The fastest way to log out depends on what you're using
On a computer, click your profile picture or initial in the top right corner of Yahoo Mail, then select "Sign out" from the menu that appears. On a phone or tablet, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left, scroll down, and tap "Sign out". If you're on a shared device, always log out when you're done — leaving yourself signed in means anyone with access to that device can read your email.
The exact location of the sign-out button varies slightly depending on whether you're using Yahoo Mail on the web, the Yahoo Mail app for iPhone or Android, or Yahoo Mail through another email client like Outlook or Apple Mail. The steps below cover the most common scenarios.
Key Takeaways
- On a computer, click your profile picture in the top right corner and select "Sign out" from the dropdown menu.
- On a phone, open the menu (three lines icon) and scroll to find "Sign out" at the bottom of the list.
- If you use Yahoo Mail through Outlook, Gmail, or Apple Mail, you may need to remove your account from that app's settings instead of signing out within Yahoo.
- Logging out on a shared device protects your email from being read by other people who use that computer or phone.
Signing out on a web browser
Open Yahoo Mail in your browser and look for your profile picture or the first letter of your name in a circle, located in the top right corner of the screen. Click it once. A small menu will drop down with a few options.
Select "Sign out" from that menu. Yahoo will when ready end your session, and the next time someone visits Yahoo Mail on that browser, they will see the login screen instead of your inbox. If you don't see a profile picture, look for a gear icon (settings) in the top right — click that and look for a sign-out option in the menu that appears.
Signing out on the Yahoo Mail app for iPhone or Android
Open the Yahoo Mail app and tap the menu icon at the top left (three horizontal lines stacked on top of each other). Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the menu. You will see "Sign out" as one of the last options. Tap it, and the app will log you out when ready.
After you sign out, the app will return to the login screen. The next time you open the app, you will need to enter your Yahoo email address and password again. If you want to remove the Yahoo Mail app from your phone entirely without signing out first, you can delete the app from your home screen — but signing out first is the safer choice on a shared device.
Signing out when Yahoo Mail is connected to another email app
If you use Yahoo Mail through Outlook, Gmail, Apple Mail, or another email client, signing out of Yahoo Mail's website won't sign you out of that app. Instead, you need to remove your Yahoo account from the other app's settings.
In Outlook on a computer, go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings, find your Yahoo account in the list, select it, and click "Remove". On an iPhone using Apple Mail, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts, tap your Yahoo account, and select "Delete Account". On Android using Gmail, open Gmail, tap your profile picture, select "Manage your Google Account", go to the Security tab, scroll to "Your connected apps and sites", find Yahoo Mail, and tap "Remove access". Each app handles this differently, so check the app's help section if you can't find the account settings.
What happens after you sign out
Once you sign out, your email remains on Yahoo's servers — signing out doesn't delete anything. It straightforward ends your current session on that device. If someone else logs into Yahoo Mail on the same computer or phone using their own account, they will see their own inbox, not yours.
If you sign out and then want to check your email again, you will need to log back in with your Yahoo email address and password. If you have two-step verification turned on (which is a good security practice), you may also need to enter a code sent to your phone or generated by an authenticator app.
Why you should sign out on shared devices
On a computer or phone that multiple people use — like a family computer, a work device, or a tablet in a shared space — leaving yourself signed into Yahoo Mail means anyone who picks up that device can open your email, read your messages, and potentially send emails from your account. This is especially risky if your email is connected to banking, shopping, or other sensitive accounts.
Signing out takes five seconds and prevents someone from accidentally (or intentionally) accessing your private messages. On a device only you use, signing out is less critical for security, but it's still a good habit to build.
If you can't find the sign-out button
Yahoo occasionally updates the location of buttons and menus. If you can't find "Sign out" where this article says it should be, try these alternatives: look for a gear icon or settings icon in the top right corner and click it; check the top left corner for a menu icon (three lines); or try clicking on your email address if it appears anywhere on the screen.
If none of these work, you can also sign out by visiting the Yahoo Account Security page at account.yahoo.com, signing in if needed, and looking for an option to "Sign out of all sessions" or "End all sessions". This will log you out everywhere at once — on your computer, phone, and any other device where you're currently signed in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does signing out delete my emails?
No. Signing out only ends your session on that device. All your emails stay on Yahoo's servers. When you sign back in with your password, you will see all your messages exactly as you left them.
What if I forget to sign out on a public computer?
Go to the Yahoo Account Security page at account.yahoo.com from any other device, sign in, and look for "Sign out of all sessions" or "End all sessions". This will log you out everywhere at once, including the public computer you forgot about.
Can I sign out of Yahoo Mail without signing out of other Yahoo services?
Not easily. When you sign out of Yahoo Mail, you typically sign out of your entire Yahoo account, which includes Yahoo News, Yahoo Finance, and other Yahoo services. If you want to stay signed into other Yahoo services but sign out of Mail, your best option is to use a separate browser or private browsing window for Mail only.
Why does Yahoo Mail keep signing me out automatically?
Yahoo automatically signs you out after a period of inactivity (usually 30 days) for security reasons. If this happens frequently, check whether you have multiple tabs or windows open — sometimes Yahoo signs you out in one tab if you sign in somewhere else. You can also check your account security settings to see if anything unusual is happening.
Do I need to sign out if I'm the only one who uses my device?
It's not strictly necessary for security, but it's still a good habit. Signing out protects you if your device is lost or stolen, and it ensures that if someone gains temporary access to your computer, they can't when ready read your email.