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Connecting External HDMI TV to Surface Laptop 5

Hello,

Looking for some recommendations. I have my Surface Laptop 5 (which only has 1 USB-C and USB-A port).

I also have 1 monitor with USB-C and a TV (HDMI), will need to use both as external monitors

I’m getting a Surface Dock as well, but not sure this will work, as the dock has 2 USB-Cs but not HDMI for the TV. I’ve been thinking in buying a USB-A-HDMI adapter, but not sure it will work well. Maybe buying a USB-C to HDMI adapter and connect it to the Surface Dock station, but again, no idea if this will work well either as the TV will be connecting to the laptop through 2 different adapters.

And finally, will the dock station support usb-c passthrough? My external monitor which supports usb-c, has embedded speakers, microphone and a 4k camera, will the camera, speakers and microphone be recognized by Windows OS as they are connected through the Surface Dock?

Any recommendations highly appreciated, thanks

Hello danntel,

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community.

You can connect your Surface Laptop 5 to an external monitor and to your TV, however, the Surface Dock doesn't have the USB C port. Will you confirm if the Surface Dock you're referring to is the Surface Dock 2? See Identify your Surface Dock and features - Microsoft Support.

Assuming that the Surface dock you're referring to is the Surface Dock 2, yes, you can connect your Surface Laptop 5 to an external monitor or TV using a USB-C to HDMI adapter. If you’re planning to use both the monitor and TV as external displays, you can connect the monitor to the Surface Dock 2 using a USB-C to USB-C cable and the TV to the Surface Dock 2 using a USB-C to HDMI adapter.

Regarding your question about USB-C passthrough, the Surface Dock 2 supports USB-C passthrough. The camera, speakers, and microphone on your external monitor should be recognized by Windows OS when connected through the Surface Dock 2.

For troubleshooting guide, see Troubleshoot connecting Surface to an external display - Microsoft Support.

Additionally, you may be interested with the Surface Thunderbolt™ 4 Dock, that can help you maximize your workspace while also providing ultra-fast data transfer. It offers eight adaptable ports for powering your Surface computer and peripherals, connecting up to two 4K displays, and transferring data at up to 40Gbps. For more information, see What’s new in Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock - Surface | Microsoft Learn.

I hope you find these suggestions helpful.

Kind regards,

Lavenia

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Thanks Lavenia!

So the Dock station is the Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock!

So, you are saying:

1- I can use the Surface Thunderbolt™ 4 Dock connected to my Surface Laptop 5 (via USB-C to USB-C), and then connect my USB-C Monitor (The one with camera, microphone and speakers) to the USB-C Interface of the Surface Thunderbolt™ 4 Dock, which will support video output, and will also recognize the camera, speakers and microphone?

and

2- For the TV (HDMI), I could use a USB-C to HDMI adapter, connected to the USB-C interface of the Surface Thunderbolt™ 4 Dock, and it will work no issues? I thought that having the HDMI TV connected to the PC through 2 different adapts (The USB-C to HDMI + Surface Thunderbolt™ 4 Dock) will cause issues.

If all is good, would you please recommend a USB-C to HDMI adapter for my number 2 above?

Let me know, thanks

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You're welcome, danntel.

I appreciate you for confirming. To answer your questions.

1. Yes, you can connect your Surface Laptop 5 to a USB-C monitor with a camera, microphone, and speakers using the Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock. The camera, speakers, and microphone on the monitor should be recognized by the dock, which also allows video output. We are unable to provide further information regarding its compatibility, though, as you are utilizing a third-party monitor. To make sure it is compatible, it would be advisable to get in touch with the manufacturer.

2. Yes, you can use a USB-C to HDMI adapter to connect your TV to the Surface Thunderbolt™ 4 Dock. You can connect the adapter to the USB-C interface of the dock, and then connect the HDMI cable from the adapter to your TV.

Ensure that the cable you intend to use is compatible with Thunderbolt.

As for the recommended cable, check on the support article I shared for troubleshooting connecting to an external display under solution 6.

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Hello danntel,

We haven't heard from you, so we assume that your issue has already been addressed. We will not be monitoring this thread moving forward so, if you need further assistance, please create a new thread to discuss these concerns by clicking this link: Create a new question (microsoft.com).

Thank you for understanding. 

Kind regards,

Lavenia

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Last updated April 11, 2025 Views 3,320 Applies to: