Surface Headphones 2 Faults: Battery, ANC, Drivers and Cushions

Most Surface Headphones problems, such as pairing failures, no sound, a dead touch area or a dial that stops responding, can be fixed at home with a restart, a re-pair, a firmware update or one of Microsoft's two resets. If the headphones still fail after those steps, Microsoft's own troubleshooting page says the cause may be the headphones themselves, which means a hardware repair. This guide follows Microsoft's order of fixes and shows where the home steps end.

Which Surface Headphones Do You Have?

Microsoft supports three models with the same Surface app:

• Surface Headphones (first version): released in 2018, light grey, with a mute button on the right ear cup.
• Surface Headphones 2: released in 2020, light grey or matte black, with a mute button on the right ear cup.
• Surface Headphones 2+: released in 2021 for business use, matte black, with a Microsoft Teams button and a small Surface USB Link dongle in the box.

All three have a noise cancellation dial on the left ear cup, a volume dial on the right, a touch area on the ear cups, a USB-C port for charging and a 3.5 mm audio port.

Quick Checks First

1. Restart both devices. Restart your PC or mobile device. Then press and release the power button on the headphones to turn them off, wait 10 seconds, and turn them on again.
2. Charge them. Plug the included USB cable into a Windows PC or a USB power adapter. Microsoft says a full charge takes less than 2 hours, and you hear the battery level each time you turn them on.
3. Try the 3.5 mm cable. Connect the audio cable to the headphones and your device. Microsoft notes they work over the cable even when the battery is flat. If sound works over the cable, the problem is the Bluetooth connection, not the speakers.
4. Check the output device. On Windows, select the sound icon on the taskbar and pick Surface Headphones Stereo for music or Surface Headphones Hands-Free for meetings. Disconnect other Bluetooth audio devices that might be taking the sound.

Re-Pair the Headphones

If the cable test worked, remove and pair them again:

• Windows: Settings, then Bluetooth and devices, select Surface Headphones and remove the device.
• iOS: Settings, then Bluetooth, tap the info icon next to Surface Headphones and choose Forget This Device.
• Android: Bluetooth settings, tap the gear icon next to Surface Headphones and choose Unpair.

Then pair them again from the Surface app or Bluetooth settings.

Update the Firmware in the Surface App

Microsoft releases firmware fixes through the Surface app:

1. Connect the headphones to a Windows PC with the USB cable (faster), or over Bluetooth.
2. Open the Surface app and select Surface Headphones, then Device information.
3. Under Firmware update, select Update using USB or Update using Bluetooth.

On iOS and Android, open the Surface app, then Account, Surface Headphones and Device information. Microsoft notes a Bluetooth update from a mobile device can take an hour or more. On Surface Headphones 2+, the Surface USB Link dongle is updated through Windows Update instead.

Microsoft's accessory lifecycle page lists the end of firmware servicing as September 30, 2024 for the first version, May 4, 2027 for Surface Headphones 2+ and December 30, 2027 for Surface Headphones 2. After those dates no new firmware is published, so the existing firmware is what you have.

Factory Reset or Firmware Reset

Microsoft separates the two resets by symptom.

Factory reset, when the headphones will not connect after a few tries:

• Hold the power button for 20 seconds until you hear that they have been reset, or
• In the Surface app, open Device information and select Reset now under Factory reset.

This clears pairing information, equalizer settings and language settings. On Surface Headphones 2+, the pairing with the Surface USB Link stays in place.

Firmware reset, when the touch area or buttons stop responding or the LED turns amber:

1. Plug the USB cable into a Windows PC or a USB power adapter.
2. Press and hold the power button on the headphones.
3. While still holding it, connect the USB-C end to the headphones.
4. Release the power button.

Microsoft also uses a simple test: press the power button to turn them off and listen for "Goodbye". If you do not hear it and music keeps playing, do a firmware reset.

Common Faults and What They Point To

The guides on ANC problems, one side not working and the headphone battery go deeper on those faults.

When It Needs a Repair

Microsoft lists Surface Headphones, all models, as eligible for service through its Device Service and Repair site, where the options described are a repair of the same unit or a refurbished replacement. As an independent workshop, we diagnose the fault first so you know whether it is the battery, the USB-C port, a speaker driver, the touch sensor, the dial, the microphones or the headband before deciding anything.

Book a check if:

• The firmware reset and factory reset did not help.
• There is no sound over the 3.5 mm cable either.
• The headphones will not charge with a known good cable and adapter.
• The battery runs down far faster than it used to.
• The headband, hinge or an ear cup is cracked.

See Surface Headphones and Earbuds repair in Dubai and the model pages for Surface Headphones 2 and Surface Headphones 2+.

Every repair starts with a free diagnosis and a written quote before any work, with free pickup anywhere in Dubai and a 90-day warranty on the repair. Message us on WhatsApp or use the quote form on this page, or visit us at Concord Tower, Al Sufouh 2.