Yahoo Mail Storage Full? Archive Emails Locally
Yahoo has drastically cut its free email storage: from 1 TB down to just 20 GB. Starting May 2026, the limit may drop even further to 15 GB for some users. If you have accumulated years of emails, your mailbox may already be full — or close to it. The solution: archive emails locally and free up space before your inbox gets locked.
From 1 TB to 20 GB — Yahoo's Dramatic Storage Cut
For years, Yahoo Mail offered a generous 1 TB of free storage. Many users got used to this and never deleted emails. Then in July 2025, Yahoo announced the drastic reduction to 20 GB. Users over the new limit received warnings and were given a grace period to free up space.
Starting August 2025, mailboxes exceeding the limit are being locked — no sending, no receiving. Yahoo provides a grace period, but anyone who does not act in time risks losing incoming emails entirely. Emails sent to a full Yahoo mailbox bounce back and cannot be recovered.
Why Yahoo Users Are Especially Affected
- Years of 1 TB storage meant nobody ever cleaned up
- Sudden reduction to 20 GB (possibly 15 GB from May 2026)
- Emails with large attachments accumulate over years
- No automatic deletion of old emails
- Newsletters and notifications consume significant space
- A locked mailbox means incoming emails are permanently lost
Your Options: Pay or Archive
Yahoo offers paid upgrades to increase your storage. But for many users, the better solution is to archive old emails locally. This way you keep access to all your messages without monthly costs.
With mailriva, you can export your entire Yahoo mailbox via IMAP to your local machine. All folders, attachments, and metadata are preserved. Then you delete the archived emails online and immediately free up storage space.
Free Up Space in 5 Steps
Download mailriva
Download mailriva for free and install the app on your Windows PC or Mac.
Create an App Password at Yahoo
Go to your Yahoo account security settings and create an App Password for IMAP access.
Connect Yahoo Mail as source
Select Yahoo as the source provider and sign in with your Yahoo address and the App Password.
Export emails locally
Export all or selected folders to a local archive. Folder structure and attachments are preserved.
Delete archived emails
Delete the backed-up emails in Yahoo Mail and empty the Trash. Storage is freed immediately.
Benefits of Local Archiving
- No data loss — all emails preserved as local copies
- No Yahoo subscription needed
- Folder structure preserved during export
- Attachments included in the backup
- Protection against future Yahoo storage cuts
- Local emails searchable anytime, even offline
How Yahoo Compares to Other Providers
| Provider | Free Storage |
|---|---|
| Yahoo Mail | 20 GB (was 1 TB) |
| Gmail | 15 GB (shared) |
| Outlook.com | 15 GB email + 5 GB cloud |
| iCloud Mail | 5 GB (shared) |
| mail.com | 65 GB |
See the full comparison of all email providers for a complete overview.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much free storage does Yahoo Mail currently offer?
Yahoo Mail currently offers 20 GB of free storage, down from 1 TB. Starting May 2026, the limit may drop further to 15 GB for some users.
What happens when my Yahoo mailbox is full?
When your mailbox is full, you cannot send or receive new emails. Incoming emails during this period are lost and cannot be recovered.
Does Yahoo Mail support IMAP?
Yes. Yahoo Mail supports IMAP. You need an App Password, which you can create in Yahoo's account security settings.