The basic shutdown process

To turn off a Surface tablet, press and hold the power button for a few seconds until a menu appears on screen. The power button is on the right edge of the device, near the top. When the shutdown menu appears, tap or click Power, then select Shut down.

The tablet will close all open apps and programs, then power down completely. This usually takes 10 to 30 seconds. Once the screen goes black and stays black, the device is off.

If you are in a hurry and do not need to save work, you can also press and hold the power button for 10 seconds to force the tablet to shut down when ready. This bypasses the normal shutdown process, but it can occasionally cause data loss if you have unsaved files open.

Key Takeaways

  • Press and hold the power button on the right edge until a menu appears, then select Shut down from the Power menu.
  • A normal shutdown takes 10 to 30 seconds and closes all programs safely before powering off.
  • Holding the power button for 10 seconds forces an when ready shutdown, which can cause data loss if you have unsaved work.
  • Sleep mode (pressing the power button once) turns off the screen but keeps the tablet ready to wake when ready, using very little battery.
  • If your tablet is frozen and will not respond to the power button, try holding the power button and volume down button together for 10 seconds.

Sleep mode versus shutdown

You have two ways to stop using your Surface tablet without fully powering it off. Sleep mode turns off the screen and pauses most activity, but the tablet stays ready to wake up when ready when you press the power button again. Shutdown closes everything and powers the device completely off.

Sleep mode uses very little battery—your tablet can stay in sleep mode for days without draining much power. Shutdown uses no battery at all, but it takes longer to turn the tablet back on because it has to load Windows and all your programs again.

For short breaks (a few minutes to a few hours), sleep mode is usually the right choice. For overnight or longer periods when you will not use the tablet, shutdown saves more battery overall.

What to do if the tablet will not shut down

If the shutdown menu does not appear when you press the power button, your tablet may be frozen. Try holding the power button and volume down button together for about 10 seconds. This forces the device to restart, which usually clears the freeze.

If that does not work, try leaving the tablet plugged in and untouched for 15 minutes. Sometimes a frozen tablet will respond after a brief rest. Then try the power button again.

If the tablet still will not respond after these steps, the battery may be completely drained. Plug it into power and wait 30 minutes before trying to turn it on again. If it still does not respond after charging, contact Microsoft support or visit a repair center.

Restarting instead of shutting down

If you want to turn the tablet off and back on without waiting for a full shutdown, you can restart it instead. Press and hold the power button until the shutdown menu appears, then select Power and choose Restart.

A restart closes all open programs and reboots Windows, which often fixes slow performance or minor software problems. It takes about 30 to 60 seconds from start to finish. The tablet will show the Windows logo and loading screen, then return to your home screen ready to use.

Shutting down from the Settings menu

You can also shut down your Surface tablet through the Settings app if the power button is not working. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen to open the action center, then tap the Settings icon (it looks like a gear).

In Settings, select System on the left side, then scroll down and tap Power and sleep. At the bottom of that screen, you will see a Shut down button. Tap it to power off the tablet.

This method takes a few extra taps, but it works if your power button is damaged or stuck.

Turning off the screen without shutting down

If you only want to turn off the display without powering down the tablet, press the power button once. This puts the tablet into sleep mode and turns off the screen when ready.

The tablet stays on and connected to Wi-Fi or cellular networks while in sleep mode, so notifications and messages can still arrive. When you press the power button again, the screen wakes up in a second or two, and you are back where you left off.

You can also set the tablet to sleep automatically after a certain amount of time without use. Go to Settings > System > Power and sleep, then choose how long to wait before the screen turns off (options usually range from 1 minute to 30 minutes).

Battery and power considerations

Shutting down your Surface tablet completely is the best way to preserve battery life if you will not use it for more than a day. A powered-off tablet uses no battery at all, even if it sits unused for weeks.

Sleep mode is better for daily use because you can wake the tablet when ready without waiting for startup. However, sleep mode does drain the battery slowly over time—usually 1 to 3 percent per day, depending on your model and settings.

If your tablet is running low on battery and you will not be able to charge it soon, shut it down completely rather than leaving it in sleep mode. This ensures you can still turn it on later when you have access to a charger.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it bad to force shut down my Surface tablet?

Forcing a shutdown by holding the power button for 10 seconds is safe for the hardware itself, but it can cause problems if you have unsaved work open. Windows does not get a chance to close files properly, so you may lose recent changes. Use force shutdown only when the tablet is frozen and will not respond to normal shutdown.

Will my Surface tablet lose data if I shut it down?

No. Shutting down saves all your files and settings to storage before powering off. When you turn the tablet back on, everything will be exactly as you left it. Data loss only happens if you force shut down while actively editing a file without saving it first.

How long does it take to shut down a Surface tablet?

A normal shutdown usually takes 10 to 30 seconds from the moment you select Shut down until the screen goes black. Restart takes about 30 to 60 seconds because the tablet has to load Windows again. Force shutdown is when ready but should only be used when the tablet is frozen.

Can I shut down my Surface tablet from the lock screen?

Yes. Press the power button to bring up the shutdown menu even if the tablet is locked. You do not need to unlock it first. Select Power and then Shut down to power off the device.

What is the difference between shutting down and signing out?

Signing out closes your user account and programs but leaves the tablet powered on and ready for another user to log in. Shutting down powers the entire device off. If you share your tablet with others, signing out is usually enough. If you are done using it for the day, shut it down to save battery.