Did you originally have a POP or IMAP account? If you deleted a POP acount: The pop mail account name folder should still be in the profile. ~/.thunderbird/<Profile name>/Mail/pop mail account name folder It will contain mbox text files that contain emails. The mbox files have same name as the folder but do not have any extension. These mbox files can be copy/pasted into this location: ~/.thunderbird/<Profile name>/Mail/Local Folders

If you have any *.sbd folders, then they are created because you had subfolders and these .sbd folders may also contain mbox files.

Please do the copy pasting while Thunderbird is not running. Then start Thunderbird and those folders should reappear in your 'Local Folders' folder.

The new mail account yahoo is talking about is likely to be an imap mail account that uses 'Authentication Method: OAuth.

If you had an imap account already then you could have changed the Authentication Method to OAuth in the incoming and outgoing smtp server settings. Then when Thunderbird tries to connect to server yahoo will ask you to confirm you are really you and then yahoo creates an oauth token which is stored in the same place as all the passwords. From then onwards the oauth token is used to access the server. However, if you had an imap account, all folders and emails are stored on the server, so even if you removed and recreated it you would still see all the same folders and emails.

Hello, Thanks for your reply. Yes, this was originally a pop mail account, and the new one is also. What it did is create a new directory under Mail, so now there are: pop.mail.yahoo.com pop.mail.yahoo-1.com With the -1 being the new account. The old account still has tons of files -- Amazon and Amazon.msf, for example (many like this, there are many folders there) and a whole bunch of sbd directories as well. I want to keep these in my mail account as I will be adding messages to them in the future, not have them somewhere else, as in Local Folders.

What I did do -- and this is NOT a solution, it's a workaround -- is I copied all of the XXX and XXX.msf files from the old directory to the new one, and now my messages and folders all are in the new account. So the immediate disaster is averted (maybe), but there needs to be a solution if Yahoo really wants everyone to reconfigure their accounts.

I do believe that even the Yahoo POP account may be able to use the 'Authentication Method: OAuth'.

So if you prefer to use pop. Get copies put into Local Folders first as previously advised - just in case :) Then recreate an exisitng mail account set up as POP account and then point it to use the old pop account via 'Account Settings' > 'Server Settings' . There is a 'Local directory: text box which points to new account - click on 'Browse' to select old account and then change the Authentication Method: to OAuth in server settings and Outgoing SMTP. Restart Thunderbird. Oauth gets set up. It may still download emails and keep all the old ones.

I posted a lengthy reply, and it disappeared. So I will try again. It is a pop account, and I absolutely do not want my messages stored on the server. What I discovered is that under Mail, it created a new directory, so now there are: pop.mail.yahoo.com pop.mail.yahoo-1.com With -1 being the new account. There are tons of files with the names like XXX and XXX.msf, which are my folders and messages. What I tried was copying those XXX and XXX.msf files from the old folder into the new one, and the messages and folders have all been (or seem to have been) restored. So the immediate disaster is apparently averted. This is a workaround, not a real solution.

Why are my replies all being deleted and not posted? I have posted 2 replies, and they have both been deleted? For the last time... Thanks for your replies. This is a pop account, and I do not want my messages stored on the server. What I discovered is that it created a new directory, so now under mail there are: pop.mail.yahoo.com pop.mail.yahoo-1.com with -1 being the new account. What I discovered is that the old directory has a ton of files of the format XXX and XXX.msf, which are folders and messages. I just copied those from the old directory to the new one, and now my folders and messages are there. This is a workaround, not a fix, and if everyone with a Yahoo account is going to have to do this, there should be some simpler way.

OK, I think the problem with my replies not getting through is someone has to approve them before posting, so hence the delay. I apologize for the multiple replies that say essentially the same thing. I have another computer to re-setup for this, and I think your #3 solution may be the best way to go. Thanks.

Would it be possible for Thunderbird to create a help page for this Yahoo issue?

I tried to follow the Yahoo instructions with Linux Thunderibird and couldn't even find the place where Thunderbird saves my password for that account. I also couldn't figure out whether the Yahoo app password replaces my regular Yahoo password, or if both will be required. If the latter, where in Thunderbird would the app password go?

Heck, I'm not even sure if I'm using POP or IMAP, but I think the last time I set up my Thunderbird account, Yahoo didn't seem to accept POP--which I prefer.

To find out what kind of account you have (this is in Linux): 1. Left click the account name in the left hand frame 2. Under Accounts, choose View settings for this Account. 3. Choose Server Settings 4. The very first line on that screen should say "Server Type - POP Mail Server" if you have a pop account. Can't say what IMAP would look like as I don't have one.

Edit: I do not believe it is possible to view your Yahoo password from within Thunderbird -- it is kept encrypted somewhere so it can't be stolen.

When you set up a new Yahoo account on Thunderbird, it will ask for your Name, Yahoo mail account (i.e. noname@yahoo.com) and the password for that account. The next screen will ask if you want POP or IMAP. If you choose POP, another screen from Yahoo will come up that looks like the Yahoo sign-in screen. This, I assume, is for creating the 0auth token. After that, it's business as usual, except now they are sending out these irritating "Yahoo detected a thunderbird sign in" stupid messages EVERY BLOODY TIME you check your mail. Gotta find a way to axe that.

For IMAP accounts there is an option that is described in the email and it has worked for me with a test account: "You can generate a one-time, unique password that will allow you to sign in to your account using your non-Yahoo email application. Once created, this password will continue to allow your app to securely sync your Yahoo email unless you sign out (or are signed out) from your app." There is a link in the email with instructions.

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)

set up using OAuth and you will get prompted by that yahoo login to check you really are you and then the Oauth token is stored in thunderbird in the same place as passwords.

re: I do not believe it is possible to view your Yahoo password from within Thunderbird Yes, you can view all your passwords and edit them which would be required if had updated them. You do not need to edit or use the saved oauth token as it can only be used by Thunderbird.

In 68* Menu app icon > Options/Preferences > Options/Preferences > Security > 'Passwords' tab Click on 'Saved Passwords' click on 'Show Passwords'

Cookies do need to be enabled, both gmail and yahoo need it in order to set things up. Menu app icon > Options/Preferences > Options/Preferences > Privacy Web content section Select 'Accept cookies from sites' there are some additional options to create exceptions, but few cookies would ever really get set and you can always monitor them.

re :Yahoo didn't seem to accept POP You used to have to select 'Less secure apps' in the webmail account, but yahoo have decided they do not like that method, so now you either have to create an app specific password which you use instead of normal password OR I believe you can now set up pop in Thunderbird to use OAuth as the 'Authentication Method' in incoming server settings and outgoing server smtp settings.

You can do this in an existing yahoo Pop account.

• Right click on yahoo mail account name in Folder Pane and select 'Settings'

It opens the 'Account Settings' window

• Select 'Server settings'
• Change 'Authentication Method: to OAuth

In left pane at bottom:

• select 'Outgoing server (SMTP) to see list of outgoing servers
• Select the yahoo outgoing server and clickon 'Edit'

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

Exit Thunderbird and allow a few moments for background processes to complete Start Thunderbird and you will get the yahoo prompt saying Thundrebird wants access, complete the form and it will set up the token.

If setting up a new yahoo existing mail account, you will need to select POP and click on 'Manual config' to make sure all settings are correct and selecting to use 'OAuth'. Click on 'Done' Yahoo will ask at the prompt to set up the token.

Boy, this is all very confusing to me. Looks like I need to dump Yahoo as mail server. They've been a pain in the butt since 2016 when they got hacked. I have lots of folders I've set up and if I loose those, I'll be up a creek. I do have a backup, but still won't be able to log in and get any future emails after Oct 20th. Does anyone know how to make sure all my folders will be protected from being deleted? Also, I have Archives from 2014 to present under the Archives folder. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm using a iMac with macOS Catalina 10.15.6.

Thanks in advance,

Dennis

The original person who posted the question had already deleted a POP account based on the poor advice of Yahoo help. So part of this question was about rescuing mail.

But in simple terms: Do not delete anything. Make sure Thunderbird allows cookies. Access the Account Settings for POP or IMAP - it does not matter. Change the incoming server setting 'Authentication Method' to 'OAuth' Change the outgoing server setting 'Authentication Method' to 'OAuth' Click on all OK's

Exit Thunderbird. Wait a few moments and then Start Thunderbird. You will get prompted by yahoo to confirm you are you and then the oauth token is created automatically and stored in same place as passwords. You never need to use that oauth token, it is purely for Thunderbird to use it to access server.

Thank you Toad-Hall!! Appreciate you getting back to me so quickly. I read the first email, but didn't quite understand if the problem was the same as mine. I've copied your reply and will try it. If I run into a problem and let you know.

Thanks again,

Dennis

vineyridge re : Would it be possible for Thunderbird to create a help page for this Yahoo issue? Just to let you know I'm already onto this. There is an Article on 'Thunderbird and Yahoo', but it needs updating to include some information on the new developments. It's currently waiting for approval to be made live.

Hi Toad-Hall, Do you by chance know what happens if the 'OAuth' change doesn't work? Can you go back to the original 'Normal Password' or do you get locked out of your email? I was about to do what you recommended, but wanted to make sure If stuff goes wrong I can change back to the 'Normal Password'.

Again, thanks for your help!

Dennis

Toad-Hall Thank you for your lucid comprehensive advice of 27 August at 3:16 am. I received the Yahoo email and decided to wait until I had the end of month backup on several drives before proceeding. Then I copied the entire profile folder. Belts and braces avoid falling pants.

I have POP3, server settings, OAuth2, all okay so far. I too am interested in what happens if the process does not work.

It would really help if Yahoo had better advice. There are not many mail readers, and clear instructions from Yahoo would greatly assist.

The point is this, you cannot keep using Normal Password after the cut off date. You either have to use Option 2 which is basically change the Authentication Method to use OAuth2 - although yahoo clearly had no knowledge about how it is easy to change the Authentication Method and decided hey why not tell them to delete and set up again OR use Option 3 where you have to follow the yahoo links to create a yahoo app specific password and in Thunderbird enter that as if it was your normal password.

If you have already set Authentication to Oauth and all is ok then it is already working. If it fails then the oauth token is stored in the same place as the passwords - I believe I've already mentioned that - which means it can also be deleted like any stored password. Then you will be prompted by yahoo to go through all the login again using normal password to set up the token.

I've been using Oauth2 for imap gmail for a couple of years with no issues. In fact, gmail have deliberately started to block users periodically if they do not use OAuth2.

Yahoo would really prefer people to use their webmail. If you follow the advise offered in that yahoo email you basically get told to delete the account and set it up again. At which point the default would be to set up as imap using OAuth2. This should not be an issue if you currently have an imap account, but it would cause real issues for anyone with a pop account and they would end up needing to recover emails. It is all so unnecessary as the only change relates to the Authentication Method which yahoo are imposing.

If you have never used IMAP before and decide to try it, please note it works very differently. Emails are stored on the server and imap account offers a view of what is on the server. The imap folders synchronise with server folders of same name, so basically they are one and the same. Delete from either imap account or webmail and it is deleted from both. You can choose to download headers only or full copies and even choose age limits on what is downloaded. But, you can never consider the copy you have in Thunderbird imap account as a true second copy as it is not independent of server. You should still periodically ensure you have set up to synchronise all folders for a full copy download and then perform a backup of profile folders whilst Thunderbird is closed.