Customer reviews from Western Digital
Western Digital - WD Elements 22TB USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive WDBWLG0220HBK-NESN - Black
Average customer rating
3
(5 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 5 reviews
5 Stars
2
4 Stars
0
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
0
1 Star
2
50%of customers recommend this product.
(
2 out of
4)
Customer Reviews for Western Digital - WD Elements 22TB USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive WDBWLG0220HBK-NESN - Black
Posted by: Chas405
Verified Purchase:Yes
Had this drive for a whopping three weeks, and was transferring files to it from another WD dive that had failed, and then this one failed. Literally died mid-transfer and wouldn't remount. Now I have to wait for WD to replace this one, so that I can try the transfer again, so that I can then send off my other WD drive for replacement. Unbelievable.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from Western DigitalBy SM OLS Team, August 6, 2025
Hi, We are sorry to hear that your experience and understand how frustrating this must have been. At WD, we strive to provide high-quality products and reliable performance, and it's disappointing to know we fell short in this case. We appreciate your patience and assure you that our support team is here to assist with the replacement process. If you need further help, Please reach out to us directly at https://support-en.wd.com/app/askweb with your case number.
Written by a customer while visiting Western Digital
Posted by: Hal Rosner
Verified Purchase:Yes
WD Elements External Hard Drive works as expected. What wasn't expected, nor disclosed by WD prior to purchasing (in any format, marketing literature or however so) is that their elements drive is not compatible with their own Western digital drive utility software. This does not bode well for folks who have other Western Digital external hard drives such as easy store or my books. To add insult to injury, the elements drive contains and ships with software which is not compatible with it! This is a big issue, especially given that the light on the elements drive is brighter than all of their other external hard drives. Other than that, all good.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Western Digital
Posted by: Dever56
Verified Purchase:Yes
Great storage, but the drive is slightly on the loud side.
Response from Western DigitalBy SM OLS, July 5, 2023
Hello,
We are sorry to hear that the WD Elements Desktop External Hard Drive is not working as expected and thank you for bringing this concern to our attention.
Please know that the external drive makes noise during normal drive operation. The type and volume of noise are dependent on whether the is drive performing a read/write operation or idle with the heads parked. The environment where the drive is functioning may also influence noise. It is important to recognize which noises indicate trouble or normal drive operation. If the drive is not getting uninterrupted power supply from the computer then it could cause the drive to make noise.
Why Does My Hard Drive Make Noise?
https://support-en.wd.com/app/answers/detailweb/a_id/32906/kw/noise
Please let us confirm that there can be multiple factors that may work with or against the drive and we would like to have the opportunity to address your concerns directly.
We would request you to open a support ticket with brief query and possible errors screenshots. Please refer to the link mentioned:https://support-en.wd.com/app/ask/session/
All our products must pass our stringent quality standards before leaving our factory to be free from defects in materials and craftsmanship. We stand behind our products throughout the device's factory warranty period. Please contact us via the phone with reference to the review to ensure an overall good experience with Western Digital.
Need Help? Please see our "'Contact Us" page for information.
We are sorry to hear that the WD Elements Desktop External Hard Drive is not working as expected and thank you for bringing this concern to our attention.
Please know that the external drive makes noise during normal drive operation. The type and volume of noise are dependent on whether the is drive performing a read/write operation or idle with the heads parked. The environment where the drive is functioning may also influence noise. It is important to recognize which noises indicate trouble or normal drive operation. If the drive is not getting uninterrupted power supply from the computer then it could cause the drive to make noise.
Why Does My Hard Drive Make Noise?
https://support-en.wd.com/app/answers/detailweb/a_id/32906/kw/noise
Please let us confirm that there can be multiple factors that may work with or against the drive and we would like to have the opportunity to address your concerns directly.
We would request you to open a support ticket with brief query and possible errors screenshots. Please refer to the link mentioned:https://support-en.wd.com/app/ask/session/
All our products must pass our stringent quality standards before leaving our factory to be free from defects in materials and craftsmanship. We stand behind our products throughout the device's factory warranty period. Please contact us via the phone with reference to the review to ensure an overall good experience with Western Digital.
Need Help? Please see our "'Contact Us" page for information.
Written by a customer while visiting Western Digital
Posted by: Devin
Verified Purchase:Yes
I love the capacity of the drive, but the inability to have encryption / password protection built in is problematic, but the bigger problem is that the drive failed LESS than 2 weeks that I had the drive. Reliability is important if not the most important factor and this just doesn't have it.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from Western DigitalBy SM OLS, February 26, 2024
Hello Devin,
We are sorry to hear about your user experience with WD Elements Desktop Hard Drive and appreciate your time providing this review and bringing this matter to our attention.
We apologize if you are experiencing any problems with your drive. We would recommend contacting our technical support team, as we will be happy to assist you with any troubleshooting options you may have with the drive.
We would request you to open a support ticket with brief query and possible errors screenshots. Please refer to the link mentioned:https://support-en.wd.com/app/ask/session/ the customer support team get back to you in a earliest possible time.
All our products must pass our stringent quality standards before leaving our factory to be free from defects in materials and craftsmanship. We stand behind our products throughout the device's factory warranty period. You can contact us directly via phone to address any questions or concerns to ensure good overall user experience.
Need Help? Please see our "'Contact Us" page for information.
We are sorry to hear about your user experience with WD Elements Desktop Hard Drive and appreciate your time providing this review and bringing this matter to our attention.
We apologize if you are experiencing any problems with your drive. We would recommend contacting our technical support team, as we will be happy to assist you with any troubleshooting options you may have with the drive.
We would request you to open a support ticket with brief query and possible errors screenshots. Please refer to the link mentioned:https://support-en.wd.com/app/ask/session/ the customer support team get back to you in a earliest possible time.
All our products must pass our stringent quality standards before leaving our factory to be free from defects in materials and craftsmanship. We stand behind our products throughout the device's factory warranty period. You can contact us directly via phone to address any questions or concerns to ensure good overall user experience.
Need Help? Please see our "'Contact Us" page for information.
Written by a customer while visiting Western Digital
Posted by: Rudy0362
Verified Purchase:Yes
Fast, easy to use, great speed, big space to store
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Western Digital