Reset Security Questions in Yahoo Mail
This article teaches you how to disable the now-defunct security questions for your Yahoo! account and implement more secure recovery methods, including phone number verification and a backup email address.
Steps
Desktop
- Open a web browser on your computer. Because of several hacks in 2016, Yahoo! is no longer using security questions. This means you’ll want to add new account verification methods in case you get locked out in the future.
- Unencrypted security questions and answers have been disabled, so if you can’t answer the questions and you don’t have another recovery method associated with your account, you won’t be able to retrieve it and are locked out for good.
- Visit the Yahoo! home page.
- Click Sign In. You’ll see this at the top of the page.
- Type your Yahoo! account name and password.
- If you’re currently locked out of your account, visit the Account Recovery page. You’ll need to enter a recovery email or phone number associated with the account in order to retrieve it.
- Security questions are no longer being used by Yahoo!, and you won’t be able to use the answers to your old questions, even if they’re correct.
- Click your profile name. You’ll see this in the same location the Sign In button was.
- Click Account Info.
- Click Account security.
- Click Disable security questions. If you previously had security questions enabled, you can disable them here. Once you’ve disabled your security questions, you can add new recovery methods.
- Your existing security questions cannot be edited, and new ones cannot be created.
- Click Add recovery phone number. Since Yahoo! Doesn’t use security questions anymore, adding a phone number to your account is the quickest way to verify your identity in the future.
- Type a valid phone number. This must be a mobile number that can receive SMS messages,
- Click Send SMS or Call Me.
- Type the code that you receive. This verifies your new phone number.
- Click Add recovery email address in the Account security menu. Besides associating a mobile number, you can also add another email address that you can be reached at. Password reset links will be sent to this address.
- Type in a valid email address.
- Click Send verification email.
- Click the link in the email from Yahoo! you receive. This may be in your Updates folder if you’re using Gmail. Your recovery email is now active.
Mobile
- Open the web browser on your mobile device. Multiple Yahoo! hacks in 2016 led to the phasing out of security questions for Yahoo! accounts. You’ll need to disable security questions if you still have them and set up new recovery options.
- Visit the Yahoo! home page.
- Tap ☰ in the upper-left corner.
- Tap Sign in.
- Type your Yahoo! email address and tap Next.
- Type your password and tap Sign in.
- If you are currently locked out of your account and don’t have any recovery methods associated besides security questions, you will not be able to recover your account. If you have a phone number or backup email, you can recover your account at the Yahoo! Account Recovery page.
- Tap ☰ again.
- Scroll to the bottom of the menu and tap Account Info.
- Tap ☰ to view a new menu.
- Tap {button|Account security}}.
- Tap Disable security questions. If you had security questions associated with your account, you’ll need to disable them before you can add new recovery methods. Existing security questions cannot be edited, and you can’t make new ones.
- Tap Add recovery phone number.
- Type in a mobile number you can receive SMS at. This will allow you to quickly verify your identity if you get locked out in the future.
- Type in the code you receive. This will verify the phone number.
- Tap Add recovery email address. Adding an email address will allow you to recover your account if you don’t have your phone handy.
- Type a valid email address. Make sure this is an account that you know you’ll have access to.
- Tap {button|Send verification email}}. You’ll receive the email shortly.
- Tap the link in the email you receive. Your account is now protected with your phone number and an additional email address.
