My mail app rejects my AOL password
Create an app password in AOL Account Info under Account Security, and type it into the app.
AOL Email: Settings, Sign-In & Fixes
AOL Mail is still running even though AOL dial-up internet has ended. Most mail apps need an AOL app password, not the password you use on the AOL website.
Covers @aol.com, @aim.com. Run by AOL. Checked against AOL's own help pages, November 2026.
AOL email server settings
| Server | Address | Port | Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incoming (IMAP) | imap.aol.com | 993 | SSL/TLS |
| Incoming (POP) | pop.aol.com | 995 | SSL/TLS |
| Outgoing (SMTP) | smtp.aol.com | 465 | SSL/TLS |
- Username: Your full AOL address (name@aol.com)
- Password: Unless your app shows the AOL sign-in screen, create an AOL app password in Account Info, Account Security, and use it instead of your normal password.
- Use IMAP if you read mail on more than one device; POP downloads mail to one device only.
Official page: AOL email settings
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Common AOL email problems
IMAP won't connect on imap.aol.com
One AOL help article gives export.imap.aol.com (port 993, SSL) as the IMAP server. Try that instead.
My POP app only gets the Inbox, or deleted messages come back
AOL recommends IMAP. If you stay on POP, set the app to keep mail on the server.
My older mail app stopped syncing
Update the app, or remove the account and add it again using the AOL sign-in screen.
Problems that look the same on every provider
Can't sign in, or the password stopped working
- Sign in on the provider's own webmail page first. If that works, the problem is your mail app, not the account.
- If webmail rejects the password, use the provider's "Forgot password" page. Never use a reset link from an email you did not ask for.
- Many providers now need a separate app password (or their own sign-in screen) for Outlook, Apple Mail and phone apps. Your normal password will not work there.
Not receiving emails
- Check Spam, Junk and any filters or "blocked senders" in webmail.
- Check whether the mailbox is full; most providers stop accepting mail at the storage limit.
- If your app shows nothing new but webmail does, remove and re-add the account in the app using IMAP.
Can't send, or emails are stuck in the Outbox
- Check the outgoing (SMTP) server, port and security on this page against your app; old guides often list ports that no longer work.
- Turn on "My outgoing server requires authentication" and use the same username and password as incoming.
- Large attachments are a common cause. Remove the attachment and try again.
Contacts are getting spam from my address
- Change the password from webmail, then sign out of all other sessions if the provider offers it.
- Check forwarding rules, filters and the reply-to address in settings; attackers often add a hidden forward.
- Turn on two-step verification, and update the password anywhere else you used the same one.
Setting it up on a new phone or computer
- Use IMAP rather than POP so mail stays in sync across your phone, computer and webmail.
- Enter your full email address as the username unless the provider says otherwise.
- If the app offers the provider by name (Yahoo, Google, Outlook), choose that instead of "Other".
Sources: AOL help: use POP or IMAP to sync AOL Mail in another app · AOL help: download your email with IMAP · AOL help: fix problems with other mail apps · AOL help: create and manage app passwords. Providers change settings from time to time; their own page is the final word.
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