- First, check whether you have connected the WD external hard drive appropriately to the computer.
- Use a standard USB cable to avoid connection issues.
- Make sure that you have configured the Windows firewall, Antivirus program, and other security applications to allow access for the WD Backup.
- On your Windows desktop, click the Safely Remove Hardware icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
- Select the Eject My Passport option from the pop-up menu.
- Now, remove the WD hard drive when the safely remove hardware message appears on the screen.
- Restart your PC and reconnect the WD external hard drive.
- Make sure that you log in with administrator rights.
- Launch the WD Backup app and check if the offline message is cleared.
- If the problem persists, check whether you have connected the supported hard drive to your computer.
- Also, check whether you have installed a compatible WD software on your computer.
- If you are using an obsolete firmware version of the connected WD external hard drive, update it first.
- Open the default browser and navigate to the official WD site.
- Go to the support page and click the Software & Downloads tab.
- Choose your operating system and click the WD Universal Firmware Updater for Windows tab.
- Click the Download button to download the firmware updater utility.
- Save the file in the Downloads folder on your computer and click the Save button.