How to pair the Microsoft Band with the iPhone

By Mark Guim
last updated

What makes the Microsoft Band really cool is that it supports multiple platforms. It works with iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. Have an iPhone? We'll show you how to set up the Band with it. Watch our how-to video.

  1. Connect the magnetic charging connector on the USB charging cable to the charging port on the band and plug the USB end of the cable into a powered USB port (USB 2.0 or greater). This should wake up the Microsoft Band.
  2. On your iPhone, install Microsoft Health from the App Store (opens in new tab).
  3. On your Microsoft Band, press the power button and tap Get Started.
  4. On your iPhone, open the Microsoft Health app and sign in with your Microsoft account. If you don't have a Microsoft account, tap Sign up now to create one.
  5. Go to Bluetooth in your phone's settings, and tap MSFT Band in the list of devices to pair.
  6. Accept the pairing on both the iPhone and the band.
  7. When the pairing is complete, go back to the Microsoft Health app to finish the setup.
  8. That's it! Press the action button (the button on the right on your band) to start using your Microsoft Band.

The Microsoft Band has just been released and it can be yours right now for $199.99. We'll have our review shortly, but in the meantime, let us know if you have any questions about this cool new device from Microsoft.

Mark Guim
Mark Guim

Mark Guim is Video Editor at Windows Central. He switched to Windows because the MacBook Pro isn't Pro enough. You can follow him on Twitter at @markguim.

64 Comments
  • iPhones. .... LOL
  • Quick question. Does Cortana in this band works with iPhones?
  • No, only Windows Phones. Perhaps they'll add Siri/Google Now integration on the future.
  • I think you don't get how the band works... it only sends a request to the phone to gether informations and the phone sends the result back to the band. Cortana without an WP? Impossible.
  • Well, imho they will release cortana some time for iphone and android.
  • Hmmm... Maybe... Didn't they mention this a while back. Considering its mostly cloud operated... It shouldn't be difficult.
  • I don't know when, but I suspect that eventually Cortana will find its way to iOS, through a Microsoft app.
  • I'd be surprised if they didn't enable notmal bluetooth passthrough. Kind of like how i can use cortana in my car because the bluetooth just conntects to the phone.  Siri and Google Now do the same thing right?
  • No
  • Meh
  • Should be on Mac Central, if they dare
  • it's called iMore
  • Clearly he doesn't care if he doesn't even know the name LMAO. V
  • Get him!!!!!!!
  • So on ios and android is it just purely a health band?
    No notifications, phone calls etc?
  • Good question. Anybody on Windows Central want to answer this?
  • Go to local Microsoft Store, take advantage of the iPhone trade in program and pick up a nice Windows Phone.  The helpful store attendant will even help load the BAND App on the phone for you!  
  • I'd love to. There's just no high end Windows Phone on T-Mobile to switch to right now.
  • wondering also.
  • Notifications should work on android, the onlything that shouldn't work on android is cortana. Notifications doesn't work on iphone since it's so restricted and microsoft probably doesn't have license and support to go into that part of the OS. 
  • On Microsoft's website, the only thing they list as being restricted is Cortana.
  • I like how you say, "notifications doesn't work on iphone" so definitively like you know what you're talking about.  Notification does work. I am using the band right now paired with my iPhone 6 Plus. Messages, eMails, call alerts, missed calls, voicemails, they all get shown on the band. 
  • Everything BUT Cortana right? It would be great if she worked on the band even if you had a non windowsphone. It would culture people more towards WP, even if she was only available within the band or app.
  • I did see his band has a notification number for missed calls on it when he paired with iPhone 6 Plus
  • Notifications and phone calls work too
  • Awesome!!!
  • Curious to see what apple people's take in it,I was surprised to find a very nice article on the Microsoft Band at AppleInsider http://appleinsider.com/articles/14/10/30/first-look-heart-rate-tracking...
  • No other platforms get everything except cortana
  • I saw this guy's band has notification for missed calls, not sure though
  • I get notifications, I made the mistake of turning on the notification bat option and I was getting so much that I had to turn it off lol
  • iDontCare
  • Lol
  • Does this band send data to ios healthkit?
  • I'm going to guess no, since Microsoft wants all the data to go to their health vault
  • Duh.
  • What happens when you press the Cortana button when paired to an iPhone?
  • You get Siri's voice saying "oh, I can't do that"
  • Hahaha LOL. Cortana is so much better!
  • Awesome
  • Cortana button is not shown
  • Why would you want to use it with an iPhone!? Windows Phones are so much better at least are phones don't bend!
  • Did you mean *our ?
  • This really the falls in line with Microsoft's mobile first cloud first strategy. The fact that Microsoft Health works with many wearables and the Band supports iOS and Android its win-win.
  • I think its great. Microsoft is making bold moves, future proof moves, they started from the ground up. A smart, dynamic health platform that is open and works with all devices AND services.
  • Hey guys you think maybe if we pray hard enough apple will make there watch compatible with windows phone? LOL
  • No shit, right!
  • Less than 100 people in the world will do this. My guess
  • I'd say 102.7
  • Well technically not even one, since its only available in U.S.A. and not the world.
  • But the US is part of the world.
  • I don't get why we need How To articles for the iPhone. No other MS site would do this. Granted I know i don't have to click on it, but I'm struggling to see how this is not left up to iMore.
  • Does cause nausea..
  • That's bit short-sighted isn't it? I can't imagine if every Android or Apple site refused to write reviews or guides for cross platfrom windows products or software and told their readers, "go to an MS site, it is an MS product afterall." Same people complaining now would be the first (and loudest) to complain about anti-MS bias. This is a  perfectly relevant post for this site. All these lines being drawn in the sand won't matter when the sea washes to shore. I'm pretty sure just as many people will be happy for MS if this is successful cross platform. "Leave it up to them" is never good advice for business' that actually want to move products. 
  • iCrappola YUCK!!!
  • A month ago I walked into a Verizon store with two friends. I bought a Lumia Icon. My friends bought an iPhone and an Android. We have these paid for by work and were told to do nothing that would void warrantees. Would anybody care to comment on which of the three of us bought the least compatible phone for the Microsoft Band? Just curious if my guess is right. Which two of the three of us bought the phones that CAN work with the Microsoft Band without installing anything that affects the warrantee? Which one of us has the only phone with an OS that cannot fulfill that? Any takers? Anybody? I'm sure this forum is full of folks who would love to take a guess. Windows fans and all...
  • Let me guess: you?
  • None. There is not a warrantee issue here pal. It's just synching your phone with the Band and downloading an app.
  • #MarkGuim Smart idea of using case for overcoming band gate issue :p ...every iPhone 6 plus users have to wait till solid steel case arrives ..Lol.
  • Microsoft should allow Microsoft Band to paired with Android and Windows Phone only, and titled OPTIMIZED ON WINDOWS PHONE, so those people who has iShit would buy Windows Phone, like buying an iShitWatch must buy an iShitPhone 6Shity
  • Ansteroids is ok ?
  • I guess I have a hard time seeing iPhoners caring about or wanting a Microsoft wearable. I have a hard time believing most of them will even know this product exists.
  • Who the hell gets a Microsoft band with an iPhone?
  • Sad part is this thing will work like butter on iPhone and be subpar on WP.
  • I was really close to getting the Band. But since I have other sports watches and a Polar HR monitor I'm holding off. The 1-2 things that would sway me are NFC and the ability to place additional barcodes on the Band. Starbucks is available but there are a number of PoS and frequent buyer rewards barcodes I'd love to access directly on the band. Right now they are on my WP either in an app or image file. But, the Band looks really cool.