diff --git a/vulkano-win/src/raw_window_handle.rs b/vulkano-win/src/raw_window_handle.rs
index 1b2fad81..1d208a78 100644
--- a/vulkano-win/src/raw_window_handle.rs
+++ b/vulkano-win/src/raw_window_handle.rs
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ use vulkano::{
     swapchain::{Surface, SurfaceCreationError},
 };
 
-/// Creates a vulkan surface from a generic window
-/// which implements HasRawWindowHandle and thus can reveal the os-dependent handle.
+/// Creates a Vulkan surface from a generic window which implements `HasRawWindowHandle` and thus
+/// can reveal the OS-dependent handle.
 pub fn create_surface_from_handle(
     window: Arc<impl Any + Send + Sync + HasRawWindowHandle + HasRawDisplayHandle>,
     instance: Arc<Instance>,
@@ -75,3 +75,70 @@ pub fn create_surface_from_handle(
         }
     }
 }
+
+/// Creates a Vulkan surface from a generic window which implements `HasRawWindowHandle` and thus
+/// can reveal the OS-dependent handle, without ensuring that the window outlives the surface.
+///
+/// # Safety
+///
+/// - The passed-in `window` must outlive the created [`Surface`].
+pub unsafe fn create_surface_from_handle_ref(
+    window: &(impl HasRawWindowHandle + HasRawDisplayHandle),
+    instance: Arc<Instance>,
+) -> Result<Arc<Surface>, SurfaceCreationError> {
+    unsafe {
+        match window.raw_window_handle() {
+            RawWindowHandle::AndroidNdk(h) => {
+                Surface::from_android(instance, h.a_native_window, None)
+            }
+            RawWindowHandle::UiKit(_h) => {
+                #[cfg(target_os = "ios")]
+                {
+                    // Ensure the layer is CAMetalLayer
+                    let layer = get_metal_layer_ios(_h.ui_view);
+                    Surface::from_ios(instance, layer, None)
+                }
+                #[cfg(not(target_os = "ios"))]
+                {
+                    panic!("UiKit handle should only be used when target_os == 'ios'");
+                }
+            }
+            RawWindowHandle::AppKit(_h) => {
+                #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+                {
+                    // Ensure the layer is CAMetalLayer
+                    let layer = get_metal_layer_macos(_h.ns_view);
+                    Surface::from_mac_os(instance, layer as *const (), None)
+                }
+                #[cfg(not(target_os = "macos"))]
+                {
+                    panic!("AppKit handle should only be used when target_os == 'macos'");
+                }
+            }
+            RawWindowHandle::Wayland(h) => {
+                let d = match window.raw_display_handle() {
+                    RawDisplayHandle::Wayland(d) => d,
+                    _ => panic!("Invalid RawDisplayHandle"),
+                };
+                Surface::from_wayland(instance, d.display, h.surface, None)
+            }
+            RawWindowHandle::Win32(h) => Surface::from_win32(instance, h.hinstance, h.hwnd, None),
+            RawWindowHandle::Xcb(h) => {
+                let d = match window.raw_display_handle() {
+                    RawDisplayHandle::Xcb(d) => d,
+                    _ => panic!("Invalid RawDisplayHandle"),
+                };
+                Surface::from_xcb(instance, d.connection, h.window, None)
+            }
+            RawWindowHandle::Xlib(h) => {
+                let d = match window.raw_display_handle() {
+                    RawDisplayHandle::Xlib(d) => d,
+                    _ => panic!("Invalid RawDisplayHandle"),
+                };
+                Surface::from_xlib(instance, d.display, h.window, None)
+            }
+            RawWindowHandle::Web(_) => unimplemented!(),
+            _ => unimplemented!(),
+        }
+    }
+}