMI & Miracast Screen Share

nor_azam — Wed, 20 May 2026 04:23:58 GMT

Hello Microsoft team,

After moving to Surface 3 with MTR, honestly, the experience hasn’t been as good as what we had with Surface Hub.

Screen sharing is one of the main things we rely on daily, and right now HDMI and Miracast are not working the way we expected. It’s quite a step back for us.

We really hope you can help bring back these functions. If it can’t be done directly in the MTR interface, at least allow it through the Windows side.

This is important for our daily usage, so please don’t ignore this. We’d really appreciate your support on this.

Inside the new Intel‑powered Surface portfolio: A deep dive

Chauncey_Larsen — Thu, 21 May 2026 18:16:13 GMT

Today’s work happens across locations, roles, and environments. Employees need to shift among focus, collaboration, and communication, often on the move. AI adds new opportunities to support new workflows, while modern threats raise the bar for security. Microsoft builds Surface devices to meet these complex conditions, engineering and validating hardware, firmware, and Windows as one.

Building on these principles and our longstanding collaboration with Intel, we’re excited to announce the new Surface devices powered by Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3: Surface Pro for Business, 13-inch, Surface Laptop for Business, 13.8 and 15-inch, and Surface Laptop for Business, 13-inch. With these devices, Surface expands its business portfolio with x86 devices serving distinct needs, built on the Surface commitment to user-centric experiences, sustained performance, and a layered Zero Trust approach to security. For a broader overview of what’s new across Surface for Business and how the latest devices help organizations navigate modern work with AI, see Nancie Gaskill’s announcement blog.

Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3 brings a system-level approach to performance across CPU, GPU, and NPU—designed for responsive performance under sustained workloads. We dive into the performance characteristics of this new silicon below.

Surface Pro, 13-inch

Surface Pro for Business brings the flexibility of a tablet together with the power of a full Windows PC. Its 2-in-1 design with an adjustable kickstand and detachable keyboard (sold separately) lets mobile professionals move fluidly between tablet, laptop, and presentation modes. Optional 5G connectivity enables work to continue even when out of Wi-Fi range.[1]

Surface Laptop, 13.8-inch and 15-inch

Surface Laptop for Business is a premium laptop for knowledge workers and power users who want impressive performance and refined design. Available in 13.8-inch and 15-inch sizes, it delivers Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3 performance in a focused, polished Surface laptop design built for sustained focus.

The PixelSense™ Flow touchscreen is designed for fluid interaction, with a dynamic refresh rate from 24 to 120 Hz, adaptive color, and adaptive contrast to improve readability in bright environments. Anti-reflective technology is designed to minimize unwanted reflections and has been certified by TÜV SÜD to meet the requirements of ISO 9241-307.

Across the Surface Laptop 13.8 and 15-inch line, the display system is engineered to balance visual quality, responsiveness, and efficiency. On 15-inch Surface Laptop, a higher-resolution panel increases pixel density to 262 PPI for sharper text and visuals, with up to 600 nits (typical) in SDR and up to 600 nits peak luminance in HDR.

The displays on Surface Laptop 13.8 and 15-inch also use an oxide backplane designed to improve flicker margins and stability across refresh rates. Paired with a dynamic refresh range, this supports steadier behavior as refresh changes, improved efficiency when the panel runs at lower refresh, and smoother interaction when it scales up to higher refresh rates. A high-efficiency backlight with prismatic film is designed to help maintain brightness and power efficiency alongside the higher-resolution panel. Support for a wide color gamut (DCI-P3 100%) offers accurate color reproduction.

On select commercial 13.8-inch models, Surface Laptop is also available with an optional integrated privacy screen with anti-glare coating, designed to reduce viewing angles with one click for work in shared, mobile, and privacy-sensitive environments. We’ll go into the technical details on the privacy screen later in the post.

Surface Laptop, 13-inch

Completing the portfolio of Intel-powered Surface devices, Surface Laptop for Business, 13-inch[2] features a balance of productivity features in a 13-inch form factor, among the most portable Surface laptop designs available and designed to support broad deployment across a range of use cases. Together, these options provide flexibility without fragmentation, making it easier to support different workstyles while maintaining a cohesive device strategy.

The first Surface devices with Intel Core Ultra Series 3

The Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3 system-on-chip platform reflects a shift toward a system-level approach to performance—designed to help provide responsive performance under sustained workloads within consistent power and thermal conditions that IT can plan for and manage. More than 90% faster performance than Laptop 5[3] and up to 2x faster performance than Surface Pro 9[4] highlight the generational gains across the portfolio.

Rather than treating the CPU, GPU, and NPU as isolated components, workloads can be directed to the engine best suited to manage them efficiently, helping balance performance and power consumption. For sustained, real-world productivity—meetings, browser-heavy multitasking, local AI inference, and security features like virtualized based security—this design is intended to help maintain consistency over time instead of optimizing only for short bursts. For graphics-intensive workflows, Surface Laptop with Intel® Core™ Ultra X7 processor has up to 35% more graphics performance than MacBook Air with M5.[5]

Mobile productivity is also a key focus with up to 60% faster unplugged performance than Surface Laptop 7th Edition with Intel[6] and up to 2x faster unplugged performance than Surface Pro 11th Edition with Intel[7]^.

Built on a shared Intel® silicon architecture across Surface Pro and Laptop for Business, the platform is designed to support everyday work scenarios such as meetings, multitasking, content creation, and select AI-enabled workflows while helping reduce noticeable tradeoffs in performance or battery life.

Device	Battery Life
Surface Pro for Business, 13-inch	Up to 17 hours or up to 2X more than Surface Pro 9[8]
Surface Laptop for Business, 13.8 and 15-inch	Up to 23 hours or up to 2x more than Surface Laptop 5[8]
Surface Laptop for Business, 13-inch	Up to 22 or up to 2x more than Surface Laptop 5[8]

For IT, these additions to the Surface portfolio provide a consistent x86 foundation across devices, with predictable power and performance behavior to support standardized deployment.

Designed for brilliance

With this Intel-powered Surface generation, we focused on interaction and mobility fundamentals that help people stay productive wherever work happens. Check out this video for a look at our engineering team's passion and dedication to human centered-design:

Precision you can feel

With this generation, haptic touchpads move beyond replicating clicks to deliver nuanced tactile cues across everyday interactions. Haptics on these new Surface devices are engineered and validated across hardware, firmware, and Windows to deliver a coordinated experience. Tactile feedback is designed to arrive with low perceived delay (targeting feedback under ~50 ms) so it feels connected to the action and becomes learnable and trustworthy over time. And now Windows is evolving Advanced Haptics as a system-level interaction language, shaped by insights from the Surface team, that can scale beyond Surface.

Haptics are reserved for user actions, designed to reinforce clear cause and effect without adding visual or cognitive noise. Employees can adjust haptic feedback strength or turn it off through Windows settings.

Examples of haptic patterns used to support precision and confidence include:

A subtle cue when your pointer nears the Close button—so you don’t accidentally close an important window
A crisp alignment cue when objects snap to guides or canvas edges in drag, scale, or rotate interactions
Detents indicating discrete steps of the slider range.

This reflects a broader focus on human-factors testing and inclusive design, using touch as a communication layer that reinforces what is happening on screen.

Haptics also extend to pen input. Surface Slim Pen 2 includes a haptic motor in the pen to make inking feel more natural, with distinct tactile signals that can confirm supported actions (for example, crossing out to delete or lassoing objects in Windows and supported apps) and help people annotate, review, and brainstorm with more confidence.

Third-party apps are already taking advantage of advanced haptics

In third-party creative apps such as Concepts, Windows advanced haptics can reinforce precision tasks such as grid snapping, object rotation, shape recognition, and slider limits with consistent tactile cues—so alignment and boundaries can be felt quickly without extra on-screen prompts.

In third-party video editing apps like Wondershare Filmora, Windows advanced haptics can provide subtle confirmation for actions such as timeline snapping, image alignment, and property control adjustments helping reduce missed targets during repeatable edits.

Connectivity options for work on the move

Modern work assumes connectivity, and Surface designs accordingly. For Surface Pro, the optional 5G configuration supports productivity and responsiveness in real-world mobile settings while aligning with enterprise expectations for security, performance, and manageability.

Across the portfolio, the new Surface devices include Wi-Fi® 7 and Bluetooth® Core 5.4 with Bluetooth® Low Energy, while select configurations also offer support for 5G for highly mobile roles and work across locations.

For 5G configurations, Surface treats connectivity as a system design area shaped by how people actually use their devices. Engineering work includes extensive electromagnetic simulations to optimize antenna performance, with careful studies to place them in optimal locations that ensure robust connectivity across usage scenarios. Validation extends beyond the lab to furnished homes, active office environments, and field testing with over 100 mobile operators across more than 50 countries.[9]

Engineered for security

Surface provides multilayered protection across hardware, firmware, and OS, built and validated by Microsoft. All Surface devices are Secured-core PCs, which helps organizations start from a consistent, security-forward baseline, with key Windows protections enabled by default. Here's a quick overview of the Surface for Business approach to securing endpoints:

Protected from the first boot

The security foundation of Surface begins at the hardware level. Surface devices establish a hardware root of trust anchored by an Intel integrated TPM, supporting features such as Dynamic Root of Trust Measurement (DRTM) for System Guard Secure Launch, Secure Boot, runtime integrity, and hardware-based isolation. Together, these capabilities support defense in depth and help protect sensitive workloads.

Windows System Guard extends that protection by helping validate system integrity during startup and after Windows is running. At startup, System Guard Secure Launch uses DRTM to transition the CPU into a hardware-controlled trusted state and measure critical components before higher-level protections such as virtualization-based security rely on them. After boot, those measurements can support local and remote attestation, helping organizations confirm that the device started in a known-good state as part of a broader Zero Trust model.

Hardening the layers beneath the OS

Through the Open Device Partnership, previously discussed in this blog and SFI report, Microsoft and ecosystem partners are contributing to modern, security-first approaches to system software, including work that emphasizes memory-safe implementations of critical components.

That work includes Secure Embedded Controller, or Secure EC. The embedded controller is a low-power microcontroller responsible for functions such as power sequencing, battery charging, thermal policy, and peripheral coordination. ODP work includes a modern approach to embedded controller firmware designed around clearer modular boundaries and secure boot concepts for the microcontroller itself.

Surface has been using its own custom Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), built on Project Mu, Microsoft’s open source UEFI firmware framework. The new Intel devices also include Patina, a UEFI-compatible firmware approach written in Rust. Patina includes a Rust-based implementation of the UEFI DXE core, the core execution environment within UEFI, and is designed to support a measured boot flow rooted in hardware trust while improving the ability to reason about and validate core boot behavior. Surface has also invested in Rust-based Windows drivers and has contributed supporting tooling and infrastructure to the open development ecosystem to encourage transparency and collaboration.

For IT, these investments help reduce risk in areas that are difficult to monitor at runtime: firmware and drivers. Memory-safe implementations can reduce exposure to certain memory safety issues, and clearer component boundaries can reduce firmware and driver attack surface while making updates easier to validate and roll out.

Because Microsoft builds and services the Surface stack end to end, firmware and drivers can be delivered and maintained as part of coordinated device servicing alongside Windows—supporting clear lifecycle planning and consistent remediation through Windows Update over time.

Visual privacy built into the display

Camera systems, sensors, and physical protections are also integrated as part of the overall device design, supporting privacy in ways that fit naturally into how people work. On select 13.8-inch Surface Laptop devices, an optional integrated privacy screen is engineered as part of the display system eliminating the need for users to carry and attach a separate privacy screen. With one click, it helps reduce viewing angles for work in shared, mobile, and privacy-sensitive environments.

Our attention to detail extends to the design of the integrated privacy screen. Maintaining device dimensions and product visual identity were two key priorities for the Surface engineering team, achieved by integrating a glass-based privacy screen into the existing enclosure without increasing thickness. When enabled, the display is designed to reduce visibility from side angles while maintaining a clear, readable view for the person in front of the screen. Rather than simply reducing brightness, a luminance control algorithm makes the display appear significantly dimmer from off-axis viewing angles. The algorithm continuously balances readability and off-axis privacy by considering the on-axis luminance target (nits), ambient light level (lux), and the display’s contrast characteristics to determine an appropriate ambient contrast ratio. It is designed to operate alongside core Windows display technologies such as automatic brightness and HDR.

Integrated privacy screen relative output luminance as a function of ambient illuminance and input luminance

Brightness behavior is managed as part of the visual privacy experience. If automatic brightness is enabled, the system adjusts the on-axis luminance target to maintain readability for the person in front of the display while preserving reduced visibility from side angles. If automatic brightness is turned off, users can still set brightness manually using the Windows brightness control; the visual privacy logic then works within that user-selected setting to preserve the off-axis dimming effect.

Users can toggle the integrated privacy screen using the dedicated keyboard key (F1) for quick control. The Surface app also provides a visual privacy toggle and can indicate when the feature is managed by IT policy. When enabled, the privacy screen effect applies only to the built-in display (not external monitors). The privacy screen state persists across reboots and sleep/wake cycles.

Together, these layers deliver security by design: Surface hardware and firmware protections combined with Windows 11 Pro defenses enabled by default, working as a continuous, system-level foundation. For more details regarding the technology and implementation of our integrated privacy screen option, refer to our technical documentation here.

Trusted for transformation

From manageability and lifecycle consistency to on-device experiences that can run locally, Surface is built as a platform organizations can adopt with confidence and grow over time.

Local AI, built for business

With Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3, the system is architected for heterogeneous compute, coordinating the CPU, GPU, and integrated NPU so select AI workloads can run on dedicated silicon without competing with core productivity tasks. This can support more responsive on-device AI experiences in select scenarios and helps keep performance and power behavior more predictable for IT.

On Copilot+ PCs, the NPU enables Windows experiences designed to run locally, including features such as Fluid Dictation, Click to Do, improved Windows Search and more. These experiences are powered by on-device models that ship with Windows, relying on the NPU to analyze on-screen content, surface relevant actions, and help people find information and interact with Windows and supported apps using natural language.

Third-party apps also continue to explore the power of the NPU. Cephable is showcasing a new class of on-device AI assistant, optimized for Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3, enabling intelligent workflows to run locally for improved responsiveness, control, and security. By integrating with Microsoft’s local AI stack, Cephable demonstrates how developers can bring AI-powered automation directly to the device, helping organizations unlock new efficiencies while keeping data closer to where work happens.

Move from AI pilots to real workflows

Beyond in-box experiences, users and developers are empowered to build lightweight, task-specific AI workflows that run locally on the NPU, using local models from Microsoft Foundry on Windows in scenarios where sending every step to the cloud is not practical. This pattern can support work in environments with variable connectivity, reduce reliance on cloud API token usage for routine tasks, and keep sensitive processing on the device when appropriate. For a deeper look at this use case, see the blog post “Vibe Coding for the NPU” by Frank Buchholz.

Progress through sustainability

Surface sustainability shows up in deliberate hardware decisions that matter for businesses. These devices increase the use of recycled materials by adding 100% recycled copper in the motherboard, reducing reliance on virgin materials.[10] Surface Laptop for Business, 13.8-inch and 15-inch, and Surface Pro for Business, 13-inch are also made with a durable recycled aluminum enclosure, consisting of 100% recycled aluminum.[11]

The packaging for these devices uses wood-based fiber made from at least 77% recycled content[12] with 100% of virgin paper sourced from responsibly managed forests[13]. These innovations have substantially reduced single-use plastics, advancing Microsoft’s broader progress to significantly reduce to just 0.07% across primary device packaging[14].

Energy efficiency is designed in at multiple layers, from ENERGY STAR® certification[15] to features like automatic keyboard backlighting that intelligently reduces power draw during everyday use.[16]

Surface continues to invest in repairability. The new Surface Repair Tool lets technically skilled individuals and independent repairers diagnose and repair key components for supported devices.[17]

Looking ahead

With this generation of Intel-powered Surface devices, Surface reinforces its commitment to devices designed with intention, engineered with security at the core, and built to earn trust over time. Together, this portfolio reflects the long-standing collaboration between Intel and Surface, grounded in reliability, compatibility, and trust.

This is one part of a broader silicon strategy. Surface remains committed to optionality for business customers, with more to share soon about continued partnership with the Snapdragon^® X2 platform and additional Surface innovations ahead.

To see how these products and features come to life with customers—and what they can unlock as organizations move from experimentation to real AI transformation—be sure to read Nancie’s blog: Introducing new Surface devices built for Business and AI acceleration.

Ready to get started? Check with your Surface commercial authorized reseller or head to the Microsoft Store to buy direct. When shopping at Microsoft.com, customers can take advantage of fast, free shipping, free 60-day returns, and flexible payment options.[18]

We’re excited to see how Surface can help you along your AI journey.

Additional Resources:

Read: Introducing new Surface devices built for Business and AI acceleration | Nancie Gaskill | Microsoft Devices Blog

Visit the Microsoft Store

Watch our new Surface for Business video series:

Learn more about our solutions at Surface.com/business

Footnotes

[1] 6GHz band not available in all regions.

[2] Copilot+ PC features available only on select configurations with 16+GB RAM; additional system requirements may apply. See https://aka.ms/copilotpluspcs

[3] Tested by Microsoft April 2026 using CineBench 2024 Multi-Core benchmark. Up to 95% faster comparing Surface Laptop, 15-inch with Intel® Core™ Ultra X7 to Surface Laptop 5 15-inch with Intel® Core™ i7. Up to 93% faster comparing Surface Laptop for Business 13.8-inch with Intel® Core™ Ultra X7 processors to Surface Laptop 5 13.5-inch with Intel® Core™ i7.

[4] Tested by Microsoft April 2026 using Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core benchmark comparing Surface Pro 13-inch (12th Edition), Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 to Surface Pro, 13-inch (11th Edition) with Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 devices.

[5] Tested by Microsoft April 2026 using CineBench 2024 Multi-Core benchmark comparing Surface Laptop for Business, 13.8 and 15-inch with Intel® Core™ Ultra X7 to MacBook Air, 13.5-inch, M5 Chip, 10 Core CPU.

[6] Tested April 2026 using CineBench 2024 Multi-Core benchmark comparing Surface Laptop for Business, 13.8 and 15-inch (8th Edition) with Intel to Surface Laptop for Business, 13.8 and 15-inch (7th Edition) with Intel.

[7] Tested by Microsoft April 2026 using Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core benchmark comparing Surface Pro 13-inch (12th Edition) with Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 to Surface Pro 9 with Intel® Core™ i7 processor devices.

[8] Based on local video playback test. Battery life varies significantly based on usage, network and feature configuration, signal strength, settings, and other factors. See aka.ms/SurfaceBatteryPerformance for details.

[9] 5G not available in all areas. Compatibility and performance depend on carrier network, plan and other factors. See carrier for details and pricing.

[1 0] Devices (excluding power supply), contain a minimum 3.5% recycled content, consisting of 100% recycled rare earth metals in magnets, 100% recycled tin in solder, 50% recycled copper in thermal plate, 100% recycled copper and 100% recycled gold in the motherboard. Based on validation performed by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. using Environmental Claim Validation Procedure (EVCP) for Recycled Content, UL EVCP-2809-2, Second Edition, dated June 2024 Recycled Content is defined in accordance with ISO 14021.

[1 1] Surface Pro for Business, 13-inch enclosure includes bucket, kickstand. 100% recycled aluminum alloy in bucket. Surface Laptop enclosure includes A Cover and C Bucket. 100% recycled aluminum alloy in A Cover and C Bucket. Based on validation performed by Underwriter Laboratories, Inc. using Environmental Claim Validation Procedure (ECVP) for Recycled Content, UL ECVP 2809-2, Second Edition, dated June 2024.

[1 2] Applies to sales packaging. Based on internal analysis using IEEE Std 1680.1-2018. IEEE Standard for Environmental and Social Responsibility Assessment of Computers and Displays. 4.7.3.1 Required—Recycled content in wood-based fiber packaging.

[13] Sources must be Forest Stewardship Council certified.

[14] For product packaging, single-use plastic metrics cover all Microsoft hardware packaging (retail and commercial) and consumer software packaging, and exclude impact from inks, adhesives, coatings, label liner material, material that is removed before a label is applied, and electrostatic discharge (ESD) packaging components. More information can be found here: 2025 Environmental Sustainability Report | Microsoft.

[1 5] Comparison based on product energy consumption vs. ENERGY STAR® certification limits for personal computers. Actual performance varies by configuration and usage.

[1 6] Compared to typical use without the feature enabled. Actual power savings vary based on usage, settings, ambient lighting, and other factors. Not supported with wireless detach on Surface Pro 13" Flex Keyboard.

[1 7] Microsoft tools (sold separately) may also be required. Availability of replacement components and service options may vary by product, market and over time. See Surface service options - Surface | Microsoft Learn. Opening and/or repairing your device can present electric shock, fire and personal injury risks and other hazards. Use caution if undertaking do-it-yourself repairs. Unless required by law, device damage caused during repair will not be covered under Microsoft’s Hardware Warranty or protection plans.

[18] Returns: Available with eligible physical products purchased from Microsoft Store online and Microsoft Experience Centers in select markets. Return process must be started within 60 days after customer receives the product. Limit 5 product returns per eligible customer purchase. Excludes ROG Xbox Ally X, ROG Xbox Ally, Surface Hub, HoloLens, and Windows DevKit.

Applicable return policy applies. For purchases made at Microsoft Store, see applicable Microsoft Terms of Sale for more information. For purchases made at a Microsoft Experience Center, see receipt for more information. Microsoft reserves the right to modify or discontinue offers at any time.

Flexible payment options: Pay over time options may be available for qualified customers at checkout for eligible purchases when checking out with a Microsoft account in applicable markets. Learn more.

Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Snapdragon is a trademark or registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated.

Surface IT tookit - unusable

AntiMicrosoftUser — Tue, 12 May 2026 04:03:42 GMT

I hate Microsoft with a passion everyday they get more greedy, more incompetent, and continue to force PWA (Websites that pretend their programs so that they can advertise to you within your programs. Just wanted to get that out there how much I hate dealing with Microsoft.

I'm a 20 year Computer tech, so I'm Ok with computers.

Trying to download an image for a customer surface pro 4 laptop.

Download the surface It Toolkit - over the last 2 days it says Creative recovery USB Failed

Every single Time. Tried multiple USB ports, tried re-downloading the image again, tried cleaning the partition and formatting the partition and USB stick.

Do you think that MS would know how to make software usable - absolutely not - they can't even come up with an error message apart from Failed.

Yes it's a 16 GB USB Stick.

Can anyone assist with why Microsoft is so incompetent at basic programs to download images and to give proper error messages apart from a simple Failed when it comes to formatting USB - right after it completes the Validating Image.

Do people on this forum get paid from Microsoft? Or do all of these people simply give out their own time so that MS can continue to focus their efforts on how to make more money while allowing the community to sort out there mess?

I hate you Microsoft.

Surface Pro Image Download - Surface IT Toolkit Unuseable

AntiMicrosoftUser — Tue, 12 May 2026 03:57:45 GMT

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Surface Laptop keyboard problem

Jean-Alain1 — Mon, 11 May 2026 13:04:53 GMT

Hi,

I need help for Surface Laptop (7th generation) keyboard issue.

We just received a brand new Surface Laptop (2036 model) from our supplier in France.

At the first start, i choose, in win11 wizard, the "French (Traditionnal, AZERTY)" Keyboard.

The end of wizard and installation went smoothly

But the problem is that when I press certain keys, the caracter that is displayed is wrong.

From A to Z keys it's ok. But some others are wrong. Ex :

"!" shows "_",
Alt-Gr @ displays tild (~),
key "-" "_" displays ")" or "°" (with maj associate).

I check the language, region, keyboard parameters, I see nothing inconsistent.

I've download the Surface Laptop 7 update 26.033.32430.0 msi and installed it. Nothing changed.

I've deleted the 4 keybords in device manager and reboot the Surface. Still the same problem.

I did a factory reset. At the first start, i choose this time the "French (Standard, AZERTY)" keyboard.

Not better... I've download The Surface Diagnostic Tool, but it doesn't help me.

We installed 4 other Surface laptops a few months ago, and we haven't encountered any problems (with the same keyboard).

Does anyone have any idea what the cause of this problem might be? Hardware ?

Thanks a lot for help.

Jean-Alain

Bringing Hybrid, Agent-based AI to Higher Education

rohenr_msft — Wed, 06 May 2026 20:21:39 GMT

Higher education institutions are actively exploring ways to expand access to student services while operating within practical constraints related to staffing, budgets, and infrastructure.

Historically, student services have been delivered through a mix of websites and portals, printed reference materials, and appointment‑based advising or help desks. As student expectations increasingly reflect preferences for more immediate, conversational and self-service interactions, colleges and universities are evaluating alternative delivery methods to extend access at scale.

As interest grows in agent‑based AI, institutions are increasingly exploring conversational interfaces as an entry point to digital services. These systems are designed to handle requests, surface information, and guide users through processes using natural language. Evaluating this approach at scale raises broader architectural considerations for IT teams, including how AI‑enabled services are delivered and where different classes of workloads should execute.

The evolution of the delivery of student services in higher education.

Considering Hybrid AI Architectures

A growing pattern in agent‑based AI delivery is the use of hybrid architectures that blend local execution on modern AI-enabled PCs powered by small language models (SLMs), with cloud‑based AI services built on large language models. The ibl.ai agentic platform is one example, combining agent‑based design with the flexibility to run selected AI tasks locally on Windows Copilot+ PCs—such as Microsoft Surface devices with NPUs—while relying on cloud‑hosted services when broader institutional context is required. This design enables institutions to dynamically determine where inference occurs, shaping how performance, data locality, and operational cost exposure are managed.

As discussed in Microsoft’s evaluation of small language models for retrieval‑augmented generation, SLMs can be appropriate for selected, well‑scoped tasks, particularly when model behavior and deployment context are tightly controlled. Examples include:

Offline or local environments, including on‑device scenarios, where local inference may be required due to connectivity, policy, or architectural considerations.
Latency‑sensitive interactions, where model placement and execution location are key design factors.
Scenarios with constrained AI budgets or usage thresholds, where organizations choose to manage cloud‑based inference consumption by selectively running tasks locally.
Resource‑constrained environments, where model size and deployment footprint are important considerations.
Task‑specific workflows, where smaller models may be fine‑tuned to support narrowly defined use cases rather than relying on general‑purpose, out‑of‑the‑box models.

Importantly, decisions about where and how AI workloads execute are shaped by institutional design choices, governance requirements, and technical constraints—not by the AI models alone.

An Example of Hybrid Agent‑Based Design in Higher Education

The ibl.ai agentic platform provides one example of how hybrid agent‑based AI can be applied in higher education. In collaboration with the Surface engineering team, ibl.ai enabled support for on‑device inference and developed the student experience pack—a collection of preconfigured, task‑specific AI agents, designed to run on Surface Copilot+ PCs with NPU. These agents support common student‑facing scenarios, including Study Hub, Campus Connect, Career Launchpad, and Surface device‑related services such as onboarding, support, and care.

This collaboration exemplifies how services can be configured to operate either locally or in the cloud, based on how institutions dynamically determine where inference should occur. Under typical conditions, the agents may connect to cloud‑based services to access institutional systems, broader context, or cross‑service coordination. In other scenarios—such as offline use or institution‑defined usage thresholds—the same agents can be configured to run entirely on the device without requiring cloud connectivity.

Designing for Flexibility and Choice

As AI becomes more visible in student‑facing experiences, colleges and universities are balancing competing demands. Students increasingly expect conversational, always‑available support. Institutions want to meet those expectations responsibly, without sacrificing governance or sustainability. And IT teams need architectures that can flex across devices, networks, and deployment models.

Students want conversational access to services; institutions need a smarter way to deliver it—one that scales by design, preserves control, and uses hybrid AI execution to create value without unnecessary tradeoffs.

Network connection

Allmat — Mon, 04 May 2026 18:57:07 GMT

I’ve three Surface Pros: two 7+ running Windows 11 Pro and an older Pro 5 running Windows 10 Pro. All fully up to date. All exhibit the same problem, even when placed next to each other and barely 2 metres from a wireless repeater that’s part of a TP-Link Deco mesh network. The problem is that randomly any one or two of them will claim there’s no internet connection while the other one or two are rock solid with a 90 plus score on my Orb app. Then a random time later the disconnected device will find the network. There’s no obvious pattern – sometimes the problem exhibits itself on a full cold start, sometimes on waking from sleep when the typecover had simply been closed. Other devices such as a phone or Android tablet never show this so I conclude it’s something to do with the Surface tablets – but what is it and how can I fix it? Grateful for any suggestions.

Designed for Surface Accessories for Frontline Work

hannahtodd — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 21:52:43 GMT

Frontline scenarios often involve Surface devices that are shared across shifts, used in physically demanding settings, or deployed across multiple locations. In these situations, accessories play a critical role in shaping how devices are configured for day‑to‑day use and how well they perform within the environments in which they are used.

Designed for Surface (DfS) accessories are built to support these frontline needs, providing purpose‑built solutions for shared use, mobile workstyles, and access-controlled environments.

Below are a few frontline deployment patterns that help illustrate how accessories can be used to adapt Surface devices for healthcare, manufacturing, and government use cases.

Healthcare | Shared Devices and Fixed-Station Use

Pictured, left to right: UAG Plasma Healthcare for Surface Pro, 13-inch, The Joy Factory Elevate II Countertop Kiosk in White.

In many healthcare scenarios, Surface devices are deployed both in fixed locations and on-the-go, often by multiple users throughout the day. Fixed stations typically benefit from a consistent physical setup that supports reliability and frequent interaction in busy environments, while shared mobile devices require added protection to withstand regular handling.

Common in areas such as check-in desks or shared workspaces, enclosures such as The Joy Factory’s Elevate II kiosks allow Surface devices to stay protected in fixed locations across departments or facilities and come in a variety of mounting options. Shared devices in this environment are also frequently handled, so protective options such as the UAG Plasma Healthcare cases for Surface Pro, 13-inch and Surface Pro, 12-inch can be sanitized with disinfectants repeatedly without altering case integrity and are tested by an independent third-party to MIL‑STD‑810G standards¹. The Surface Pro, 12-inch variant also features swappable rear camera rings for colorful differentiation and visually identifying devices across business departments.

Manufacturing | Rugged Mobile Use

Pictured, left to right: MobileDemand xCase with Scanner for Surface Pro, The Joy Factory aXtion Go MP for Surface Pro, 12-inch.

In manufacturing settings, Surface devices are often on the move—being carried across a site, handled during active workflows, or used alongside task specific equipment and peripherals.

Surface devices in demanding environments are benefited by accessories designed for mobile and rugged use. For example, The Joy Factory’s aXtion Go MP for Surface Pro, 12‑inch is IP68-rated for protection against dust and water ingress¹, supporting usage in environments where devices can be handled in various contexts. Other protective solutions like the MobileDemand xCase with Scanner for Surface Pro can also be used for inventory tracking. These accessories illustrate how Surface devices can be paired with additional, industry-specific capabilities for task focused workflows.

Government | Access‑Controlled and Physically Secured Use

Pictured, left to right: UAG Scout Series Smart Card Reader Case, Kensington BlackBelt Rugged Case with Integrated Smart Card Reader & HDMI, Kensington Keyed Cable Lock.

Some environments call for additional considerations around how Surface devices are accessed and secured during use. This pattern is often seen in government, where devices may be shared, deployed in the field, or used in sensitive environments that require additional security needs.

In environments where security matters, these deployments are supported by accessories that integrate security features into their design. Surface devices can integrate with smart card-based authentication workflows when paired with cases like the UAG Scout Series Smart Card Reader Case, or the Kensington BlackBelt Rugged Case with Integrated Smart Card Reader (CAC) & HDMI, which have built-in, TAA-compliant card readers for access‑controlled use in shared or secured environments.

These solutions can also be combined with physical security options such as locks, to physically secure devices both in and out of use. Non-invasive solutions, such as the Kensington Combination Lock and Keyed Cable Lock, provide an added layer of deterrence against unauthorized removal without requiring device modification.

Applying These Patterns

Frontline deployments need to scale across roles, sites, and environments, while still supporting the different ways people actually work. Looking at these deployments through common patterns offers a framework for choosing the right combinations of Surface devices and accessories to help meet a broad range of frontline needs.

The Designed for Surface program offers an ecosystem of certified accessories from trusted manufacturers that support these patterns across industries, helping organizations leverage Surface across frontline use cases.

Explore the full catalog of 200+ Designed for Surface accessories and see how they can support frontline work² by visiting DesignedforSurface.com.

Footnotes

¹ MIL‑STD‑810G and IP68-rating testing conducted by the accessory manufacturer. Testing is not a guarantee of future performance under all conditions.

²Surface devices and Designed for Surface accessories are intended for general business use. Third‑party accessories may require additional validation to meet industry specific regulatory, safety, or procurement requirements.

Miracast not working on Surface Hub 3 (Windows 11 IoT mode)

Andrea_Ragadini — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 09:16:29 GMT

Hi everyone,

we’re currently experiencing issues with Miracast on our Surface Hub 3 devices when running in Windows 11 (IoT) mode.

As far as we recall, Miracast used to work correctly in Windows 11 mode without any issues. We are also aware of the planned rollout for this functionality in MTR mode around May 2026. However, since this was already working for us in W11 mode, we’re wondering if something has recently changed that could have impacted this behavior.

So far, we’ve tried all the usual troubleshooting steps, including:

- Device reboots

- Policy/configuration checks and changes

- Full device reinstallation

Unfortunately, none of these actions resolved the issue.

Has anyone experienced something similar or is aware of recent changes that might explain this?

Thanks in advance,

Andrea

Microsoft Protection Plans now deliver more coverage

rawilson — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 18:33:46 GMT

Modern organizations rely on their Surface devices every day, across offices, job sites, classrooms, and hybrid work environments. Microsoft Protection Plans help reduce unexpected repair-related costs in accordance with the plan terms.

While every Microsoft Surface device comes with a minimum of 1-year Microsoft's Limited Hardware Warranty¹, you can protect your investment further with a Microsoft Protection Plan. Microsoft has recently updated its Protection Plans to provide broader coverage and reduce uncertainties in claim boundaries for customers. These enhancements are designed to better reflect how devices are used over time and to reduce uncertainty around repairs and long‑term ownership.

2026 Protection Plan Enhancements

Unlimited Mechanical Breakdown Coverage

Microsoft Protection Plans now include unlimited mechanical breakdown coverage²for the full duration of the plan. Previously, mechanical breakdowns and accidental damage claims were combined under a two‑claim limit. With this change, hardware failures caused by defects in materials or workmanship are no longer subject to a fixed claim count limit. Devices may be repaired or replaced as needed for mechanical issues throughout the coverage term.³

Accidental Damage Claims Are Now Separate

The existing two‑claim limit now applies only to Accidental Damagefrom Handling (ADH)⁴, such as drops, spills, or cracked screens.

By separating accidental damage from mechanical breakdown coverage, customers can more clearly understand how claims are applied and avoid using accidental damage claims for issues related to normal hardware failure.

New Battery Degradation Coverage

Microsoft Protection Plans⁵ now include battery degradation coverage.

Customers can file one dedicated battery claim⁶ if a device’s battery capacity drops below 70% of its original capacity during the plan term. This marks the first time Protection Plans address battery wear over time, not just battery failures caused by manufacturing defects.

Battery eligibility can be validated using tools such as the Surface Diagnostic Toolkit. Battery degradation claims are separate from accidental damage claims, so ADH limits remain unaffected.

Together, these updates help organizations extend device life, reduce unexpected repair costs, and plan more confidently for device ownership.

Customers can add a Microsoft Protection Plan when purchasing a new device, or within the eligible post-purchase window.⁷To purchase, contact your authorized partner or reseller, or engage the Microsoft Store virtual assistant.

[Consumer customers can purchase through the Surface app or your Microsoft account.]

These updates apply only to Microsoft Complete and Extended Hardware Service plans purchased on or after the applicable effective date (April 01, 2026) and are not retroactively modified. Coverage, whether for new or existing customers, is determined solely by the relevant Terms & Conditions for the specific plan purchased.

To learn more about Microsoft Protection Plans, visit Microsoft Surface Warranty & Protection Plans.

To see Warranty and Protection Plan Terms & Conditions, visit Support.microsoft.com.

Disclaimers

Without prejudice to any legal (statutory) rights to which you may be entitled under your local law, Microsoft Limited Hardware Warranty covers your device for one year from the date of original purchase from Microsoft or an authorized reseller. Restrictions apply. Please refer to Microsoft Limited Hardware Warranty & Agreement.
Additional extended coverage for mechanical breakdown and accidental damage from handling is available through the purchase of Microsoft protection plans. If the plan provides additional Mechanical Breakdown coverage, that coverage begins upon expiration of the manufacturer’s original warranty and continues for the remainder of the term shown on the Holder’s Proof of Purchase. Accidental damage from handling begins immediately upon purchase. Restrictions apply, for all Protection Plans, please reference the Terms and Conditions for the limit of liability and the applicable exclusions of the Protection Plan.
Subject to plan terms, conditions, and limit of liability.
Accidental damage from handling is included in the following plans: Commercial: Complete for Business, Complete for Business Plus, Accidental Damage Protection (EU), Accidental Damage Protection Plus (EU), and Consumer: Microsoft Complete. Extended Hardware Service (EHS) plans provide coverage for mechanical breakdown only and do not include Accidental Damage from Handling or battery degradation coverage.
Battery degradation is included in the following plans: Commercial: Complete for Business, Complete for Business Plus, Accidental Damage Protection (EU), Accidental Damage Protection Plus (EU), and Consumer: Microsoft Complete. Extended Hardware Service (EHS) plans provide coverage for mechanical breakdown only and do not include Accidental Damage from Handling or battery degradation coverage.
Customers with eligible plans are limited to one (1) battery degradation/replacement claim as set out in plan Terms and Conditions.
Availability and timing vary by market and plan type.

Dual Boot on Surface Hub 3

Stilldrey-MVP — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 22:41:08 GMT

Has anyone else shrunk the Surface Hub partition to support dual boot between MTR and Windows 11? I know it’s a niche case, but since the Surface Hub 3 has plenty of resources (memory & disk) to do more than just a meeting room, it might be interesting to explore!

I created a video demonstrating setting it up in this way for testing.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/stilldrey_how-to-microsoft-surface-hub-3-dual-boot-ugcPost-7427475939858554880-l6pq?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&rcm=ACoAAADpC5gBtRjG2ffA5dQj2Vy6zWx7DvhK55A

#SurfaceMVP

LinkedIn video - dual boot Surface Hub 3

Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock monitor(s) support

srazalir — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 15:03:27 GMT

Hi Everyone!

I am planning a setup with my Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock and three monitors:

1x HP M24 23.8 inch webcam monitor (connected using USB-C)
2x HP 524sh 23.8 inch monitors (connected through DP ports DP-> HDMI cables)

I want to know if it's possible to run all three monitors simultaneously as I have shown above with my Microsoft Surface Pro 11.

Any tips, experiences, and limitations will be appreciated.

I am already running the 2x HP 524sh monitors and want to purchase the M24 monitor for my meetings. This is for a Home Office setup!! :)

Screen protector for surface pro 11 and slim pen

Kayla123 — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 18:38:03 GMT

Hi everyone.

I’ve had my surface pro 11 for a few weeks now and have been avoiding using the pen much because I haven’t been able to find a good screen protector. I hand write a lot for work and don’t want any scratches.

I got a tempered glass matte screen protector and I can barely write with the slim pen. It’s not great with responsiveness but it’s also really tough to write on. The pen barely moves and just gets stuck.

Any suggestions that will allow me to use my slim pen properly but also protect my screen?

Vibe Coding for the NPU

FrankBuchholz — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 21:53:07 GMT

If you just bought a Copilot+ PC and want to know what that NPU can actually do, this is for you. If you manage a fleet of them and need workload placement guidance, this is for you too.

Cloud doesn’t have to be the default anymore. The NPU (Neural Processing Unit) is now a practical and accessible development target, making it possible to run advanced AI workloads directly on your device. This means you can take advantage of your PC’s local hardware to get faster results, lower latency, and even work offline or in airplane mode. Getting started with NPU development is easier than you might expect.

Foundry Local serves models through an OpenAI-compatible endpoint on localhost, so if you’ve used the OpenAI SDK, you already know how to build for the NPU. Combine that with AI-augmented coding and you don’t need to be a pro developer... you just need to be specific about what you want.

I’m in Surface Marketing. I haven’t done daily development work since the Petzold “Programming Windows” days... back when writing a hello world app meant 90 lines of C and a WndProc callback. Early in my career I quickly figured out I wasn’t the most talented dev in the room, but I was good at integrating hardware solutions and telling the story of what they could do. Now, with vibe coding, the thing that wasn’t my vibe has become a superpower... “wait, could I vibe code that?” And the answer keeps being yes.

I just built a working on-device AI application with four tabs and five AI tasks by describing features to an AI coding assistant. This post is everything I learned along the way: the platform, the tools, the workflow, and the real considerations that only surface when you’re actually building on the hardware.

Ready to skip to the good stuff? Jump ahead:

Want a working app fast? → Your First NPU App in Minutes
Validating model choices? → AI Toolkit Model Catalog
Deploying to mixed fleets? → Cross-Platform Development + Operationalizing
Need vision capabilities? → Phi Silica
Want to see what we built? → The Surface NPU Demo App

Why does this matter? Three words: availability, economics, and data sovereignty. Details below.

Why Build for the NPU?

For years, the cloud has been powering our most demanding AI workloads. That makes sense for frontier reasoning, complex agent chains, the hard stuff. But the models that run locally now are good enough for the majority of what your fleet actually does. And by “locally” I mean the device in your user’s bag... their Surface on the train, in a customer lobby, on a job site. Not a server. Not a VM. The actual endpoint, with its own dedicated AI silicon.

Availability. An NPU-powered workflow runs in airplane mode, in a clean room, on a factory floor, in a field inspection truck in a dead zone. No connectivity required. The AI is on the device, and the device is wherever your user is.

Economics. NPU inference comes at no additional per-inference cost after the hardware purchase. No per-token API fees, no egress charges, no metered compute. I think of it as an 80/20 planning model: the majority of routine AI tasks can run locally at no incremental cost, reserving premium cloud inference for the tasks that genuinely need frontier reasoning.

Data sovereignty. When operating without cloud escalation, data is processed locally on the NPU, reducing your reliance on cross-border data transfers. As with any deployment, customers should assess their specific regulatory, legal, and operational requirements, including endpoint management, device access controls, and applicable local laws. For regulated environments, on-device AI can be a powerful part of a broader compliance and data governance strategy, but it does not replace the need for appropriate legal, contractual, and security controls.

What Is Vibe Coding?

The industry calls it AI-augmented development. The internet calls it vibe coding. Same thing: you describe what you want, an AI coding assistant writes the code, you run it, you tell it what broke, it fixes it. Repeat. You’re the architect and the QA engineer. The AI handles the implementation.

Examples include GitHub Copilot CLI, Cursor, and similar AI coding assistants. The specific tool matters less than the workflow: describe a feature, the assistant writes code, you run it, you report what worked and what broke, the assistant fixes it. The AI handles the boilerplate... Flask routes, CSS layout, regex, JavaScript event handlers. You handle the architecture decisions, the hardware testing, and the product judgment.

Why does this matter for NPU development specifically? Because AI coding assistants already know the OpenAI SDK patterns inside and out, and Foundry Local speaks a compatible API. “Compatible” means the standard SDK works for chat completions and most common inference patterns, though you may encounter minor differences in model IDs or streaming behavior. Microsoft’s documentation frames this as compatibility with “OpenAI-compatible SDKs and HTTP clients.” In practice, for the workloads covered in this post, the SDK works as-is. The barrier is significantly lower than it used to be... if you can describe a workflow, you can start building for the NPU.

How It Started: From Playground Curiosity to Working App

This is where the IT pro lesson starts: validate the model first, then write code. This didn’t start with a plan. It started with a click.

I opened VS Code, installed the AI Toolkit extension, and browsed the Model Catalog. There was a model already on the device: Phi Silica. I loaded it in the Playground, typed a message, and... it responded. On-device. No API key. No cloud endpoint. Just the NPU doing inference right there in VS Code.

Wait. I remembered from using LM Studio that local models get served on a port. If Foundry Local works the same way... could I write a web app that talks to it?

So I opened GitHub Copilot CLI and just started describing what I wanted:

“I have a local AI model running through Foundry Local on my Surface. It exposes a compatible API on a local port. Build me a Flask web app that connects to it and serves a chat interface.”

And we were off.

Copilot generated a working Flask app. I ran it. It connected to the local model. I could chat with an AI running entirely on the NPU through a web browser. No cloud, no API key, no subscription. Wild.

From there, the vibe coding loop took over. Each session I’d just describe the next thing I wanted: a sidebar with tabs, a daily briefing from local calendar data, a two-brain router for local-vs-cloud workload decisions, and finally a full field inspection workflow with voice, camera, pen annotation, and translation.

The real acceleration came when I moved from copy-paste iteration to GitHub Copilot CLI, which reads and edits the full codebase directly on the device. That’s when it went from a cool demo to a genuine multi-tab application with real architecture. Kevin Roose and Casey Newton on the Hard Fork podcast recently compared the leap in AI coding tools to the original ChatGPT moment... and having lived it, that tracks. (If you’re not listening to Hard Fork, you should be.)

Python, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Built primarily through conversation with AI coding assistants. By a marketing person who hadn’t done daily dev work since writing WndProc callbacks in C.

The Starting Point: AI Toolkit Model Catalog

Before writing any code, start where I started: the AI Toolkit for VS Code. Two things matter here: the Model Catalog and the Playground.

Open the Model Catalog and filter for models optimized for local NPU execution:

Model	Parameters	Strengths	NPU Support
Phi-4 Mini	3.8B	General text: summarization, extraction, generation, translation	Intel (OpenVINO), Qualcomm (QNN)
Phi Silica	N/A	On-device language and multimodal scenarios on Copilot+ PCs	Intel & Qualcomm (Windows AI APIs)
Qwen 2.5	7B	General text: larger context, stronger reasoning	Qualcomm (QNN), GPU fallback
Additional models	Varies	The catalog is growing. Check for new NPU-optimized variants regularly.	Varies by silicon

For the full local model landscape, see Ready-to-use local LLMs in Microsoft Foundry on Windows and the Windows AI overview decision tree.

The Playground is your validation sandbox. Select a model, load it, chat with it directly in VS Code. Test your prompts. Feel the latency. Hit the context limits. All before writing a line of application code. It’s also the most reliable method we’ve found to trigger the initial model download and readying for Phi Silica.

Platform Requirements

Hardware

Any Copilot+ PC with an NPU. Surface consumer Copilot+ PCs are currently Snapdragon X. Surface commercial (for Business) Copilot+ PCs are available with both Snapdragon X and Intel Core Ultra.

Silicon	NPU	Example Surface Devices
Intel Core Ultra (Lunar Lake)	Intel AI Boost, OpenVINO runtime	Surface Laptop for Business, Surface Pro for Business (Commercial)
Qualcomm Snapdragon X (Elite/Plus)	Hexagon NPU, QNN runtime	Surface Laptop, Surface Pro (Consumer), Surface Laptop for Business, Surface Pro for Business (Commercial)

Software Stack

Scope: Everything in this post is Windows-only. Foundry Local, AI Toolkit, and the NPU runtimes covered here require Windows 11 on Copilot+ PC hardware (Intel Core Ultra or Qualcomm Snapdragon X).

A note on Foundry Local: Foundry Local is currently in public preview. There is no SLA and no backward compatibility guarantee. Expect changes between releases and validate in staged rings before broad deployment. For the latest, see the Foundry Local documentation hub.

Component	Install	Learn More
Windows 11 24H2+	Windows Update	Windows AI APIs
Foundry Local (preview)	`winget install Microsoft.FoundryLocal`	Get started
Python 3.10+	`winget install Python.Python.3.11`
foundry-local-sdk	`pip install foundry-local-sdk`	SDK reference
OpenAI Python SDK	`pip install openai`	SDK integration guide
Flask	`pip install flask`
VS Code + AI Toolkit	VS Code Marketplace	AI Toolkit overview

⚠️ Package name warning: Install foundry-local-sdk (the official Microsoft SDK). Don’t confuse it with similarly named packages on PyPI. At time of writing, foundry-local (v0.0.1) is not the official SDK and may fail (or behave unexpectedly). Verify against Microsoft’s SDK documentation and PyPI.

Your First NPU App in Minutes

For the official quickstart, see Get started with Foundry Local. What follows adds the vibe coding workflow on top.

Step 1: Install the Runtime

winget install Microsoft.FoundryLocal
pip install foundry-local-sdk openai flask

Step 2: Prompt Your AI Coding Assistant

“Build me a Flask app that serves a chat interface on localhost:5000. The backend should use the OpenAI Python SDK pointed at a local Foundry Local runtime. Use the foundry-local-sdk to get the endpoint URL dynamically (don’t hardcode the port). The model alias is ‘phi-4-mini’. Make it a single-file app with the HTML inline.”

The assistant will generate something close to this:

from flask import Flask, request, jsonify
from openai import OpenAI
from foundry_local import FoundryLocalManager

# Start Foundry Local and discover the endpoint dynamically
manager = FoundryLocalManager("phi-4-mini")
client = OpenAI(base_url=manager.endpoint, api_key=manager.api_key)
model_id = manager.get_model_info("phi-4-mini").id

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route("/chat", methods=["POST"])
def chat():
    user_msg = request.json["message"]
    response = client.chat.completions.create(
        model=model_id,
        messages=[
            {"role": "system", "content": "You are a helpful assistant."},
            {"role": "user", "content": user_msg}
        ],
        max_tokens=512
    )
    return jsonify({"reply": response.choices[0].message.content})

if __name__ == "__main__":
    app.run(host="127.0.0.1", port=5000, debug=True)

The key line is base_url=manager.endpoint. Don’t hardcode localhost:5272 or any other port. Foundry Local assigns a dynamic port each time the service starts. Always use the SDK’s endpoint discovery, or use foundry-local-sdk to resolve the active endpoint programmatically. For details, see the Foundry Local SDK reference.

Step 3: Run It

python app.py
# First run downloads the model (~3 GB). Subsequent starts are near-instant.
# Open http://localhost:5000

First model download requires network connectivity. After that, the model is cached locally and launches work fully offline. In practice, runtime or model updates and repair flows can occasionally re-trigger downloads. For cache management details, see the Foundry Local CLI reference.

Step 4: Iterate

Keep describing features. The AI coding assistant handles the implementation. You handle the testing on the actual device and the “this doesn’t work on the NPU” feedback that no AI assistant can discover on its own. Hardware-in-the-loop is the key. Don’t write a full spec. Write one feature at a time, test it, then describe the next.

Cross-Platform Development: Intel and Qualcomm

Foundry Local handles model selection across silicon families automatically through its alias system. For most developers and single-device use, you write one codebase and it works. If you’re deploying to a mixed enterprise fleet, here are the platform-specific optimizations we’ve found.

Architecture Detection Under Emulation

On Windows-on-ARM, Python x64 reports AMD64 via platform.machine(). Both it and PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE are wrong under emulation. Use WMI:

result = subprocess.run(
    ["powershell", "-NoProfile", "-Command",
     "(Get-CimInstance Win32_Processor).Name"],
    capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=5,
)
cpu = result.stdout.strip().lower()
if "qualcomm" in cpu or "snapdragon" in cpu:
    return "qualcomm"

Run native ARM64 Python where possible on Snapdragon devices for better performance and fewer emulation quirks.

Rule: On Snapdragon, prefer ARM64 Python. Avoid x64 emulation when you can.

Model Compatibility Varies by Silicon

Observed behavior during testing on preview runtimes (February 2026). Results may change with future Foundry Local or driver updates.

Model	Intel (OpenVINO NPU)	Qualcomm (QNN NPU)	GPU Fallback
Phi-4 Mini 3.8B	✅ Stable	⏳ NPU variant in development	✅ Both
Phi-3.5 Mini	✅ Stable	✅ NPU (Foundry 0.8.119+)	✅ Both
Qwen 2.5 7B	✅ Stable	✅ Stable	✅ Both
Phi Silica (text + vision)	✅ NPU	✅ NPU	N/A (Windows AI)

Foundry Local handles variant selection by alias. You request phi-4-mini, it pulls the best available build for your hardware. Model availability across NPU execution providers is expanding with each Foundry Local release. For tool-calling workloads on Qualcomm today, Qwen 2.5 7B is fully NPU-accelerated and production-ready. Your AI coding assistant handles the detection and model routing automatically.

Runtime Lifecycle Differs

if SILICON == "qualcomm":
    # Skip warmup - QNN is unstable with rapid reconnection attempts
    print("Skipping warmup on Qualcomm (first request will load model)...")
else:
    # Intel: warmup + keepalive for consistent latency
    warmup_model()
    start_keepalive_thread(interval=180)

Intel benefits from warmup and keepalive pings every 3 minutes. Qualcomm is the opposite: warmup destabilizes the QNN runtime. Let the first real request trigger model load. Use aggressive auto-reconnection on both platforms. These are observations from preview runtimes and may evolve.

NPU-to-GPU Fallback Chain

try:
    manager = FoundryLocalManager("phi-4-mini")  # NPU first
except Exception:
    try:
        from foundry_local.api import DeviceType
        manager = FoundryLocalManager("phi-4-mini", device=DeviceType.GPU)
    except Exception:
        # ⚠️ NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PRODUCTION - last resort only.
        # The port is dynamic; this may break if the service restarts.
        client = OpenAI(
            base_url="http://localhost:5272/v1",
            api_key="not-needed"
        )

For additional troubleshooting, see Foundry Local best practices.

Designing for the Token Budget

This is the constraint that shapes everything. Context limits vary by model. Phi Silica has a ~4K window; Phi-4 Mini supports much larger contexts, but practical token budgets still matter for latency and cost. Observed ranges: structured field extraction ~1,884 tokens, document classification ~500 tokens, morning briefing ~2,200 tokens.

Design principle: build single-shot endpoints that do one thing well. Instead of “one chatbot that does everything,” build endpoints like /extract-fields, /classify-doc, /summarize. One call, one job, one clean response.

And honestly? This constraint produces better architecture. Not every AI task needs a frontier model. Most of them are casual... summarization, extraction, classification, one-shot and done. It maps directly to the 80/20 planning model: the NPU handles the 80% that doesn’t need GPT-4.

Phi Silica: On-Device Vision

If you don’t need vision capabilities for your first app, skip this section. Start with Foundry Local + Phi-4 Mini. Come back when you need on-device image classification.

Phi Silica requires a few more setup steps than Foundry Local, but it unlocks on-device vision capabilities that no cloud-dependent workflow can match. Phi Silica is Microsoft’s on-device model accessed through the Windows AI APIs, supporting on-device language and multimodal scenarios available on Copilot+ PCs. For the full walkthrough, see Get started with Phi Silica and the Phi Silica tutorial.

Unlike Foundry Local (standard REST API), Phi Silica is a Windows API requiring: MSIX (Microsoft’s modern app packaging format) packaging with the systemAIModels restricted capability, a LAF (Limited Access Feature) token tied to your Package Family Name, and model provisioning on-device. Development builds may relax LAF enforcement; production deployments should always assume a valid token is required. See Windows AI API troubleshooting for LAF details.

Minimum Viable Checklist

☐ MSIX-packaged app with systemAIModels capability
☐ Phi Silica model readied on-device (AI Toolkit Playground or AI Dev Gallery)
☐ App checks GetReadyState() before calling vision APIs
☐ LAF token from Microsoft
☐ Health endpoint for fallback detection

The Sidecar Pattern

Encapsulate the Windows API complexity in a small C# ASP.NET Core service rather than MSIX-packaging your entire app:

Flask app (localhost:5000)  →  Vision Service (localhost:5100)  →  Phi Silica on NPU
                                      ↑
                               MSIX packaged, LAF token

The Vision Service exposes /health, /classify, /describe, /extract-text. Your primary app stays a standard Python web application.

The Three-Tier Fallback Pattern

If there’s one architecture principle to take from this entire post, it’s this: never let the app fail silently. Models will hang. Drivers will update. The NPU will occasionally just... not cooperate.

Tier	Strategy	Example: Photo Classification
Tier 1	Full AI pipeline (preferred)	Phi Silica Vision analyzes the actual image
Tier 2	Simpler AI approach (degraded but functional)	Phi-4 Mini infers from the filename
Tier 3	Hardcoded safe default (always works)	Pre-baked classification for known scenarios

Build these tiers from the start. They cost almost nothing to implement and they save everything when it matters.

Operationalizing NPU Apps in Enterprise

Foundry Local is in preview, so treat everything here as a framework that will evolve. That said, if you’re thinking about fleet deployment, these are the things that will bite you if you don’t plan for them.

Model acquisition and offline readiness. Models download on first use and cache locally (typically %LOCALAPPDATA%\.foundry\cache\models). Cache is per-user context, so plan pre-provisioning accordingly.

Update cadence. No SLA, no backward compatibility guarantee. Test in rings (dev → pilot → broad). Pin runtime versions. Revalidate after every Foundry Local or Windows update.

Logging. Track inference latency, token counts, fallback tier used, model load times. Do not log raw prompts or responses containing user data or PII (personally identifiable information).

Cloud escalation policy. Make cloud routing an explicit, auditable decision: local-by-default, cloud-only-when-invoked, with a log entry every time data leaves the device. Provide an admin toggle to disable cloud escalation entirely for sensitive environments.

Security. Foundry Local binds to localhost. Only local processes can reach the model endpoint. Don’t proxy to external interfaces without explicit security controls.

Packaging. Runtime installs via winget install Microsoft.FoundryLocal (Intune-compatible). (use --scope machine for machine-wide deployment; Intune-compatible). Stage three components: runtime, pre-cached model(s), and your application. The demo repo’s setup.ps1 validates each.

Fleet heterogeneity. If your fleet spans Intel and Qualcomm, the WMI detection pattern and three-tier fallback architecture are required, not optional. Test on both silicon families before broad deployment.

What We Built: The Surface NPU Demo App

Four tabs. Five AI tasks. Zero cloud calls in our demo. This is what a vibe-coded application looks like when it grows up.

I’ve demoed this to partner sellers, enterprise customers, and internal leadership. The moment that changes the conversation every time? Turning on airplane mode and watching it keep running. (That, and showing the tokenomics dashboard: $0.00 in cloud costs.)

Feature Details

AI Agent: governed local chat assistant powered by Phi-4 Mini through Foundry Local. Natural language queries, tool-calling, structured responses. This is where most people start.

My Day: takes local calendar, email, and task data and generates a structured morning briefing entirely on-device.

Two-Brain Router: evaluates each request and decides whether the local NPU can handle it or if it needs to escalate to a frontier cloud model. Shows the decision logic in real time, asks for explicit user consent before any data leaves the device.

Field Inspection Copilot: the multimodal showcase. Five NPU capabilities in a single workflow:

Voice: speak inspection findings, NPU transcribes and extracts structured fields (location, issue type, severity)
Camera: photograph the issue, Phi Silica classifies it on-device (water damage, structural crack, mold, equipment fault)
Pen: annotate photos with the Surface Pen, with local handwriting recognition
Report generation: NPU synthesizes voice, photos, and annotations into a formatted inspection report
Translation: one tap to translate the full report into Spanish entirely on-device

Target industries: construction, insurance claims, utilities, manufacturing QA, property management, OSHA compliance. The offline capability is load-bearing because these environments often have poor or zero connectivity.

The dashboard closes every session with the demo numbers: 5 local AI tasks, 0 cloud calls, ~520 tokens consumed, $0.00 in cloud inference costs, 0 bytes transmitted off-device.

The Code: Fork It, Build On It

github.com/frankcx1/surface-npu-demo

Clone it. Run setup.ps1. Open http://localhost:5000. It auto-detects your silicon, selects the right model, and you’re running.

Fork it and build your own use case on top of it. Add a tab for your industry workflow. Swap in a different model from the catalog. If you build something cool, submit a PR... I’ll merge it. This is a living project.

Lessons Learned

After building this across both Intel and Qualcomm devices over several months, here’s what I wish someone had told me on day one.

For IT Pros

The NPU is a production-capable inference target for supported workloads. Sustained low-watt inference for tasks that can cost pennies per call in the cloud (based on published Azure OpenAI pricing). Think about what that means for your fleet at scale.
Start with the AI Toolkit Model Catalog. Browse, test in the Playground, understand limits before committing.
Model constraints shape your architecture. Phi Silica is ~4K; Phi-4 Mini supports much larger contexts but token budget still matters for latency and cost. Design focused, single-task endpoints, not chatbots.
Cross-platform isn’t free. Intel and Qualcomm NPUs behave differently. Test on both. Use WMI. Build fallback chains.
Foundry Local is preview. No SLA. Stage updates through rings.
Airplane mode is the proof point. Turn off Wi-Fi. Kill the 5G. Run the app. That’s the demo that changes the conversation every single time.

For Vibe Coders

Start with Foundry Local + the OpenAI SDK. Fastest path to NPU inference.
Always use SDK endpoint discovery. base_url=manager.endpoint, not a hardcoded port.
Test on hardware early and often. Model hangs, context overflows, and driver quirks only surface on the actual device.
Hardcode fallbacks for everything. Not laziness. Professionalism.

What On-Device NPU Apps Are Not For

Just as important as knowing what to build... knowing what not to build. I learned some of these the hard way.

Not for model training. NPUs are inference accelerators.
Not for long-running agent loops. Small models lose coherence. Design for single-shot endpoints.
Not for unbounded conversation history. Manage state explicitly within the ~4K context window.
Not a cloud replacement. On-device handles the routine majority so your cloud budget goes to the tasks that need it.

Get Started Today

# 1. Install the runtime
winget install Microsoft.FoundryLocal

# 2. Install Python dependencies
pip install foundry-local-sdk openai flask

# 3. Clone the demo
git clone https://github.com/frankcx1/surface-npu-demo.git
cd surface-npu-demo
.\setup.ps1

# 4. Run it
python npu_demo_flask.py
# Open http://localhost:5000

# 5. Or start from scratch with your AI coding assistant:
# "Build me a Flask app that uses Foundry Local to serve
#  Phi-4 Mini on the NPU with an OpenAI-compatible API.
#  Use the SDK for endpoint discovery. Single file, HTML inline,
#  chat interface on localhost:5000."

Pro tip for vibe coders: Copy this entire post into your AI coding assistant as context. It knows the SDK patterns, the gotchas, the fallback chains. That’s the whole point.

Pick one workload this week. PII scanning. Document classification. Intake form extraction. Contract triage. Run it on the NPU, in airplane mode. Measure latency. Measure what you’d have paid in cloud inference. Build the business case from real numbers on your hardware.

I started at Silicon Graphics (SGI) and watched the introduction of the GPU up close... from rendering wireframes to reshaping entire industries. It’s wild to see how far that arc has come. Hardware has its own rise and fall and rise again, and dedicated AI silicon feels like the next big chapter. I’ve had the privilege of shipping things like Surface Hub along the way. The tools change. The builder instinct doesn’t. The difference now is that the tools meet you where you are... you don’t need to be an engineer to build something real.

Start building. Good luck out there.

Microsoft Learn References

Topic	Link
Foundry Local overview	What is Foundry Local?
Foundry Local quickstart	Get started with Foundry Local
SDK integration (Python, C#, JS)	Integrate with inference SDKs
Foundry Local architecture	Architecture and components
SDK reference	Foundry Local SDK reference
CLI reference	Foundry Local CLI reference
Windows AI APIs	What are Windows AI APIs?
Phi Silica	Get started with Phi Silica
Phi Silica tutorial	Phi Silica walkthrough
Windows AI troubleshooting	API troubleshooting
AI Toolkit for VS Code	AI Toolkit overview
Windows AI decision tree	Use local AI on Windows
Ready-to-use local LLMs	Local LLMs on Windows
Foundry Local GitHub	microsoft/Foundry-Local

Built on Surface Copilot+ PCs. Repo: github.com/frankcx1/surface-npu-demo

A pen for Surface Pro 7 and 4.

mr_K — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:33:00 GMT

Hi,

Is there a pen for Surface Pro 7 or Pro 4 that doesn't need charging?

Beautifully invisible: The engineering intelligence behind Surface for Business displays

Jussi_Ropo — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 20:03:51 GMT

Open a Surface Copilot+ PC, and the display just feels right. Whites look clean, text is sharp, and colors stay true and consistent in varied lighting conditions. Move from a bright office to a dim café and the screen keeps pace, adjusting as the light around you changes. That sense of ease is deliberate. It comes from years of engineering designed to make the display feel natural in any setting, with work that is meant to be invisible rather than attention-grabbing. In this blog post, we’ll look at some of the innovations behind the scenes that go into delivering a visual experience that just works.

Calibrated for consistency

Every Surface display goes through individual factory calibration before it leaves production. This is not a batch process. Each panel is measured and corrected on its own. Manufacturing introduces measurable differences between panels, and those differences—if left uncorrected—show up as variations in color, gamma, or luminance. Over the lifetime of a product, those variations erode consistency.

Figure 1. Distribution of display white points before and after factory calibration, shown in CIE 1931 xy color coordinates. Blue dots represent uncorrected panels; green dots show values after calibration, and the red point marks the target. Calibration reduces wide variation into a tight cluster centered on the reference point.

Figure 2. Visualization of white point consistency across panels. Before calibration (left), color shifts appear across different panels. After calibration (right), those variations are reduced, producing a uniform gray appearance.

Figure 3. Luminance error before (blue) and after (green) calibration shows how calibration lowers the variation and makes luminance difference between the units non-noticeable.

Surface calibration configures each panel to a defined target so that all units of the same model render content identically. A spreadsheet viewed in one conference room looks the same on another device halfway across the globe. Designers, video editors, and anyone working in color-critical applications rely on that assurance. For everyone else, the value is more subtle but no less critical. Photos display with reliable skin tones. Presentations render the same across the Surface product portfolio.

The calibration data is stored directly in the hardware, so it is present from the first boot. Users never have to set up or tune the display themselves. What feels natural reflects hundreds of hours of engineering and testing, with the goal of making accuracy something people never need to notice.

Responsive to its environment

Lighting conditions vary constantly. A user may start the day in a brightly lit office, move to a client site with warm incandescent light, and finish a call from a café with mixed natural light. In each of those settings, the display must maintain visual balance.

Figure 4. Comparison of Adaptive Color (left screen in images) versus fixed D65 white point (right screen in images). In warm ambient light (left image) and daylight (right image), Adaptive Color adjusts the display white point to better match the viewing environment, while the fixed white point remains constant.

Surface devices include Adaptive Display features that utilize ambient light sensors to track the environment's light intensity and color. If lighting in a room shifts from cool LED to warm halogen, the display adapts white balance (Adaptive Color), contrast (Adaptive Contrast), and brightness (Adaptive Brightness) accordingly. These adjustments are tuned to occur gradually, so there is no visible flicker or sudden change. Transitions are invisible, but the result is a screen that always feels immersive and natural.

This responsiveness requires the entire system to be tuned to work in harmony. Sensors capture data, firmware interprets it, and Windows algorithms apply adjustments in real time. Each layer must act with precision. If the response is too slow, the user notices lag; if it is too aggressive, the shift feels distracting. Because the display is calibrated to a known standard on Surface devices, the system can deliver adjustments that remain accurate across environments. The result is a screen that feels consistent, natural, and reliable no matter where it is used.

Figure 5. Anti-reflective technology comparison. The left display demonstrates how anti-reflective coating maintains visibility and readability even under glare. The right display shows distracting reflections and reduced clarity.

Anti-reflective coating technology further supports readability in dynamic ambient light conditions. It reduces reflections from overhead lights, windows, outdoor glare, and other variables that can interfere with visibility.

Context-aware experiences

Displays also need to respond to how people work. A static chart on a slide requires different behavior than fast scrolling in a lengthy document. A video clip requires different rendering than a CAD model or a digital painting.

Surface devices offer the option of using Auto Color Management (ACM) to detect the type of content and apply proper color management automatically. With support for high bit depth—more than a billion (10-bit) colors instead of 16.7 million (8-bit) colors—ACM provides greater range and accuracy across scenarios. High Dynamic Range (HDR) extends beyond video playback to include gaming, still images, and apps using Windows Advanced Color, with results that can deliver higher color saturation and expanded luminance range. Graphics built for the sRGB pipeline are displayed faithfully without oversaturation, and mixed workflows that include images with embedded profiles are interpreted correctly. Users do not need to switch modes or adjust settings—the system applies the proper treatment under the hood.

Motion designed to match the moment

When objects move across a screen, your eyes follow them smoothly. If the pixels that represent those objects don’t update at the same pace, your brain perceives that mismatch as motion blur—a faint smear that makes edges look soft and movement feel less immediate.

Two technical factors determine how a display handles motion: refresh rate (how often the image is updated) and response time (how quickly each pixel changes from one state to another). Higher refresh rates reduce positional lag between your eyes and the screen; faster response times minimize trailing or ghosting during transitions. Both are essential for clarity in motion, but both also consume more power.

Surface devices use Dynamic Refresh Rate to balance those parameters automatically. The display can run at up to 120 Hz for inking, scrolling, or animation—keeping motion sharp and continuous—then step down to lower rates when the image is still. Combined with tuned pixel response times, this adaptive system maintains precision without unnecessary energy use.

The result is motion that feels lifelike and immediate, whether you’re sketching with a pen, moving between slides, or gaming after hours. It’s a small part of the engineering work that makes the Surface display feel effortlessly responsive.

Figure 6. Motion Blur matrix for varying refresh rates (X axis) and response times (Y axis).

Building these systems requires deep integration across hardware, software, and display panel technology. The work involves years of alignment between design teams, Windows engineers, and manufacturing partners. The foundation comes from color science and human vision research, which guides how features are designed to match the way people perceive light and color. For the user, it simply feels seamless. The complexity stays hidden, and the display feels like it is paying attention to both context and activity.

Designed for the long run

Devices live through years of use, and sometimes through repair. A display may need to be replaced after damage or failure. For many products, a repair can mean differences in color or brightness that don’t match the original. Surface engineering avoids this by storing calibration data directly in the display hardware.

When a panel is replaced, the system retrieves the embedded profile and applies it automatically. The new panel inherits the same calibration standard as the original, and the experience remains consistent. Users do not need to recalibrate or adjust. Repairs become part of the lifecycle without breaking the quality of the display.

This attention to repair reflects a philosophy of long-term value. Devices are expected to stay reliable over years of service, and the display is central to that experience. Ensuring that a repaired device feels the same as a new one is part of treating quality as a continuous commitment rather than a one-time achievement.

Innovation that extends across Windows

Surface frequently pioneers new display technologies that later become available across the Windows ecosystem. Features such as Adaptive Brightness, Adaptive Color, HDR pipelines, Auto Color Management, and dynamic refresh rates have been refined on Surface before extending to other devices.

Partnerships with display manufacturers and technology providers make this scaling possible. For example, when Dolby Vision IQ support was introduced, Surface engineers worked with Dolby to tune the entire Windows pipeline so the experience could adapt to ambient light. That work benefited all Windows devices capable of supporting the feature, not just Surface models.

Because Surface devices often include a superset of display capabilities, engineering effort goes into making sure these features work seamlessly together rather than only in isolation. By solving complex problems once and sharing the solutions, the broader ecosystem improves.

This role as a reference platform means that innovation on Surface often shapes the standard for how displays behave across Windows. The work that begins as precision engineering for one device ends up defining expectations for many.

Engineering that gets out of the way

The Surface display team sees itself in the reproduction business. Every design choice—from panel selection to firmware algorithms—is guided by one principle: content should appear as its creator intended, no matter where it is viewed. The goal isn’t to make images look “better,” but to make them true—faithful to the artistic or functional intent behind them.

Most Surface display technologies, including factory calibration, adaptive color, contrast, and brightness, are built to maintain that fidelity across environments. Whether you’re in bright daylight or under warm indoor lighting, the display adapts so what you see remains accurate to the source. Only a few deliberate exceptions, such as the optional Enhanced and Vivid color profiles, are designed to offer a more interpretive, saturated aesthetic when desired.

This philosophy defines Surface display engineering. Every layer—from optics and electronics to software integration—is tuned to make the experience predictable, trustworthy, and human-centric. For the user, all that complexity disappears. The screen simply looks right. It adapts when the environment changes, responds when tasks shift, and stays consistent over time.

That is the measure of success for the engineers who build it: technology that works so well it disappears into the background. The Surface display is designed to be a window to the real world—a transparent, accurate medium through which people see work, ideas, and creativity exactly as they were meant to be seen.

Discover it for yourself. Explore more at www.microsoft.com/surface/business.

If you’re interested in learning how to set up a Surface display for evaluation, see Set up Surface devices for SDR & HDR display measurements on Microsoft Learn.

Is Microsoft planning firmware updates for Surface Laptop 3 devices for 2011 Secure Boot key?

Auld_Michael_B — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:57:05 GMT

As many people know, the UEFI Secure Boot Key provided as part of the Windows devices firmware is expiring in June of 2026. Microsoft have announced plans to update these keys for most Surface devices, but have not made any such announcement for Surface Laptop 3 devices. Will the company issue updated firmware for these devices before June? Or, does the company recommend that users replace these devices before the 2011 key expiration date?

The information publicly available is sparse, but it does appear that Microsoft no longer intends to update firmware for Surface 3 Laptops - which is fine, except that the after the key expiration, these devices will be substantially unusable, with impacts to UEFI Secure Boot, BitLocker and more... This is a Windows problem, and I will personally be very disappointed if Microsoft chooses to abandon users of these machines...

Miracast by end of 2025?

ChrstnMchl — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 15:48:07 GMT

It is now 2026. MS said early last year that Miracast was coming to SurfaceHubs by the end of 2025 and I haven't seen an update since. Has anyone seen something maybe I haven't? Why aren't there more posts about this exact topic? It seems like this should be core functionality...

Enhance AI Productivity with Designed for Surface Accessories

Jenn_Marescalco — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 22:29:20 GMT

In today’s workplaces, productivity thrives when technology helps people work smarter and with less friction. AI tools designed to support the way people think, create, and solve problems can help users move through tasks with greater confidence and clarity. But productivity and great AI experiences often benefit from more than compute power.

Designed for Surface (DfS) accessories provide meaningful extensibility to the Surface portfolio, enhancing work in real-world applications and quietly elevating the day‑to‑day experience in environments where devices need protection while remaining accessible and comfortable to use.

Below are a few scenarios that highlight some of the ways DfS accessories can achieve this.

Education

Pictured, left to right: JCPal Verskin Silicone Keyboard Protector (Spanish EU), STM Dux Rugged case for Surface Laptop 7th Edition (13.8"), JCPal Verskin Inclusive Keyboard Protector

Scenario:

A teacher walks between desks as Copilot summarizes next week’s lesson plan.
Students join a hybrid class, relying on inking, real‑time captions in Teams, and translation to keep up.
A principal catches a moment before dismissal to summarize a full day of meetings using AI.

All of this can happen when the devices in the room are charged and ready. Shared Surface Pros stay charged and organized in an AVerCharge C36i+ cart, so no one loses valuable class time hunting for power.

When backpacks get tossed in lockers or onto floors, STM’s Dux Rugged cases available for both the Surface Laptop 13” and Surface Laptop 13.8” absorb the impact and keep learning on track. And when students type in multiple languages, or need clearer visibility, JCPal’s VerSkin multi-lingual and accessibility‑focused keyboard covers help them participate more fully in class through AI‑supported writing and reading.

Teachers can easily attach and detach Kensington MagPro privacy screens to promote confidential testing environments.

These represent just a few of the intentionally designed DfS accessories to support learning, minimize interruptions, and increase inclusivity.

Frontline Retail

Pictured, left to right: MobileDemand Rugged xCase for Surface Pro with Magtek iDynamo, The Joy Factory Elevate II Countertop Kiosk for Surface Pro (White)

Scenario:

A manager uses Copilot to analyze weekly sales, prioritize restocking, and plan future orders based on seasonal shopping trends.
An associate uses a Surface Pro to pull up product details and show customers side‑by‑side options, helping them make quick decisions during busy moments.

Retail spaces are fast-paced and dynamic. Store employees can improve customer experience and reduce the time needed to address customer questions by tapping into Copilot to find the right product details, inventory availability, and more—within seconds.

During a rush, a retail associate can direct customers to self-checkout kiosks on a Surface Pro, securely mounted in The Joy Factory Elevate II enclosures, which can be placed anywhere with a variety of mounting options.

A manager can use Copilot to quickly identify inventory trends on their Surface Pro before moving to provide floor support, answering customer questions and taking payments to clear a long queue with their MobileDemand Rugged xCase in hand.

On a busy day, a Copilot+ PC—driven by powerful processors and all-day battery life and supported by DfS accessories—can help provide dependability in an ecosystem built for motion.

Information Workers & Power Users

Pictured, left to right: PanzerGlass Screen Protector for Surface Pro (Privacy), UAG Plyo Series Case for Surface Laptop (13")

Scenario:

A knowledge worker spends the morning reviewing documents with AI-generated summaries, then heads to a client site and continues refining content on the go.
Another teammate catches up on Copilot-summarized action items from a meeting, then jumps into a deep focus sprint.

Workflows feel natural when the setup supports them. A Kensington Elevated Stand raises the screen to a comfortable height for long hours of work. Sensitive content stays private in open offices or airport lounges thanks to PanzerGlass privacy screens. When work spans multiple locations, the UAG Plyo cases available for both Surface Pro 12” and Surface Laptop 13” keep devices protected without adding bulk, making it easy to carry Surface-powered productivity anywhere.

When the physical experience is comfortable, secure, and uninterrupted, AI becomes something people lean on effortlessly — not a feature they have to think about.

Your Everyday Support

Today’s workflow is becoming more streamlined and efficient. AI can accelerate work, sharpen focus, and free people from repetitive tasks, but only when the devices they depend on stay powered, protected, and ready for action.

The right Designed for Surface accessories make Surface more accessible and reliable in the real world, unlocking new functionalities. Together, they help people get more done, wherever and however their work happens.

Explore the full catalog of 200+ Designed for Surface accessories and see how they transform productivity by visiting DesignedforSurface.com.

surface pro x for business needs constant graphics driver reset, how to fix?

E_M_A_ — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 01:14:04 GMT

I have a surface pro x for business that is up to date and has no company or IT restrictions, it is my device for home use and I have control of everything. I am noticing that whenever my device wakes up from sleep, restarts, or turn on after shutting down, I have to do ctrl+shift+windows key+B to get all the content to fit into the screen. For instance, if I have the microsoft store page open, and my windows are maximized (I even tried this on several browsers after minimizing and maximizing again) the bottom of the page at any given position does not fit the screen. Another example is ctrl+f, I cannot see that bar that searches and highlights the result or on word I cannot see the bootm row that has word count and language until I reset the graphics driver. I saw an optional update and it temporarily fixed it but the issue has returned. Any advice on how to fix this on windows 11 (I have the i7)?