How to Boot Surface Go from a USB Drive

Booting a Surface Go from a USB Drive can be a little frustrating if you didn’t follow its specific procedure especially when your device can’t boot to Windows. In this article, we have everything you need to know to boot your Surface Go from a USB Drive.

To boot Surface Go from a USB drive, insert a bootable USB drive to the Surface Go’s USB port (required USB-C to USB-A dongle if you have a USB-A drive). Press and hold the volume down button. While holding, press & release the power button. When the Surface logo appears, release the volume down button.

Before you move on, we have also written this tutorial for other Surface lineups as well with individual specific instructions as you can find here.

If you have a Surface Go (1st Gen), Surface Go 2, or a Surface Go 3 PC, read on for a more in-depth guide on how to boot your Surface Go from a USB Drive.

  1. Why Boot Surface Go From A USB Drive?
  2. Surface Go Boot From A USB: Preparation
  3. Surface Go Boot From A USB: When Surface Go is Off
  4. Surface Go Boot From A USB: When Surface Go is On
  5. Surface Go Boot From A USB: With No Password

Why Boot Surface Go From A USB Drive?

There are several reasons that you need to boot your Surface Go from a USB Drive.

  1. Resetting your Surface Go with a USB Recovery Drive.
  2. Fresh Windows Installation.
  3. Running Windows To Go.
  4. Installing or running Linux-based OS (Ubuntu, Fedora, Redhat, …).
  5. Loading bootable recovery or disk partition tools.

Surface Go Boot From A USB: Preparation

Before proceeding to the next step, here are some preparations you need to do before booting your Surface Go from a USB Drive.

  1. Bootable USB Drive
    It’s important that you have a proper bootable USB Drive. In case you want to reset your Surface Go with a recovery drive, you will need to download the recovery image for your Surface and create a recovery drive before you can boot it up on your Surface Go.
  2. Disable Secure Boot
    Secure Boot blocked all third-party boot loaders from booting off your Surface devices. Disable Secure Boot lets you load third-party OS other than Windows 10 that’s included older versions of Windows and Linux on your Surface Go. Here’s how to disable secure boot on Microsoft Surface Go.
  3. Backup Your Data
    Save yourself later by backing your important data to a MicroSD card or external hard drive.
  4. Having a Wired Mouse & Keyboard
    There is a chance that your Surface won’t support touch or pen input when you do a clean Windows installation or load Linux OS on your Surface. Having a wired mouse, keyboard, and a network dongle can help you in this situation.
  5. Connected to the Charger
    To prevent any unexpected shutdown during installation, make sure you have connected your Surface Go to an external power source.

Surface Go Boot From A USB: When Surface Go is Off

  1. Shut down your Surface Go.
  2. Insert your bootable USB or recovery drive to the Surface Go’s USB port. You will need a USB-C to USB-A adapter if you have only a full-size USB drive.
  3. Press and hold the Volume Down button on your Surface Go, then press and release the Power button.
  4. When you see the Surface logo screen appear, release the Volume Down button.
    Boot Surface Go from USB - Steps

Surface Go Boot From A USB: When Surface Go is On

There is an easier way to boot your Surface Go from a USB drive when you can sign in to Windows 10 or Windows 11. Here is how to do that:

  1. Insert your bootable USB or recovery drive to the Surface Go’s USB port.
  2. Open Windows Settings
    First, you need to access Windows Settings by going to Start and opening the Settings app with the gear icon (or by using Win + I shortcut key).
  3. Go to Windows Updates > Advanced options
    On the left pane of the settings, select “Windows Updates“. Then select the “Advanced options” from the more options section.
    Windows 11: Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options
  4. Select the “Recovery” option
    Under the “Additional options”, select “Recovery”.
    Windows 11: Settings > Recovery
  5. Restart your Surface Go in “Advanced Startup” mode.
    Under recovery options, click the “Restart now” button to restart your Surface Go in advanced startup mode which will allow you to change startup settings.
    Windows 11: Settings > Advanced startup
  6. Select “Use a device”
    After your Surface Go is restarted, you will see a blue screen with the following options. Select “Use a device”.
    Surface Boot > Advanced Startup
  7. Select “USB Storage”
    It will list all possible ways to boot including all connected storage devices. Select “USB Storage”.
    Surface Boot > Advanced Startup > Use a device

Now your Surface Go will reboot with boot files from the inserted USB drive.

  1. Insert your bootable USB or recovery drive to the Surface Go’s USB port.
  2. Open Windows Settings
    First, you need to access Windows Settings by going to Start and clicking the Gear icon (or by using Win + I shortcut key).
  3. Go to Update & Security
    In Windows Settings, select “Update & Security“.
    Windows 10 Settings > Update & Security
  4. Go to Recovery
    On the left side of the settings, select Recovery.
    Windows 10 Settings > Update & Security > Recovery
  5. Restart your Surface in Advanced Startup
    Under the “Advanced startup” section, click Restart now to restart your Surface in an advanced startup mode.
    Windows 10 Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Advanced Startup
  6. Select Use a device
    After your Surface Go is restarted, you will see a blue screen with the following options. Select Use a device.
    Surface Boot > Advanced Startup
  7. Select USB Storage
    It will list all possible ways and connected storage devices. Select USB Storage.
    Surface Boot > Advanced Startup > Use a device

Now your Surface Go will reboot with your connected USB drive.

Surface Go Boot From A USB: With No Password

There are so many times that users might want to reset their Surface Go when they forgot the account password that prevents them from login in. Here is how to do that on the Surface Go with or without a keyboard attached.

  1. Open On-Screen Keyboard (skip this if you have a keyboard attached)
    On the Windows 11 login screen, Go to the Accessibility icon and stay right next to the power icon. Then select the “On-Screen Keyboard”.
    Windows 11: Lock Screen > Accessibility > On-Screen Keyboard
  2. Press and hold Shift Key
    On the Surface Type Cover, press and hold the Shift key (on the On-Screen Keyboard, just click the shift key and it will hold by itself).
  3. Go to Power > Restart
    On the right-bottom of the screen, click the power icon, and select Restart. It will reboot your Surface Go in Advanced startup mode.
    Restart in Advanced Startup Without Password on Windows 11
  4. Select Use a device
    After your Surface Go is restarted, you will see a blue screen with the following options. Select Use a device.
    Surface Boot > Advanced Startup
  5. Select USB Storage
    It will list all possible ways and connected storage devices. Select USB Storage.
    Surface Boot > Advanced Startup > Use a device
  1. Open On-Screen Keyboard (skip this if you have a keyboard attached)
    On the Windows login screen, Go to the Ease of access icon and stay right next to the power icon. Select On-Screen Keyboard.
    Enable On-Screen Keyboard in Login Screen
  2. Press and hold Shift Key
    On the Surface Type Cover, press and hold the Shift key (on the On-Screen Keyboard, just click the shift key and it will hold by itself).
  3. Go to Power > Restart
    On the right-bottom of the screen, click the power icon, and select Restart. It will reboot your Surface Go in Advanced startup mode.
    Restart in Advanced Startup Without Password on Windows 10
  4. Select Use a device
    After your Surface Go is restarted, you will see a blue screen with the following options. Select Use a device.
    Surface Boot > Advanced Startup
  5. Select USB Storage
    It will list all possible ways and connected storage devices. Select USB Storage.
    Surface Boot > Advanced Startup > Use a device

More on Surface Go Tips & Tricks

Here are some related articles for Microsoft Surface Go tips & tricks you might want to read: