How to Download Yahoo Mail to a PC

Save all of your Yahoo Mail messages to your computer

Download Icon with Watercolor Patch
Enis Aksoy / Getty Images
by Heinz Tschabitscher
An independent writer who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
Updated August 31, 2019

It's possible to download your Yahoo Mail messages to your computer using an email client and the Post Office Protocols (POP) settings for Yahoo Mail. You will need an email client that supports POP mail delivery such as Mozilla's Thunderbird or Microsoft Outlook.

Instructions in this article apply to the web version of Yahoo Mail. All steps are the same regardless of which browser you are using.

How to Save Emails to a Computer Using POP

To save emails to your computer, you must first enable POP access for your Yahoo Mail account and link it to another email program. For example, to access your Yahoo Mail in Outlook for Office 365:

  1. In Yahoo Mail, select your user name in the top-right corner, then select Account info.

    In Yahoo Mail, select your user name in the top-right corner and select Account info.

  2. Select Account Security.

    Select Account Security.

  3. Make sure the slider beside Allow apps that use less secure sign in is set to the On position.

    Make sure the slider beside Allow apps that use less secure sign in is set to the On position.

  4. Open Outlook and select File.

    Open Outlook and select File.

  5. Select Add Account.

    Select Add Account.

  6. Enter your Yahoo Mail email address and select Advanced options.

    Enter your Yahoo Mail email address and select Advanced options.

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

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

  8. Select POP.

    Select POP.

  9. Enter your Yahoo Mail password.

    Enter your Yahoo Mail password.

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

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

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

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

  12. Select the Data Files tab.

    Select the Data Files tab.

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

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

  14. Right click the file and select Copy, then paste the file into another folder or save it on a USB drive for safe keeping.

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

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

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

  16. Select Open Outlook Data File.

    Select Open Outlook Data File.

  17. 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 more commonly used IMAP protocol. Therefore, when you set up your Yahoo Mail account in your email client, you will need to specify POP as the protocol you wish to use. You may also be required to enter the Yahoo Mail POP settings.