Change your Yahoo password from the account settings page

Open Yahoo Mail in your browser and sign in. In the top right corner, click your account icon (usually your initial or a profile picture), then select Account info. On the left side menu, click Security and privacy, then find the section labeled Password and click Change password.

Yahoo will ask you to enter your current password first, then type your new password twice. Your new password must be at least 8 characters long and should include uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols — Yahoo's strength meter will show you if your choice is strong enough. Click Change password to save it.

You will be signed out of Yahoo Mail after you change your password. Sign back in with your new password on your next visit. If you use Yahoo Mail on your phone or tablet, you may need to enter the new password there too, depending on how you set up the app.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to Account info through your profile icon, then navigate to Security and privacy to find the password change option.
  • Your new password must be at least 8 characters and include uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols for Yahoo to accept it.
  • You will be signed out when ready after changing your password and must sign back in with the new one.
  • If you use Yahoo Mail on multiple devices, update the password in your email app settings on each device.
  • Write down your new password somewhere safe, or use a password manager to store it securely.

What to do if you cannot remember your current password

If you have forgotten your current password but can still access your Yahoo account through a recovery email or phone number, click Forgot password? on the Yahoo Mail sign-in page. Yahoo will send a code to your recovery email or text it to your recovery phone number. Enter that code, and you can set a new password without needing the old one.

If you no longer have access to your recovery email or phone number, the process takes longer. Yahoo will ask you to answer security questions you set up when you created the account, or to provide other proof that you own the account. Be ready to describe what you remember about when you created it or what devices you have used to access it.

Change your password on Yahoo Mail app for iPhone or Android

Open the Yahoo Mail app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner. Tap Settings, then tap your email address at the top of the list. Scroll down and tap Account info, then tap Security and privacy. Find Password and tap Change password.

Follow the same steps as on the website: enter your current password, then type your new password twice. The app will sign you out when the change is complete. Sign back in with your new password.

Why you should change your password regularly

Changing your password every few months reduces the window of time a stolen password can be used to access your account. If you reuse the same password across multiple websites and one of those sites is breached, hackers can try that password on your Yahoo account. A unique, strong Yahoo password makes that attack much less likely to work.

Change your password when ready if you notice unusual activity in your account — emails you did not send, folders you did not create, or sign-in alerts from places you have never been. You should also change it if you have shared your password with someone else, used Yahoo Mail on a public computer, or received a suspicious email claiming to be from Yahoo asking you to verify your password.

How to create a password Yahoo will accept

Yahoo requires passwords to be at least 8 characters long and to include at least three of these four types: uppercase letters (A–Z), lowercase letters (a–z), numbers (0–9), and symbols (!@#$%^&*). A password like BlueMoon2024! works. A password like password123 does not, because it lacks uppercase letters and symbols.

Avoid passwords based on your name, birthday, or words from the dictionary. Avoid sequences like 12345 or qwerty. The harder your password is to guess, the safer your account. If you struggle to remember a complex password, consider using a password manager like Bitwarden, 1Password, or the password manager built into your phone or browser — these tools generate strong passwords and store them securely.

What happens after you change your password

Any device or app that was signed into your Yahoo account will stay signed in for now. If you want to sign out everywhere at once — for example, if you think someone else may have accessed your account — go back to Account info, click Security and privacy, and look for Recent activity or Devices. You can see where your account is signed in and sign out from specific devices or all devices at once.

Yahoo may send you a confirmation email to your recovery email address letting you know your password was changed. If you receive this email but did not change your password, your account may have been compromised. Change your password again when ready and review your recent activity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to change my password on my phone if I change it on my computer?

Not when ready, but you will need to update it the next time you open the Yahoo Mail app. When you do, the app will ask for your new password. If you do not update it, the app will stop working until you sign in again with the new password.

What if Yahoo says my new password is too weak?

Add more character types or make it longer. Yahoo's strength meter shows you what is missing — usually uppercase letters, numbers, or symbols. Try BlueMoon2024! instead of bluemoon2024, or add a symbol like BlueMoon2024@.

Can I use the same password I used before?

Yahoo will not let you reuse a password you have used recently on that account. If you try, it will ask you to choose a different one. This prevents you from cycling back to an old password that may have been compromised.

How long does it take for the password change to work everywhere?

The change takes effect when ready on the website. On apps and devices, you will be asked to sign in again with your new password the next time you open them, usually within a few minutes.

Should I tell anyone my new password?

No. Yahoo support will never ask you for your password. If someone claiming to be from Yahoo asks for it in an email or text, that is a scam. Do not share your password with anyone, including family members or friends.