Generate a Yahoo Mail App Password in 11 easy steps. You only need this if two-step verification is turned on and your email app does not support it. Duration: 5 min.
Video Transcript
In this video we show you how to generate a Yahoo Mail App Password in 11 easy steps. You only need to do this if you have two-step verification turned on for your Yahoo account and are using an email app that does not support it.
First, open your browser and go to login.yahoo.com. Sign in to your Yahoo Mail account with your regular email address and password.
After signing in, click on your profile icon or name at the top right corner of the screen. From the dropdown menu, select Manage your Account or Account Info.
In your account settings, find and click on Account Security. This is where Yahoo keeps all your security and sign-in settings.
On the Account Security page, check that Two-Step Verification is turned on. The app password option only appears when two-step verification is active. If it is off, enable it first before continuing.
Scroll down the Account Security page and look for the Generate App Password or App Passwords option. Click on it.
A text box appears asking you to name the app. Type in a label that helps you identify which app this password is for, such as Outlook, Thunderbird or iPhone Mail. Then click Generate.
Yahoo immediately shows you a 16-character app password on screen. Copy this password right away. This is a one-time code and you will not be able to see it again once you close the screen.
Now open your email app or client. When it asks for your Yahoo password, paste the 16-character app password instead of your regular Yahoo password. Your email app will now connect to Yahoo Mail without needing your main password or the two-step code.
What is a Yahoo Mail App Password?
A Yahoo Mail App Password is a 16-character one-time password generated through your Yahoo Account Security settings. It is needed when you have two-step verification turned on for your Yahoo account and want to use an email app or client that does not support two-step verification natively, such as older versions of Outlook, Thunderbird or certain iPhone mail configurations. You generate the app password on the Yahoo Account Security page and then use it in place of your regular Yahoo password in that app. Your main Yahoo password stays unchanged.
11 Steps to Generate Yahoo Mail App Password
- Go to login.yahoo.com and sign in to your Yahoo account.
- Click your profile icon or name in the top right corner and select Manage your Account or Account Info.
- In your account settings, click on Account Security.
- Confirm that Two-Step Verification is turned on. App passwords only work when two-step verification is active.
- Scroll down and click Generate App Password or App Passwords.
- Type a label for the app you are creating the password for, such as Outlook, Thunderbird or iPhone Mail.
- Click the Generate button.
- Yahoo shows a 16-character app password. Copy it immediately. You will not see it again after closing the screen.
- Open the email app or client where you want to use your Yahoo account.
- When asked for your Yahoo password, paste the 16-character app password instead of your regular password.
- Your email app is now connected to Yahoo Mail. You do not need to enter the app password again in this app.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Copy the app password as soon as Yahoo shows it. Once you close the screen, the password disappears and you cannot retrieve it. If you lose it, generate a new one.
- App passwords do not expire on their own, but you should revoke old ones from the Account Security page when you are no longer using a particular app or device.
- Generate a separate app password for each app or device. This makes it easy to revoke access for one app without affecting others.
- If Yahoo Mail stops working in your email app after some time, your app password may have been revoked. Generate a new one and update it in your email app settings.
- Never share your app password with anyone. Treat it with the same care as your main Yahoo password.
Tips for Managing Yahoo App Passwords
- Keep a text note of which app password you gave to which app. This makes it easy to revoke the right one if you need to.
- When you get a new phone or reinstall an email app, generate a new app password. The old one will still work but giving each device its own password is cleaner and safer.
- Regularly review the App Passwords list on your Yahoo Account Security page. Remove any entries for apps or devices you no longer use.
- If you ever think your Yahoo account has been accessed without your permission, go to Account Security and revoke all app passwords. Then change your main Yahoo password.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Yahoo Mail App Password?
A Yahoo Mail App Password is a 16-character one-time password generated through your Yahoo Account Security settings. It lets email apps and clients that do not support two-step verification sign in to your Yahoo account securely.
Why do I need an app password for Yahoo Mail?
If you have two-step verification turned on for your Yahoo account, some older email apps cannot handle the second verification step and fail to sign in. An app password bypasses this issue by giving the app a separate password that works without the second step.
How do I generate a Yahoo Mail App Password?
Sign in to your Yahoo account, go to Account Security, scroll to Generate App Password, enter a name for the app, click Generate, then copy the 16-character password shown. Use this password in your email app instead of your regular Yahoo password.
What if I cannot find the App Password option in Yahoo?
The App Password option only appears when Two-Step Verification is turned on for your Yahoo account. Go to Account Security, enable Two-Step Verification first, then the Generate App Password option will appear below it.
Can I use one Yahoo app password for multiple apps?
It is not recommended. Generate a separate app password for each email app or device. This way, if one app is compromised, you can revoke only that app password without affecting the others. Yahoo lets you generate as many app passwords as you need.