It is always worth checking out to see if there are Help Articles in the Support Forum. This is one specifically for 'Thunderbird & Yahoo' https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/thunderbird-and-yahoo

Hi Todd-Hall,

Thanks for all this good information!! You mention about where the passwords are stored. I'm not sure I know what you mean. Is there a file or folder in the Thunderbird folder that keeps this info? I'm pretty much a novice on what goes on in a program. :-). I'm using a iMac with macOS Catalina on it. Are the passwords Application specific or Operational System specific? Over words, are the passwords stored in the OS system or the Application Folder? Appreciate the info with the link you sent!! Very, very helpful!

Dennis

Thunderbird stores passwords here: Note: Windows uses 'Options' and MAC uses 'Preferences', but otherwise same location. In version 68*

Menu app icon > Options/Preferences > Options/Preferences > Security > 'Passwords' tab Click on 'Saved Passwords' button

To show passwords - click on 'Show Passwords' button

If you ever update a password then you can edit that pasword - right click on appropriate line and select 'Edit Password'.

Note: you never need to edit an oauth token. But if experiencing an issue, it can be removed allowing the whole process to be recreated.

In version 78* Menu app icon > Options/Preferences > Privacy & Security Scroll down to 'Passwords' section Then same as above.

Hey Todd-Hall,

You are the Man!!!!:-) I checked it out and there they were. You are awesome!

Thanks for all your help!

Dennis

I followed the instructions above, shut down Thunderbird, waited about 15 minutes, and then started Thunderbird. There was a message as shown below. I have belatedly realised that I did not see a screen where the Yahoo password in the form wtql grap vffs lgtx could be entered.

This is what was said: The server does not support the selected authentication method. Please change the 'authentication method' in the 'Account settings Server settings'.

Advice would be valued.

Anshe,

Could you be a little more specific with regards to the password you couldn't see or enter? Is this your original password or something the Yahoo made up. Can you takes us from the time you opened Thunderbird mail after you made the authentication and explain exactly was took place and what messages were shown. Did you ever get log in and get your emails? What happened?

Thanks,

Dennis

Dennis, thank you for your post. I'm using Toad-Hall's post as a template.

You can do this in an existing Yahoo Pop account.

1 Right click on Yahoo mail account name in Folder Pane and select 'Settings' It opens the 'Account Settings' window Done

2 Select 'Server settings' Change 'Authentication Method: to OAuth Done

3 In left pane at bottom: Select 'Outgoing server (SMTP) to see list of outgoing servers Select the Yahoo outgoing server and click on 'Edit' Done

4 It will show the User name as email address, just so you know which one you are changing Change 'Authentication Method: to OAuth Click on OK Then click on OK to save and close Account Settings Done

5 Exit Thunderbird and allow a few moments for background processes to complete Start Thunderbird and you will get the Yahoo prompt saying Thunderbird wants access, complete the form and it will set up the token. Now that I have gone through the steps I can see where the process fell over. I shut down Thunderbird for about 15 minutes, then started it. There was no Yahoo prompt about Thunderbird access. I do not know why this is so.

Hi Anshe,

Thanks for getting back so quickly! Thanks for the info. So, if I read this correctly, even though you didn't get the prompt about Thunderbird access, you were still able to log in and get your emails, and the Authentication worked for you? Sorry for being so unsure on this ...

Dennis

re : I have belatedly realised that I did not see a screen where the Yahoo password in the form wtql grap vffs lgtx could be entered.

That is an unusual normal password; it looks more like an app specific generated password. Did you create an app specific password in Yahoo? If yes, then app specific passwords do not work with Authentication Method: OAuth2. You would still use Authentication Method: 'Normal Password' option, but when prompted to enter password, then you enter the app specific generated password instead of the normal password.

If you want to use OAuth2 then you need to access webmail and remove the option to use app specific passwords.

If using OAuth2, then the yahoo prompt appears in a browser not in thunderbird.

There were computer problems in the last 24 hours. It never rains, it pours. One good aspect is that Yahoo have allowed time to sort out their poor instructions. Another is that I became very cautious when I saw the word "remove" in the red oval.

Zeetoe25, the OAuth2 did not work and I had to set "Normal password" in Thunderbird to send and receive emails.

Toad-Hall, the password is one generated by Yahoo as shown in the screen shot. The red box is badly worded as it does not sat which app. I was not prompted anywhere to use the password, and do not know where this is done. I cannot find a screen anywhere in Thunderbird that has a password field. I have a vague recollection of entering a password, but cannot recall where this is.

You said to access webmail but I do not know what this means. Can you please explain? Thanks.

Hi Anshe, Thanks for letting me know that it didn't work for you, and that you could get your emails by using Normal Password. Sorry to hear you're having so many problems. It's a shame that Yahoo can't get their stuff together before they send out a message to change stuff. Oh, and give us bad information also. You get to your WebMail by opening your internet browser and at the top typing in www.yahoo.com and hitting enter or okay which ever shows up in your browser. You'll then see the Yahoo home page. At the top right hand corner of the web page, you'll see "Mail". Click on that and it will take you to your Yahoo Web Mail system. You'll see your inbox, sent box, trash and etc. If you click on the Gear Icon at the top, that will take you to your set up information and profile. Note, you may have to sign in again with your user name and password. Good Luck and please keep us posted on your progress! I haven't changed over yet so I'm waiting to hear how others, including yourself, make out with the new OAuth2 sign in. Dennis

In Anshe's case: Regarding the second image: I do not know how many times I need to repeat this information, but it will be the last. Yahoo's advice is not the best of advise.

If you use an IMAP mail account in Thunderbird then removing it and reinstalling it should not be a problem because imap mail accounts store all emails on server, but it is unnecessary. If you do remove and create again, by default, Thunderbird will set up an IMAP account using OAuth, so at some point you will get prompted to enter your normal password to prove you are you. That is NOT an app generated password.

If you use a POP account then do not remove the account because it would mean needing to recover emails. See info posted for the original postee.

Whether IMAP or POP, it is not necessary to remove an already existing gmail mail account as you are only needing to change the password.

Note: if for some reason you did remove a POP account in Thunderbird : When creating the new account, Thunderbird will look for IMAP settings with OAuth by default, so if you need to create a POP account then be sure to double check the configuration settings before clicking on Done to create the account.

'Anshe' has Not opted to use OAuth2, so does not need to change the Authentication Method. It should remain as 'Normal Password'. But if recreating the mail account, they should double check it is set as 'Normal Password'. This person opted to follow Yahoo's Option 3 in the email which was to generate an app specific password which they would use instead of their Normal Pasword. It is not an OAuth2 token. See first image posted by Anshe.

So if using Option 3 according to Yahoo... In this case: 'Authentication Method' is 'Normal Password'. Now change the stored password to use the 'app generated password'. To do this: Either: Edit the stored password to say the app generated password Or: remove the stored password and then restart Thunderbird. At which point Thunderbird will try to access server and request the password. Then you enter the app generated password and make sure the checkbox to remember the password is selected before clicking on OK.

REgarding where Thunderbird stores passwords. In a previous comment, I have already stated where to locate the Thunderbird stored passwords.

Webmail: In the email you received from Yahoo, Option 1 is using webmail. You logon to your gmail account via a browser using your normal password.

A few points need to be clarified. I am not following Yahoo's advice. The method I am following was posted by Toad-Hall, and as advised on 5 September this did not work

Me 5 Exit Thunderbird and allow a few moments for background processes to complete Start Thunderbird and you will get the Yahoo prompt saying Thunderbird wants access, complete the form and it will set up the token. Now that I have gone through the steps I can see where the process fell over. I shut down Thunderbird for about 15 minutes, then started it. There was no Yahoo prompt about Thunderbird access. I do not know why this is so.

Toad-Hall If you want to use OAuth2 then you need to access webmail and remove the option to use app specific passwords.

Comment I want to use OAuth2 as this is the step that Toad-Hall said to use.

zeetoe25 You get to your WebMail by opening your internet browser and at the top typing in www.yahoo.com and hitting enter or okay which ever shows up in your browser. You'll then see the Yahoo home page. At the top right hand corner of the web page, you'll see "Mail". Click on that and it will take you to your Yahoo Web Mail system. You'll see your inbox, sent box, trash and etc. If you click on the Gear Icon at the top, that will take you to your set up information and profile. Note, you may have to sign in again with your user name and password.

Comment Thanks. The terminology is sometimes unknown to me. I am familiar with the Yahoo website. I cannot see a profile folder. The screen shot below has the details. Below Contacts there's a list About Yahoo email, about our ads, feedback, privacy, terms. That is, I cannot locate the setup information.

Toad-Hall In Anshe's case: Regarding the second image: I do not know how many times I need to repeat this information, but it will be the last. Yahoo's advice is not the best of advise.

'Anshe' has Not opted to use OAuth2, so does not need to change the Authentication Method. It should remain as 'Normal Password'. But if recreating the mail account, they should double check it is set as 'Normal Password'. This person opted to follow Yahoo's Option 3 in the email which was to generate an app specific password which they would use instead of their Normal Pasword. It is not an OAuth2 token. See first image posted by Anshe.

Comment My apologies. I'm finding this extraordinarily complicated and have not explained matters properly. I started by following the Yahoo advice but stopped when they used a word I did not like, may have been remove. After that I said "I'm using Toad-Hall's post as a template." Hence, I'm attempting to use OAuth2, but the steps at confusing.

Now I cannot find the setup screen in the webmail page.

Summary 1 I want to use OAuth2 as this is what Toad-Hall says to use. 2 I cannot find the setup screen in Yahoo webmail. 3 It seems that once I can locate the setup it will be possible to remove the option to use app specific passwords and proceed. It is unclear if I can use the same password or have to create another.

I am still unable to find the setup menu or determine if the same passwords should be used, and advice is sought. TIA.

re :The method I am following was posted by Toad-Hall, and as advised on 5 September this did not work

It did not work because you had set up to use an app specific password and tried to use it. You cannot use an app specific password when trying to set up to use OAuth. You mentioned the password in an earlier comment and that was not a normal password, it had the format of a generated app specific password.. You had created an app specific password which is exactly the same as the advice Yahoo mentioned in their email under option3.

You cannot use OAuth if you have already elected to use an app specific password. You need to revoke the app specific password which you created. https://help.yahoo.com/kb/generate-third-party-passwords-sln15241.html

Then, in Thunderbird create the yahoo mail account as imap using Authentication Method : OAuth2 Once created, yahoo will prompt you - it opens in a browser - yahoo will want to to logon. Use your normal password.

I'm back to ask a question. Following the instructions here, I went to the server settings page for Yahoo and found that I had a POP account. I then that my authentication is OAuth2. How would I go about changing that to the new OAuth? I'd much rather follow a clear set of A, B, C instructions, which have been provided here, but want to make sure about the authentication change.

I checked today because I received an email today from Yahoo about making the change. After the first email, I did something, but can't remember what. Since both my POP and SMTP show Oauth2 authentication, have I done what is necessary not to get cut off from T'Bird on October 20? If I have, why did Yahoo send me the security email?

What I really don't remember is whether I ever received the Yahoo popup asking me to login on their site to create the key. So I have no idea if I'm set with them or not.

vineyridge re:Since both my POP and SMTP show Oauth2 authentication, If you are already using OAuth then you should not have any problems because that is using yahoo's 'Safe mode' already. It is likely you got the email purely because you had settings to download via pop or imap, so yahoo may have assumed you might not be using up to date OAuth.

re :What I really don't remember is whether I ever received the Yahoo popup asking me to login on their site to create the key.

You can check that in your saved passwords. It should have a line that mentions OAuth.

My variant of the issue: upon clicking "done" thunderbird opened a browserlike page (but active application still was thunderbird) requesting me to log into my yahoo mail account (looked much like yahoo mail login via browser). When I tried to so, I got an error requesting me to set "my browser" to allow cookies and then try again. However I'm not aware of any cookie management features in thunderbird nor that I had blocked cookies in my default browser firefox. (mac OS 10.15, thunderbird 68.11, firefox 79.0)

On my thunderbird I do it through menus <EDIT>/<Preferences> then click on accept cookies from sites.

I'm struggling with this process. Before I could do this: 3 In left pane at bottom: Select 'Outgoing server (SMTP) to see list of outgoing servers Select the Yahoo outgoing server and click on 'Edit' Now I find that there is no "Yahoo outgoing" option. It may be the one at the top of the screen shot. Clarification of this point is sought.

I had not set an app specific password or tried to use it. I generated a password in the form XXX FFF DDD HHH. I did not use this, did not log on with the Yahoo method that said to use this. I ceased using the Yahoo method a while ago and have been following the Toad-Hall method as best I can.

The password in the Yahoo manage app password screen is in the form Alphanumeric1234, one I created. This is in the lower yellow box on the security screen below. It is getting to the stage that Yahoo is no longer worth it. Gmail is simpler.