How to Reactivate Your Yahoo! Mail Account Due to Inactivity

Keep your Yahoo account active by logging in regularly

What to Know

  • Contact Yahoo Mail support.
  • If your account has been deactivated for >90 days, you might have to sign up for a new account instead.

This article describes what to do if Yahoo has deactivated your account due to inactivity and applies to both the web and mobile app versions of the service.

Reactivating a Deactivated Yahoo Account

If your account was deactivated within the past 90 days, you may be able to restore it by . Otherwise, simply sign up for a new account.

If your mail account has been deactivated, you'll see a message when you log in. It might say your account's been deactivated or that you're unable to reset your password.

After your account is deleted, your screen name becomes available to new users. If someone claims it, you'll need a different screen name for your new account.

Yahoo Mail periodically deactivates unused accounts. If your account is deactivated, you won't have access to emails, attachments, and the other elements of your account.

Yahoo! Mail Sign-in Screen

Why Yahoo Mail Deactivates Accounts

If you go more than a year without logging into your Yahoo Mail account, Yahoo may delete your messages from its servers to make room for other users. Inactive accounts slow down the service for everyone, so keeping things tidy on Yahoo!'s end allows their mail service to be fast and reliable for those who use it.

Aside from inactivity, Yahoo might close your account if you request Yahoo to delete your account or you violate the Yahoo terms of service.

How to Keep Your Yahoo Account Active

To make sure your Yahoo Mail account stays active, simply log in every now and then.

If you use multiple email providers, sync your other email accounts with Yahoo Mail so that you get all your messages in one place. That way, you can read your emails in Yahoo Mail, and you'll prevent your account from getting deleted.

FAQ
  • How do I change the password on Yahoo Mail?

    To change your Yahoo Mail password, launch Yahoo, log in, and select your name at the top of the page. Select Account Info. On the Personal Profile page, select Account Security. On the How You Sign In section, select Change Password. Enter and confirm your new password, select Continue, and exit back to the Mail app.

  • How do I block someone on Yahoo Mail?

    To block unwanted emails from senders in Yahoo Mail, log in to your account and select Settings > More Settings > Security and Privacy. In the Blocked Addresses section, select Add and go to the Add an email address to block section. Enter the email address you want to block and select Save.

  • How do I add a contact in Yahoo Mail?

    To add a sender or recipient to your Yahoo Mail contacts, open the email and select the name of the person you want to add (it doesn't have to be the sender). Select More (three dots) and choose Add Sender to Contacts. Enter the person's information in the Create Contact pane and select Save when you're done.

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