Yahoo Mail to iCloud Mail Migration Process Explained

People who enter into the Apple ecosystem want all of their data in one place, which includes emails. That is why there is such a hurry to migrate Yahoo Mail to iCloud.

If you are someone in the same predicament, then relax, I will tell you all the methods with which you can make the transition in no time.

First, let me list all the reasons for shifting the email service so you can compare and proceed accordingly.

Why People Migrate from Yahoo Mail to iCloud Mail?

The biggest reason is continuity; iCloud Mail syncs seamlessly across all Apple devices with no user intervention whatsoever. The same can’t be said for Yahoo Mail. As it is not a native Apple service, there might be some hiccups in checking emails when you switch from your iPhone to a Mac.

Another, and perhaps more important, parameter where iCloud excels is security. There have been numerous incidents where Yahoo Mail security has been compromised. Although Apple hasn’t been completely immune to data breaches, the size and scope have been relatively limited. This gives enough assurance to people that they can trust Apple with their data over Yahoo Mail

Ad-free experience is something that all users cherish. Unfortunately, Yahoo’s inbox is filled with unwanted ads. You can get rid of it, but only if you pay a premium. Moreover, for this reason alone, people are willing to compromise on the storage aspect of mail (where iCloud lags) and choose to forward all Yahoo emails to their iCloud Mail account, which shows no ads even in its free tier.

There are other minor reasons like UI preference, Mail privacy, Hide my Email, and the ability to use a custom domain(the last three are only available with a premium iCloud+ account) that are absent in Yahoo altogether.

Now that we are aware of the reasons, let’s start with the methods.

Forward All Yahoo Mails to iCloud Mail ID

This is the easiest to implement, but at the same time, the most limited in terms of the actual transfer. Here is what you have to do.

• Step 1. Log in to your Yahoo account
• Step 2. Select an email message
• Step 3. Click on the Forward Button.
• Step 4. In the To field of the new email draft, put your @icloud.com address.
• Step 5. Hit Send.
• Step 6. Repeat for all other messages.

This method is not difficult, but the main drawback is that you pollute the metadata of the email message. Now, instead of a regular email, the message will have a distinct “forwarded” tag on it.

Not only that, but you can only forward one message at a time, so if there are a large number of emails in your account and you want to move all of them, it will take a significant amount of time and effort.

Plus, you will have to redo the forwarding every time a new message arrives in your inbox, as the auto forwarding feature is locked behind the premium tier. Moreover, it doesn’t make sense to get a non-refundable subscription to an email service you are about to quit.

So if forwarding does not work out for your scenario, I have another option.

Set up Both Accounts in Apple Mail to Move Emails

If you use iCloud Mail, it is likely that you will also want to use the native Apple Mail client. Moreover, you need not install the Apple Mail client separately; it comes preinstalled on all Apple devices. This method is the same one I used for my guide on how to transfer iCloud email to another account.

To add the accounts in Apple Mail, do this.

• Step 1. Press ⌘ + Spacebar together to trigger Spotlight, type “Mail”, and press Enter.
• Step 2. From the Top Menu bar, click on Mail, then select Add Account.
• Step 3. Type your Yahoo/iCloud email address in the provided field, or use the “choose from a list” and select the Yahoo or iCloud option.
• Step 4. Click Continue and finish the rest of the steps as they appear on the screen.

Re-do the process to set up the second account.

Once the Accounts are set up, select a bunch of messages from your Yahoo mail account and drop them into a folder inside the iCLoud Mail account. Repeat the operation till you move all of the messages.

Also Read: Right Way to Conduct Gmail to Zoho Mail Migration

Note that the drag-and-drop method displaces the messages permanently instead of sending a copy, like in other methods. So if you don’t want this and prefer to retain a copy of the messages in the original Yahoo account, then there is another method you can try out.

Use iCloud Mail’s Native Import Technique to Add Yahoo Mail Data

When you create a new iCloud Mail account, you receive the offer to import your messages from Yahoo or Outlook. If you dismissed the option and want to use it, then follow the steps given below.

• Step 1. First of all, visit icloud.com/mail, and log in (you may be prompted to also sign in to the Apple Account)
• Step 2. Click on the Settings (cog icon) at the top of the Mailboxes list, then select the Settings option from the drop-down.
• Step 3. Click on the Import Messages option, then pick Import.
• Step 4. Under “Choose a Provider,” pick Yahoo and press Continue.
• Step 5. Then complete the on-screen instructions as they appear.

In this way, you can bring not only the emails but also contacts and calendar details as well. However, it only works for one-to-one transfers.

Check Out: Process to Transfer Mail.ru Emails to Gmail

If you are looking for a solution that can migrate multiple Yahoo IDs into iCloud simultaneously, you need to choose a professional solution.

Use a Professional Tool to Migrate Yahoo Mail to iCloud Mail

The SysTools IMAP Migrator is the perfect solution for anyone who has multiple Yahoo accounts that they want to transfer to iCloud.

 

You also get a detailed and summary report of the entire process after it is done. Moreover, the tool is available for both Mac and Windows, so even if you dont have access to your Apple computer, you can still perform the migration

Unlike the Native import mechanism, where you have to redo the entire import again if new messages arrive, this tool has a dedicated Delta Migration feature that smartly identifies the newly arrived messages and only migrates those new messages in your second, third, or however many rounds of migration you feel to conduct at no extra cost.

So try out the demo version today and move up to 100 messages for free.

Step 1. Start the Tool, the IMAP endpoints, and the email workload are selected by default. Apply the Date filter and press Next.

Step 2. On the Source Screen, toggle the IMAP Server list and select Yahoo. The IMAP Server URL and the port number fill in on their own. Validate and press Next.

Step 3. Similarly, for the Destination Screen, the only change is that instead of Yahoo, you would select iCloud from the dropdown, and the rest of the details (IMAP Server URL and Port Number fill automatically. Validate and Press Next.

Step 4. On the User Mapping Screen, download the CSV Template. Edit it to add all your Yahoo Mail account, their app password, the corresponding iCloud accounts, and their app passwords, save the CSV, and upload it into the tool.

Step 5. Finally, when the user list becomes visible, mark the checkbox next to the name. Prioritise the most important account, Validate, and Start.

Conclusion

Now you know all the methods to migrate Yahoo Mail to iCloud Mail. You can forward the messages. Use the Apple Mail client to drag and drop the emails between the two accounts. Or use the built-in option to call messages from a Yahoo account to iCloud Mail. However, none of these methods is ideal for a multi-account situation, which is why you should prefer the automated utility over the manual solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions on Yahoo to iCloud Mail Migration

Q. Can I keep using my Yahoo email account when I migrate the messages to iCloud Mail?

Yes, you can. Closing a Yahoo account is a completely separate process from migrating messages out of it. However, if you don’t interact with your Yahoo account for some time, then Yahoo will auto-delete it.

Q. If I add the iCloud Mail Account to my Mac’s Apple Mail client, will it appear automatically in my iPhone’s Mail app?

No, you will have to add the account separately on your iPhone. However, as soon as you complete the account setup, the messages will appear automatically.

Q. How much time will it take to forward all my messages from Yahoo Mail to iCloud Mail?

It depends on how many messages are in your account and how many of those you want to forward. If the number is small, then it would take much time to complete the forwarding; however, if there are a lot of messages, then the total time will increase accordingly. As the forwarding is entirely manual, the speed depends on you and you only.