Use Your Microsoft Band to Unlock Your PC

This week at Computex, Microsoft demoed the ability to use wearables to take full advantage of Windows Hello built into Windows 10. This means that eventually, you’ll be able to use your Microsoft Band (or other 3^rd party wearables) to provide authentication for things like unlocking your PC, pay for apps, music, and movies in the Windows Store, and even automatically log you into protected web sites.

The functionality is part of the Windows Hello Companion Device Framework and is expected to show up alongside the public release of Windows 10 Anniversary Edition at the end of July. Some have suggested that a 3^rd version of the Microsoft Band might be needed to make this work, but as shown by Microsoft, the feature already works just fine with Band 2.

Soothsayers are trying hard to predict when Microsoft Band 3 will emerge. Some say it will be announced this month for pre-order and be available to ship in July. Others reckon that Microsoft may stick to its normal hardware announcement cycle and deliver the next iteration in October. Another minority believe Microsoft may wait until early 2017 when it has promised new hardware that will take advantage of Redstone 2.

I’m not making bets. Microsoft has a habit these days of surprising everyone. But, there are telltale signs that support each theory. But, when it is available, you can count on me fighting for pole position to upgrade.