How to Download Yahoo Mail to a PC

Save all of your Yahoo Mail messages to your computer

By
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Writer
  • University of Vienna
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
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Updated on May 24, 2021

What to Know

  • In your email client, create a new email account for Yahoo Mail.
  • Then, in its settings, enter pop.mail.yahoo.com for Server, 995 for Port, and Yes under Requires SSL.
  • Find the email file: Go to Account Settings > Data Files > your Yahoo account > Open File Location and copy the file to the desired location.

This article describes how to set up Outlook and other email clients to download your Yahoo Mail messages to your computer using Post Office Protocol (POP) and move it to another location if desired.

How to Save Emails to a Computer Using POP

The directions for setting up your Yahoo Mail account for POP access in Outlook on Windows are shown below but are similar regardless of email client and platform.

  1. In Outlook, go to File.

    A screenshot of Outlook with the File button highlighted

  2. Select Add Account.

    A screenshot of Outlook's Info menu with the Add Account button highlighted

  3. Enter your Yahoo Mail email address, and select Advanced options.

    A screenshot of Outlook's Add Account window with the Advanced Options button highlighted

  4. Check the box beside Let me set up my account manually, then select Connect.

    A screenshot of Outlook's Add Account screen with the manual option and connect button highlighted

  5. Select POP.

    A screenshot of Outlook's Add Account screen with the POP option highlighted

  6. Enter your Yahoo Mail password.

    Enter your Yahoo Mail password.

  7. Select Done to finish connecting your Yahoo Mail to Outlook via POP.

    Select Done to finish connecting your Yahoo Mail to Outlook via POP.

Find, Move, and View Your Email File

You can copy, paste, and view your Yahoo Mail file using the account settings:

  1. Go back to the File tab, and select Account Settings > Account Settings.

    A screenshot of Account Information in Outlook with the Account Settings option highlighted

  2. Select the Data Files tab.

    A screenshot of Account Settings in Outlook with the Data Files tab highlighted

  3. Select your Yahoo Mail account, then select Open File Location.

    A screenshot of Account Settings in Outlook with the Open File Location command highlighted

  4. Right-click the file and select Copy, then paste the file into another folder or save it on a USB drive for safekeeping.

    Right click the file and select Copy, then paste the file into another folder or

  5. To open and view all of your messages, go to the File tab in Outlook and select Open & Export.

    A screenshot of Outlook's File menu with Open & Export highlighted

  6. Select Open Outlook Data File.

    A screenshot of Outlook's Open menu with the "Open Outlook Data File" command highlighted

  7. Select the file containing your Yahoo Mail messages.

    Select the file containing your Yahoo Mail messages.

Each email client has its own setup process, and some simplify the process by populating server settings automatically when you select Yahoo Mail as your email account.

However, many email clients automatically set up Yahoo Mail access using the IMAP protocol. Therefore, when you set up your Yahoo Mail account in your email client, specify POP as the protocol you wish to use. You may also be required to enter the Yahoo Mail POP settings.

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