# Yahoo Mail forwarding: setup, cost and options without Mail Plus

> Forward Yahoo Mail automatically: what Mail Plus costs, how to set up and stop auto-forwarding, and what works on a free account, such as IMAP.

Updated: 2026-11-02 · Fact-checked: 2026-11-02 · Canonical: https://commandmail.app/en/guides/yahoo-mail-forwarding · Deutsch: https://commandmail.app/de/anleitungen/yahoo-mail-weiterleitung-einrichten.md

This guide answers three questions: can you forward Yahoo Mail automatically, what does it cost, and how do you set it up. Short version: auto-forwarding is part of Yahoo Mail Plus, and you turn it on in a desktop browser under Settings, then Mailboxes[^1][^3]. A free account leaves you a couple of options that aren't real forwarding but cover many cases.

Command Mail is our product and appears here as one possible destination. The Yahoo steps follow Yahoo's help pages as of November 2, 2026; this guide doesn't claim a run-through with a real Yahoo account.

## The short answer

1. Yahoo says you need to upgrade to Yahoo Mail Plus to use forwarding; the Mail Plus page shows $5 a month with a 14-day free trial[^1][^3].
2. With Mail Plus, open Yahoo Mail in a desktop browser, go to More options → Settings → Mailboxes, choose the primary mailbox and enter the destination under "Auto-forwarding"[^1].
3. Click Verify, sign in to the destination account and follow the instructions Yahoo sent there[^1].
4. Without a subscription, you can forward single messages by hand or read the mailbox in another app over IMAP[^7][^10].

## Does Yahoo Mail charge for forwarding?

Yes. Automatic forwarding is a Yahoo Mail Plus feature. Yahoo's setup article opens by telling you to upgrade to Mail Plus to use the forwarding feature in your settings[^1]. Yahoo's comparison of the free Standard plan and Plus lists auto-forwarding under Plus only[^3].

On November 2, 2026, the Mail Plus page shows $5 a month and a 14-day free trial; cancel before the trial ends if you don't want to pay the recurring fee[^3]. The same page lists other Plus features, including ad-free email, up to 500 temporary addresses and a "continuous account" that doesn't expire during long periods of inactivity[^3].

Yahoo names two limits itself. Forwarding isn't available in all locales; if the option isn't in your account, it's not available at this time[^1]. And Yahoo says Mail Plus isn't available in all regions[^11].

Yahoo discontinued all subscriptions except Mail Plus, Mail Storage, Fantasy Plus and Finance starting December 13, 2025[^4]. That includes the former Access + Forwarding subscription; for people who had it, Yahoo points to Mail Plus, which includes automatic forwarding[^4].

## Which option fits what you need?

Pick based on one question: should new mail go to another address on its own, or is reading your Yahoo mailbox somewhere else enough?

| Goal | How | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Send all new mail to another address automatically | Mail Plus, then Settings → Mailboxes → "Auto-forwarding"[^1] | Paid, not in all locales, set up on desktop[^1][^3] |
| Forward only certain messages automatically | No method in Yahoo's help | Filters only sort mail into a folder or the trash[^5] |
| Send a single message to someone | Open it → Forward icon[^10] | Free, but manual every time |
| Read Yahoo in another email app | IMAP with an app password[^7][^8] | No subscription needed; changes in the app also happen in Yahoo[^7] |
| Take old mail with you once | Download over IMAP into an email app[^9] | Can take several days for large accounts[^9] |

## What you need first

For automatic forwarding you need a Yahoo account with Mail Plus and a computer with a browser. Yahoo only describes the setup in Yahoo Mail on desktop[^1], and the Mail Plus page says to set up auto-forwarding through your desktop computer's email settings[^3].

You also need access to the destination mailbox. Yahoo sends instructions there, and you have to follow them before forwarding starts[^1].

## Set up Yahoo Mail forwarding step by step

The steps and labels follow Yahoo's article for New Yahoo Mail[^1].

1. Open Yahoo Mail in your desktop browser.
2. Click the More options icon and select Settings.
3. Click Mailboxes.
4. Under "Mailbox list," click the primary mailbox account.
5. Under "Auto-forwarding," enter the forwarding address.
6. Click Verify.
7. Sign in to the email account you're forwarding to and follow the instructions Yahoo sent there.

Yahoo's article names one forwarding address[^1]. It doesn't describe a way to send the same message to several destinations automatically.

Still on the old version of Yahoo Mail for desktop? The path is a little different: Settings, More Settings, Mailboxes, then the primary mailbox account; enter the Forwarding Address under "Forwarding" and click Verify[^2]. That version also requires the Mail Plus upgrade[^2].

## Can you forward only some emails?

Yahoo's help doesn't describe forwarding for only certain senders or subjects. Yahoo Mail does have filters, up to 500 of them, but according to Yahoo they sort new mail into a folder or the trash[^5]. When you create one, you choose or create a folder for the matching mail[^5].

Proton, which runs its own email service, says in its July 2026 guide that Yahoo Mail doesn't support conditional auto-forwarding for only certain senders or subjects[^13]. If that's what you need, Yahoo's filters won't do it.

## Can you set up forwarding in the Yahoo Mail app?

Yahoo describes the setup only in a desktop browser[^1]. The Mail Plus page states that auto-forwarding is set up through your desktop computer's email settings[^3].

You can buy and manage a Mail Plus subscription through the App Store or Google Play, according to Yahoo[^3]. The forwarding itself still gets set up on a computer. After that it runs on Yahoo's side, whether you read your mail in the app, in a browser or not at all.

## Free options without Mail Plus

A free Yahoo account has no automatic forwarding, but two free methods each solve part of the problem. Neither sends new mail to another address on its own.

**Forward single messages by hand.** Open the email, click the Forward icon, type the recipient and click Send[^10]. It's free, and it only works one message at a time.

**Read the mailbox in another app over IMAP.** Yahoo's settings are imap.mail.yahoo.com on port 993 with SSL for incoming mail, and smtp.mail.yahoo.com on port 465 or 587 for outgoing mail[^7]. Use an app password instead of your regular password[^7]. IMAP is two-way sync: whatever you move or delete in the app also happens in your Yahoo mailbox[^7].

To get an app password, sign in to your Yahoo Account Security page and click Create app password under "External connections"[^8]. Yahoo recommends a browser you've used to sign in to Yahoo for several days in a row, and no Incognito mode[^8]. App passwords keep working even after you change your main password; to stop one, delete it[^8].

### What about having Gmail fetch Yahoo mail?

Gmail used to pull mail from other accounts over POP, with no forwarding needed on the other side. Google says this isn't available to new users after the first quarter of 2026, and existing users can keep using it until January 2027[^12]. As replacements, Google names automatic forwarding at the other provider or adding the other account in the Gmail app for Android, iPhone or iPad[^12].

For Yahoo, that means automatic forwarding to Gmail needs Mail Plus[^1]. On a free account you can add Yahoo to the Gmail app and read it there, as Google describes[^12].

## Moving your old emails

Auto-forwarding sends copies of incoming messages[^1], so mail already in your mailbox stays where it is. Yahoo says it isn't possible to transfer your entire inbox, and points to backing up email in an app such as Outlook or Mac Mail[^16].

For a one-time download, Yahoo gives a separate IMAP server: export.imap.mail.yahoo.com on port 993 with SSL[^9]. Yahoo adds three cautions:

- If your app asks whether to "keep mail on the server," choose yes, or your email will be deleted from your account as it downloads[^9].
- Some apps only download a preview until you open a message; set the app to download full contents for offline use[^9].
- Folders with roughly 100,000 or more emails may not download completely; move some mail to a new folder first[^9].

For accounts with a lot of content, the download can take several days or longer[^9].

## Turn off Yahoo Mail forwarding

Yahoo's setup article doesn't describe how to turn forwarding off through the mailbox settings. The setting is in the same place you set it up, under Settings, then Mailboxes, on the primary mailbox[^1]. Proton's guide says to go back there and remove the forwarding address[^13].

If you didn't set up forwarding yourself, Yahoo describes an alert for that case. After forwarding is set up, you see an alert when you sign in; if it wasn't you, click Disable Forwarding and follow the prompts to turn it off and change your password[^6]. Yahoo says these alerts are only available with a Mail Plus subscription[^6].

What happens to existing forwarding when a Mail Plus subscription ends isn't described by Yahoo. After cancelling, send a test message and check whether anything still reaches the destination.

## Keep your Yahoo mailbox from going inactive

If you only forward or read Yahoo over IMAP, know Yahoo's inactivity rule. A mailbox you don't access for 12 months becomes inactive: it stops receiving new email, and Yahoo permanently deletes all emails, folders, contacts and mailbox settings[^11]. Yahoo sends reminders 90, 60 and 30 days ahead, to your Yahoo mailbox and to your alternative email address if you've added one[^11].

Signing in to your Yahoo account alone doesn't count; you have to open the mailbox[^11]. While a Mail Plus subscription is active, Yahoo won't delete your mailbox for inactivity[^11]. Yahoo doesn't say whether IMAP access from another app counts as mailbox activity, so open Yahoo Mail in a browser at least once a year.

## Forward Yahoo Mail to Command Mail

Command Mail brings several of your own addresses into one inbox, where your AI agent works with the permissions you grant[^14][^15]. Mail arrives there by forwarding, and every connected address gets its own private intake address[^14]. That's why Yahoo needs Mail Plus here; according to the app code, Command Mail doesn't fetch mailboxes over IMAP.

1. Connect your Yahoo address in Command Mail. During first-time setup, enter your address on "Connect a mailbox" and click "Connect". The "Set up forwarding" page shows your private intake address under "Forward to" with a "Copy" button. To add more addresses later, go to Settings → Connections, use "Connect a mailbox" and copy the intake address next to the connected address.
2. In Yahoo Mail, enter the intake address under Settings → Mailboxes → primary mailbox → "Auto-forwarding" and click Verify[^1].
3. Yahoo's verification instructions go to your private intake address[^1]. Open Yahoo's verification email in your Command Mail inbox and follow the instructions. If it's missing, setup isn't complete yet.
4. Then send a test message from another account to your Yahoo address and check that it arrives in Command Mail.

Step 4 matters because, according to the app code, Command Mail only excludes Google's confirmation email from counting as received mail. Yahoo's verification message can set "Last mail" before forwarding actually works.

If your agent has the `mailboxes` permission, it can connect the address itself and tell you the intake address[^14]. The setup guidance Command Mail gives the agent covers Gmail, Outlook.com and custom domains according to the app code, but not Yahoo, so do the Yahoo step yourself with this guide.

Forwarding delivers copies. What you or your agent sort, archive or read in Command Mail doesn't change your Yahoo mailbox[^14]. Free covers one address, the last 90 days and no sending[^15]. Sending starts with Pro, which the plan overview lists at €19 a month for the first 100 paying Pro accounts for as long as their subscription runs, and €29 after that[^15].

Sending is set up separately for each sender address[^14]. For addresses ending in yahoo.com or yahoo.de, Command Mail pre-fills smtp.mail.yahoo.com on port 465 for a new sending setup, according to the app code, and links "Create an app password at Yahoo" to Yahoo's account security page; create the app password as described above[^8].

Older mail doesn't come along with forwarding. Command Mail imports MBOX and EML exports once through the CLI, without ongoing sync[^14]. First download your Yahoo mail into an email app through the export server[^9]; how you get an MBOX or EML file out of that app depends on the app. According to the app code, the CLI only reads files ending in .mbox or .eml when you give it a folder. Check first with `commandmail import <path> --mailbox you@yahoo.com --dry-run`; the CLI reports how many messages it found without uploading anything.

## Check that it works

Send a test message from another address to your Yahoo address. It should show up at the destination, since auto-forwarding sends a copy of each incoming message[^1]. Yahoo doesn't say how quickly the copy arrives.

In Command Mail, Settings → Connections shows "Last mail" with a date and time next to the address once mail has arrived. Because Yahoo's verification message can already set that value, your test message in the inbox is what counts.

## Common problems and fixes

**There's no "Auto-forwarding" option.** Without Mail Plus it isn't available[^1]. If you have Mail Plus and still don't see it, Yahoo says it's not available in your locale at this time[^1].

**Mail Plus isn't offered to you.** Yahoo says Mail Plus isn't available in all regions; if you don't see the option in your account, it isn't currently available where you are[^11].

**Nothing arrives.** Make sure you followed the instructions Yahoo sent to the destination; forwarding starts only after that[^1]. Check the address under Settings → Mailboxes character by character[^1].

**A filter doesn't forward.** Yahoo filters only sort mail into a folder or the trash[^5]. Use "Auto-forwarding" for forwarding.

**Your email app rejects the password.** IMAP needs an app password, not your regular password[^7]. If Yahoo won't let you create one, use a browser you've signed in with for several days in a row, and not Incognito mode[^8].

**Old messages are missing from the download.** Set the app to download full message contents, and split folders with 100,000 or more emails[^9].

**Command Mail shows "Last mail," but your test message is missing.** That value may come from Yahoo's verification message. Check in Yahoo that you finished verification, then send a new test message.

## Next steps

Start by checking under Settings → Mailboxes whether your account offers auto-forwarding[^1]. To bring several addresses together, read [All your email addresses in one inbox](https://commandmail.app/en/guides/all-addresses-one-inbox); for other providers there are [Gmail forwarding](https://commandmail.app/en/guides/gmail-forwarding), [Outlook forwarding](https://commandmail.app/en/guides/outlook-forwarding) and [iCloud Mail forwarding](https://commandmail.app/en/guides/icloud-mail-forwarding).

[Start Command Mail for free](https://commandmail.app/login?signup=1), forward your Yahoo address and connect your agent.

## Sources and date

As of November 2, 2026. Yahoo's and Google's help pages, the Mail Plus page, Proton's guide[^13] and Command Mail's pages were retrieved that day. Statements about intake by forwarding without IMAP fetching, the "Last mail" display, the agent setup guidance, the pre-filled Yahoo outgoing server and how export folders are read also rely on the app code at commit `89ee733` (`src/lib/server/intake.ts`, `cloudflare-inbound.ts`, `mailbox-setup.ts`, `src/lib/mail/smtp-presets.ts`, `src/lib/components/SendingSetup.svelte`, `cli/mail-export.ts`, `cli/main.ts`, `src/routes/onboarding/+page.svelte`, `SettingsPage.svelte`, `messages/en.json`). This guide doesn't claim a run-through with a real Yahoo account.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Yahoo Mail forwarding free?

Not automatic forwarding. Yahoo's help says to upgrade to Yahoo Mail Plus to use the forwarding feature, and Yahoo's comparison table lists auto-forwarding under Plus only. On a free account you can still forward single messages by hand or read the mailbox in another email app over IMAP with an app password; neither one forwards new mail by itself.

### How much does Yahoo Mail Plus cost?

On November 2, 2026, Yahoo's Mail Plus page shows $5 a month and a 14-day free trial; cancel before the trial ends to avoid the recurring fee. Yahoo also says Mail Plus isn't available in all regions.

### Can a Yahoo filter forward only certain emails?

Yahoo's filter help only names a folder or the trash as the destination for a filter; it describes no forwarding action. Proton's July 2026 guide also says Yahoo Mail doesn't support conditional auto-forwarding for only certain senders or subjects.

### Can I set up forwarding in the Yahoo Mail app?

Yahoo describes the setup in Yahoo Mail on a desktop browser, and the Mail Plus page says to set up auto-forwarding through your desktop computer's email settings. Use a computer for it; forwarding then runs on Yahoo's side.

### How do I turn off Yahoo Mail forwarding?

Yahoo's setup article doesn't describe how to turn forwarding off through the mailbox settings. The setting sits under Settings, Mailboxes, on the primary mailbox, and Proton's guide says to remove the forwarding address there. Send a test message afterwards to confirm nothing reaches the old destination.

## Sources

1. [Yahoo Help: Enable automatic email forwarding in New Yahoo Mail](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN36684.html), accessed 2026-11-02
2. [Yahoo Help: Enable automatic email forwarding in Yahoo Mail (old version for desktop)](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/mail/SLN22028.html), accessed 2026-11-02
3. [Yahoo Mail Plus: features, price and free trial](https://mail.yahoo.com/plus/mail), accessed 2026-11-02
4. [Yahoo Help: Some Yahoo subscriptions have been discontinued](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN36185.html), accessed 2026-11-02
5. [Yahoo Help: Use filters to organize in New Yahoo Mail](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN36699.html), accessed 2026-11-02
6. [Yahoo Help: Additional security features in Yahoo Mail (Mail Forwarding alerts)](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN29297.html), accessed 2026-11-02
7. [Yahoo Help: IMAP server settings for Yahoo Mail](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN4075.html), accessed 2026-11-02
8. [Yahoo Help: Generate and manage 3rd-party app passwords](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN15241.html), accessed 2026-11-02
9. [Yahoo Help: Download your email from Yahoo Mail with IMAP](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN28681.html), accessed 2026-11-02
10. [Yahoo Help: Create, reply to and forward messages in New Yahoo Mail](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN36689.html), accessed 2026-11-02
11. [Yahoo Help: Inactive mailboxes in Yahoo Mail](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN29338.html), accessed 2026-11-02
12. [Google Help: Learn about upcoming changes to Gmailify and POP in Gmail](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/16604719?hl=en), accessed 2026-11-02
13. [Proton: How to forward emails in Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and Proton Mail (July 23, 2026)](https://proton.me/blog/how-to-forward-emails), accessed 2026-11-02
14. [Command Mail: documentation, sections on forwarding addresses and importing existing mail](https://commandmail.app/en/docs), accessed 2026-11-02
15. [Command Mail: plans and agent permissions](https://commandmail.app/llms.txt), accessed 2026-11-02
16. [Yahoo Help: Transfer emails and contacts between accounts in New Yahoo Mail](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN36731.html), accessed 2026-11-02

[^1]: [Yahoo Help: Enable automatic email forwarding in New Yahoo Mail](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN36684.html), accessed 2026-11-02
[^2]: [Yahoo Help: Enable automatic email forwarding in Yahoo Mail (old version for desktop)](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/mail/SLN22028.html), accessed 2026-11-02
[^3]: [Yahoo Mail Plus: features, price and free trial](https://mail.yahoo.com/plus/mail), accessed 2026-11-02
[^4]: [Yahoo Help: Some Yahoo subscriptions have been discontinued](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN36185.html), accessed 2026-11-02
[^5]: [Yahoo Help: Use filters to organize in New Yahoo Mail](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN36699.html), accessed 2026-11-02
[^6]: [Yahoo Help: Additional security features in Yahoo Mail (Mail Forwarding alerts)](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN29297.html), accessed 2026-11-02
[^7]: [Yahoo Help: IMAP server settings for Yahoo Mail](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN4075.html), accessed 2026-11-02
[^8]: [Yahoo Help: Generate and manage 3rd-party app passwords](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN15241.html), accessed 2026-11-02
[^9]: [Yahoo Help: Download your email from Yahoo Mail with IMAP](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN28681.html), accessed 2026-11-02
[^10]: [Yahoo Help: Create, reply to and forward messages in New Yahoo Mail](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN36689.html), accessed 2026-11-02
[^11]: [Yahoo Help: Inactive mailboxes in Yahoo Mail](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN29338.html), accessed 2026-11-02
[^12]: [Google Help: Learn about upcoming changes to Gmailify and POP in Gmail](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/16604719?hl=en), accessed 2026-11-02
[^13]: [Proton: How to forward emails in Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and Proton Mail (July 23, 2026)](https://proton.me/blog/how-to-forward-emails), accessed 2026-11-02
[^14]: [Command Mail: documentation, sections on forwarding addresses and importing existing mail](https://commandmail.app/en/docs), accessed 2026-11-02
[^15]: [Command Mail: plans and agent permissions](https://commandmail.app/llms.txt), accessed 2026-11-02
[^16]: [Yahoo Help: Transfer emails and contacts between accounts in New Yahoo Mail](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN36731.html), accessed 2026-11-02

---

Command Mail: one inbox for you and your AI agent. Start free: https://commandmail.app/login?signup=1 · Connect your agent: https://commandmail.app/en/agents · MCP: https://commandmail.app/mcp