FAQ

Files and Folders

What file format does Wuala accept?

The file format does not matter. Wuala accepts any file format.

What file size does Wuala accept?

Up to 14 GB.

How do I create a new folder?

Click on the “New” button and choose “Folder”

How do I set a thumbnail, a description or tags?

Choose the file or folder you want to set a thumbnail. In the details ("Show Details") you have a little pencil icon. Click on the icon and set your settings.

How do I keep my files private?

As long as your files are in a folder that is kept private (i.e. is yellow) your files will stay private. Note: the folder “Group postings” under “My Files” contains files that you have posted to a group. These files are not private as they are shared with a group.

How do I know when a file has finished uploading?

Each file that is being uploaded has a progress bar on the right. Furthermore you can see the file details where it says how much it has uploaded. Alternatively you can click on View > Uploads (Win/Linux) or Windows > Show Uploads (Mac). An upload window will appear showing you the progress of your uploads.

What do the colors of the folders mean?

The colors of the folders tell you about the visibility of the folders. A yellow folder is private (i.e. only you have access to it), a red folder is a folder shared with friends (i.e. specified friends or all friends) and/or per password, while a blue folder is public (i.e. everyone can see the files).

How can I make my files or folders public?

Click on the file you want to share. Go to the share button in the toolbar. A new window will open.

Visibility: Here you can set the visibility of the folder.

• Private: If the folder is private, only you have access to it.
• Shared: If the folder is shared, the folder is shared with selected friends in Wuala or shared by password with friends who are not yet in Wuala.
• Public: If the folder is public, everyone can see the files.

In order to make the folder public, i.e. give everyone access the folder, choose "Public".

Please note:

1. Those granted always get to access the whole folder. You cannot just share a single file in one folder.
2. Subfolders automatically have the visibility of the parent folder.
3. Public links can be accessed directly in the browser.

What happens when I share or publish a folder?

When publishing a file, the encryption key of that file is revealed to the public. Similarly, when sharing files, the keys of these files is securely revealed to the friends and groups you share the file with.

How do I stream my files?

When downloading a large file, you can start watching or listening right away. You do not need to wait until Wuala has finished downloading the file. Wuala will start streaming the file by itself.

How do I copy a file?

Click on the file. Click on the action menu and click “Copy File”. Alternatively, you can also click on “Copy Link”.

How do I paste a file?

After having copied a file (cf. How do I copy a file?) go to the folder where you want to paste the file. Go to the action menu in the toolbar and click “Paste”.

How do I add a file to my favorites?

Click on the file you want to add to your favorites. Click on the star that appears to the left of the file. The file has now been added to your Favorites folder under "My Files".

Can I edit files directly?

Yes, you can. Edit the file and save. The file will be uploaded to Wuala automatically.

How can I search files?

There is a search box on the right in the toolbar. This search box only considers files that are in the area you are currently in. Let’s say you are in the area “My Files”. Here only your files will be searched.

How are files encrypted in Wuala?

When you store a file in Wuala, the file and its metadata (e.g. name, description, tags, etc.) gets encrypted before it leaves your computer. Every file is encrypted with a different key. The list of these keys is encrypted with your password and stored on our server. Your own password is very important here: it never leaves your computer, so we do not know it. Hence, not even we can access your data. Read more about our technology and encryption.

Where are my files stored in the Wuala network?

Your files are stored in two places:

1. Spread across the Wuala network
2. On our servers

Our servers provide additional availability and storage.

Please note that all your data is encrypted on your computer. No one unauthorized (this also includes us) has access to it.

Can my files get lost?

All your data is stored redundantly on our servers. It is highly unlikely that your data gets lost. However, there is a residual risk. There could be bugs that lead to data loss, our main datacenter could burn down, a hardware error on your local computer could corrupt a file during insertion, you could accidentally delete data, etc. If your data is important to you, you should always store it in more than one places.

Can I access my files even though I am offline?

Files in your cache are also accessible when you are offline.

What is the star next to my file?

The star tells you how often someone has added the file to his or her favorites.

In which periods does a maintenance start for a given file?

Maximum every 7 days, minimum every 14 days (if Wuala is running and all previous files have already been maintained).

Which special characters must not be used in the file name?

You can not use following characters in file names: | \ ? * < " : > /

Further:

• \r return
• \n new line
• \t tab