Change your Yahoo password from the account settings page

To change your Yahoo Mail password, sign into your account, go to Account Info, select Security, and then choose Change Password. Yahoo will ask you to enter your current password once and your new password twice. The new password takes effect when ready — you'll stay signed in on that device, but you'll need to enter the new password the next time you sign in elsewhere.

The entire process takes about two minutes. You don't need to contact Yahoo support or verify anything beyond your current password. If you've forgotten your current password, you'll need to use Yahoo's account recovery process instead, which is covered in the Frequently Asked Questions section below.

Key Takeaways

  • You change your Yahoo password through Account Info > Security > Change Password, not through email settings or preferences.
  • Yahoo requires your current password to set a new one, so you must be able to sign in to your account first.
  • A strong password has at least 12 characters and mixes uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols — avoid words from the dictionary or personal information like birthdays.
  • If you use Yahoo Mail on your phone or tablet, you may need to re-enter the new password in those apps after you change it.
  • Changing your password does not affect your recovery email address or phone number, which Yahoo uses to help you regain access if you get locked out.

Step-by-step: where to find the password change option

Start by signing into Yahoo Mail at mail.yahoo.com. Once you're logged in, look for your account icon — usually your initials or a profile picture — in the top right corner of the screen. Click it and select Account Info from the menu that appears.

On the Account Info page, you'll see several tabs on the left side. Click Security. Then scroll down until you see Change Password and click that button. Yahoo will open a form asking for your current password and your new password (entered twice to confirm you typed it correctly).

What makes a password strong enough to protect your account

A strong Yahoo password is at least 12 characters long and includes uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. For example: BlueSky#2024River or Coffee$Morning7@Desk. These are strong because they mix character types and don't spell out recognizable words.

Avoid passwords based on your name, birthday, address, pet's name, or anything else someone could learn from your social media or public records. Don't reuse a password you've used for other accounts — if one service gets hacked, attackers will try that password on your Yahoo account. A password manager like Bitwarden or 1Password can generate and store strong passwords so you don't have to remember them.

Updating your password on phones and tablets

If you use the Yahoo Mail app on your phone or tablet, you may see a notification asking you to re-enter your password after you change it. This is normal. Open the app, tap your account icon, and enter your new password when prompted. If the app doesn't prompt you, you can manually sign out and sign back in with the new password.

On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings, scroll to Mail, tap Accounts, select your Yahoo account, and tap Account. You'll see a password field where you can update it. On Android, open the Gmail or Yahoo Mail app, tap your account icon, select Manage Your Google Account or Manage Your Yahoo Account, go to Security, and update the password there.

When to change your password and why

Change your Yahoo password if you think someone else knows it, if you've used the same password on multiple sites and one of those sites was hacked, or if you haven't changed it in over a year. You should also change it if you've shared your account with someone (like a family member) and no longer want them to have access, or if you've used Yahoo Mail on a public computer or a device you no longer own.

You do not need to change your password just because you received a suspicious email. Instead, report the email to Yahoo as spam or phishing. Changing your password won't stop scammers from sending you mail — it only prevents them from signing into your account if they somehow obtained your password.

What happens to your other Yahoo services when you change your password

Your Yahoo password works for all Yahoo services — Yahoo Mail, Yahoo Finance, Yahoo News, and any other Yahoo account you access with the same login. When you change your password, it changes for all of them at once. You won't be able to sign into any of these services with your old password.

If you use Yahoo Mail through a third-party app like Outlook or Apple Mail, you may need to update the password there as well. These apps store your password separately, so changing it on Yahoo's website doesn't automatically update it in the app. The app will usually prompt you to re-enter your password the next time it tries to sync, but you can also go into the app's settings and update it manually.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I do if I forgot my current password?

Go to the Yahoo sign-in page and click "Forgot password?" Yahoo will ask you to enter your email address, then send a recovery link to your backup email address or phone number. Click the link, answer a security question if you set one up, and then create a new password. This process usually takes five to ten minutes.

Can I change my password on my phone without using the app?

Yes. Open a web browser on your phone, go to mail.yahoo.com, sign in, and follow the same steps as on a computer: tap your account icon, select Account Info, go to Security, and choose Change Password. The mobile website works the same way as the desktop version.

Will changing my password sign me out of Yahoo Mail on all my devices?

No. You'll stay signed in on the device where you changed the password. On other devices, you'll stay signed in until you sign out or the app refreshes and asks for your password again. This usually happens within a few hours, but you can speed it up by manually signing out and signing back in.

What if Yahoo says my new password is too weak?

Yahoo requires passwords to be at least 8 characters, but 12 or more is much safer. If Yahoo rejects your password, it's usually because it's too short, contains only letters, or matches a common word. Try adding numbers and symbols, or make it longer. A phrase like "ILove#Coffee2024" works better than a single word.

Do I need to change my recovery email or phone number when I change my password?

No. Your recovery email and phone number are separate from your password. They stay the same unless you change them on purpose. It's actually a good idea to keep them current — Yahoo uses them to help you regain access if you forget your password or get locked out of your account.