Western Digital recently merged with Sandisk, and the WD Dashboard is now the Sandisk Dashboard. The upcoming WD SSDs will come under the brand name of SanDisk. All the WD Shop pages have been moved to the Sandisk Shop pages. But if you want to upgrade your existing WD SSD or the new SanDisk SSD, the same software will continue to give you the latest upgrades.
Upgrading the WD SSD firmware using the official software is really easy. I have installed a WD Green SN350 as the secondary drive in my computer. So, I am going to give you a detailed guide on how you can easily update the WD SSD. There is no need for a guide because the steps are pretty easy to follow. However, you can follow this guide if you have any issues with upgrading or know nothing about it.
Why is upgrading SSD firmware important?
Keeping the firmware updated on your SSD is important for the drive’s performance, reliability, security, and compatibility. Firmware is the low-level software in your SSD that decides how the SSD manages data and communicates with your system. It also decides how to handle the internal processes like wear leveling, error correction, and garbage collection. SSD manufacturers release firmware updates on a regular basis with bug fixes, security patches, improved compatibility, and enhanced performance. Various issues like slowdowns, unwanted wear-out, and disconnects can be fixed with firmware updates. All in all, firmware updates make sure that your SSD is always up and running without issues. So, it is important to keep them updated whenever a new release is out.
Steps to Update Firmware in WD SSDs?
Step 1: Download the WD/SanDisk Dashboard
From this page, download the SanDisk Dashboard. For some reason, the download link is for WD Dashboard, but you get SanDisk Dashboard as you install the program. You can choose to do an offline or online install as you want.
Once the program is installed, launch it.
Step 2: Locate your drive on the Dashboard Home
Make sure the drive is connected internally and not through a USB enclosure. Click the refresh button on the top-right corner if the drive/drives are not appearing.
Step 3: Go to Tools and Check for Firmware Update
Click the Tools tab and click the Check for Updates button. Make sure the system is connected to the internet, and it should search for any recent updates. If it is available, do the update. If not, it will tell you that the drive is up to date.
After the update, you’ll be asked to shut down now or later. It is good to shutdown right away and finish the update. However, you can choose to shutdown later as well.
Do Manual Firmware Update
In some cases, the manufacturers may release manual updates or send you the firmware files to target specific issues. This is rare but can happen, and in this case, you choose the other update option, i.e., Select File.
You see a warning before you choose your firmware file. Just proceed and select you file and then continue for the update.
What if you are not able to update the firmware of your WD SSD?
In that case, head to the Help section of the SanDisk dashboard and either start a live chat or go to the support page. These links will take you to the official support page of SanDisk. It’ll be better to generate a report file and attach to the email or the chat that you are going to do with the official support team.
I hope this helps!