Set up a Surface USB-C to display adapter

See things on a bigger screen by connecting one of the Surface USB-C to display adapters to an external monitor or TV. Here’s what you’ll need:

A Surface USB-C to display adapter. This can be any of the following:
- Surface USB-C to DisplayPort adapter (see it in the Microsoft Store)
- Surface USB-C to HDMI adapter (see it in the Microsoft Store)
- Surface USB-C to VGA adapter (see it in the Microsoft Store)
A Surface device that has USB-C port. To determine if a Surface has a USB-C port, check the features page for the device. To do this, go to Find out which Surface model you have, and then select the Surface device on the left-hand side.
An external display and video cable. The video cable and Surface adapter you need depends on which type of video port is on your external display. For example, if your external display has a DisplayPort, you will need a DisplayPort video cable and the Surface USB-C to DisplayPort adapter.

Connect the adapter to your Surface and external display

Plug the USB-C end of the adapter into the USB-C port on your Surface.
Take the video cable that’s connected to your external display or TV, and then plug the other end of it into the adapter. The cable to use depends on your display and the type of video connection it uses—DisplayPort, HDMI, or VGA.
Turn on your external display and your Surface.

If nothing appears on your external display when you turn it on, try one or more of the following:

Make sure the USB-C connector on the adapter is securely plugged into the USB-C port on your Surface.
Make sure the video cable is securely plugged into your external display or TV. On the other end, make sure the video cable is securely plugged into the adapter.
Disconnect the adapter from your Surface, and then reconnect it. If that doesn’t work, disconnect the video cable from your adapter, and then reconnect it.
If the steps above don't work, try the following:
1. Unplug the USB-C connector from your Surface.
2. Unplug the video cable from your display, and then unplug the other end of the cable from the adapter.
3. Flip the USB-C connector over and plug it back into your Surface.
4. Plug one end of the video cable back into your display, and then plug the other end of the video cable back into your adapter.
5. Restart your Surface.