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To back up files stored in Yandex Disk, download a separate copy to a folder on your computer, then keep that copy somewhere independent of the live Yandex Disk sync folder. Yandex’s desktop app is its documented route for downloading all files and handling large folders. Sync, version history and Trash can help with access or recovery, but they are not substitutes for a separate copy.
Download a separate copy of your Yandex Disk files
Yandex documents downloading files through its desktop application to a folder you choose on your computer. You can also download files through the website, but web downloads have limits for large folders.
Use the desktop app to download all files
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Open the Yandex Disk desktop application and go to its settings. Choose the folder on your computer where you want downloaded files saved.
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Select the files and folders you want to copy, or select all of them if you want a full local copy.
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Choose Download and allow the transfer to finish. Check the destination folder and open a few files to confirm the copy is usable.
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For a backup that remains useful if the computer or its live sync folder is unavailable, copy the downloaded files to separate storage, such as an external hard drive or portable SSD. Choose enough capacity for your files; this is a general storage option, not a Yandex integration or hardware recommendation.
Use the website for smaller downloads
Yandex’s help page says browser downloads of an individual file are limited to 5 GB. For a folder, it specifies fewer than 500 files and no more than 5 GB; larger folders should be downloaded through the desktop application. The website can download multiple selected files as an archive, while folders are downloaded one at a time. These are limits stated on Yandex’s help page and may change.
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- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
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If a file is in Trash or you need an older version, restore it first; Yandex’s instructions require restoration before downloading those items.
Understand what Yandex Disk sync does—and does not do
The desktop sync folder synchronizes with the server when connected. Yandex’s Windows instructions describe selective sync: files can be kept locally on the computer or left online-only. That flexibility controls local availability; synchronization is not a separate backup, because changes in the synced files can also reach the server.
Yandex advises against using removable media as the live sync folder because the application needs permanent computer storage. Use a regular computer folder for syncing, and treat a separate copy on removable storage as a backup destination instead.
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Restore an earlier version of a file
Version history can help when an existing file was changed or overwritten. On Yandex’s personal file-history help page, the stated history window is 90 days with an active Yandex 360 plan and 14 days without one. Yandex says you can restore an older version over the current file or save it as a copy; prior versions do not use Disk space. Retention for shared folders depends on the folder owner’s plan.
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Open the file’s version history in Yandex Disk and locate the version you need within the available history window.
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Inspect the version, then choose whether to replace the current file or save the older version as a separate copy.
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If you want an offline backup of that version, download it after restoring or saving the copy.
Recover a deleted file from Trash
Yandex says files deleted through the computer’s Yandex Disk folder or the mobile app are moved to server Trash. Its help page says Trash is automatically cleared one month after files are moved there; after it is cleared, Yandex says they cannot be restored through Trash.
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Check whether the file is in another folder, then open Trash in Yandex Disk.
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Select the deleted item and choose the restore option.
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After it returns, download a separate copy if you need one outside Yandex Disk.
Shared-folder changes can affect your files: Yandex notes that another member’s edits or deletions may change or remove items for the owner as well. If a file is missing, check both Trash and its version history where applicable.
Quick Recap
Choose the right recovery method
| Need | Use | Limit to know |
|---|---|---|
| Keep a separate copy outside Yandex Disk | Download through the desktop app to a computer folder, then copy to separate storage if needed | Web folder downloads are limited to fewer than 500 files and no more than 5 GB, according to Yandex’s help page |
| Undo a change to an existing file | Version history | Yandex’s personal-file help page states 14 days without an active Yandex 360 plan or 90 days with one; shared-folder retention depends on the owner’s plan |
| Bring back a deleted file | Trash | Yandex says Trash is automatically cleared after one month; its help page does not promise recovery after that |
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