How to Turn Off Smart Charging Quickly on Microsoft Surface

Smart charging on Surface devices helps protect battery health by limiting charge capacity. However, some users prefer to disable it for full battery use. Here is how to turn off smart charging step by step.

How to Turn Off Smart Charging on Surface?

1. Check if Smart Charging Is Enabled

To confirm if the feature is active, check your Surface battery status.

1. Open the battery icon in your taskbar.
   
2. If charging is paused at 50% or 80%, smart charging is on.

For more troubleshooting tips, see this guide on Surface Go charging issues.

2. Turn Off Smart Charging from Windows Settings

You can use Windows settings to quickly disable smart charging.

1. Click the Start menu and open Settings.
2. Go to System > Power & battery.
3. Look for the Battery Smart Charging option.
   
4. Toggle the switch to Off.

3. Use Surface UEFI Settings

If you want more control, disable smart charging from UEFI.

1. Shut down your Surface completely.
2. Hold the Volume Up button and press Power to enter UEFI.
3. Navigate to the Boot Configuration or Battery settings menu.
4. Disable Smart Charging or Battery Limit mode.
   
5. Save and restart.

For a detailed walkthrough, follow this guide on how to get to BIOS on Surface. While you are in UEFI, you can also follow this guide on how to disable the touch screen on Microsoft Surface to manage touch input directly from firmware.

4. Override Temporarily While Plugged In

When charging stops early, you can override the smart charging pause.

1. Unplug your Surface.
2. Wait a few seconds, then plug the charger back in.
3. Charging should continue past the paused level.

5. Update Surface App Settings

The Surface app also offers controls for smart charging.

1. Install the Surface app from the Microsoft Store.
2. Open the app and go to Battery settings.
3. Turn off the Battery Limit or Smart Charging option.

After disabling Smart Charging, you can check Surface battery health to verify that your device now charges fully and reflects accurate capacity levels.

Why Turn Off Smart Charging?

Disabling smart charging allows the battery to reach 100% capacity. This is useful when traveling, working offline for long hours, or needing maximum runtime without access to power.

FAQs

Conclusion

Turning off smart charging on your Surface gives you access to the full battery capacity when needed. Whether through Windows settings, UEFI, or the Surface app, you can switch off the feature and keep your device powered longer for travel or offline work.

Want the full-charge workflow after disabling Smart Charging? Read how to charge a Surface battery to 100% for clear steps and extra tips. To turn the feature back on later, follow this guide on how to enable smart charging on Microsoft Surface.

If your device does not turn on after charging, see this guide on what to do if Microsoft Surface will not turn on.