Windows Phone 7/8/10 (or Zune HD) and macOS Sierra (or High Sierra or Mojave)

macOS 10.12 "Sierra" breaks Microsoft's Windows Phone app again, so I have created another patch for the app. Here is how you can apply it. Of course, I cannot guarantee that these instructions will work for you. You're doing this at your own risk.
I am not associated with Microsoft in any way.

  1. First, you need a version of the Windows Phone app that works with El Capitan. If you have an original copy that doesn't work in El Capitan, either, please follow these instructions first.
  2. If the Windows Phone app is running, close it.
  3. Create a backup copy of the Windows Phone app. If something goes wrong, you can restore the backup and try it again.
  4. Download this file, unpack the zip file and place the file diffsierra.txt on your desktop.
  5. Open a terminal window. (You can find Terminal.app using Spotlight.)
  6. Copy and paste the following command into the terminal and press Enter:
    sudo xxd -r Desktop/diffsierra.txt /Applications/Windows\ Phone.app/Contents/MacOS/Windows\ Phone

    You will have to enter your password (nothing will be displayed on the screen) and press Enter again.
  7. Now we have to re-sign the modified app. Run these commands in your terminal. Copy and paste one command at a time and press Enter after each command: 
    sudo codesign -f -s- --deep /Applications/Windows\ Phone.app/Contents/Resources/cabextract

    If you don't have the necessary developer tools on your Mac, macOS will ask you at this point if you want to download them. Just click "Install". You do not have to install Xcode. Wait until the installation has completed (this can take quite some time), then don't forget to rerun the above codesign command before you enter the following ones. 
    sudo codesign -f -s- --deep /Applications/Windows\ Phone.app/Contents/Resources/ZMDBB

    sudo codesign -f -s- --deep /Applications/Windows\ Phone.app/Contents/Resources/ZMDBM

    sudo codesign -f -s- --deep /Applications/Windows\ Phone.app/Contents/Resources/ZMDBZ

    sudo rm /Applications/Windows\ Phone.app/Contents/Resources/container-migration.plist

    sudo codesign -f -s- --deep /Applications/Windows\ Phone.app

  8. That's it. You should now be able to sync your Windows phone with Sierra. (You can delete the diffsierra files now.) It's probably a good idea to backup the new Sierra-compatible Windows Phone app.
  9. By the way, if you don't see your iTunes music in the Windows Phone app, enable the iTunes Library XML file.
  10. If you'd like to support this work, feel free to donate a small amount: