How to Reset Your Yahoo Mail Password

A mobile phone number or secondary email address is required

by
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Writer
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
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Heinz Tschabitscher
Updated on December 29, 2020
reviewed by
Jerrick Leger headshot
Jerrick Leger
Lifewire Tech Review Board Member
Jerrick Leger is a CompTIA-certified IT Specialist with more than 10 years' experience in technical support and IT fields. He is also a systems administrator for an IT firm in Texas serving small businesses.
our review board
Article reviewed on Aug 27, 2020
Jerrick Leger

What to Know

  • If you forget your Yahoo password, you need to reset it or create a new Yahoo Mail account.
  • To reset, select Forgot password and verify your identity through a secondary email address or text. Enter a new password.
  • No secondary email address or mobile number? Go to Yahoo Help for alternate verification methods.

This article explains how to reset your Yahoo email password on the desktop.

How to Reset Yahoo Email Password

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To reset your Yahoo Mail password, go to the Sign-In Helper page and complete the verification process that works best for you.

  1. Enter your email address on the login page and click Next.

  2. Select Forgot password at the bottom of the password page.

  3. Choose the Text option if you want to recover your account via text message. If you have an alternative email account set up, you can pick Email instead.

  4. If you chose the text message option, enter your phone number and press Submit to receive a code. If you picked the email option, continue to the next step.

  5. Locate the verification code from the text or email and enter it on Yahoo's site.

  6. Follow any other on-screen prompts.

Once you have successfully recovered access to your account, change the Yahoo! Mail password to whatever you like (and will remember); it is best, of course, to use a strong email password.

No Mobile Phone or Secondary Email Address

If you don't have access to either a secondary email address or phone number, you won't be able to recover access to your Yahoo Mail account through the automated process.

Do not post any personal information, such as the Yahoo Mail email address you're trying to regain access to, any of your possible passwords, phone numbers, or anything similar.

Your next step is to seek help from Yahoo! Help. Yahoo! support may ask for information to verify your identity, such as contacts in your Yahoo Mail address book.

If you are unable to access your Yahoo Mail account using a mobile phone number, a secondary email address, or by contacting Yahoo help, you may have to abandon your old Yahoo Mail account and start a new email account.

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