Windows 7 and Pocket PCs, Windows Mobile Smartphones

Updated 3/10/10 - As Microsoft's desktop and laptop OS, Windows proper, continues to evolve, users of devices running mobile versions of Windows are faced with new changing compatibility issues. While most Pocket PCs and Windows Mobile Smartphones are compatible with the newest version of Windows, Windows 7, some older models are not.

In this Help Center article, we'll discuss some of the issues Windows 7 creates for Pocket PC and Windows Mobile Smartphone users, along with compatibility details and software requirements.

If you have any questions regarding this or other topics, please feel free to contact us.

Windows 7 & Windows Mobile Device Center

Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system, which was released in late 2009, is similar in many ways (at least from a foundational standpoint) to Windows Vista, 7's immediate predecessor. These similarities extend to how the OS "talks" to Windows Mobile and older Pocket PC OS devices.  Like Windows Vista, Windows 7 relies on Windows Mobile Device Center in order to sync with Windows Mobile devices; Windows XP used a similar program called ActiveSync.

Syncing email, contacts, calendar entries, notes, etc., between your Windows PC and your Windows Mobile handheld requires Outlook 2002 or later to be installed on your PC.  Windows Mobile Device Center also allows you to browse the contents of your handheld and to install software from your PC.

Windows Mobile Device Center also includes the drivers you'll need to connect to Windows Mobile devices.

Windows 7 & Compatibility With Pocket PC OS , Windows Mobile

If you have an older Pocket PC device that's running the predecessor to Windows Mobile, the Pocket PC OS, Windows 7 won't play nice.  Officially, Windows Mobile Device Center only supports devices running the Windows Mobile OS; support for the Pocket PC OS was dropped.

The earliest version of Windows Mobile was called Windows Mobile 2003, which was released in - surprise! - 2003.  The predecessor to Windows Mobile 2003 was called Pocket PC 2002.  In order to sync with Windows 7, your handheld much be running Windows Mobile 2003 or later. 

Note: Many non-phone Pocket PCs do run the Windows Mobile 2003 OS or later and will sync with Windows 7.  Curious about which OS is running on your mobile device?  Read Which Version of Windows Mobile is Running On My Handheld?

Final Thoughts

Going forward, Microsoft will likely end the sync-with-desktop-using-software model currently represented by Windows 7 and Windows Mobile Device Center.  But until WMDC is no more, concerns and problems will arise.  If you have additional questions, please e-mail us and we'll do our best to find an answer for you.

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