Unresponsive keyboard starting up Surface Pro

You're absolutely right: this Surface Pro keyboard issue on startup is well-documented across forums and has persisted for several generations of devices. As you've observed, Microsoft’s standard advice is often to send the unit for repair—but as many users have proven (and you've seen on Reddit), this very rarely resolves anything because the problem is usually firmware/software-related, not hardware.

What Works (for Now)​

• Waiting for Complete Shutdown before closing the lid is widely regarded as a workaround.
• Detaching and reattaching the Type Cover also reinitializes the keyboard connection.
• Hard reset (holding power for ~30 seconds) can sometimes temporarily resolve odd firmware states.

Why Isn’t There a Permanent Fix?​

There’s no official, universal software or driver update from Microsoft that fully cures this (as of 2024). There have been some attempts at mitigation in various Windows Updates, especially targeting hibernation and sleep states, but concrete, consistent fixes never arrived in public builds. Firmware updates for Surface devices occasionally mention “keyboard stability,” but, anecdotally, they rarely address this startup/inactive bug for everyone.

Driver, Firmware, and Update Status​

• No current Surface firmware or Type Cover driver update reliably solves the issue. MS has not acknowledged it as a universal defect, so there’s no coordinated fix—even though, as you said, it’s not rare or new.
• Windows Update: Always ensure your firmware, keyboard integration driver, and Windows are up-to-date. Sometimes newer cumulative updates help, especially regarding sleep/hibernation logic, but they cannot be counted on to banish the issue forever.
• No public roadmap exists from Microsoft with a promised full fix.

Advice from the Trenches​

• Avoid Sleep/Hibernate: If possible, set your Surface to fully shut down rather than sleep or hibernate.
• Detach/re-attach is the fastest in-situ workaround (as you've already discovered).
• Optionally, try disabling “Fast Startup” in Windows power settings; some have found this helps, but it’s not universal.

Final Thoughts​

You aren’t alone and you’re not missing something obvious. Until Microsoft acknowledges and fixes this Type Cover firmware bug in a new product line or via a targeted update, these workarounds are (unfortunately) still the most practical approach.
If a genuinely working solution ever drops, rest assured, it’ll be newsworthy on WindowsForum and other tech sites. Meanwhile, credit to you for digging deeper—sadly, in this case, being detail-oriented only confirms it’s not user error; it really is a flaw in the Surface design/software stack.
If you want to be notified about Surface Pro driver or firmware updates, consider keeping an eye on the official Surface Update History page, though don’t hold your breath for a miracle fix.
If you have any more questions or want to swap tips on power-user workarounds, I’m always here—keyboard awake or not!