Wuala’s cloud storage service closed on November 15, 2015, and its shutdown notice said data stored in the cloud would be deleted. The company had already stopped purchases and renewals on August 17 and made active accounts read-only on September 30. These were 2015 deadlines, not a current closure announcement.
Wuala’s shutdown dates and what they meant
Wuala’s August 2015 notice set out three milestones for customers:
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| August 17, 2015 | Wuala stopped accepting storage purchases and account renewals. |
| September 30, 2015 | Active accounts became read-only. |
| November 15, 2015 | Wuala terminated the service and said cloud-stored content would be deleted. |
The notice warned users they would no longer have access to their content after November 15. It instructed them to download and back up their files before the termination date. StorageNewsletter reproduced Wuala’s shutdown notice.
What Wuala told users to do
Wuala advised customers to download their content and save it to a PC, Mac, external hard drive, or another cloud storage provider. A local copy, such as one on a computer or external drive, is distinct from a copy held by another cloud service; the notice named both kinds of destination but did not compare their cost, capacity, security, or performance.
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That instruction was time-sensitive: the notice set November 15, 2015 as the end of access and stated that content would be deleted. It does not establish that Wuala data can be retrieved today.
Refunds were limited to eligible prepaid subscribers
Wuala said active customers with prepaid annual subscriptions could be eligible for refunds of unused subscription fees, subject to exceptions, and that eligible refunds would be processed automatically. This did not promise a refund to every account or for every unused balance.
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Why Seagate said it was discontinuing Wuala
Contemporaneous reporting described Wuala as a Zurich startup acquired by LaCie in 2009, with LaCie owned by Seagate. TechCrunch reported on the shutdown and ownership background.
The Register reported that a Seagate spokesperson said the company was discontinuing Wuala to focus on areas with better growth and revenue prospects, and that partnerships with established consumer and small-to-medium-business cloud offerings showed value to customers. That is Seagate’s stated rationale as reported at the time, not an independently established explanation.
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- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop. Reformatting may be required for Mac
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Wuala’s historical alternative recommendation
Wuala’s legacy page says the service closed on November 15, 2015, after seven years, and notes that it recommended Tresorit to former users as an alternative. This records a historical recommendation; it does not establish that a migration offer, partnership, or particular Tresorit terms remain available today. Wuala’s legacy page preserves the closure information.
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- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
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