Provider · Yahoo Mail
Yahoo Mail migration
Yahoo Mail connects over IMAP at imap.mail.yahoo.com and requires an app password — the account password simply does not work for third-party clients. After that it behaves well: folders are real folders, there are no duplicate stores, and the transfer runs evenly. Below are the settings, three traps, and where Yahoo mailboxes usually go.
Connection settings
The form fills these in for you as soon as you pick the provider.
- IMAP server
- imap.mail.yahoo.com
- Port
- 993 · SSL/TLS
- Username
- the full email address
- Password
- an app password
What breaks a migration here specifically
- The app password is mandatory. Unlike Gmail this is not "recommended when 2FA is on" — it is the only way to sign in over IMAP.
- An account left unused for a long time can be partly frozen. Sign in to the web interface before migrating, or IMAP will answer with an authentication failure.
- The Bulk Mail folder is spam. Carrying spam into a new mailbox is almost always a mistake: it gets re-filtered and drags down the reputation of the new inbox.
Where mailboxes go from here
Ready pages with the settings for both sides and the order of steps.
FAQ
Common questions
Where does Yahoo issue app passwords?
In the account security settings, under "Generate app password". It is shown once, used instead of the normal password, and revoked in the same place once the migration is done.
Can I migrate a mailbox on a domain hosted by Yahoo?
Yes, the connection is identical. The login is the full email address, not the user name.
Does Yahoo throttle downloads?
We have not run into hard limits: in our measurements Yahoo serves faster than Gmail. The total time usually depends on the receiving side.
What happens to read and starred flags?
They survive: flags travel with the messages, and so do the original dates.
Find out how big your mailbox is. It costs nothing.
Connect two servers, look at the size and decide. Or take the client and keep everything on your side.
Code on GitHub · built on imapsync · no sign-up