Backing up your Yahoo Mail is important if you want to protect your messages from accidental deletion, hacking, storage issues, or account lockouts. Whether you’re a regular user, a student, or a professional, keeping an offline copy of your emails ensures your data stays safe and accessible anytime.
This guide covers all working methods to download and save your Yahoo emails on your computer, including the easiest and most reliable option.
Why You Should Back Up Yahoo Mail?
Yahoo accounts can face many issues, such as:
Unexpected deletion of emails
Hacking or unauthorized login
Yahoo account lockout
Mailbox storage full
Server or sync problems
Having a backup means you never lose important messages, documents, or attachments.
Method 1: Backup Yahoo Emails Using an Email Backup Tool (Fastest & Easiest)
The most reliable way to save all Yahoo emails is to use a dedicated tool. A popular option is Advik Yahoo Backup Tool, which helps you download your full Yahoo mailbox directly to your PC in formats like PST, MBOX, EML, PDF, MSG, and more.
Why this method is recommended:
No technical setup
Downloads entire mailbox at once
Saves emails with attachments and folder structure
Very fast compared to manual methods
Works on Windows & Mac
Steps to Back Up Yahoo Mail Using Advik:
Install Advik Yahoo Backup Tool on your computer
Log in using your Yahoo Mail ID and app password
Select the folders you want (Inbox, Sent, All Mail, etc.)
Choose the output format (PST, MBOX, EML, PDF, etc.)
Choose a location on your PC
Click Start Backup
The tool will download everything safely and create a clean offline backup of your Yahoo emails.
Method 2: Download Yahoo Emails using Outlook or Thunderbird (IMAP Method)
You can also back up Yahoo Mail by adding it to an email client such as Outlook or Thunderbird.
Steps (General):
Enable IMAP in Yahoo Mail
Generate an App Password
Add your Yahoo account in Outlook/Thunderbird
Let your mailbox sync
Export the mailbox
PST for Outlook
MBOX for Thunderbird
Limitations:
Slow syncing for large mailboxes
Attachments may not download properly
Requires manual export
Takes more time and system resources
This method works, but it’s not ideal for large or old mailboxes.
Method 3: Save Yahoo Emails as PDF (Manual Method)
If you only need a few important emails, you can save them manually as PDF.
Steps:
Open the email in Yahoo Mail
Click Print
Choose Save as PDF
Save it to your computer
Limitations:
Not suitable for hundreds or thousands of emails
Attachments won’t download automatically
Best only for small, selective backups.
If you need a complete, safe, and quick backup of all Yahoo emails, using a backup tool is the best option.
Final Thoughts
Backing up your Yahoo emails is essential to keep your data protected. While manual methods work for small tasks, a tool like Advik Yahoo Backup Tool offers the simplest and fastest way to back up your entire Yahoo Mail account in 2025.