In this guide we will discuss about : “Fix Outlook cannot generate App Password for Yahoo IMAP”. Outlook is an enterprise email client required for organizing personal and working communication; many users prefer Outlook due to the synchrony of numerous email services, including Yahoo;

Nevertheless, recently, users state the problem of Outlook not to generate app password while trying to enter Yahoo IMAP accounts. This has been a source of headache to many especially to those who rely on outlook for their day to day operations.

Understanding the Problem

Outlook’s failure to create app passwords, especially for Yahoo IMAP is a relatively new problem which has been experienced. The issue appears to relate to revised ways that Microsoft authenticates with Yahoo accounts.

• In the past, the user was compelled to use an app password, in order to connect to Yahoo’s IMAP servers securely through Outlook.
• However, this functionality has not been fully working which has made the users to look for a solution.
• A large number of users have reported their issue, the rants vary from failed authentication to inability to both sending and receiving mail in outlook via Yahoo accounts.
• There is an antidote and it is to migrate from the traditional ‘password’ system to ‘OAuth authentication’.

App Passwords: Which Things Are They?

A app password is an individual password that is created for purposes of allowing you to sign into your yahoo account from an application since not all are supported by the two-step verification.

• These are password used apart from your normal Yahoo id/password to allow specific apps to access your account, thus protecting your main id/password.
• Although app passwords have been quite effective in providing security for quite some time now, they are not needed to link Yahoo with Outlook because of the use of OAuth 2. 0.

OAuth 2. 0: The Modern Solution

OAuth 2. 0 is a new generation authorization method that let applications access your mail without a need for type, password and server.

• This putative security situation is more preferred than the traditional use of passwords for apps since the amount of access granted to the app is minimal and your true account password remains safe.
• With OAuth 2.0, the need for app passwords has been eliminated, and Outlook now supports this protocol for Yahoo IMAP accounts.

Preliminary View of the Problem

• The main cause of this problem is in the latest updates of micro soft. Outlook’s previous versions used app passwords to link with Yahoo IMAP.
• However, there was a problem with OAuth support in newer app builds In the recent app builds, the requirement for an app password was done away with,
• Which was a disadvantage because the users did not get a notice that this has been done thus making it difficult for them to adapt.
• Starting from build 16308. 10000, We added OAuth support to Yahoo IMAP accounts to the Office Beta Channel and Current Channel (Preview).
• OAuth is fully supported in the Current Channel while in Monthly Enterprise or Semi-Annual Channels, it is not supported yet but it is slated for support as of August 2023.

Microsoft’s Official Workaround

Microsoft has said that people should use OAuth authentication to resolve this problem instead of the App passwords. This method eases this process of logging into Yahoo with your normal Yahoo password instead of an app password.

Fix: Outlook Cannot Generate App Password for Yahoo IMAP Outlook: Step by Step

Here’s how you can set up your Yahoo account in Outlook using OAuth authentication:Here’s how you can set up your Yahoo account in Outlook using OAuth authentication:

Step 1: Open outlook on your computer and click on the file tab at the top of this page free outlook tutorial.

• First of all, check if you are working with the most updated version of Outlook you can. OAuth support for Yahoo IMAP is present only in the recent build, so you will need to get the update.
• Products can be checked for updates by accessing the Office Account through File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now.

Step 2: Make Sure The Yahoo Account Has Been Set to Have the Two-Step verification On.

OAuth is designed to do this best when two-step verification is turned on. To enable two-step verification in Yahoo:To enable two-step verification in Yahoo:

• Open your settings on Yahoo.
• Select Account Security.
• Toggle on Two-step verification.
• You simply turn on the device and, with the aid of displayed instructions, enable it.

Step 3: sign in to the Yahoo account and go to Options to set up the OAuth authentication for access of your Yahoo account by Outlook.

Now, you can add your Yahoo account to Outlook:Now, you can add your Yahoo account to Outlook:

• Launch Outlook and click on File and there click on Add Account.
• Type your Yahoo email address.
• Rather than being asked to enter an app password, Outlook will take you to the Yahoo sign-in page.
• To do this, enter your usual Yahoo password and go through the OAuth authentication.
• On completion of the confirmation of your identity by Outlook, your Yahoo IMAP account will be added to the list.

How to know if outlook supports OAuth

To check if your version of Outlook supports OAuth click File > Office Account and check your build number. They should number build 16308. 10000 or higher. If you have an older build, you will have to patch your Office suite.

What if the Workaround Doesn’t Work

If you follow the above steps and still encounter issues, you can try the following troubleshooting steps:If you follow the above steps and still encounter issues, you can try the following troubleshooting steps:

• Make sure that, two factor authentication is set up for your Yahoo mail account.
• Outlook users should make sure that their copy of Outlook is the current one.
• Delete the Outlook login credentials from the Credential Manager and then try you login the account again.
• First, make sure there are no problems with your internet connection to the current world wide web.
• In case none of the above works, you might want to log on to the Yahoo webmail or any third party email client until the problem is fixed for all outlooks.

The Effects Which OAuth Has on Security

• OAuth is a significantly safer way to sign into your Yahoo account through Outlook.
• It minimizes the occurrences of fake accesses through restricting the area of access to only the required areas, and you do not need to introduce your main password.
• OAuth As one of the solutions for addressing the problems of email security, OAuth has its share of advantages and disadvantages that are worth discussing.

Pros:

• More control than the traditional app password.
• Less passwords to remember or to enter in order to login to the system.
• support also various mail clients and services.

Cons:

• The first run is going to be somewhat puzzling for people not well versed in OAuth protocols.
• It has advanced security where a user has to enter a password and a code sent to the user’s phone. , but some would find it a little inconvenient.

Read More : “How To Use Copilot In Outlook | Emails, Features & More“

Conclusion

If you are among the unlucky ones that Outlook cannot generate app passwords for your Yahoo IMAP account is here. By then, following steps that have been highlighted in this guide, you will be able to add your Yahoo account in outlook with OAuth authentication. It is safer, far more contemporary method of dealing with email authentication and does not require the use of those application passwords.

FAQs

FAQ 1: Is it possible to continue with the utilization of app passwords if that personal preference is desired?
No, OAuth has taken the place of the passwords that used to be required of apps when getting connected to Yahoo IMAP account in the Outlook.

FAQ 2: What happens if I don’t have two-step verification enabled?
OAuth may still work, but it’s highly recommended to enable two-step verification for enhanced security.

FAQ 3: Will OAuth work for other email clients?
Yes, OAuth is widely supported by many email clients beyond Outlook.

FAQ 4: How secure is OAuth compared to app passwords?
OAuth is generally considered more secure because it limits the scope of access and does not expose your primary account password.

FAQ 5: How often will I need to authenticate with OAuth?
Once set up, you shouldn’t need to authenticate frequently, but you may be prompted occasionally for security reasons.