Email · Repair guide

How to fix Yahoo Mail not working

10 fixes, easiest first6 min readUpdated November 2026

Quick fix

Sign in to Yahoo Mail in a web browser on a computer and send yourself a test email. If that works, the problem is your app or device: update the Yahoo Mail app, or remove and re-add Yahoo in your other mail app, using a Yahoo app password if it asks for one.

What it means

When Yahoo Mail stops working, the problem is usually in one place: your web browser, the Yahoo Mail app, a sign-in problem, or another mail app (such as iPhone Mail or Outlook) that has lost its connection to Yahoo. Testing Yahoo Mail on a computer first tells you which one it is. Real outages are rare and usually clear up on their own.

Common causes

  • Browser problems such as old cached files, an outdated browser or an ad blocker or extension
  • An outdated or stuck Yahoo Mail app
  • A sign-in problem, such as a changed password or a temporarily locked account
  • A mail app that doesn't use Yahoo's own sign-in page (such as some versions of Outlook) using your normal password instead of a Yahoo app password
  • Emails filtered to Spam, sent to a folder by a filter, or from a blocked address
  • Antivirus or firewall software blocking the connection
  • No internet connection, or a slow or unstable one

How to fix it

Work down the list. Each fix is safe to try before moving on to the next.

01Test Yahoo Mail on a computer firstEasy

  1. On a computer, open a web browser and sign in to Yahoo Mail.
  2. Write a short email to your own Yahoo address and send it.
  3. Wait up to five minutes. If the email arrives, your Yahoo account is working and the problem is your browser, app or device.
  4. If the website works on another computer or phone but not on yours, the problem is that one browser or device.
  5. If you see an error message, follow its instructions, and note the wording if you need help later.

Why it helps: This shows in a minute or two whether the problem is your Yahoo account or just the app or browser you use.

02Check your internet and restart the deviceEasy

  1. Open any other website to make sure you are online. Yahoo Mail and its apps won't work without an internet connection.
  2. On a phone, turn Wi-Fi off and on, or switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data.
  3. Restart the computer or phone.
  4. Open Yahoo Mail again.

Why it helps: A restart clears temporary glitches and a dropped connection, which are common reasons mail stops loading.

03If Yahoo Mail won't load in your browser, clean up the browserEasy

  1. Clear the browser's cache. In Chrome, select More (three dots) > Delete browsing data, tick Cached images and files, and select Delete data.
  2. Update your browser to the latest version, and make sure it is on Yahoo's list of supported browsers.
  3. Turn off any ad blocker for the Yahoo Mail site; Yahoo says ad blockers can stop Mail working properly.
  4. Turn off other browser extensions one at a time, reopening Yahoo Mail after each, to find one that interferes.
  5. Make sure JavaScript is turned on in your browser, since Yahoo pages need it.
  6. Try a different browser. If Yahoo Mail works there, the problem is in your usual browser.

Why it helps: Old saved files, out-of-date browsers and extensions are the most common reasons the Yahoo Mail website loads blank, slowly or with buttons that don't work.

04If you can't sign in, fix the sign-in problemEasy

  1. Make sure Caps Lock is off and type the password carefully instead of using a saved one.
  2. If the sign-in page keeps reloading, select Not you?, enter your Yahoo ID and password again, and select Sign in.
  3. If it still loops, clear the browser's cookies, quit and reopen the browser, or try another browser.
  4. If you forgot your password, use Yahoo's official Sign-in Helper and choose your recovery phone number or recovery email. Don't use any other recovery service.
  5. If Yahoo says the account is locked after too many tries, wait: the lock lifts by itself after 12 hours, or use the Sign-in Helper to get in sooner.

Why it helps: Most sign-in problems come from a mistyped or outdated saved password, browser cookies, or a temporary lock after failed attempts.

05If the Yahoo Mail app freezes or won't load, update and restart itEasy

  1. Update the Yahoo Mail app from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android).
  2. Update the phone's software to the latest version. On iPhone, use the official release, not a beta.
  3. Close the app completely. On iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen, pause, then swipe the Yahoo Mail app up and away. On Android, open Settings > Apps, find Yahoo Mail and tap Force stop.
  4. On Android, clear the app's cache: in Settings > Apps > Yahoo Mail, tap Storage & cache > Clear cache. Menu names vary a little by phone.
  5. Restart the phone and open the app again.
  6. If a feature is missing in the app, try it in Yahoo Mail on a computer; some features are only on the desktop site.

Why it helps: Old app versions and stuck app data cause most crashes and blank inboxes in the Yahoo Mail app.

06If Yahoo stopped working in another mail app, re-add it or use an app passwordMedium

  1. First confirm Yahoo Mail works in a web browser. If it does, the problem is the other app's connection to Yahoo.
  2. Update the other mail app and your device. Yahoo says errors such as "Server password has changed" or "Authentication failed" often mean an old app version.
  3. On iPhone, remove and re-add the account: go to Settings > Apps > Mail > Mail Accounts, tap the Yahoo account, tap Sign Out or Delete Account, then add it again with Add Account. Your mail stays on Yahoo's servers.
  4. If the app shows Yahoo's own sign-in page when you add the account, sign in there with your normal Yahoo details.
  5. If the app asks for a password directly instead, it needs a Yahoo app password. In a browser you have used for Yahoo for several days (not a private or Incognito window), open your Yahoo Account Security page.
  6. Under External connections, select Create app password, type a name such as Outlook, and select Generate password.
  7. Enter this app password in the other app instead of your normal Yahoo password, then select Done on the Yahoo page.
  8. If Yahoo won't let you create an app password, use Yahoo Mail on the web or the Yahoo Mail app instead.

Why it helps: Yahoo requires an app password for mail apps that don't use its own sign-in page, and saved connection settings can break after updates.

07If you add Yahoo to an app by hand, check the server settingsMedium

  1. Incoming mail (IMAP): server imap.mail.yahoo.com, port 993, SSL required.
  2. Outgoing mail (SMTP): server smtp.mail.yahoo.com, port 465 or 587, SSL required, authentication required.
  3. User name: your full Yahoo email address. Password: a Yahoo app password.
  4. If the settings are right but it still fails, remove the account from the app and add it again, since the app may have saved damaged data.
  5. Have the app check for mail less often or manually, and keep the number of devices connected to Yahoo by IMAP low.

Why it helps: One wrong server name, port or password stops a mail app from connecting to Yahoo.

08If emails aren't arriving, check Spam, blocked addresses and filtersEasy

  1. Open the Spam folder. If a wanted email is there, select it and choose Not spam; future mail from that sender will go to the Inbox.
  2. On a computer, open Yahoo Mail and select the More options icon, then Settings.
  3. Select Security and Privacy and look under Blocked addresses. Remove anyone you want mail from.
  4. Select Filters and check for a filter that moves mail to another folder. Edit or delete it.
  5. If nothing turns up, ask the sender to check they typed your full address correctly.

Why it helps: Mail that seems missing has usually arrived but been moved by a spam filter, a block or one of your own filters.

09Temporarily turn off security software to testAdvanced

  1. Warning: only do this briefly, and turn the protection back on straight after the test.
  2. Temporarily turn off your antivirus, anti-spyware or firewall software, using the software's own settings.
  3. Try Yahoo Mail in the browser or app again.
  4. Turn the security software back on.
  5. If Yahoo Mail only works with it off, ask the security software maker how to allow Yahoo Mail. Mail apps need ports 993, 465 or 587 open.

Why it helps: Security software and firewalls can block Yahoo's pages or the ports mail apps use to connect.

10Reset the browser or reinstall the Yahoo Mail appAdvancedResets settings

  1. These are last-resort steps. Your emails are stored by Yahoo, so they are not lost, but you will need to sign in again.
  2. Browser: resetting it to default settings turns off extensions and clears temporary data and some saved settings, such as your start page.
  3. Yahoo Mail app: uninstall the app, restart the phone, and install it again from the App Store or Google Play Store.
  4. Sign in again and give the app a few minutes to load your mail.
  5. If the iPhone Mail app still can't connect to Yahoo, Yahoo suggests using the Yahoo Mail app instead.

Why it helps: A fresh copy of the app or clean browser settings removes damaged data that the earlier fixes couldn't clear.

Check it's fixed

  • A test email you send to yourself arrives within a few minutes.
  • Your Inbox loads and new messages appear in the browser, the Yahoo Mail app and any other mail app you use.
  • You can sign in without the page looping or showing an error.

When to get help

If Yahoo Mail fails on every device and browser, or you can't get back in with the Sign-in Helper, go to Yahoo Help directly. Yahoo warns not to use search engines to find its contact details, since they can lead to support scams, and Yahoo never asks for your password by email.

Questions

Is Yahoo Mail down, or is it just me?

Try Yahoo Mail on another device or network. If it works there, the problem is your own browser, app or connection; if it fails everywhere, the service may be having problems and it is usually best to wait and try again later.

Why does iPhone Mail or Outlook keep asking for my Yahoo password?

Mail apps that don't use Yahoo's own sign-in page need a Yahoo app password, not your normal password. Create one on your Yahoo Account Security page under External connections and enter it in the app.

Is there a Yahoo Mail phone number I can call?

Yahoo warns against finding its contact details through search engines, because they can lead to fake support lines. Go to Yahoo Help directly. Yahoo never asks for your password in an email, so never give your password or a verification code to anyone who calls or messages you.

Will reinstalling the Yahoo Mail app delete my emails?

No. Your emails are stored on Yahoo's servers, so they reappear after you sign in again.

Related fixes

What to do if you forgot your email passwordGo to your provider's sign-in page and select the forgot-password link, then follow the steps to get a code on your recovery phone or eHow to fix email not sendingMake sure you are online, then open the Outbox, check the recipient's address and tap Send again. If it still fails, try sending from yHow to stop emails going to spamFor mail you receive, open Spam or Junk, select the good email and choose Not spam (Gmail, Yahoo), It's not junk (Outlook.com) or move How to fix Gmail not working or not loadingCheck the Google Workspace Status Dashboard for a Gmail outage. If Gmail is up, open it in a private (incognito) window or another browser; Why is my internet not working?Check whether other devices are also offline. If they are, restart your modem and router and check your provider for an outage; if only one

Still stuck?

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