Surface Go 2 Touchscreen Issues: Essential Fixes for a Smooth Experience. Don’t let a glitchy screen stop you! Here are proven solutions to get your Surface Go 2’s touchscreen working perfectly again.

Hey there! Walter Moore here from Tabletzoo. So, you’re experiencing some frustrating touchscreen hiccups with your trusty Surface Go 2? You’re definitely not alone. For such a versatile little device, a non-responsive or erratic touchscreen can be a real buzzkill. It’s like trying to drive a car with a sticky steering wheel – inconvenient and downright annoying. But don’t worry, that’s exactly why we’re here. We’re going to walk through some simple, straightforward fixes that will help you get back to tapping, swiping, and drawing without any hitches. Ready to get your Surface Go 2 back in tip-top shape?

Surface Go 2 Touchscreen Issues: Essential Fixes

The Microsoft Surface Go 2 is a fantastic portable device, perfect for students, busy professionals, or anyone who needs a lightweight, capable companion. Its touchscreen is a core part of its usability, offering intuitive control for everyday tasks. However, like any piece of technology, it can sometimes encounter issues. If your Surface Go 2’s touchscreen isn’t responding as it should, or is behaving strangely, it can be a significant problem. Fortunately, most common touchscreen issues are fixable with a few troubleshooting steps.

This guide is designed to be beginner-friendly, so we’ll break down each step into easy-to-follow instructions. We’ll cover everything from simple restarts to more advanced driver updates, ensuring you have all the tools to diagnose and resolve your Surface Go 2 touchscreen problems. Let’s dive in and get your tablet working flawlessly again!

Why Is My Surface Go 2 Touchscreen Acting Up?

There are several common reasons why a touchscreen might malfunction. Understanding these can help you pinpoint the problem and apply the right solution:

• Software Glitches: Sometimes, a temporary software hiccup or a bug in an app can interfere with touchscreen responsiveness.
• Outdated Drivers: The touchscreen relies on specific drivers to communicate with the operating system. If these are outdated or corrupted, it can lead to issues.
• Windows Updates: While updates usually improve performance, occasionally a new update might introduce a bug or conflict with existing system files.
• Hardware Issues: In rarer cases, physical damage or a faulty component can be the cause.
• Dirt or Debris: Simple as it sounds, smudges, dirt, or even a screen protector can sometimes interfere with touch input.
• Power Management Settings: Aggressive power saving settings can sometimes disable touch input to conserve battery.

Essential Fixes for Surface Go 2 Touchscreen Issues

Let’s start with the simplest solutions and work our way up. You don’t need to be a tech wizard to follow these steps!

1. The Classic Reboot (Restart Your Surface Go 2)

It sounds almost too simple, but a fresh restart can resolve a surprising number of temporary software glitches that might be affecting your touchscreen. It’s like giving your tablet a brief moment to clear its head.

1. Click the Start button (the Windows icon usually in the bottom-left corner of your screen).
2. Click the Power icon.
3. Select Restart.

Once your Surface Go 2 has fully powered back on, test your touchscreen. If it’s still not working, move on to the next step.

2. Check for Physical Obstructions and Clean Your Screen

Dirt, grease, or even a poorly applied screen protector can prevent the touchscreen from registering your touches accurately. A clean screen is a happy screen!

What you’ll need:

• A soft, lint-free cloth (like a microfiber cloth).
• A screen cleaning solution (optional, but recommended for a thorough clean). You can use a screen-specific cleaner or a mixture of equal parts water and white vinegar or isopropyl alcohol (70%). Never spray liquid directly onto the screen.

How to clean:

1. Ensure your Surface Go 2 is turned off.
2. Lightly dampen the cloth with your cleaning solution.
3. Gently wipe the screen in a circular motion. Avoid pressing too hard.
4. If you used a damp cloth, dry the screen with a dry part of the cloth.
5. Check if your touchscreen is working correctly.

Important Note: If you use a screen protector, try removing it temporarily to see if it’s causing the issue. Sometimes, a protector can be misaligned or have air bubbles that interfere with touch input.

3. Update Your Operating System

Microsoft regularly releases Windows updates that include bug fixes and driver improvements. Ensuring your Surface Go 2 is running the latest version of Windows is crucial for overall stability and can resolve many underlying issues, including those affecting your touchscreen.

How to check for updates:

1. Click the Start button.
2. Click on the Settings gear icon.
3. Select Update & Security.
4. Click on Windows Update in the left-hand menu.
5. Click the Check for updates button. If updates are available, download and install them. Your Surface Go 2 will likely need to restart during this process.

After the updates are installed and your device has restarted, test your touchscreen again.

4. Check and Update Touchscreen Drivers in Device Manager

The touchscreen functionality on your Surface Go 2 is managed by specific hardware drivers. Corrupted or outdated drivers are a very common cause of touchscreen problems. You can check and update these through the Device Manager.

How to access and update drivers:

1. Right-click on the Start button.
2. Select Device Manager from the menu that appears.
3. In the Device Manager window, expand the Human Interface Devices category by clicking the arrow next to it.
4. Look for an item called HID-compliant touch screen (or something similar).
5. Right-click on HID-compliant touch screen.
6. Select Update driver.
7. Choose Search automatically for drivers. Windows will search for the latest driver online.

If Windows finds a new driver, follow the on-screen instructions to install it. If it says you already have the best driver installed, you can try the next step:

7. Right-click on HID-compliant touch screen again.
8. This time, select Uninstall device.
9. IMPORTANT: If prompted to delete the driver software for this device, do NOT check the box. Just click Uninstall.
10. Once the driver is uninstalled, restart your Surface Go 2. Windows will automatically reinstall the driver upon startup.

After the restart, test your touchscreen.

5. Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter

Windows has built-in troubleshooters designed to automatically detect and fix common hardware and device problems. This can be a quick way to find and resolve an issue with your touchscreen.

How to run the troubleshooter:

1. Press the Windows logo key + I to open Settings.
2. Click on Update & Security.
3. Select Troubleshoot from the left-hand menu.
4. Click on Additional troubleshooters (or Find and fix other problems).
5. Scroll down and find Hardware and Devices. If it’s not there, you might need to run the “Keyboard” or “Speech” troubleshooter as they can sometimes detect related issues.
6. Click on Run the troubleshooter.

Follow any on-screen prompts. The troubleshooter will scan your system for problems and attempt to fix them. Once it’s finished, test your touchscreen.

6. Check Surface Initialization Settings

Sometimes, specific settings related to how the Surface initializes can cause touch issues. Recalibrating or checking these settings can help.

How to recalibrate your screen:

1. Type “Calibrate the screen for pen or touch input” in the Windows search bar and select it when it appears.
2. In the Tablet PC Settings window, under the “Display” tab, click the Recalibrate… button.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions, tapping the crosshairs as they appear.
4. When you’re done, click Yes to save the calibration data for pen input.
5. Click OK.

Test your touchscreen to see if the calibration has improved responsiveness.

7. Check for Surface-Specific Updates (Firmware and Drivers)

In addition to general Windows updates, Microsoft also releases specific firmware and driver updates for Surface devices through the Microsoft Download Center. These are often critical for hardware components like the touchscreen.

How to find and install Surface updates:

1. Go to the Surface Go 2 Drivers & Firmware page on the Microsoft support website.
2. Ensure you download the package that matches your version of Windows.
3. Run the downloaded installer file.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions. This will install the latest drivers and firmware.
5. Restart your Surface Go 2 after the installation is complete.

8. Perform a System Restore

If your touchscreen issue started recently after installing a new application or making system changes, a System Restore might be helpful. This will roll your system back to a previous state when the touchscreen was working correctly, without affecting your personal files.

How to use System Restore:

1. Type “Create a restore point” in the Windows search bar and select it.
2. In the System Properties window that opens, click the System Restore… button under “System Protection.”
3. Click Next.
4. You’ll see a list of restore points. Choose a restore point dated before the touchscreen issues began. If you don’t see enough choices, check the “Show more restore points” box.
5. Click Scan for affected programs to see what software will be added or removed by the restore.
6. Click Close, then click Next, and finally click Finish.

Your Surface Go 2 will restart and restore your system. Note that this process can take some time, and you shouldn’t interrupt it.

9. Check Power Management Settings for HID-compliant touch screen

Sometimes, Windows tries to save power by turning off certain hardware components, and this can mistakenly affect your touchscreen.

1. Right-click on the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Human Interface Devices.
3. Right-click on HID-compliant touch screen.
4. Select Properties.
5. Go to the Power Management tab.
6. Uncheck the box that says “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.”
7. Click OK.

Restart your Surface Go 2 and test the touchscreen.

10. Check Touchscreen Settings in UEFI/BIOS

In rare cases, the touchscreen might be disabled at the firmware level (UEFI/BIOS). This is less common on standard Surface models but worth checking if other methods fail.

How to access UEFI/BIOS:

1. Click the Start button.
2. Click Settings (the gear icon).
3. Click Update & Security.
4. Click Recovery in the left-hand menu.
5. Under “Advanced startup,” click Restart now.
6. After your device restarts, on the “Choose an option” screen, click Troubleshoot.
7. Click Advanced options.
8. Click UEFI Firmware Settings.
9. Click Restart.

Your Surface Go 2 will restart and boot into the UEFI environment. Look for settings related to integrated devices or peripherals. If you find an option for the “Touch screen” or “Digitizer,” ensure it is enabled.

Caution: Be careful when changing settings in UEFI/BIOS. If you’re unsure about a setting, it’s best to leave it as is or refer to Microsoft’s official documentation for your specific Surface model.

Once changes are made (if any), select “Exit” and choose to save changes and restart.

Troubleshooting Specific Scenarios

Sometimes, touchscreen issues are more specific:

Intermittent Touchscreen Unresponsiveness

If your touchscreen works sometimes and not others, it could be:

• Overheating: Ensure your Surface Go 2 is in a well-ventilated area and not covered by anything that might block airflow.
• Software Conflicts: A recently installed app might be hogging resources or causing conflicts. Try uninstalling recently added applications.
• Battery Issues: A failing battery can sometimes cause erratic behavior across various components.

Ghost Touches (Phantom Input)

This is when the screen registers touches that you haven’t made. It can be caused by:

• Driver Issues: Ensure your drivers are up to date as mentioned in step 4.
• Electrical Interference: Sometimes, other electronic devices nearby can cause interference. Try moving to a different location.
• Loose Connection (Internal): This is a hardware issue that would require professional repair.

Touchscreen Dead Spots

If only a specific area of your screen isn’t responding:

• Physical Damage: Check the screen for cracks or impact points.
• Dirt/Debris: Even a tiny spec of dirt might cause a dead spot. Clean thoroughly.
• Hardware Fault: This often indicates a more serious hardware problem.

When to Consider Professional Help

If you’ve gone through all the troubleshooting steps above and your Surface Go 2’s touchscreen is still not working correctly, it’s possible there’s a hardware defect. While we’ve covered most common software-related fixes, a physical issue might require professional attention.

Consider contacting Microsoft Support or a qualified repair technician if:

• The touchscreen is physically cracked or damaged.
• You experience persistent “ghost touches” or severe unresponsiveness after exhausting all software fixes.
• The device has been dropped or exposed to moisture.

Microsoft offers support and repair services for its Surface devices. You can check their official support page for options:

• Microsoft Surface Support

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: My Surface Go 2 touchscreen is completely unresponsive. What should I do first?

A: Start with a simple restart. If that doesn’t help, gently clean your screen with a microfiber cloth. These are the quickest and easiest checks.

Q2: I just updated Windows, and now my touchscreen isn’t working. What happened?

A: Sometimes, Windows updates can cause temporary compatibility issues. Try checking for any newer driver updates specifically for your Surface Go 2 or consider rolling back the recent update if the problem persists.

Q3: Can a screen protector cause touchscreen issues on my Surface Go 2?

A: Yes, a poorly applied, damaged, or low-quality screen protector can interfere with touch sensitivity. Try removing it temporarily to see if that resolves the issue.

Q4: How do I know if it’s a software problem or a hardware problem with my Surface Go 2 touchscreen?</p