Surface Pro 4 Picks Up On-Screen Surface Dial Support

Surface Pro 4 Picks Up On-Screen Surface Dial Support

A new set of firmware updates for Surface Pro adds on-screen support for Microsoft’s Surface Dial peripheral.

“We’ve released new updates for Surface Pro 4 devices,” Microsoft’s Brandon Records announced last night. “These updates include new drivers for Surface Dial Detection, Surface Digitizer Integration, Surface Touch, and Surface Touch Servicing ML which enable on-screen support for Surface Dial and resolve certain ghost/phantom touch issues.”

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To be clear, you could previously use Surface Dial with Surface Pro 4, but only as a desk-based accessory. This support lets you use the peripheral directly on the Surface Pro 4’s display, as you could previously with Surface Studio, Surface Book (and Book2), and the 2017 Surface Pro.

The Surface Pro 4 update history page on the Surface Support website notes the following firmware updates, which address the reliability and performance of the system:

Surface – Human Interface Device – 2.0.313.0. Surface Digitizer Integration – Human Interface Device version 2.0.313.0 enables on-screen support for Surface Dial.

Surface – Firmware – 105.0.106.8. Surface Touch – Firmware version 105.0.106.8 enables on-screen support for Surface Dial and improves touch accuracy.

Surface – System – 2.0.2.0. Surface Dial Detection – System version 2.0.2.0 enables on-screen support for Surface Dial.

Surface – System – 1.0.821.0. Surface Touch Servicing ML – System version 1.0.821.0 enables on-screen support for Surface Dial and improves touch accuracy.

You can grab these updates via Windows Update, of course. But they will also be added to the Surface Pro 4 Drivers and Firmware download set for IT pros, if they haven’t been already.

 

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Conversation 16 comments

  • Edward Grego

    13 April, 2018 - 8:51 am

    <p>So, just another reason MSFT is failing at most consumer endeavors, I remember this feature being promised years ago for SP4 and Surface Book. Now, years later it's available on 1 one of them, good job I guess?!</p>

    • wright_is

      Premium Member
      13 April, 2018 - 9:01 am

      <blockquote><a href="#262615"><em>In reply to Edward_Grego:</em></a></blockquote><p>Re-read, it now works with all of them, the SP4 (pre 2017) finishes off the compatibility list.</p>

      • Edward Grego

        13 April, 2018 - 9:21 am

        <blockquote><a href="#262620"><em>In reply to wright_is:</em></a></blockquote><blockquote><em>they must have turned that feature on recently, I haven’t tried it in a few months, but it didn’t work then. </em></blockquote>

        • bleeman

          Premium Member
          13 April, 2018 - 2:53 pm

          <blockquote><a href="#262624"><em>In reply to Edward_Grego:</em></a></blockquote><p>I had the firmware updates in Windows Update last night. Tried it with Drawboard PDF and it works great. I've had my dial since they were first released and love using it for scrolling. Makes it nice when browsing web articles, twitter, etc. I also use it for volume control when using Groove or Spotify. So I've been glad I've had the dial even without the onscreen support. This just gives me more options.</p>

  • harmjr

    Premium Member
    13 April, 2018 - 8:51 am

    <p>For 2 seconds I went OMG and wanted to pull out my surface dial and then came back to reality.</p>

  • kherm

    Premium Member
    13 April, 2018 - 8:58 am

    <p>Man that took a long ass time. Maybe it's time for me to buy a Dial. </p><p><br></p><p>LOL, that's a good joke. </p>

  • wright_is

    Premium Member
    13 April, 2018 - 9:01 am

    <p>A serious question, how much of the screen is still visible on a Surface Pro, when the dial is sitting on the screen?</p>

    • gregsedwards

      Premium Member
      13 April, 2018 - 10:41 am

      <blockquote><a href="#262621"><em>In reply to wright_is:</em></a></blockquote><p>As someone who bought a Surface Dial on day one hoping this was coming soon, I can say…it's usable. Much better experience on Surface Studio (obviously), and while <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">I'll need to spend some time to get the hang of it, </span>I could actually see myself using this once in a while for creative projects. I've already been having some fun with it this morning in Paint 3D and Maps. I'll try to post a video later today.</p>

  • jimchamplin

    Premium Member
    13 April, 2018 - 9:12 am

    <p>… They didn’t have this within days of releasing the dial? The Pro 4 was the current Surface Pro at the time and they couldn’t be bothered with shipping support for it immediately?</p><p><br></p><p>Truly, <em>that</em> is supporting your product.</p>

  • legend

    Premium Member
    13 April, 2018 - 9:23 am

    <p>What about the promised update (tilt support) for the new Surface Pen? </p>

  • jonshipman

    13 April, 2018 - 9:30 am

    <p>Blah, and I'm going to be away from the office for a week without my Surface dial :/ </p>

  • gregsedwards

    Premium Member
    13 April, 2018 - 10:30 am

    <p>Glory be, hallelujah! Only 1½ years after they announced it was coming. ? #PromisesMadePromisesKept</p>

  • lvthunder

    Premium Member
    13 April, 2018 - 2:15 pm

    <p>Does this work with the Surface Book like the article says? I couldn't get the on screen part to work with Sketchbook on my Surface Book.</p>

  • hrlngrv

    Premium Member
    14 April, 2018 - 12:25 am

    <p>Brad has a Surface Studio. How often does he use the dial?</p>

  • Tsang Man Fai

    14 April, 2018 - 12:29 pm

    <p>Surface Dial is cool when used on Surface Studio but it occupies relatively so much space when used on a 12.3" screen. Should Microsoft make a slightly smaller version of Surface Dial?</p>

  • boots

    15 April, 2018 - 9:35 pm

    <p>I still don't understand the purpose of physically putting the Dial on the screen. If the screen is angled away from the user, (which it would need to be to use the Pen) then the Dial and the user's hand blocks a lot of the view of the screen content the Dial is displaying. The user would need to look over the top of the Dial to see the content behind it. </p><p>How is this better than using the Dial in a desk-based way?</p>

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