Surface pro School device issues

Question

I got a new surface pro for school this year but lots of issues have come up since. Every single time the screen turns off I have to sign into the school internet before I can sign in. I have selected connect automatically but it does nothing. Somehow I don't need to sign into my home internet but i do at school. I also have to sign into my Microsoft account instead of signing in using the normal way. None of these things happened with my old device.

Answer 1

Hi SKEPPER Darcy,

I totally get how confusing it is when your new Surface Pro behaves so differently from your old device. There are a few possible reasons, some of which were already mentioned in the AI answer. It’s very likely that the school network and/or account system is treating your new device differently.

1 - The new Surface is now tied to the school account

Since you mentioned using this device for school, did you use a school account on the system? If yes, it may have automatically linked to your school account. You can check again in Settings > Accounts > Access work or school / Emails & accounts.

2 - The school Wi‑Fi authentication method changed

Even if it’s “the same network”, schools often upgrade systems. Your old device may have had cached login sessions that makes the system overlook it, but the new Surface starts fresh so it triggers the updated policies. Some networks also track authentication per device, so your old device might have been remembered under looser rules.

3 - Other possible scenarios (unlikely but can consider)

• If your previous device is not Surface / older version
• If your old device was running Windows 10, or upgraded from 10 to 11
• The account requirements may have been more lenient. Native Windows 11 systems enforce stricter policies.

Still, it’s most likely a combination of your new Surface is being treated as a fresh device, and considered to be managed by the school network, which is why it keeps asking for re‑authentication.

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Answer 2

The behavior is caused by school network and account policies on the new device, not by a general Windows problem.

To reduce the sign-in friction, use these steps in order:

1. Make sure the school account is properly added in Windows
   1. Open Settings > Accounts.
   2. Select Access work or school.
   3. If the school account is not listed, select Connect, sign in with the school account, and complete the prompts.
   4. When finished, the school account should appear as a connected account. This lets the school manage Wi‑Fi and sign‑in policies more smoothly.
2. Check Wi‑Fi behavior at school The school Wi‑Fi likely uses a captive portal (web sign‑in page) or enterprise authentication that times out when the device sleeps. That is why it asks to sign in again after the screen turns off, while home Wi‑Fi (simple password) stays connected.
   • After waking the device at school, first confirm it reconnects to the school Wi‑Fi SSID.
   • If it always drops and asks for credentials, contact the school IT/helpdesk and ask if:
     • The Wi‑Fi session is intentionally forced to re‑authenticate after sleep.
     • They can push a device profile so the Surface stays authenticated longer or uses certificate‑based sign‑in.
3. Understand why Microsoft account sign‑in is required On the new Surface, Windows is likely set up with a Microsoft account or a school account as the primary sign‑in. That is why it no longer uses the “old” local sign‑in method.
   • If a local account sign‑in is preferred at home, a local account can be created and used instead, but this may conflict with school management requirements.
   • Before changing sign‑in type, confirm with school IT whether the device must use the school account to comply with their policies.
4. If the device is enrolled/managed by the school
   • The school may have policies that:
     • Force sign‑in with a school/Microsoft account.
     • Require the device to be compliant and connected to school Wi‑Fi before accessing school resources.
   • If seeing messages about device compliance or access being blocked, follow the school’s instructions or contact their helpdesk.
5. When to contact IT support If the school account shows correctly under Settings > Accounts > Access work or school but the Wi‑Fi and sign‑in prompts remain excessive, contact the school’s IT support. They may need to adjust:
   • Wi‑Fi session timeout or captive portal settings.
   • Device management or sign‑in policies for student devices.

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References:

• Troubleshoot Windows device access
• Troubleshooting compliance error messages for a work or school account