Yahoo Mail errors and common problems

Not syncing in iPhone Mail: Broken connection settings in Apple's Mail app

Means

Yahoo emails stop arriving or show account errors in the Mail app on an iPhone or iPad. Yahoo says this usually comes from wrong or outdated connection settings, and that updates from Yahoo or Apple can break them.

First step

Sign in to Yahoo Mail on a computer and send yourself a test email to check that the account itself works. All steps

Can't sign in: Wrong password, account lock or browser cookies

Means

Yahoo will not let you into your account or keeps returning you to the sign-in page. Yahoo names a wrong or changed password, a temporary lock after too many failed tries, a verification check on a new device, and bad browser cookies as the usual causes.

First step

Use the Yahoo Sign-in Helper with your recovery phone number or email to reset your password. All steps

Not working in other apps: Security changes block third-party email apps

Means

An email app like Outlook, Thunderbird or Samsung Mail suddenly stops sending or getting Yahoo mail. Yahoo says its frequent security updates can cause this, and that a password change or two-step verification means the app needs new login details.

First step

Sign in to Yahoo Mail in a web browser and deal with any password or account prompt you see there. All steps

Emails not arriving: Blocked senders, filters or spam settings

Means

New messages never show up in your inbox. Yahoo says the cause is often in your own settings, such as a blocked address or domain, a filter, the spam folder or a wrong reply-to address, and sometimes the problem is on the sender's side.

First step

Check your blocked addresses and blocked domains in Yahoo Mail settings and remove the sender if listed. All steps

App not showing new mail: Outdated app or lost connection to Yahoo

Means

The Yahoo Mail app on your phone shows an empty or stale inbox. Yahoo says an out-of-date app can fail to connect to its servers, so new mail stops appearing.

First step

Check Yahoo Mail on a computer to see whether new mail arrives there. All steps

Good emails going to spam: Spam filter catches messages you want

Means

Messages you want end up in the Spam folder. Yahoo says that marking one as not spam moves it to your inbox and sends future mail from that sender to the inbox too.

First step

Open the Spam folder, or click More under Sent if you can't see it. All steps

Temporary error 15: Unsupported browser or too many open sessions

Means

Yahoo Mail shows this error instead of your inbox. Yahoo says it usually clears up within a few minutes to a few hours, and it is often caused by an unsupported browser or by the account being open in several browsers or devices at once.

First step

Restart your web browser. All steps