School organization is controlling my personal computer

Misty Lauseng 20 Reputation points
2026-03-30T22:56:56.3066667+00:00

I am signed into OneDrive through my college. I had noticed that my search engine kept changing from Google Chrome (which is my preference) to Yahoo, and I don't want that. After doing some searching, it seemed as though my personal laptop was being "managed by an organization" and then it was sharepoint through my college. So, I deleted the things the computer told me to, in an attempt to get rid of it. Once I did that, I then struggled to get logged back into OneDrive via the app. I kept getting an error 0x8004dec5. Well, after googling more, I was able to fix it and get logged in and I was like "screw it, if they are managing it, but I dont have to worry that I am in the middle of a semester and my school is messing with stuff, whatever, I don't know enough about computers to not break it". But now, it forced me to change my password, wont let me use my finger print ID to log into my computer or anything. Its after hours, so I haven't tried contacting the school yet, hoping to find some resolution in this before I call their IT, because now I am super angry about this. I PAY for my own microsoft 365, and I bought this computer, so there is no reason I shouldn't be allowed to use it as I was before this all began.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Security and privacy

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Answer accepted by question author
EmilyS726 277.8K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-03-30T23:34:39.24+00:00

Hello

So what you experienced here has two layers to it.

The first layer is your browser seeing the message "managed by org", it really means it adds a policy to allow your device/browser to access your school organization's SharePoint, like it can trust your device/browser. That honestly can stay, no need to get rid of it if you need to continue accessing the school's SharePoint.

The second layer is you actually enrolled your device into the school's Intune so their IT can push group policies for the entire device; hence, you get the password change policy, etc. If you use a org-issued msft 365 account, you might see a popup when initially signing into the app that asked if you allow the organization to access your settings. If you clicked "yes" without much thought, this action enrolled your device in your organization's Intune management. This doesn't mean they can spy on or access your data, but it does allow them to enforce group policies to enhance your device's security. For instance, they might deploy BitLocker, require a more complex PIN, or ensure that your security updates are always current. The rationale is that using the organization's Microsoft 365 apps likely involves working on documents that are property of the organization. In cases such as businesses that need to comply strictly with HIPAA policies, their IT departments can ensure that these devices are secured, protecting them in case they fall into the wrong hands.

What you can do is go to your Windows Settings > Accounts > Access Work or School (note, it is the briefcase icon, not the little person icon). Disconnect the school email listed here. Then restart the computer.

To clear the group policies further, launch Command Prompt in Admin mode again and run the following commands, one at a time. Not all of them will go through completely or find value, and that's ok. Once finished, restart the computer again and see if it works.

reg delete "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies" /f

reg delete "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\WindowsSelfHost" /f

reg delete "HKLM\Software\Policies" /f

reg delete "HKLM\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Policies" /f

reg delete "HKLM\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies" /f

reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender" /v DisableAntiSpyware

reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies" /f

reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\WindowsSelfHost" /f

reg delete "HKCU\Software\Policies" /f

reg delete "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Policies" /f

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  1. AI answer

    2026-03-30T22:57:21.89+00:00

    The behavior described matches a scenario where the college work/school account was allowed to manage the device and browser profile. That management can:

    • Enforce sign-in with the school (work or school) account in Microsoft Edge.
    • Apply organization policies (including search engine and other browser settings).
    • Require password changes and affect how the account signs in on the device.

    Key points from the provided information:

    1. Work or school vs personal account
      • A work or school account is created and managed by an organization’s IT department.
      • A personal Microsoft account is separate and cannot be merged with the work/school account, but both can exist with the same email address and be used side by side.
      • If a prompt appears asking “Which account do you want to use?” it means there are two accounts (work/school and personal) using the same email address.
    2. Organization management of the device
      • When signing in to internal apps or services, an organization can require that the user be signed into the Edge browser with the work or school account and can apply policies that control access and behavior.
      • There is a setting that allows an organization to manage the device when the user agrees (for example, on a page asking to “allow the organization to manage the device” or “automatically sign in to all desktop apps and websites on this device”). If that was accepted, the organization can enforce compliance policies.
    3. Compliance and sign-in behavior
      • If the organization’s policy is applied, the device may show messages about being “managed by an organization,” and access to some resources may depend on compliance with those policies.
      • Error messages and forced password changes can result from those organizational policies applied to the work or school account.
    4. What can be done functionally
      Based on the context:
      • Personal Microsoft accounts and Microsoft 365 work or school accounts cannot be merged, but can be used side by side.
      • To reduce conflicts and prompts between the two accounts, one supported option is to rename the personal Microsoft account (for example, by changing its primary alias) so that it no longer uses the same email address as the work/school account. This is done from the Manage how you sign in section of the Microsoft account, where a different email address can be set as the primary alias.
      • Where an organization’s domain matches that of a personal account, the organization must take action on their side if there is an account conflict; contacting the organization is required in that case.

    Given the situation described (college account managing the device, password enforcement, and sign-in changes), the next practical steps are:

    1. Contact the college’s IT/helpdesk and explain that this is a personally owned device and that the organization management and policies (including password requirements and sign-in controls) are not desired on this device.
    2. Ask IT to remove or adjust the device management relationship for this personal laptop, and to clarify how to sign into OneDrive for school without enrolling the entire device under management.
    3. For the personal Microsoft 365 subscription and personal Microsoft account, consider renaming the personal account (changing its primary alias) if it currently uses the same email address as the school account, to avoid the “Which account do you want to use?” prompt and reduce confusion between accounts.

    Any removal of organizational management or changes to device compliance policies must be done by the college’s IT department; those controls cannot be overridden from the personal side alone.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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