How to Undo the "Allow My Organization to Manage My Device" Setting in Microsoft 365

If TXST security policies are applied to a Windows device, you might see "*Some of these settings are hidden or managed by your organization" in Windows Settings, be required to add or change a login PIN, or face other restrictions. These are the steps to undo this for a personal device. This cannot be done for a computer that was set up by and is managed by the TXST.

 
Why is TXST controlling my computer?

When you sign into a Microsoft application with your TXST account, a dialog box pops up asking if you want Windows to remember your account so you do not have to sign in as often. 

There is an option in this dialog box, which if left in it's default enabled state, will apply device management policies to your device. These are Microsoft default settings.  

How to Un-Enroll

If Windows is using a personal Microsoft account to log in:

If you sign in to Windows with a personal Microsoft account, but have connected your University account into it afterwards for Office licensing, it is often possible to disconnect the two by following these steps.

Please note that Windows may have retrieved and applied device management policies or registry changes that are not undone by these steps. If you are still unable to change some settings, such as PIN complexity, you may need to follow the other sections of this page.

  1. Remove your TXST account from Windows.

    Go to the Accounts page in Windows Settings by clicking the Start menu, then the gear icon, then Accounts.
    1. Click Access work or school.
    2. Click on your TXST account, then click Disconnect.
    3. A dialog box will pop up, asking for confirmation to continue. Click Yes to proceed.
    4. Your computer begins the un-enrollment process. 

      CAUTION: Please make sure your connection to the internet is stable during this, as it is a "best-effort" process with no built-in retry. 
       
    5. You should see a message saying that your account has been successfully removed.
       
  2. Restart computer to apply the changes.
  3. Sign in again.

    After removing your account and restarting your computer, open a Microsoft 365 (Office suite) application. You should be prompted to sign in again. You should use your University account here. After you sign in, you will see a screen asking if you want to stay signed in to all your apps.

    IMPORTANT: University policies are intended for university-owned devices only; therefore, it is important to un-check the "Allow my organization to manage my device" box.

    NOTE: After you un-check the box, you can choose to sign into this app only, or click OK to add your account to Windows. Adding the account to Windows gives you the benefit of single sign-on (SSO) to TXST resources, so you do not have to log in as often.

     
stay signed in dialog box

If Windows is using a TXST account to log in:

TXST accounts are only intended to be used to sign in to the operating system on University-issued computers.

If the Windows operating system on your personal computer or the main user profile you use on it was set up with your @txstate.edu email address, we recommend the following.

This is also our recommendation in the event that the above instructions do not fully remove TXST group policies or registry modifications.

  1. Set up a new user in Windows, either using a personal (non-University) Microsoft account or locally following Microsoft's instructions.
  2. Grant that new non-TXST user administrator permissions.
  3. Move any important files and configurations into the new user profile.
  4. Remove the user profile associated with your TXST account following Microsoft's instructions, understanding that anything not moved somewhere else will be lost.

NOTE: Solving operating system problems, such as the management of user profiles, is considered outside the scope of the IT Assistance Center. We will not be able to assist with the above steps.

If you're still having trouble:

Uninstall then Reinstall Microsoft 365

  1. Uninstall Microsoft 365, as well as OneDrive and Skype For Business if they remain after removing Microsoft 365. These applications' licensing is usually what keeps the security policies in place.
  2. Follow the steps above to remove your TXST account from your computer.
  3. Reinstall from the Office portal. If you have a license that allows for installation of desktop apps, you will see an Install button in the top right.

If the above processes do not solve issues with Windows, you may have success with more drastic options.

CAUTION: Using the Reset this PC feature will completely replace most or all Windows configuration on the computer.