Switching between Classic and New/Beta Mail
- Posted September 13th, 2007 at 10:39 am by Ryan
- Categories: General, New Stuff, Tips & Tutorials
***UPDATED 10/25***
It seems that one of the more frequent questions popping up in the comments on this blog has to do with switching from original (or “Classic”) mail to the to the New mail, or vice versa. I’ve taken a stab at answering it a few times within comments, but maybe a full fledged post will help get some more eyes on the information.
Can I switch between old and new Yahoo! Mail?
For sure! We understand that it’s not easy to switch away from a format that you’re really comfortable with. So we made it super-easy to switch back whenever you want. You can switch up to the new and back to the old as often as you want. We hope you’ll see how much the new Yahoo! Mail improves on the old version. But until you agree, here’s how to switch back.
Under where it says “Welcome, yourname” at the top of your Yahoo! Mail page, there’s a “Mail Classic” link (”Switch Back” for those still in Beta). Click that link to go back to the Classic, or Original, Yahoo! Mail version you’re already familiar with.
There is also an opportunity to switch if you visit the Options drop-down menu. At the bottom of the menu is the option to “Switch to Yahoo! Mail Classic…”
After initiating the switch, from either link, you will see a pop-up informing you that you are about to switch back, asking you to confirm or cancel, and asking for feedback. If you do decide to switch back this is one of the best opportunities to be heard regarding why.
To come back to the new Yahoo! Mail, just click “Options” in the upper-right corner of your Yahoo! Mail page. On the Options page that opens, the message ” The new Yahoo! Mail has arrived! Try it now!” appears in the upper-right corner, just below the “Options” link. Click “Try it Now!” to get back to the new Yahoo! Mail.
So now you have no excuse not to try the new version. 
Hopefully this helps clear things up.
***UPDATE***
I’ve heard that some people may not be seeing the same link options to upgrade back to New Mail once switching back to Classic. You should still see the Purple Box shown above if you click on the Options drop-down and select “Mail Options”, but you should also now see also see a link in the very top right of the window (a little to the right of your Yahoo! ID) that reads “All-New Mail”. Clicking there will also take you to the New Yahoo! Mail.
Hope that helps.
Ryan
Community Manager
Yahoo! Mail
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- 359 Comments
September 13th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
please help me change my yahoo box from yahoo beta to normal yahoo box
September 13th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
A big problem with the new Yahoo is there is no Forward as attachment anymore. It forces me to switch back and forth between classic and new Yahoo few times a day.
September 13th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
I was in the mail beta version yesterday but then all of a sudden said some login error and I am no longer able to use the beta version and must switch back to the classic. Every time i try to go to beat, the same error message appears, is this bugged for anyone else?
September 13th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
body of email doesn’t come through in either classic of Beta version. Nice work
September 13th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Only thiong I really miss is the “Save as Text” option. That is unless it is hidden somewhere like a Travelogue(tm) game item
September 13th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
i like the new site.The only problem I have with it ,is that I seem to have lost some of my bookmarks.
September 13th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
It looks, feels and stinks line Outlook Express.
September 13th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
my old style Y Mail, os of today, says MAIL CLASSIC. the new version still says BETA..no update.
September 13th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Help! I’m still in BETA. How do I get to new one?
September 13th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
yahoo’s email beta took some getting use to but was not bad once I got the hang of it. I switched back to ‘classic’ because I found a folder that, I did not make and I could not delete or rename. The name of the folder had 2 or 3 @ signs in it but when I tried to delete it, I was told it had invalid characters, when I tried to rename it, it would not accept any of the names I tried to use.
September 13th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
I don’t like it for the fact that when I want to send/forward an e-mail, once I choose a category group, I cannot edit them as I was able to do in the Origial. Going back to the Original. Nice try.
September 13th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
If you’d waited to release it until it was actually ready and functional, people might like it.
September 13th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Why not just “fix” the things that folks don’t like about the BETA and then we don’t have to switch back and forth? Like why can’t I see “Full headers” in BETA?
September 13th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
I like the old email
September 13th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
After reading the comments of Sept. 13, 2007, only, & not seeing any answers back from Yahoo yet, I don’t think I’ll make the switch yet. Sounds like a lot of freedoms from classic mail were left out of the new/beta version, i.e., being able to edit forwards, choosing between inline or attachment, showing headers when needed! And, what the heck happened to inline photos - that was the best!! Seems they were taken away mysteriously in classic mail - wonder if they are available in the new/beta mail?
September 13th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
I tried switching to beta..and the second I did I was no longer able to log in to my e-mail,or my blog.
I finally had to format my hard drive,and reinstall everything!
It took the better part of 2 days…
I’ll stick with the old version.
September 13th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
I tried switching to beta..and the second I did I was no longer able to log in to my e-mail,or my blog.
I finally had to format my hard drive,and reinstall everything!
It took the better part of 2 days…Thanks.
I’ll stick with the old version.
September 13th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
I like the classic yahoo mail because it is usable from the Nokia 770 internet tablet unlike the new version.
September 13th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
Well Ryan…nice try, no cigar. I still can’t log in to the new email. Error message, error message, error message…did I mention I get an error message? I tried Beta two or three times…it worked for a few days then I would have to switch back because things would change on a daily basis. So finally I just go tired of it and went back to the old one. But you can’t forward any pictures or graphics without doing it as an attachment and even then it might not work. No to mention a myriad of other irritating problems. So when I hear all the rave reviews I thought what the heck, I’ll try the new Beta again. Well can’t get past the error messages. Sent emails to tech support…gee never got an answer…but if I did it would probably say to empty the cache files. And once again I would have to remind tech support I do that EVERY day. Like I said, nice try, no cigar.
September 13th, 2007 at 7:53 pm
Just liked the old better.Don’t like having to sign in every time.
September 13th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Is there a way to eliminate sending the whole message body of the original message when replying to someone ? Didn’t have to do this with the classic version….What up ?????
September 13th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Okay now how do I get out of this situation ??? Just sits here looking at me….Should let you know message has been sent….DUH?????
September 13th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
hay
i want to mail beta web site.
thanks+
September 13th, 2007 at 9:00 pm
New Yahoo Mail just plain sucks. Better to establish a Yahoo account and then just use Eudora to manage E-Mail. You’d think after all the time they spent in Beta, they’d have a final product that represents consumer feedback and not just what Yahoo decided we needed. When will they ever learn?
September 13th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Ryan - I have been using the Beta for quite a while now (could it be a year?). My only question is WHEN. When will I get switched. Unlike some other posters, I am annoyed by having to use Y! Classic controls to accomplish many of the options. I know you have 250 million users, but can you give us an estimate of how long it will be? Are you going alphabetically? I even opend a new account to see if that would give me the new version - but no, just Beta still.
Did I mention I love the Beta and want to get access to the real NEW version. Throw us a bone with a time estimate!
September 13th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
The NEW yahoo! mail is MUCH slower than the Classic. So much so that it is useless on dialup (which I need to use sometimes.
Also, when I access folders for the first time and try to read a message the new mail often tells me I can not because it is “still loading”. Sometimes I can only get past this by closing mail altogether and logging in again.
There’s lots to like in the new (I’m still on Beta), but too many problems as well — especially speed.
September 13th, 2007 at 11:26 pm
it contain buggs thats y i have to swich back
September 14th, 2007 at 2:29 am
I love the new Yahoo mail and its slick interface. However, if you try to access it from a low powered device (like my Nokia N800 tablet), it really sucks. So, I have to switch to the Classic version. However, I wish there was an alternate URL for the classic, so that I can access both versions simultaneously without switching
September 14th, 2007 at 2:31 am
So exactly *when* do we get to use the ‘new’ Yahoo Mail on Safari for the Mac?
I have to keep switching to Firefox just to read email, and it’s annoying.
September 14th, 2007 at 3:10 am
I am forced to switch back: I bougth a better computer and no beta on Safari yet. Oh yes I could use Firefox, but I like so much how Safari handles fonts and pages are always a bit nicer in it.
Do you guys have some spare time to make smaller graphics and a better theme for classic?
September 14th, 2007 at 5:14 am
Beta is just too slow - will not revert to beta until I hear/see that this has been fixed.
September 14th, 2007 at 5:14 am
Yahoo has given me so many problems in the past 2 months, I was forced to switch back to the Old mail. Now the old mail gives me error messages a million times a day. I may be forced to change my email address to gmail or hotmail!
September 14th, 2007 at 5:17 am
I’ve been testing the Yahoo Beta for a year and love it! I don’t have any problems forwarding emails and editing them. However, I do understand the issue with choosing a group and not editing it, but if that’s the case, but I don’t ever need to do that hardly.
The drag and drop with folders, keyboard shortcuts for forwarding, replying, previewing mail in panels, having multiple emails open at the same time…all are AWESOME features. The only time I switch back is on my grandparents computer b/c they still have dial up, and the new yahoo is too complicated with chat and whatnot to use dial-up.
I’m still listed as Beta version though, so not sure if the actual “new” yahoo is different and when I might be switched off beta.
September 14th, 2007 at 5:24 am
Not Apple friendly. I use Safari for speed. I thought Yahoo was teeming up with Apple for email on the iPhone? What did I miss?
September 14th, 2007 at 5:32 am
I really love the new beta mail, the only problem is it takes longer to load the beta mail.
September 14th, 2007 at 5:51 am
I cannot refine my search for mails with the new version. I hate to switch back and forth for features available on one version over other. I used the beta version for a couple weeks, but now I am sticking to the older version. There is a lot more to be corrected with the beta form, although it has some nice features they are only ornamental not user friendly.
September 14th, 2007 at 6:21 am
Lately I get a lot of trash at the top of incomming E-MAIL’s, also after everytime I read something, I have to cloe all TABS, this is time consumming,especilly when you have Rhumitism in your fingers.
September 14th, 2007 at 7:23 am
I think the big problem wiht the new Yahoo Mail is that it doesen’t run on Appel’s Safari browser. It is the best browser in the market, but Yahoo Mail doesen’t support it.
September 14th, 2007 at 7:36 am
Loading Yahoo Chat contacts slows everything down. I can’t use it at work anyways, but it keeps trying to load and it takes forever before I can click the cancel link. Can’t I disable it permanently so it only loads my Messenger contacts when I want it to instead of all the time?
September 14th, 2007 at 7:44 am
Like most Web applications that get a fresh, Ajax overhaul, Yahoo mail has become more complicated. Yes, it can do more, but the user interface is not for the faint of heart. In other words, I’m confident I can make sense of it (I did), but I’m not so confident that my grandma could. Most people I talk to like the new Yahoo mail when:
1. The connection is fast (not dial-up)
2. There is a lot of mail to read (power users)
I think the latter is an often-missed point. If you only read a dozen or so emails a day, then why would you need all the complication of the new interface? But if you’re in your email all day, it starts to make sense. Yes, it takes longer to load the new Yahoo mail, but if you’re sitting down to write 50 emails, then the initial load time is negligible. But, then again, if you really are that immersed in email (a true power user), it’s hard to argue that many installed applications (Eudora, Mail, Outlook) are still better.
Given all this back and forth, what I’m really trying to say is that unless you can provide something even more compelling than a slick user interface, the new Yahoo mail might not be as compelling as one might think. That happens when you start to provide integrated (”easier”) access to everything else: chat, news feeds, portals, productivity tools, etc. Content is king and integrated content is even better. I look forward to the ongoing improvements in this area.
September 14th, 2007 at 7:52 am
Hey, I really like the new Yahoo! Mail Beta. The only problem that I have with it though is when adding contacts. With the old version, I was able to easily add a contact, including First Name, Last Name, put them in a category, & so on.
With the new version, it only lets me put in the first and last name. Even when I try to go back and edit the contact later, it still doesn’t give me an option to add them to a group such as “friends,” “family,” “affiliates,” and so on.
September 14th, 2007 at 7:56 am
The old Yahoo! Mail address books includes a categories feature. The new Yahoo! Mail does not. Please add this critical feature as soon as possible.
September 14th, 2007 at 7:58 am
I have had difficulty with the Beta Version when the preview pane is used. It crashes when using MS XP, so I frequentyly bounce back and forth between the 2 versions. I vastly prefer the Beta Version but it also doesn’t run well on my home eMac.
September 14th, 2007 at 8:25 am
I like the Beta except I cannot print from it. I have to forward my mail to Outlook Express and print from there.
I originally had a problem with forwarding - many messages wouldn’t forward. That seems OK now.
I like the spam filter. Does a good job.
September 14th, 2007 at 8:59 am
Beta/new is tooooo slooooowwwwwww. I switched back to classic after a few months and some suggestions that it sounds like have not been (yet?) implemented. I use numerous email alternatives including competitive services and multiple corporate and personally hosted pop accounts and this just isn’t there yet, so I choose to do the ‘power’ work and high volume elsewhere. I remain hopeful, but am growing slightly doubtful.
September 14th, 2007 at 9:09 am
You should be able to forward an email and also edit the email that you are forwarding. The beta version does not allow that. In fact after you hit the forward button U cannot even C what U R forwarding.
September 14th, 2007 at 9:11 am
I like the new Beta mail but the typing error did not alow me to open the mail.
September 14th, 2007 at 9:53 am
I have been a loyal Yahoo user since the first time I logged into the Internet more than 10 years ago. I have one question for Yahoo, why do you refuse to respond to problems when sent to customer care about mail? More than a dozen times I have attempted to get answers, to have you provide an answer for a subject not even associated to my question, you have sent an auto response that says in 24 hours you would respond but no response. Problem with spam and you say you checked my account but I did not have filters set up but when I go into mail options they are set up and have been for years. I am a technician and the biggest complaint I receive about technicians would be the lack of what appears to be an honest answer, straight answer. People just want a straight answer to problems and if you don’t have a valid answer then do not make things up.
September 14th, 2007 at 10:10 am
All I want to know is…. is there ever going to be a time when someone who is using their cell phone can sms/text me on my computer w/o using either email or instant messenger.
Example: my friend has t-mobil sk but can’t get im on it (he’s just stupid). I get no cell phone reception at my house and miss all my texts. Do I have to start the thread of sms from my Yahoo IM or is there some magic way that someone can start a text thread from their cell phone to my computer?
September 14th, 2007 at 10:23 am
I can’t use either classic or new on my PocketPC very well.
September 14th, 2007 at 10:45 am
I get an “error” pop up numerous times a day on the Beta version along with sent email not going out. I am not happy with it and switching back to the old system until they can get this problem fixed.
September 14th, 2007 at 11:35 am
Thanks for proving this option. Frankly I think I am too use to the classic version.
September 14th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
I am not happy with the new mail version, it freezes up. Am unable to switch back even tho I have followed the directions at the top of the page.
How can I get back to the original mail?
September 14th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Please, please, please add “Categories” to the new Yahoo! Mail contacts. This was a critical feature in the old Yahoo! address book. Without it it’s impossible to keep my contact organized and accessible. Thanks!
September 14th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
For the past week, everytime I try to login to the new beta version of YahooMail, I receive a login error message. What’s up? It was working fine until last week. I like the new version and really want to get back to using it. Any help???
September 14th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
The only reason I don’t like the new version, is the print is too small!! Otherwise I would use it, if the print were larger.
September 14th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
As a PAYING Yahoo member with Mail Plus, I’m very disappointed that I still have the Beta version. I would think the people who pay for the service would get some kind of priority for upgrades.
September 14th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
that mail has alot of problems that y i want to swich back .