The SkyDrive Sync Icon is Back After Latest Round of Windows 8.1 Updates

One of the February 2014 Windows Updates for Windows 8.1 contains a surprise.

After installing KB 2923768, when you check the Desktop side of Windows 8.1 you'll find a familiar sight. The SkyDrive (soon to be renamed 'OneDrive' with Windows 8.1 Update 1) sync icon has returned home.

Eliminated in updates provided in 2013, many wondered why the feature had been removed. Microsoft has been working on SkyDrive issues for the last few months and the Windows forums on the Microsoft forms we site has filled up with complaints and unresolved problems.

The actual update page mentions nothing more than simply being an 'Update (that) improves SkyDrive experience in Windows RT 8.1, Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2.' Obviously, a simple icon installation can't be all that is included in this update, so it will be interesting to see if the months of customer sync issues are actually fixed.

UPDATE: It is being widely reported that previous SkyDrive sync issues are, indeed, fixed with this update.

When you right-click or long-tap on the System Tray icon, you get two options: Open SkyDrive in File Explorer which opens File Explorer straight to the SkyDrive sync folder on the local computer, and View Sync Problems which is obviously used to troubleshoot sync problems when issues exist.

Some assumed that the icon would not show up until Windows 8.1 Update 1 released, but Microsoft has provided it early.