How to Export Yahoo Mail to PST Format – 9 Top Steps

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  • Updated On:
    April 8th, 2025
  • Read Time:
    7 minutes

After using Yahoo Mail for years, a business has decided to shut it down to switch to a new server. However, it doesn’t want to lose the past email messages and attachments. To protect the critical email communication, it chose to export Yahoo Mail to PST file format. By doing this, they will be able to access the data in Outlook even if the Yahoo Mail account is deleted. But how does one export Yahoo Mail emails to PST efficiently? There are two ways to solve this problem. One is to do it manually, and the other is to use the Yahoo Backup Tool

Yahoo Mail is an email service that enables users to send and receive email messages, contacts, and attachments. A PST file is a data file format that stores all your Outlook email data on a user’s local computer. PST (Personal Storage Table) is primarily used for archiving and back up purposes. 

Why Export Yahoo Emails to PST for Outlook?

One might think of transferring Yahoo mail to PST  because of various reasons. One of the reasons can be switching from Yahoo to Outlook. Furthermore, the user wants to maintain a backup of their Yahoo Mail account. Now, let’s explore some of the key advantages of this conversion:

  • Exporting Yahoo Mail email to a PST File offers a reliable and secure backup, protecting data from hacking, account deletion, etc.
  • Converting Yahoo Mail to PST allows users to manage them in Outlook with multiple email accounts as well. Outlook supports the centralized management of multiple accounts.
  • The user can access Yahoo mails offline when exported to a PST File. This might be useful for remote workers and travellers.
  • Businesses save Yahoo Mail as PST File to preserve important data for legal matters, audits, and compliance. 
  • Exporting Yahoo Mail to PST helps users to archive old messages and free up cloud storage space.
  • To protect potential account issues, backing up Yahoo emails to PST File gives the user an option to recover emails. 

How to Export Yahoo Mail to PST?

Yahoo Mail can be exported to PST using four different methods. The first method is by using Outlook, which transfers only the emails. The second and third are email forwarding, which ensures that only the new emails are received in Gmail. The fourth and the most efficient method is by using the automated tool. 

Export Yahoo Emails to PST for Outlook Using Outlook

This technique is for those users who rely on manual methods. It is ideal for those who consolidate their Yahoo emails for backup, offline access, or migration. 

Follow the step-by-step instructions carefully to back up Yahoo EMailS to PST:

Step 1: Setup Yahoo Account in Outlook

  1. Open the Outlook application.
  2. Go to File > Add Account > Manual setup or additional server types > Next.
  3. Choose POP or IMAP and click on Next to continue.

Step 2: Enter Yahoo Account Info and Server Settings

  1. Now, enter your name and Yahoo Email ID and set the Account Type as IMAP.
  2. Enter the server details as:
Incoming Mail ServerOutgoing Mail Server
imap.mail.yahoo.comsmtp.mail.yahoo.com
  1. Enter your Yahoo email address and app password.
  2. Navigate to More settings > Outgoing Server and check My outgoing server requires authentication.
  3. After that, go to the Advanced tab and enter the following details:
Incoming Mail ServerOutgoing Mail Server
Port: 993 and SSLPort: 465 for SSL and 587 for TLS
  1. Click on Ok > Next > Finish.

Step 3: Export Yahoo Mail to PST 

  1. Open MS Outlook.
  2. Navigate to File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
  3. Choose Export to a file and click Next to continue.
  4. Then, select Outlook Data File (.pst) and click Next.
  5. Choose the folder that you want to export to a PST File.
  6. Select a destination path to save the file, and lastly, click Finish.

Limitations: The IMAP only syncs emails and not contacts and calendars. The user should have good technical knowledge of how to configure IMAP.

Forwarding a Single Email from Yahoo Mail to Outlook

This approach is suitable when the user has only a few emails to export. Also, for those who don’t need to back up the entire mailbox. 

Use the steps given below to export Yahoo Emails to PST for Outlook:

  1. Sign in to your Yahoo account credentials.
  2. Open the desired email and click on Forward.
  3. Now, enter your Yahoo account credentials and hit Send.

Limitations: It is a time-consuming process and, therefore, is inefficient when handling large mailboxes. It does not retain the folder structure. 

Forwarding All Incoming Emails to Outlook

This method forwards all the upcoming new emails to Outlook. This is useful when the user is switching to Outlook. The attachments are also exported. 

Follow the instructions below to begin the process to backup Yahoo Emails to PST:

  1. Log in to your Yahoo Mail account.
  2. Go to Settings > More Settings > Mailboxes.
  3. Now, select your Yahoo Email address.
  4. Choose Forwarding and then enter your Outlook account credentials.
  5. Lastly, press Verify and save the changes.

Limitations: It does not back up or export the old emails. Moreover, the exported emails do not have folder preservation. Attachments are exported, but formatting is not preserved. 

An Expert-Recommended Tool to Convert Yahoo Mail to PST

The Yahoo Backup Tool provides a powerful set of advanced features for efficient and secure email backup. It allows users to export Yahoo Mail to PST and various file formats. One of the key features includes its ability to free up server space after backing up the data. Other features include skipping duplicates, choosing specific mailbox folders, excluding attachments, etc. The tool helps preserve the folder structure during the entire process. It is perfect for users who are looking for a reliable and flexible email backup solution. 

Follow these steps to export Yahoo emails to PST for Outlook:

  1. Download and run the tool.
  2. Click on Continue.
  3. Now, choose from Single mode and Batch mode.
  4. Sign in with your Yahoo account credentials.
  5. Choose the folders from the tree hierarchical structure and preview them. Then, click Next.
  6. Select File Format and choose PST from the drop-down list.
  7. Choose the desired destination path and click Next to proceed further.
  8. Apply the additional features if required.
  9. Finally, click Next to begin the process.

Related Post: Migrate Yahoo Mail to Office 365 Account.

Conclusion

Saving Yahoo Mail to PST ensures enhanced data protection, long-term accessibility, and flexibility. Users can manually export Yahoo Mail to PST using Outlook and by forwarding emails. In addition to this, there is also an expert-recommended method by using Yahoo Backup Tool. Though the manual method is budget-friendly, it can consume a lot of time with large mailboxes. On the other hand, the tool offers a more reliable, faster, and error-free solution. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q- What is the best way to export Yahoo Mail to PST format?

Ans- The best way to export Yahoo Mail emails to PST is by using a dedicated and trusted tool such as Yahoo Backup Tool. This tool quickly does the job, ensuring both accuracy and efficiency. However, there are manual methods also. One way is to do it by suing Outlook, and another way is by forwarding emails.

Q- Will attachments be included when exporting Yahoo emails to PST?Ans- While using manual methods, attachments may not transfer correctly. To retain attachments, choose a reliable tool-driven method. It will preserve the original email structure as well.

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About The Author:

Raj is a skilled technical writer who makes complicated topics easy to understand. With experience in email and cloud migration, he creates clear and engaging content that helps readers learn about technology. His work is trusted by many and has been featured on well-known tech sites.

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