Microsoft Surface 2 - v1.0 User Guide

Surface 2 User Guide

With Windows RT 8.1 Software

Published: October 2013

Version 1.0

BlueTrack Technology, ClearType, Excel, Hotmail, Internet Explorer, Microsoft, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, SkyDrive, Windows, Xbox, and Xbox Live are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Surface, Skype, and Wedge are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc.

This document is provided “as-is.” Information in this document, including URL and other Internet Web site references, may change without notice.

MEET SURFACE 2 ..............................................................................................................................................................1

ABOUT THIS GUIDE ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 1

SURFACE 2 FEATURES ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 2

SET UP YOUR SURFACE ...................................................................................................................................................6

PLUG IN AND TURN ON ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 6

SETUP...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7

THE BASICS .......................................................................................................................................................................8

TOUCH, KEYBOARD, MOUSE, AND PEN ............................................................................................................................................................... 8

START SCREEN ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8

OPEN APPS ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 8

TOUCH: SWIPE, TAP, AND BEYOND ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9

CHARMS ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11

LEARN MORE ABOUT WINDOWS ....................................................................................................................................................................... 12

LOCK SCREEN AND SIGNING IN .......................................................................................................................................................................... 12

GET STARTED ................................................................................................................................................................. 13

GET ONLINE ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 13

SET UP YOUR EMAIL ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 13

PEOPLE: ADD CONTACTS .................................................................................................................................................................................... 14

SKYPE (IM AND CALLS): ADD CONTACTS ......................................................................................................................................................... 14

SKYDRIVE: YOUR PERSONAL CLOUD ................................................................................................................................................................. 15

MAKE IT YOURS ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 15

GET TO KNOW SURFACE 2 .......................................................................................................................................... 16

POWER STATES: ON, OFF, STANDBY, AND RESTART ........................................................................................................................................ 16

CHARGING ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 17

THE TOUCHSCREEN ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 18

COPY AND PASTE USING TOUCH ........................................................................................................................................................................ 19

USE THE ON-SCREEN KEYBOARD ....................................................................................................................................................................... 19

THE KICKSTAND ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21

TYPING COVERS (KEYBOARDS) ........................................................................................................................................................................... 22

TOUCHPAD ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26

SOUND FEATURES ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 27

THE DESKTOP ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 28

USE APPS ........................................................................................................................................................................ 30

FIND AND OPEN APPS ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 30

SWITCH BETWEEN OPEN APPS ............................................................................................................................................................................ 30

USE APPS TOGETHER (SIDE BY SIDE) .................................................................................................................................................................. 31

CLOSE AN APP ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 32

APP COMMANDS ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 33

APP SETTINGS AND HELP .................................................................................................................................................................................... 33

PROBLEMS WITH AN APP? .................................................................................................................................................................................. 33

SEARCH, SHARE, AND SETTINGS ............................................................................................................................... 34

HOW TO SEARCH ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 34

SHARE PHOTOS, LINKS, AND MORE ................................................................................................................................................................... 35

CHANGE YOUR SETTINGS .................................................................................................................................................................................... 36

ACCOUNTS AND SIGN IN ............................................................................................................................................ 38

WHAT TYPE OF ACCOUNT DO I HAVE? .............................................................................................................................................................. 38

CREATE ANOTHER ACCOUNT .............................................................................................................................................................................. 38

MANAGE ACCOUNTS .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 39

UNLOCK AND SIGN IN ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 39

SIGN OUT OR LOCK ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 40

CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD ................................................................................................................................................................................ 40

ACCOUNT SECURITY ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 40

APPS AND GAMES FROM THE WINDOWS STORE .................................................................................................. 42

YOUR ACCOUNT .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 42

GET APPS .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 42

DELETE AN APP .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 44

REINSTALL AN APP............................................................................................................................................................................................... 44

APP UPDATES ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 45

PERSONALIZE YOUR SURFACE ................................................................................................................................... 46

ADD YOUR ACCOUNTS ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 46

PERSONALIZE THE START SCREEN ...................................................................................................................................................................... 46

CHANGE YOUR LOCK SCREEN ............................................................................................................................................................................. 47

NOTIFICATIONS ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 47

ADD A LANGUAGE ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 48

DESKTOP BACKGROUND, COLORS, AND SOUNDS ............................................................................................................................................ 48

CONNECT DEVICES ....................................................................................................................................................... 49

CONNECT A USB MOUSE, PRINTER, AND MORE .............................................................................................................................................. 49

USE A MOUSE ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 49

USE A CAPACITIVE PEN ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 49

ADD A BLUETOOTH DEVICE ................................................................................................................................................................................ 49

ADD, REMOVE, AND MANAGE YOUR DEVICES AND PRINTERS ........................................................................................................................ 50

HOW DO I PRINT? ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 50

HOW DO I SCAN SOMETHING? .......................................................................................................................................................................... 51

CONNECT TO A TV, MONITOR, OR PROJECTOR ............................................................................................................................................... 51

STORAGE, FILES, AND BACKUP .................................................................................................................................. 53

HOW MUCH DISK SPACE DO I HAVE? ................................................................................................................................................................ 53

ADDITIONAL STORAGE OPTIONS........................................................................................................................................................................ 53

FILES AND FOLDERS ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 54

ADD FILES TO SURFACE ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 54

BACK UP YOUR FILES USING FILE HISTORY ....................................................................................................................................................... 55

NETWORKING ............................................................................................................................................................... 56

CONNECT TO A WIRELESS NETWORK ................................................................................................................................................................. 56

DISCONNECT FROM A WIRELESS NETWORK ...................................................................................................................................................... 56

CONNECT TO A WIRED NETWORK ...................................................................................................................................................................... 56

JOIN A HOMEGROUP ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 57

JOIN A WORKGROUP ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 57

GET TO FILES ON OTHER COMPUTERS ............................................................................................................................................................... 57

CONNECT TO A VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK (VPN) ..................................................................................................................................... 57

WORKPLACE JOIN ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 58

AIRPLANE MODE .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 58

TETHERING: USE YOUR PHONE’S DATA CONNECTION ..................................................................................................................................... 58

REMOTE DESKTOP: CONNECT TO ANOTHER PC .............................................................................................................................................. 59

BUILT-IN APPS .............................................................................................................................................................. 60

OFFICE 2013 RT ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 60

ONENOTE ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 61

INTERNET EXPLORER 11 ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 61

MAIL ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 63

PEOPLE ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 65

CALENDAR AND REMINDERS .............................................................................................................................................................................. 66

CAMERA ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 67

MUSIC .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 70

PHOTOS ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 72

VIDEO ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 73

SKYPE .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 74

SKYDRIVE ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 75

XBOX GAMES ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 77

MAPS .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 77

MORE BUILT-IN APPS .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 77

ADDITIONAL INFO YOU SHOULD KNOW ................................................................................................................. 80

WINDOWS UPDATES .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 80

HOW CAN I HELP PROTECT MY SURFACE FROM VIRUSES? .............................................................................................................................. 81

KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 81

ACCESSIBILITY ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 81

SPEECH RECOGNITION ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 81

TAKE A SCREEN SHOT .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 81

BITLOCKER RECOVERY KEY .................................................................................................................................................................................. 81

REFRESH SURFACE ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 82

RESET SURFACE ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 82

ACCESSORIES ................................................................................................................................................................. 83

CARE AND CLEANING .................................................................................................................................................. 85

TOUCHSCREEN CARE ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 85

COVER CARE ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 85

BATTERY CARE ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 85

SAFETY AND WARRANTY ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 85

HELP, SERVICE, AND SUPPORT .................................................................................................................................. 86

SURFACE HELP ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 86

WINDOWS HELP .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 86

APP HELP AND TROUBLESHOOTING .................................................................................................................................................................. 86

THAT’S IT! ...................................................................................................................................................................... 86

Meet Surface 2

Ultra-thin and light, Surface 2 is the on-the-go tablet.

With Xbox Music and Video, games, and Internet Explorer, you’ll never run out of ways to play.

And when it’s time to get work done, Surface 2 comes with Microsoft Office 2013 RT—Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and OneNote apps.1

There are some differences between Office RT and other versions of Office. For more info, see Office.com/OfficeRT.

About this guide

We hope this guide helps you get the most out of your Surface 2.

To jump to a topic in this guide (using the Reader app):

 Swipe down from the top edge of the screen, tap More ( ) > Bookmarks.

To search for a topic:

 Swipe down from the top edge of the screen, tap Find, type what you want to

find.

Surface 2 features

Touchscreen

The 10.6” touchscreen, with its 16:9 aspect ratio and ClearType Full HD display (1080p resolution, 1920x1080 pixels), is great for watching HD movies, browsing the web, and using Office apps. Like a smartphone, you can browse the web or your email using your fingers. See Touchscreen for more info.

Typing Covers

Add a unique keyboard that doubles as a protective cover (Typing Covers sold separately). This way you’ll always have a keyboard with you. See Typing

Covers for more info.

Two cameras—front and back

The two cameras make it easy to make video calls, record videos, and take pictures. The front-facing camera is 3.5 megapixels and the rear-facing camera is 5.0 megapixels. The cameras record video in 1080p HD, with a 16:9 aspect ratio (widescreen). See Camera for more info.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Surface supports standard Wi-Fi protocols (802.11a/b/g/n) and Bluetooth®

4.0. This means you can connect to a wireless network and use Bluetooth

devices such as mice, printers, and headsets.

Two microphones

Built-in microphones with noise cancellation come in handy when recording videos and calling people. See Sound features for more info.

Kickstand

Flip out the dual-position kickstand when you want to be productive, or when you want to kick back and have some fun. One position is ideal for typing at a desk, and another for typing on your lap.

Stereo speakers and headset jack

Two stereo speakers and a headset jack for both audio output and microphone input. Listen to music, podcasts, and audio books using apps

from the Windows Store or websites. See Sound features for more info.

Ports

 HD video out port

Share videos, photos, or presentations by connecting Surface to an HDTV, monitor, or projector (adapters and cables sold separately). See Connect

to a TV, monitor, or projector for more info.

 Full-size USB 3.0 port

Connect USB accessories—like a mouse, phone, or an Ethernet adapter. See Connect devices for more info.

 microSDXC card reader

Use the microSDXC card reader (behind the kickstand) for extra storage or transferring files. See Storage, files, and backup for more info.

 Charging port and 24-Watt power supply

Connect the included power supply when your battery is low. See

Charging for more info.

Software

 Windows RT 8.1

Surface 2 comes pre-installed with Windows RT 8.1—a Windows-based operating system that's optimized for thin and light PCs. Windows RT runs built-in apps and apps from the Windows Store. To learn more, see

Windows RT 8.1: FAQ on Windows.com.

 Office 2013 RT

Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and OneNote apps are pre-installed. See Office 2013 RT for more info.

 Apps

Surface 2 has many built-in apps—check out the tiles for them on your Start screen. And you can install more apps from the Windows Store.

CPU and RAM

Next generation NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor with 2 GB RAM.

Sensors

Surface has four sensors (an ambient light sensor, an accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass) that apps can use to do cool things.

Accessories

Surface accessories add to your Surface experience—check out the Accessories section in this guide.

Set up your Surface

Grab your Surface and let’s go!

Before you start… Make sure a wireless network is available and you have the network password (if it’s secured).

Plug in and turn on

1. If you have a Typing Cover, bring it close to the Cover port so that it clicks into place (see picture).

2. Flip out the built-in kickstand on the back of Surface (either position).

3. Plug the power cord into a wall outlet or power strip.

4. Connect the power connector to the charging port on Surface (either direction works).

The ring of light near the end of the connector means Surface is getting power.

5. Press and release the power button (on the top right edge).

Surface turns on and setup begins.

Setup

Setup runs the first time you turn on Surface. During setup you’ll choose a language, color scheme, and name for your Surface. (You can change these things later if you'd like.)

Two key things happen during setup:

 Surface connects to your wireless network. If you don’t know your wireless password, see How to find

your wireless network password on Surface.com.

 An account is created on Surface. For the best experience, we recommend using a Microsoft account.

You can use your existing Microsoft account or setup can create one for you.

o What is a Microsoft account? A Microsoft account is an email address and password that

you’ll use to sign in to Surface. If you’ve used Microsoft services in the past—like Xbox, Hotmail, Outlook.com, SkyDrive, Messenger, Skype, or Windows Phone—you already have a Microsoft account (it's the email address you use to sign in). If you don’t have a Microsoft account, setup can create one for you using any email address. To learn about the benefits of using a Microsoft account, see All about accounts on Surface.com.

o More than one Microsoft account? If you have more than one Microsoft account, you’ll need

to choose one for your Surface. To figure out which Microsoft account to use, see Choose a

Microsoft account on Microsoft.com (English only).

To learn more about accounts, see the Accounts and sign in section in this guide.

Got kids? Give each child their own account, so they can enjoy Surface without changing your settings or getting into your email. For more info, see Family Safety on Windows.com.

The basics

There are a few things you need to know to get around your Surface.

Touch, keyboard, mouse, and pen

With Surface, you can easily switch between using touch, a keyboard, mouse, or pen.

 Touch. Like a smartphone, you can use your fingers on the touchscreen. For example, drag your finger

across the screen to scroll.

 Keyboard. Click in a Typing Cover or use a full-size USB or Bluetooth keyboard.  Mouse. Use the Typing Cover touchpad, or connect a USB or Bluetooth mouse.  Pen. Take notes, draw, and markup documents using a capacitive pen (sold separately).

Start screen

Start is the heart of your Surface—it’s where you open apps, see what your friends are doing, and get to your favorite websites.

The tiles on Start can new email, app notifications, and the next appointment on your calendar at a glance.

To go to Start:

 Touch. Press below the touchscreen, or

swipe in from the right edge of the screen and tap Start.

 Keyboard. Press the Windows logo key on your keyboard.

 Mouse. Click the Start button in the lower-left corner of the screen.

Open apps

 Touch or mouse. Tap or click an app tile on the Start screen.

 Keyboard. Go to Start and type an app name (such as Word or SkyDrive).

You can see all your apps by swiping up from the center of the Start screen.

Switch between open apps

You can switch between open apps by swiping in from the left edge of the screen. You can keep swiping, and each time you’ll switch to another app.

More about this in the Use apps section.

App commands: Where are they?

Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen, or down from the top edge.

Touch: Swipe, tap, and beyond

Gesture

How to do it

What it does

Tap

Tap once on something.

Opens, selects, or activates whatever you tap. Similar to clicking with a mouse.

Tap and hold

Press your finger down and hold for about a second.

Shows options related to what you’re

doing (like right-clicking with a mouse).

Tap? Swipe? Here’s a glossary of touch gestures that you can use with Surface.

Gesture

How to do it

What it does

Pinch or stretch

Touch the screen or an item with two or more fingers, and then move the fingers toward each other (pinch) or away from each other (stretch).

Zooms in or out of a website, map, or picture.

Rotate

Put two or more fingers on an item and then turn your hand.

Rotates things that can be rotated.

Slide to scroll

Drag your finger on the screen.

Scrolls through what’s on the screen (like scrolling with a mouse).

Slide to rearrange

Press and briefly drag an item in the direction opposite to the way the page scrolls, then move it wherever you want. (For example, if the screen scrolls left or right, drag the item up or down.) When you've moved the item to the new location, let it go.

Moves an item (like dragging with a mouse).

Swipe to select

Swipe an item with a short, quick movement in the direction opposite to the way the page scrolls. (For example, if the screen scrolls left or right, swipe the item up or down to select it.)

Selects an item, like an app tile or photo. This often brings up app commands.

Gesture

How to do it

What it does

Swipe from edge

Starting on the edge, swipe in.

Right edge: Opens the charms

Left edge: Brings in open apps, snaps

apps, shows your recently opened apps, or closes apps. See the Use apps section for more info.

Top or bottom edge: Shows commands or closes an app.

Charms

Search. You can use the Search charm ( +S) to finds things on Surface, SkyDrive, in apps, and on the web. For more info, see How to search in this guide.

Share. When you’re in an app, you can use the Share charm ( +H) to share files, photos, or webpages. For more info, see Share photos, links, and more in this guide.

Start. The Start charm ( ) takes you to the Start screen. Or if you're already on Start, it takes you to the last app you were using.

Devices. Use the Devices charm ( +K) to play, project, and print to devices. For more info, see

Connect devices in this guide.

Settings. Use the Setting charm ( +I) to change your Surface settings, or if you’re in an app, you can get to settings for that app. For more info, see Change your settings in this guide.

No matter where you are, the charms help you do the things you do most often—like search, share, print, and change settings. Here’s how to open the charms:

 Touch. Swipe in from the right edge, and then tap the one you want.  Mouse. Move your pointer into the upper-right or lower-right corner, and then move it up or down and

click the one you want.

 Typing Cover. Press a charm key from the first row.

Charm keys on Touch Cover

Here's what you can do with the charms:

Learn more about Windows

To learn more about getting around Windows RT 8.1, check out these resources:

 Help and Tips: From the Start screen, tap or click Help+Tips. This app has info to

help you get up to speed on Windows.

 Windows Basics and Tips: See the Getting started tutorials on Windows.com.

Lock screen and signing in

With a Microsoft account, personal settings like your lock screen and Start screen follow you to other devices. Your favorite websites, browser history, and pinned sites on your Start screen move with you, as well.

If you don’t use Surface for a few minutes, the screen turns off and locks. When this happens, press a key (or press and release the power button), then swipe up on the touchscreen.

Next, sign in to your account by typing your password.

Now let’s set up your email and other accounts.

Get started

Now that you know the basics, let’s get online and add your accounts.

Get online

Here’s how to get online:

1. Open the Settings charm (swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Settings).

2. Tap or click the wireless network icon ( ).

3. Tap or click the network you want to connect to, and then tap or click Connect.

Set up your email

Now let’s set up your email. Outlook RT and Mail are both pre-installed, so you can add your email accounts to either or both of these apps.

Outlook RT: Add your email accounts

You can add Outlook.com, Gmail, AOL, Yahoo!, and Exchange email accounts to Outlook (or any email account that uses POP or IMAP). Here’s how:

1. Tap or click Outlook 2013 from the Start screen. Account setup starts the first time you start Outlook.

If the Auto Account Setup dialog doesn’t appear, tap or click File and then choose Add Account (just above the Account Settings button).

2. Type your name, email address, and password, and then choose Next.

Outlook searches online to find your email server settings. If Outlook doesn’t find the settings, see Set up email

in Outlook 2013 on Office.com.

Mail: Add your email accounts

You can add Outlook.com, Gmail, AOL, Yahoo!, and Exchange email accounts to the Mail app.

Note The Mail app doesn’t support email accounts that use POP (Post Office Protocol). If you have a POP email account, you can use Outlook RT (see above) or see Using email accounts over POP on

Windows RT on Windows.com.

Here’s how to add your email accounts to the Mail app:

1. Tap or click Mail from the Start screen.

2. Open the Settings charm, then tap or click Accounts > Add an account.

3. Choose the type of account you want to add, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

Most accounts can be added with only your user name and password. In some cases, you’ll be asked for more details, which you can usually find on your email account provider’s website. (Repeat steps 1-3 for each of your email accounts.)

After you add an email account…

 Your contacts from Outlook.com and Exchange accounts are automatically added to the People app, and

your appointments appear in the Calendar app. For other accounts, see People: Add contacts below.

 For info on how to sync Google email, contacts, and calendar, see How to sync Google services with

Windows on Windows.com.

Microsoft Exchange: To find out how to set up and troubleshoot a Microsoft Exchange account, see How to

configure an Exchange account.

People: Add contacts

The People app is your universal address book. See contacts from all of your address books in one place, and get the latest updates from your friends. Also, sync contacts from the social networks you care about, like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Get in touch with someone by sending email, calling, or posting to social media directly from the People app.

Here's how to add contacts from your accounts to the People app:

1. Tap or click People from the Start screen.

2. Open the Settings charm, tap or click Accounts > Add an account.

3. Choose the type of account you want to add and then follow the instructions.

For more info, see the People app section in this guide.

Skype (IM and calls): Add contacts

With Skype calls and chat, you can stay in touch with anyone, on almost any device, for free. Once you’ve added your friends, you can make Skype calls and video calls, and send instant messages.

Here's how to get started using Skype:

1. On the Start screen, tap or click Skype.

2. Follow the instructions to sign in to Skype the first time. If you need help, see Skype on Surface on

Surface.com.

3. Add your contacts. To find out how, see Skype on Surface on Surface.com.

Included with your Surface 2 purchase: One year of free voice calling to landlines in over 60 countries, and free

Skype WiFi at over 2 million hotspots worldwide. To activate your free Skype experience, use the code included in

your Surface 2 packaging. Offer details.

SkyDrive: Your personal cloud

SkyDrive is free cloud storage that comes with your Microsoft account. When you save your documents, photos, music, and other files on SkyDrive, they're available from any web connected device (for example, your phone or any computer). SkyDrive is also a great way to share files with other people.

Included with your Surface 2 purchase: 200GB of free SkyDrive storage, for two years. To activate your free SkyDrive storage, just use the code included in your Surface 2 packaging. Offer details.

To learn more about SkyDrive, see the SkyDrive section in this guide.

Make it yours

You can make Surface reflect who you are and what you care about. You can rearrange the Start screen however you like, and choose the colors and pictures that reflect your personal style. For info about this, see the

Personalize Surface section in this guide.

Get to know Surface 2

State

What to do

Press and release the power button (you’ll feel a vibration). If nothing happens, Surface might need to be recharged. Connect the power supply and then press the power button again.

Wake

Do any of the following:

 Press and release the power button.  Open the Cover.  Press a key or the Windows logo on Surface.

Off (Shut down)

Press and hold the power button for 2 seconds, then swipe down on the screen. Or open the Settings charm, tap or click Power > Shut down.

Standby

Close the Cover, press and release the power button, or don’t use Surface for a few

minutes.

Restart

Open the Settings charm, tap or click Power > Restart.

Now that you have added your accounts, let’s go a little deeper.

Power states: On, off, standby, and restart

Here’s a quick overview of the Surface power states:

Turn on or wake

1. Do any of the following things:

 On/Wake: Press and release the power button.  Wake: Open the Cover.  Wake: Press a key or the Windows logo on Surface.

The lock screen appears with app notifications. For more info, see Notifications in this guide.

2. To unlock Surface, swipe up from the bottom of the screen or press a key.

3. Sign in to Surface. Need help? See the Unlock and sign in section in this guide.

Tip

 You can set the duration before a password is required for unlocking your Surface. For more info, see

Choose when a password is required in this guide.

Standby

If you don’t use Surface for a few minutes the screen turns off and locks, just like a smartphone. When this happens, Surface goes into connected standby mode. Connected standby means that while Surface appears to be sleeping, Surface stays connected to your wireless network. This way you can get app notifications, such as an incoming Skype call.

Choose when the screen turns off

By default, the Surface screen turns off after a few minutes of inactivity. Here’s how to change this:

1. Open the Settings charm, then tap or click Change PC Settings > PC and devices > Power and sleep.

2. Under Sleep, choose when you’d like Surface to go to sleep (on battery and plugged in).

Charging

Surface 2 has an internal lithium-ion battery with up to 10 hours of active-use battery life on a single charge.

At the end of your day or when the battery is low, use the included 24-watt power supply to charge your Surface. Here’s how:

1. Plug the power cord into an electrical outlet or power strip.

2. Connect the power connector to the charging port on

Surface (either direction is good).

A ring of light near the end of the connector means Surface is getting power.

How much battery charge is remaining?

You can see the battery status in a few places:

 Charms. Lower-left corner after you open the charms (see

picture).

 Lock screen. Lower-left corner of the lock screen.  Desktop taskbar. Battery status appears on the desktop

taskbar. Tap the battery icon to see the percentage remaining.

When you see a low battery warning, plug your Surface into an electrical outlet. If you don’t recharge the battery, Surface will eventually save your work and shut down.

Notes

 It takes 2-3 hours to fully charge your Surface battery from an empty state.  Surface can’t be charged through the USB port. Instead, you need to use the included power supply or

the Surface Car Charger.

Advanced power settings

A power plan is a collection of settings that control how your Surface uses power. To find out how to customize or create a power plan, see Power Plans: Frequently asked questions on Windows.com (Surface 2 supports connected standby).

Charging accessories

There are a couple additional charging options that you can purchase separately (see Power Supply on Surface.com for purchase info).

Car Charger with USB Port

You can use the Car Charger to charge Surface and another USB device (such as your phone) while you’re traveling in your car.

To charge Surface using the Car Charger:

1. Plug the Car Charger into the vehicle power port or cigarette lighter in your car.

2. Connect the power connector to the charging port on Surface.

For more info, see Surface Car Charger with USB on Surface.com.

48-watt power supply with USB charging port

While this power supply doesn’t charge Surface 2 any faster than the included 24-watt power supply, you can charge a cell phone or other USB device while you’re charging Surface. (The 48-watt power supply is not available in all countries or regions.)

The touchscreen

The multi-touch screen has a 16:9 aspect ratio—perfect for watching 1080p HD videos and optimized for multitasking with side-by-side apps.

Like a smartphone, you can interact with Surface by touching the screen. To learn about using touch, see Touch:

Swipe, tap, and beyond in this guide.

Manually adjust screen brightness

 Open the Settings charm, tap or click Screen, and then move the slider to adjust the brightness.

Automatically adjust screen brightness

 Open the Settings charm, tap or click Change PC Settings > PC and devices > Power and sleep >

Adjust by screen brightness automatically.

Choose when the screen turns off

If you don’t use Surface for five minutes, the screen turns off. If you want to change this setting, see Choose

when the screen turns off in this guide.

Landscape or portrait

When you rotate Surface, the screen content changes to the new orientation. This way you can use landscape for webpages and Office apps, and portrait for reading a book.

Lock the screen orientation

If you don’t want the screen content to rotate, you can lock the screen orientation. Here’s how:

1. Rotate Surface the way you want it.

2. Open the Settings charm, and then tap or click Screen.

3. Tap the screen rotation icon.

(If this doesn’t work, remove or fold back the Typing Cover and try the steps again.)

A lock appears on screen when the screen rotation is locked.

Find more display settings

 Open the Settings charm, tap or click Change PC Settings > PC and devices > Display.

You can also use search to find more display settings. For info about this, see Search for a setting in this guide.

Copy and paste using touch

Here’s how to copy and paste text using touch:

1. Select text. Tap a word, then drag either circle to extend the text selection.

2. Copy. Press and hold the selection for a couple seconds, and then let go and tap Copy.

3. Paste. Move to where you want to paste the text. Press and hold a couple seconds, then let go and tap

Paste.

Use the On-screen keyboard

Surface has an on-screen, touch keyboard that appears when you need it.

Show the on-screen keyboard

1. Fold back the Cover or remove it.

2. Tap the screen in a place where text can be entered and the on-screen keyboard should appear.

If you're in the desktop, tap the keyboard icon on the desktop taskbar (lower-right corner) to open the on-screen keyboard.

To manually open the on-screen keyboard (without tapping an area where you can type):

 Open the Settings charm, tap or click Keyboard > Touch keyboard and handwriting panel.

Onscreen keyboard on Surface

To close the on-screen keyboard: tap an area where text can’t be typed or tap the keyboard button , and then the close keyboard button .

Thumb keyboard and handwriting options

 Thumb keyboard. The thumb keyboard makes it easy to type with your thumbs while holding

Surface in both hands.

 Handwriting. The handwriting option lets you write with a capacitive pen or your finger.

Suggestions and corrections

As you type on the on-screen keyboard, suggestions appear above the keyboard. For more info, see Suggestions

and corrections later in this guide.

Change on-screen keyboard settings

How do I?

What to do

Type numbers

Tap the &123 key, or swipe up on a key in the first row. For example, swipe up on the Q key to type the number 1.

Type diacritical marks

Press and hold a key such as O, then slide your finger to the accented character that you want (for example Ӧ).

Use keyboard shortcuts

Tap the Ctrl key and then another key (for example, Ctrl+C for Copy).

Turn Caps Lock on/off

Double-tap the Up Arrow key.

Change keyboard settings

Open the Settings charm, tap or click Change PC settings > PC and devices >

Typing.

Turn key sounds on/off

Open the Settings charm, tap or click Change PC settings > PC and devices >

Typing > Play key sounds as I type (under Touch Keyboard).

Add a language

See Add languages in this guide.

Surface 2 has two built-in kickstand positions (24° and 40°), so you can easily see the screen when you’re working at a desk or typing on your lap. You can flip out the kickstand from either side. Gently flip out once for the first position (upright), and then again for the second position (less upright).

Dual position kickstand

 Open the Settings charm, tap or click Change PC settings > PC and devices > Typing > Touch

Keyboard.

Tips and tricks

The Kickstand

Typing Covers (keyboards)

Choose from the following Typing Covers:

 Touch Cover and Touch Cover 2

Super-thin, pressure-sensitive keyboards with a touchpad.

 Type Cover and Type Cover 2

One of the thinnest mechanical keyboards available,

with moving keys.

Touch Cover 2 and Type Cover 2 are thinner and lighter, with keys that can illuminate when your hands are near. You can see all of the Typing Covers in the Accessories area of Surface.com. To find out how to clean the Covers, see Cover care in this guide.

Click in

The Keyboard Covers magnetically attach to the Surface touchscreen. Simply bring the two close together. When the Cover gets close, it aligns and snaps into place. Once connected, the Cover stays put. You can easily remove it by pulling it away.

When you fold a Cover back behind the touchscreen, the keyboard is disabled. This way you don’t accidently type anything.

Which version of Type Cover or Touch Cover do I have?

To figure out which version you have, look in the upper-left corner:

 Type Cover 2 and Touch Cover 2. The upper-left corner has brightness controls.

 Type Cover and Touch Cover. The upper-left corner has volume controls.

Type with Touch Cover

Touch Cover is more than a protective cover. It’s also a keyboard. Type on Touch Cover just as you would on any other keyboard. You can even rest your hands on the keys. Touch Cover only detects key presses when you strike a key.

By default, a sound plays when you strike a key on the Touch Cover so you know when you’ve pressed a key.

+ 64 hidden pages