X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and x-ray magnetic linear dichroism (XMLD) have been used to investigate the Fe magnetic response during the spin-reorientation transition (SRT) in TmFeO₃. Comparing the Fe XMLD results with neutron-diffraction and magnetization measurements on the same sample indicates that the SRT has an enhanced temperature range in the near surface region of approximately 82 to 120 K compared to approximately 82 to 92 K in bulk. This view is supported by complementary resonant soft x-ray-diffraction experiments at the Tm M₅ edge. These measurements find an induced magnetic moment on the Tm sites, which is well described by a dipolar mean-field model originating from the Fe moments. Even though such a model can describe the 4ƒ response in the experiments, it is insufficient to describe the SRT even when considering a change in the 4ƒ anisotropy. Moreover, the results of the Fe XMCD show a different temperature evolution through the SRT, the interpretation of which is hampered by additional spectral shape changes of the XCMD signal.