How to Use Yahoo Mail as a Virus Scanner

Scan files for viruses by attaching them to messages in Yahoo Mail

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Updated on June 11, 2022

What to Know

Create a new message and select the paperclip. Select the file you wish to scan, and then select Open.
Yahoo Mail tells you if it detects a virus. If it doesn't, the file is attached to the message, and a preview image appears.
To remove the file, hover over the attachment preview, select More (three dots), and then select Remove.

This article explains how to use Yahoo Mail as a virus scanner since Yahoo Mail automatically checks files you send as attachments for known viruses. Instructions in this article apply to the standard web version of Yahoo Mail. The steps are the same for all web browsers.

How to Use Yahoo Mail as a Virus Scanner

To scan a file for viruses with Yahoo Mail:

Create a new message and select the paperclip located in the bottom toolbar.
Select the file you wish to scan, then select Open.
Yahoo Mail tells you if it detects a virus within the file. If it detects no threat, the file is attached to the message, and a preview image appears.
To remove the file, hover over the attachment preview, select the ellipses (...), then select Remove.
Alternatively, delete the email and its draft to remove the attachment.

Due to Yahoo Mail attachment size limits, you cannot scan files larger than 25 MB.

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