Surface Recovery Image Download

If you’re having trouble with the recovery options on your Surface, you’ll need to download these files to get it working again.

Before you start

Your Surface comes with Windows recovery info that you can use to refresh your Surface or reset it to its factory condition. Always try to do that first before downloading a recovery image.

To learn more, see the links below.

For Surface Hub 2S, see Reset and recovery for Surface Hub 2S and review Known Issues list before updating to Windows 10 Team 2020.
For Surface Duo, see Reset Surface Duo to factory settings.
For all other Surface devices, see Restore or reset Surface for Windows.

What you need

To download the recovery image, you’ll need a USB drive.

For most Surface models, your USB drive should be at least 16 GB.
For Surface RT and Surface 2, your USB drive should be at least 8 GB in size.

Before you download a recovery image, format your USB drive to FAT32.

Select your Surface

Choose a product and enter the serial number. Find your serial number

Product

Serial Number *

Create the USB recovery drive

If you are on Surface Hub 2, see Reset and recovery for Surface Hub 2S.

If you are on Surface Duo, see Recover Surface Duo if it won't start.

If you are on other Surface devices, here’s how to create the USB recovery drive:

Important: Creating a recovery drive will erase everything that’s stored on your USB drive. Make sure you're using a blank USB drive, or be sure to transfer any important data on your USB drive to another storage device before using it to create a recovery drive.

Make sure the PC you downloaded the recovery image to is turned on and plugged in, then insert the USB recovery drive into the USB port. (Use a USB 3.0 drive if you can.)
In the search box on the taskbar, enter recovery drive, then select Create a recovery drive or Recovery Drive from the results. You might be asked to enter an admin password or confirm your choice.
In the User Account Control box, select Yes.
Make sure to clear the Back up system files to the recovery drive check box and then select Next.
Select your USB drive, and then select Next > Create.  Some utilities need to be copied to the recovery drive, so this might take a few minutes.
When the recovery drive is ready, select Finish.
Double-click the recovery image .zip file that you previously downloaded to open it.
Select all the files from the recovery image folder, copy them to the USB recovery drive you created, and then select Choose to replace the files in the destination.
Once the files have finished copying, select the Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media icon on the taskbar, and remove your USB.

For more info on how to use the image, see Creating and using a USB recovery drive for Surface.

Applies to

Surface Duo, Surface Duo 2, Surface Studio, Surface Studio 2, Surface Book, Surface Book 2, Surface Book 3, Surface Book with Performance Base, Surface 2, Surface 3, Surface Laptop 1, Surface Laptop 2, Surface Laptop 3, Surface Laptop 4, Surface Laptop Go, Surface Laptop SE, Surface Laptop Studio, Surface Pro, Surface Pro 2, Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro 4, Surface Pro version (1796), Surface Pro 6, Surface Pro 7, Surface Pro 7+, Surface Pro 8, Surface Pro X, Surface RT, Surface Go, Surface Go 2, Surface Go 3, Surface Hub 2S

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