Microsoft Band Tip: Forcing a Check for New Firmware

This seems to happen to me just about every time a new firmware update releases. I sit and watch others over social networks boasting how they are already installing the newest firmware for the Microsoft Band, while I keep forcing the Microsoft Health app to sync to try and find it. Usually to no avail.

With this latest release, the one that brings full golf integration, the same thing happened. In addition to an update to the Microsoft Health app and the Microsoft Health web Dashboard, a firmware update is required or else you get an error message when you try to add the golf tile to the Band.

During a discussion over Twitter, @gcaughey found that uninstalling and reinstalling the Microsoft Health app caused the firmware to show up immediately. I tested this myself, and sure enough, simply uninstalling and reinstalling Microsoft Health from the Windows Store (or any other platform store) will carry the firmware along with it.

Why?

According to newly appointed Microsoft Band and HoloLens team member, Paul Britton, this resets the “update clock” built into the Microsoft Health app. Periodically, according to a time predefined by the internal app clock, Microsoft Health will check for firmware updates – usually within a 24 hour time frame. But, you can reset the clock to zero (“0”) by uninstalling and reinstalling it.

So, there you go. A nice tip and certainly one I’ll be using regularly.