Huge Microsoft Surface Pro 7 fail is causing random shutdowns for hundreds of users

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What to do if your Surface Pro 7 is shutting down

Microsoft Surface Pro 7
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Microsoft Surface Pro 7 users are reporting an irritating bug that's causing their 2-in-1 laptop to shut down at random. 

According to Notebookcheck (via Laptop Mag,) angry Microsoft Surface Pro 7 owners took to the manufacturer's community forums website starting in December for guidance on the erratic shutdowns. As of this month those shutdowns are still being pointed out, with over 500 users signaling they're experiencing the same issue. 

The random shutdowns, which appear to impact all Surface Pro 7 models, are being "actively" investigated, according to a response from a Microsoft employee on the forums. 

Another Microsoft representative shared steps for a workaround that changes default sleep times on the Surface Pro 7. Though it seemed like a potential fix, users are still experiencing problems with their device as of this week. 

In fact, the random shutdown thread continues to grow, amassing 29 pages with a report as recent as today (April 17). 

"If the device stays ideal for a minute it directly shuts down," one user wrote. "I have checked all the sleep and power settings and that's not an issue." 

Does this sound like an issue you're experiencing? While there's no end-all solution (yet,) here's what you can try when you're facing random Surface Pro 7 shutdowns. 

What to do if your Surface Pro 7 is shutting down

Soon after the random Surface Pro 7 shutdown thread began, a Microsoft agent suggested users long press the power button for at least 5 seconds when the shutdown occurs.

If the issue persists, the rep suggested running Windows update and using the Surface Diagnostic Toolkit. After that, check your Surface Pro 7's reliability history and contact customer support with a screenshot of the report to see if another bug is causing your random shutdowns.

Another potential fix is changing your device's power and sleep settings. Switch the defaults from 5 minutes to 1 hour, and you might be in luck.

If you'd tried these workarounds and are still suffering from Random Surface Pro 7 shutdowns, you're not alone. There's clearly a larger matter at hand that Microsoft needs to step up and resolve.

Kate Kozuch
Kate Kozuch

Kate Kozuch is the managing editor of social and video at Tom’s Guide. She writes about smartwatches, TVs, audio devices, and some cooking appliances, too. Kate appears on Fox News to talk tech trends and runs the Tom's Guide TikTok account, which you should be following if you don't already. When she’s not filming tech videos, you can find her taking up a new sport, mastering the NYT Crossword or channeling her inner celebrity chef.