How to Manage Yahoo Mail App Passwords

Get into mail using other email programs

What to Know

  • To create an application password, open Yahoo Mail and go to Account Info > Account Security. Enter your account login information.
  • Click Generate app password, click the email app, copy the password, and click Done. Go to your email app and enter the password.
  • Revoke an application password: Account Info > Account Security > Manage app passwords. Click the trash can next to a password.

This article explains how to create Yahoo Mail app passwords so you can use other email clients to access Yahoo Mail even when you have two-step authentication enforced.

Create Application Passwords With Yahoo Mail 2-Step Verification

You can have Yahoo Mail create random (read: really hard to guess) passwords, one for each program that you want to use with your email account. When you stop using a program or no longer trust a given service, you can revoke that password and stop it from working.

To create a new password that your email program can use to log in to Yahoo Mail:

  1. Position the cursor over your name in the Yahoo Mail navigation bar.

  2. Select Account Info from the drop-down menu that appears.

    Yahoo Email Account Info
  3. Select Account Security in the left panel. Enter your account login information if prompted to do so.

    Yahoo Mail account info with Account Security highlighted
  4. Choose one of two ways to enable access:

    • Select Generate app password and continue to the step below, or
    • Toggle the Allow apps that use less secure sign in button to the On position and return to your email app, through which you should be able to receive your Yahoo email now.

    The first option is more secure.

    Yahoo email security options
  5. Continuing with the Generate app password option, click Generate app password.

  6. Select your email app from the drop-down list or type it in if it's not listed.

    Generating an app password in Yahoo Mail
  7. Copy the password generated for you.

    Be sure to copy the password to your clipboard; you won't be able to see it again and will have to generate a new one if you lose it.

  8. Click Done and return to your email app to enter the password where prompted.

Delete and Revoke an Application Password With Yahoo Mail 2-Step Verification

To make sure an application password is no longer working to log in to your Yahoo Mail account (after you have stopped using an application, for example):

  1. Select Account Info.

    Yahoo Email Account Info
  2. Go to Account Security.

    Yahoo Mail account info with Account Security highlighted
  3. Select Manage app passwords.

  4. Click the trash can icon next to the application password you want to delete.

    Deleting an app password in Yahoo Mail
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