Using The Chrome Yahoo Messages Downloader
(Updated December 3, 2019)
(Web formatted version of this document)
DEC 3 UPDATE: The Chrome Extension no longer works on Desktop PCs. It may still work on Mac or Linux. If you are a Windows Desktop User please consider using PGOffline software - a one time license of $25.
This app will work on any computer that can run Google Chrome. There are two apps:
Download Members List (only works for mailing list moderators)
Downloads are in plain text format which means hyper-text links and formatting are stripped.
Attachments are not included. The Chrome app only downloads messages - not files or photos.
You do not have to be the moderator to download messages - any member can download and archive.
Mac - How To Download and Install
1. Download the zip file from YahooGroupPedia
2. Unzip the contents into a folder
3. In Chrome, go to Preferences > Extensions
4. Click the developer mode toggle to on
5. Click "load unpacked" button
6. Select the folder that contains the unzipped files
7. This will install and show a box for the App with information under "Chrome Apps"
8. Go to Apps (may need to restart chrome or open a new window - for me the Apps button was in a bar below the toolbar)
9. Click the Yahoo Messages Export button
10. Follow the directions on the page. This will download a text file of all messages.
Note that public groups do not need you to be signed in, but emails will be obscured as for members.
PC - How To Download and Install
(tested on Chrome 77, using Windows 10)
1. Download the zip file from YahooGroupPedia
2. Unzip the contents into a folder
3. In Chrome, go to More Tools > Extensions (click on the 3 dots in the upper right to access “More Tools”)
4. Click the Developer mode toggle to “On”
5. Click "load unpacked" button
6. Select the folder that contains the unzipped files (you will be selecting the folder, do not worry if you don’t see files, it is the folder you are uploading)
7. This will install the app. You should be able to see the app in a box "Chrome Apps"
8. Go to Apps (may need to restart chrome or open a new window - for me the Apps button was in a bar below the toolbar.
I had to right click on the Toolbar and select “Show Apps Shortcut” to make it show up.
Other people found the “Show Bookmarks Bar” option under “Settings”
Click on the Apps icon (Look in the upper left hand corner)
You will see the Yahoo Messages app
9. Click the black Yahoo Messages Export icon
10. Follow the directions on the page. First click “Download”. Once it has completed downloading, click “Save”.
The app will download a raw plain text file of all messages with no hyperlinks, formatting or attachments. Note that public groups do not need you to be signed in, but emails will be obscured as for members.
OK I Am Done Downloading, What Can I Do With The Files?
The OTW has made an announcement. Their Open Doors preservation program is open to to providing storage of fandom related Yahoo Groups backups that are assembled by moderators and non-moderators alike. Details here.
Importing Messages Into Thunderbird Email Program
The messages are saved in one single text file.
They can be imported into Thunderbird as separate messages with timestamps.
Mac/Linux users can install Thunderbird from here: https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/all/
Here is what one reader did:
“I saved a copy [of the Text file] first to be safe, and then manually changed the file extension to MBOX. This can then be imported to Thunderbird using the ImportExportTools NG addon. The imported MBOX shows up as a folder with the same name as the MBOX file, including the extension. The email messages have the timestamps and subject lines as normal, but sender email addresses are truncated. I still haven't figured out which 40 messages are missing from the download, though.”