Yahoo Groups Will Be Shutting Down - What Each of You Can Do

Yahoo Groups Fandom Rescue Project

(This post will be frequently updated - check back here. Last updated December 3,, 2019)

(Web-formatted version of this document)

Yahoo Groups will be shutting down key features and restricting access to Groups. Two key deadlines are Oct 28 and December 14, 2019. With this shutdown, decades of fandom history will be swept away. But there is something that every member of the fandom community can do now - whether they’ve ever used Yahoo Groups before or not.

What is happening?

Yahoo Groups has decided to delete all uploaded content to the groups. As of Oct 28, members of the groups can no longer upload any new content. As of Dec 14, 2019 all files and photos will be deleted.

On that date all groups will be locked and no new members can be added unless by special invite.

And finally, key features and message archives will disappear: email in digest format, along with the ability to see past messages or search for past messages.

I am a member of a Yahoo group - what can I do?

1. Immediately contact the admins to find out their plans.

2. Submit a request to Yahoo for an export of your Yahoo Groups. (Tumblr version) Do this before Dec 1, 2019 as it will take weeks to prepare. Don’t wait for your admins or other group members to act.

3. Tell your moderators and other Yahoo Group members about PGOffline, a free Windows tool that will save the files, photos and messages. Any member of the Yahoo Group can use this tool - you do not have to be an admin to save the mailing list. The trial version will download only 1000 messages...the license to do a full download is a one time fee of $25. If you cannot afford that fee, scroll down to Section 9 for a free Chrome tool that will download just the messages.

4. Since many admins are busy or not active, install PGOffline yourself and start downloading - focus on Files, Photos, and Links first. Then download Messages.

Tutorial here

Video here

How to Export Your PGOffline Data

5. Export the messages and backup up the files and photos. Then contact Open Doors, the OTW preservation program. The OTW is open to to providing storage of Yahoo Groups backups that are assembled by moderators and non-moderators alike. Details here.

6. Let us know you have downloaded the Groups: https://forms.gle/BHBGYT5qyvvynGyR9

7. If you are a member of a Yahoo Group and have downloaded the files and messages and the admins do not respond, please contact your fellow mailing list members. Remember, anyone can save a mailing list messages, files and photos and submit them to Open Doors.

8. If you need help from fellow fans, try asking on the “Save Yahoo Groups” Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/DyCNddf (invite)

9. Mac Users: try this Chrome based plugin (NOTE: as of Dec 3, the Chrome plugin stopped working for PC Desktop Users. We have not tested Mac - however, if you are a Mac user and the Chrome plugin no longer works, please contact us at archiver1.fandom@gmail.com)

Instructions on how to use the Chrome plugin

Alternatively, if you are familiar with Python https://www.archiveteam.org/index.php?title=Yahoo!_Groups

I am am an Admin - what can I do?

1. Communicate with your Group members - let them know your plans

2. Download your Group messages, files, photos,and links using the tools above. Don’t forget to download your members list.

3. Decide if you want to simply archive the old posts and disband the mailing list or start up somewhere else. We have a list of suggestions

4. Please let us know you have backed up your Yahoo Group so we don’t duplicate your efforts: https://forms.gle/BHBGYT5qyvvynGyR9

I am not certain I have time to help download? Is there something else I can do?

If you are a Yahoo group member, you can ask for your Groups with one simple click. But anyone can submit a mailing list for consideration as long as it still exists. It will help volunteers focus their efforts. Don’t forget to check here to see if the group has already being downloaded.

And consider creating a page for the mailing list on Fanlore, so that there will be a place for people to talk about the mailing list, its history. Instructions here.

I can download, but not a Yahoo Group member?

As we said before, anyone who is a member of a Yahoo Group can help download. If you are looking for Yahoo Groups to join for downloading, we have a spreadsheet where you can claim a group. Many Yahoo Groups have automatic membership (click once and join), so look for those groups.

You can also help the Archive Team (a non-fandom group) who have developed a Chrome plugin that will allow you to join groups with a temporary Yahoo account. The Archive Team will then take it from there and will do the downloading. Note: this plugin focuses on both fandom and non-fandom groups and the files will not be sent to Open Doors. If you are backing up a fandom group for submission to Open Doors, use one of the other tools listed above.

How To Stay Connected?

Tumblr: Follow the Yahoo-Gedden Tumblr blog

Discord: If you need help from fellow fans, try asking on the “Save Yahoo Groups” Discord Channel. Invite: https://discord.gg/ek2xFyJ

Help Section

Login Problems

"Purged “inactive" email accounts.

An "inactive" account is one where you haven't sent an email or logged in for the past year. *Receiving* emails does not count as "activity." The email address is then released to be used by someone else.

If you used your Yahoo email to subscribe to a mailing list, your access to the Yahoo Group is gone (along with all your emails). If your account was deactivated within the past 90 days, you may be able to reactivate it. (more here). Alternatively, you can try contacting Yahoo Mail support

Outside the 90 day window: You can try creating a new Yahoo email account using the same screen name as long as no one else has snapped it up. Simply sign up as you would for a 'new' email account. Reclaim an inactive mailbox. Then log into your Yahoo Group.