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Verdict: the My Passport Wireless Pro remains a clever, usable field-storage device, but it is now legacy hardware. Its built-in SD reader, battery, Wi‑Fi and USB storage can still help travelers and photographers. However, Western Digital ended My Passport Wireless support, and the mobile app stopped being supported or distributed on December 31, 2024. Buy new only if you find old stock at an exceptional price; buy used only after testing the battery and disk, and expect to work through USB or the browser dashboard.
What the My Passport Wireless Pro is
This is more than a hard drive with a wireless adapter. The enclosure combines a mechanical hard disk, battery, Wi‑Fi access point, browser dashboard, SD-card reader, USB 3.0 data port and USB 2.0 host port. It can create its own local network, share files with connected devices, copy photographs from an SD card without a computer and stream locally stored media. Original product material also described DLNA/UPnP and Plex-enabled-device support.
The design was aimed at DSLR and mirrorless photographers, videographers, travelers, families carrying offline media and anyone needing temporary personal storage away from a laptop. Its modern relevance is narrower: does that integrated field workflow justify an aging mechanical drive and discontinued mobile software?
Support status changes the buying decision
Western Digital states that support for My Passport Wireless has ended, with no further software updates or technical support: WD’s end-of-support notice. The My Passport Wireless Mobile app stopped receiving support on December 31, 2024 and is no longer available for download: WD’s app-support notice.
#1 Best Overall
- Slim durable design to help take your important files with you
- Back up smarter with included device management software[2] with defense against ransomware
- Help secure your important files with password protection and hardware encryption
- 3-year limited warranty
That does not automatically brick the hardware. USB storage and the documented browser dashboard may still work, but cloud integrations, app convenience, updates and official troubleshooting are no longer dependable. Reviews written when the app and cloud import features were active therefore overstate what a new owner receives today.
Specifications
| Feature | My Passport Wireless Pro |
|---|---|
| Capacities | 1TB, 2TB, 3TB and 4TB |
| Storage | Mechanical hard drive |
| Wireless | Dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 1×1 radio |
| Battery | 6,400mAh |
| Data connection | USB 3.0, interface rate up to 5Gb/s |
| Host connection | USB 2.0 |
| Card reader | SD 3.0 |
| Protocols | SMB, AFP, UPnP and FTP |
| Size | 126 × 126 × 24mm |
| Weight | Approximately 446g |
| Advertised battery life | Up to 10 hours in original product material |
| Manual operating systems | Windows 7/8/10 and older macOS versions |
Sources: user manual and product overview. The operating-system list is historical, not a guarantee for current Windows or macOS versions. Wireless and USB figures are link/interface limits, not sustained copy speeds.
How to access it without the app
WD documents a direct Wi‑Fi and browser workflow at its dashboard instructions:
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- Slim durable design to help take your important files with you
- Vast capacities up to 6TB[1] to store your photos, videos, music, important documents and more
- Back up smarter with included device management software[2] with defense against ransomware
- Help secure your important files with password protection and hardware encryption
- 3-year limited warranty
- Turn on the drive and wait for the Wi‑Fi indicator to become solid blue.
- On the client device, join MyPassport (5 GHz) or MyPassport (2.4 GHz), unless the network name was changed.
- Open a browser. On Windows try
http://MyPassport/; on macOS tryhttp://MyPassport.local/. - If those names fail, open
http://192.168.60.1. - Sign in with the device administrator credentials. Use the renamed device name if you changed it.
This is practical from a laptop and sometimes from another modern client, but it is not equivalent to having a maintained iPhone or Android app.
SD-card backup workflow
Insert the card, use the dashboard or supported import control to start copying, and wait for completion. WD’s compatibility matrix lists selected camera and card combinations, so do not assume universal support for every SDXC, UHS-II or current camera format: compatibility matrix.
Do not format or reuse the card merely because an indicator changed. Compare file counts and folder structure, open several photographs and play representative video files on another device. The Wireless Pro creates a useful additional copy; it does not by itself create a resilient backup. Keep at least one independent copy elsewhere.
Rank #3
- Slim durable design to help take your important files with you
- Vast capacities up to 6TB[1] to store your photos, videos, music, important documents and more
- Back up smarter with included device management software[2] with defense against ransomware
- Help secure your important files with password protection and hardware encryption
- 3-year limited warranty
Performance in real use
USB transfers
USB is normally the fastest and least troublesome way to move large files. The USB 3.0 interface does not turn the internal disk into an SSD: the mechanical disk, its age and the computer’s port remain bottlenecks.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesWireless transfers
Wireless access trades speed for convenience. A 1×1 802.11ac radio is substantially older than Wi‑Fi 6 or Wi‑Fi 7, and interference, distance and the client device matter. WD recommends 5GHz 802.11ac, keeping the client within roughly 6 metres, enabling Performance Mode and using AC power for demanding work: WD wireless best practices. These recommendations describe conditions, not a guaranteed throughput.
Streaming
Compressed video for one or a few clients can be practical. High-bitrate files, several simultaneous streams, a busy 2.4GHz channel or a low battery can expose the limits of the disk, radio and firmware. Plug into AC power for long movie sessions.
Rank #4
- USB-C and USB 3.1 compatible.Specific uses: Business, personal
- Innovative style with refined metal cover
- Password protection with 256-bit AES hardware encryption
- Formatted for Mac
SD imports
Import speed depends heavily on the card, file mix, battery state and disk condition. Treat the copy as a field convenience, not a verified archival process.
Networking and cloud features
In direct mode, clients join the drive’s own Wi‑Fi network with no internet required. In pass-through mode, the drive can join an existing Wi‑Fi network while remaining available to connected clients. It can be useful in a hotel or on a trip, but its security, configuration and throughput are from an older generation; do not treat it as a modern travel router.
WD ended integrations involving Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive and Creative Cloud. Files already on the disk remain accessible, but the old app cannot be relied upon to import directly from those services: WD’s cloud-integration notice.
Best Value
- World’s First 6TB 2.5” Portable Hard Drive
- Slim durable design to help take your important files with you
- Vast capacities up to 6TB[1] to store your photos, videos, music, important documents and more
- Back up smarter with included device management software[2] with defense against ransomware
- Help secure your important files with password protection and hardware encryption
Battery, reliability and security
The original specification was a 6,400mAh battery and up to 10 hours. That runtime was a marketing figure for new hardware; a used unit’s result depends on battery age, transfers, streaming, drive health and temperature.
- Change both Wi‑Fi and administrator passwords.
- Avoid exposing the dashboard unnecessarily on public networks.
- Do not store the only copy of sensitive or irreplaceable data on it.
- Reset the unit before selling or donating it.
- Reject units with clicking, grinding, repeated spin-ups, corruption, unexpected shutdowns or SMART warnings.
Drive replacement or SSD conversion is an unofficial hobbyist modification, not a supported upgrade path; it can damage the enclosure or leave firmware compatibility uncertain.
Used-buying checklist
- Confirm it powers on and runs unplugged.
- Check that the battery charges and does not shut down during a sustained transfer.
- Connect to both Wi‑Fi bands and load the dashboard.
- Test USB 3.0 copying and the SD reader with your own card.
- Inspect disk health from a computer and listen for abnormal noises.
- Check for swelling, excessive heat, the original adapter and a return window.
- Have the seller demonstrate wireless and SD functions, then reset credentials before you use it.
Current alternatives
Portable SSD plus card reader
A current SSD is smaller, quieter, faster and better suited to wired editing. The 2026 SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD announcement lists a 1TB MSRP of $259.99, with 2TB and 4TB options; verify live price and stock at SanDisk’s announcement and SanDisk. It requires a phone, tablet or computer and separate reader for SD offload.
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WD My Passport SSD
The current My Passport SSD line offers a compact wired option; a 2TB product page advertises up to 1,050MB/s reads and 1,000MB/s writes and drop resistance up to 1.98 metres: official product page. It does not provide Wi‑Fi, a battery-powered file server or an integrated card reader.
Tablet or phone workflow
A USB‑C hub or card reader, portable SSD and current file-management software are modular and upgradeable, though they use the device’s battery and involve more pieces.
Travel router with user-supplied storage
This can recreate some wireless-storage behavior, but model support, firmware quality and security vary. Check the exact product’s current documentation rather than relying on discontinued FileHub or Gnarbox listings.
Quick Recap
Final verdict
- Existing owners: keep it for USB storage, SD offload and local Wi‑Fi if the battery and disk remain healthy.
- Used buyers: consider it only at a low price, with a return option and acceptance of browser-based, unsupported legacy operation.
- New buyers: choose a current SSD and card-reader workflow unless self-contained wireless SD copying is the overriding requirement.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
