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Yahoo Mail

Yahoo Mail requires an app password for any third-party SMTP client. Your regular Yahoo password will not authenticate over SMTP.

1. Enable Two-Step Verification

  1. Sign in at login.yahoo.com.
  2. Click your profile icon (top right) → Account info.
  3. Open the Account Security tab.
  4. Find Two-step verification and turn it on. Follow the prompts (phone number or authenticator app).

2. Generate an App Password

  1. In the same Account Security area, look for Generate and manage app passwords (sometimes labeled Manage app passwords).
  2. Click Generate app password (or the “+” icon).
  3. Pick Other app and enter a name — Xenocept is fine.
  4. Click Generate password.
  5. Yahoo shows a 16-character password. Copy it now — you cannot view it again.

3. Configure the Email Destination in Xenocept

Open the Xenocept Settings UI → DestinationsNew DestinationEmail. Fill in:

FieldValue
SMTP Hostsmtp.mail.yahoo.com
SMTP Port587 (STARTTLS, recommended) or 465 (implicit SSL/TLS)
SecuritySTARTTLS if port 587; SSL/TLS if port 465
UsernameYour full Yahoo address (e.g. [email protected])
PasswordThe 16-character App Password from step 2
FromSame as Username
ToWhere you want sessions delivered

Save the destination and submit a test session.

Common Issues

  • “Invalid username or password.” You used your regular Yahoo password. Yahoo requires the App Password specifically; the regular password is rejected for SMTP.
  • 2-step verification was off. Yahoo only exposes the Generate app password option after 2-step is turned on. Verify under Account Security.
  • Throttling on new accounts. Brand-new Yahoo accounts are sometimes rate-limited on outbound SMTP for a brief period. If sending fails on a fresh account, wait a few hours.

Revoking Access

To disconnect Xenocept from Yahoo:

  1. Return to Account SecurityManage app passwords.
  2. Find the Xenocept entry and click Remove or the trash icon next to it.

The password becomes invalid immediately.