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Microsoft Band Sync app for Windows desktop finally removes 'Pro' OS limitation

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Last week, Microsoft not only released the Microsoft Band but some software for it as well. Besides the phone apps, Microsoft also has a desktop app for Mac and Windows. The software lets you sync your Band to the cloud in addition to updating the firmware, if, for whatever reason, you do not have your phone nearby.

Version 1.3.1106.2 is now sitting on Microsoft's site, and there is at least one fix we are aware of the arbitrary limitation of only installing the app to Windows 8 or 8.1 Pro computers. Now, you can install it to any PC.

If you had previously run into this error message when attempting to install…

"The 'Microsoft Band Sync' App is only supported on Windows 8 and 8.1 64-bit and 32.bit Professional or Enterprise and Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit SP1"

…things should be fixed with this release. We were finally able to install it to our work PC with no such errors. It never made any sense why you needed the 'Pro' version of Windows 8 or 8.1 for such an app, so we are glad that limitation is gone.

No word if there are any other fixes or optimizations, but this was a big one for many users, and we are glad to see it addressed.

Note: Microsoft Band Sync app for Windows is still a full desktop application, meaning this will not work on RT devices.

Thanks, B1zzle, for the tip!

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central. He is also the head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and wearable tech. He has reviewed laptops for over 10 years and is particularly fond of 2-in-1 convertibles, Arm64 processors, new form factors, and thin-and-light PCs. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, performed polysomnographs in NYC, and was a motion-picture operator for 17 years.