How to Configure Surface Pro 3 UEFI/BIOS Settings
In this article, you will find out how to enter the Surface Pro 3 UEFI/BIOS settings and how to configure boot order, managing device security and more.
Every Surface Pro models and Surface 3 don’t use BIOS (Basic Input/Output System). It’s replaced by a firmware interface called the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). This new firmware interface allows your Surface boot faster and providing better security improvements.
In this article, you will find out how to get to the Surface Pro 3 UEFI settings. You will see also about how to configure the UEFI settings to improve the device security, check your device information and more.
- How to access Surface Pro 3 UEFI settings?
- What is Trusted Platform Module (TPM)?
- What is Secure Boot Control?
- How to Check Your Surface Pro 3 Device Information via UEFI settings?
- How to Change System Boot Order on Surface Pro 3?
- How to Manage Device Security on Surface Pro 3 UEFI Settings?
- How to Protect UEFI settings with a password on Surface Pro 3?
1 How to access Surface Pro 3 UEFI settings?
You can enter Surface Pro UEFI setup screen only while your device is starting up. Here is how you do that:
- Shut down your Surface.
- Press and hold the Volume Up button on your Surface, then press and release the Power button.
- When you see the Surface logo screen appear, release the Volume Up button. The UEFI settings menu will appear in a few seconds.
After you have made any changes to the UEFI settings, you can save or delete those changes by:
- In UEFI settings menu, choose Exit Setup, and you will see the following screen:
- Now you have 2 options:
- Yes – it will save your changes and restart your Surface.
- No – it will delete your changes and restart your Surface.
2 What is Trusted Platform Module (TPM)?
The Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is a technology that provides a major advancement over BIOS in hardware-based security features. It is a specialized chip that stores RSA encryption keys specific to each Surface device for hardware authentication.
The TPM technology is a requirement of BitLocker disk encryption. The TPM helps you to encrypt/decrypt entire disk without required your complex long passphrases. It means that the encryption key and decryption key are stored within the TPM chip. So your encrypted disks can’t be accessed on other devices.
3 What is Secure Boot Control?
The Secure Boot is a technology which blocks the loading of uncertified bootloaders and drives. It helps to prevent your Surface being loaded with unauthorized operating systems and malicious software applications.
If you desire to install other operating systems like Ubuntu, or other Linux distributions, you may need to disable this feature in the UEFI settings above.
4 How to Check Your Surface Pro 3 Device Information via UEFI settings?
Through UEFI settings, you can find out more information about your device identities such as System UUID, Serial Number, and Asset Tag. To check that information:
- Enter Surface UEFI settings as the instructions above.
- In UEFI settings menu, choose Device Information and you will see the following information:
5 How to Change System Boot Order on Surface Pro 3?
To change the alternate system boot order on your Surface Pro 3:
- Enter Surface UEFI settings as the instructions above.
- In UEFI settings menu, you will see Configure Alternate System Boot Order as below:
- Select the option and choose one of the following options:
- SSD only
- Network -> USB -> SSD
- USB -> Network -> SSD
- USB -> SSD
- Network -> SSD
6 How to Manage Device Security on Surface Pro 3 UEFI Settings?
Surface Pro 3 allows you to disable some of your surface device components and features to meet your specific Security requirements. You can enable or disable those security options by:
- Enter Surface UEFI settings as the instructions above.
- In UEFI settings menu, choose Advanced Device Security and you will see the following options:
- In my Surface Pro 3 with UEFI Version 2.16.1243, there are following advanced security options:
- Network Boot – enable/disable network boot functionality.
- Side USB – enable/disable the ability to boot from a USB device. However, the side USB port remains enabled in Windows.
- Docking port – enable/disable the ability to connect to the Surface Pro 3 docking station or the Surface Dock.
- Front Camera – enable/disable the front facing camera.
- Rear Camera – enable/disable main rear camera.
- OnBoard Audio – enable/disable internal audio or speakers.
- microSD – enable/disable microSD port.
- WiFi – enable/disable Wi-Fi. It will also disable the Bluetooth if you disable the WiFi option.
- Bluetooth – enable/disable the internal Bluetooth.
- On Screen Keyboard – enable/disable the on-screen keyboard functionality.
7 How to Protect UEFI settings with a password on Surface Pro 3?
You can prevent others from changing your UEFI settings by setting an Administrator Password in UEFI settings. To do that:
- Enter Surface UEFI settings as the instructions above.
- In UEFI settings menu, choose Administrator Pass and you will see the following requirements:
- You will need to enter a password in the box with your keyboard or the on-screen keyboard with following criteria:
- Minimum Length: 4 characters
- Maximum Length: 20 characters
- Alphanumeric values only
Note If you enter the administrator password incorrectly three times, you’ll be locked out of the UEFI. Restart your Surface to enter the password again.
Other Surface’s UEFI Settings
We have also covered this topic for other Surface PCs as well, to learn more about other Surface’s UEFI settings check the link below:
Best Accessories for Microsoft Surface
With the right set of accessories, you can boost your Surface's productivity to the next level. Here we have some of the best accessories you should get for your Surface devices.
Those are the top must-have accessories for Microsoft Surface devices so far. With Surface Pen, Surface Dock, Surface Precision Mouse, and microSD card will significantly increase your Surface performance, storage, and productivity.
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worlds worst bios setting ever!!! i dont understand even in 3rd gen they still used wort bios and thier is no surface management app
My Surface Pro 3 jumps over many settings in BIOS. Some are highlighted “bright” white, some are not. Those that are not I cannot seem to access, like changing boot order or Supervisor password. This article is very handy but does not address that issue.
Jim Plosay Were you able to solve this issue? Mine will not allow me to change the boot order and I cannot find the solution.