I have a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 running Android 5.x and with the My Cloud App. I have had it running the backup but the folder location choice seems fixed within the Public folder, something I really do not want to be copying backups to. I created a private folder but I can’t change the location for backups to save outside the Public folder. Is there some way it can be done?
There doesn’t appear to be. For what ever reason the WD developers decided that one is locked into the Public folder with the camera backup option on the WD My Cloud for Android app.
If you use the WD Photos for Android app it appears you can select a different Share other than Public to auto upload camera photos and videos too. However the downside is it appears only photos/video taken after enabling the auto upload option will be copied to the My Cloud, older photos/videos taken previously will not.
Thanks Bennor, will take a look at WD Photos.
It is really quite sad to restrict something to Public when it can be sensitive, so a feature I just can’t use.
One can still use the WD My Cloud app to upload files, they just have to do it manually. Which can be tedious and time consuming if one has a large number of files to upload from their mobile device.
Actually, there is a way. When you click on location and the only option it provides you is the various folders within the Public folder, press your Android phone’s back button. This will take you back to the root directory where the Public folder will be displayed along with any other folders your account has permission to.
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Well one learns something new everyday. 
A bit counter intuitive though to use the back button since it’s basic behavior changes on that screen.
Great to know and never would have guessed that. Thanks.
Thanks for the feedback. We default the user to the public share since that is a location that will always exist, and therefore enables uploading in the least amount of steps.
I definitely see why using the back button would not be intuitive. We’ll see what we are able to do to improve this.
I have a Samsung Galaxy s6 Edge. When I push the “Back” button, it just takes be back to the “Backup Options” page. It does not navigate back to the root directory. So it seems like my only option is the Public folder, which I do not want.
Hello, I have a Samsung Galaxy S6, and cannot select the upload location with either the WD My Cloud or WD My Photos apps. On the My Cloud app, when trying to select a folder other than Public, pressing the back buttn navigates back to the settings page and not the root directory to allow selection of another folder. On the My Photos app, it defaults to Public and there is no way to change it that I can see despite the app saying it is possible. Please fix this for these devices! It looks like mthumphrey has the same issue.
Agreed. Looks like something has been broken.
I have my backup set to a private folder, on my Android 6 MotoE. If I try to change that, it offers my Public folder, and will only allow traversing down the folder hierarchy; any attempt to reverse back up the hierarchy drops back to the menu page, abandoning the change.
When you try to set the folder, it comes up with a ‘please wait’ that seems to sit there forever. I cancelled and tried again, and that seemed to wake it up…
app v4.4.5
Just downloaded the latest v4.4.6. That is the same; can’t reverse up the folder tree.
I’m hesitant to click the folder icon with a tick in it, because I don’t want to set a folder in Public, especially since it seems I can’t undo it…
Looks like the ‘improvement’ was to remove the ability to traverse up the tree…
Oh and the backup select setting is very close to the ‘upgrade firmware’ setting, which can be catastrophic… I just hit it by accident. Fortunately, my devices are up-to-date, otherwise it would have triggered a firmware upgrade that would have rendered my device unusable, and inaccessible… I hate it that the option to do MyCloud firmware upgrade is available on the remote access app; it’s something that should only be done by a local admin, IMHO.
I have a Samsung Galaxy S7, also having the same problem and unable to change the backup location. When can WD fix this bug / inconvenience?
The back button would navigate back to the previous page and does not go up the directory.
Has anyone successfully been able to get this working on a Galaxy S7? If I enter the ‘Public’ folder and hit the back button, it takes me back to the ‘Back up options’ screen and I am never able to see my private drive. Is this a known bug? I was able to backup from my old Iphone 6 Plus.
Hi All,
I am having the same issue. I used to be able to automatically upload my files to a custom private folder on my WD Cloud. But obviously, this has been changed with one of the latest updates. I hadn’t even noticed until I recently tried to change the location of my files, and now I am stuck to the Public folder. What a nuisance! I hope that this is going to be fixed soon.
I have had to struggle enough with the WD SmartWare SW, which is also very limited in its functionality. Now they are cutting down the capabilities of the App, which is limited anyway (only photos and videos can be automatically saved). Why?
Has anyone found a workaround maybe?
Cheers,
Rob
What mobile device are you using?
As indicated above typically one would hit the back button on the device to move out of the Public folder/Share. But for some devices this doesn’t work. Currently WD My Cloud App 4.4.6 on my Motorola Droid Mini (Android 4.4.4) allows one to navigate out of the Public folder/Share and into another Share/folder.
Hi Bennor,
I have a Sony Xperia Z5 Compact running Android 6.0.1.
Indeed, as you say, I am not able to move to the parent directory using ‘Back’. Instead it brings me back to the Backup Options menu.
Could it be that it is an Android issue and not really intended that way by WD?
Cheers
Probably an issue with that specific vendor or their phone. Some vendors modify the stock Android image they put on their phones or they use some other app to add special features to their phones that changes the default behavior/operation of Android or the apps that run on Android.
As indicated above the use of the back button by WD within the app to move up one directory level on the phone runs counter to the normal operation of the back button under Android which typically/generally would take the person back one screen.
I understand what you are saying. However, I was using the same device with the same Android version when I had set up originally the App to use a preferred folder outside Public, just a few months ago. This now doesn’t work anymore. Also, the Back button still works flawlessly to move upwards in the directory tree within the MyCloud App’s normal directory browser.
Anyway, it seems that this is an issue that more people suffer from.
Still having this problem with my own S7… please do something about this
I may have found a work around. It worked for me but I don’t know if it will work for everybody. I ended up going to “Settings” and selecting the “Sign out of MyCloud.com” option. I then signed back in and it asked me to set up the auto backup folder again. I was able to select a private location. I was using a Samsung Galaxy S7 running Android 6.0.1
