You open AOL Mail and nothing loads, or you sign in and get bounced back to the login screen. Maybe messages stopped arriving, an email won't send, or the app on your phone just spins.
The good news: most AOL Mail problems trace back to a short list of fixable causes, and you rarely need all of them. Cache, browser, password, account settings, then app configuration.
Work through the fixes below in order. They start with the fastest, most common culprits and move toward the deeper account and app-specific issues, so you can stop as soon as your mail is working again.
Start With the Quick Checks
Before changing any settings, rule out the simple stuff. These few steps resolve a surprising share of AOL Mail issues on their own.
- 1.Restart your computer to clear its internal memory (RAM); this alone often resolves loading and sign-in glitches.
- 2.Confirm your device is actually connected to a working internet connection.
- 3.Sign out of AOL completely, then sign back in. This clears simple browser hiccups and bad-password states.
- 4.If mail won't send or receive, or images won't load, wait a few minutes and try again. The cause may be a temporary AOL mail-server delay rather than your setup.
If multiple people seem affected, AOL itself may be down. AOL does not surface an official public outage page, so check a third-party monitor such as isitdownrightnow.com or StatusGator before digging deeper. If it's an outage, waiting is the fix.
Clear the Browser Cache and Cookies
A stale or corrupted cache file, or an old login cookie, is one of the most common reasons AOL Mail won't load or sign you in. Clearing it resets the site to a clean state.
Each browser stores this in a different place, so use your browser maker's own steps to clear cache and cookies (AOL's help defers to each browser vendor for the exact clicks). After clearing, fully close and reopen the browser, then sign in to AOL Mail again.
If you see the error "Invalid password. Please try again," blank pages, or missing screens, those are classic signs that a cache and cookie clear is worth trying first.
Use a Supported, Up-to-Date Browser
AOL Mail relies on modern web features, so an outdated or unsupported browser can break it. Internet Explorer is no longer supported by Microsoft and cannot be updated; AOL recommends switching away from it.
Update your current browser to the latest version, or install a different supported one, then load mail.aol.com again. If you are stuck in Internet Explorer for now, go to Tools, then Internet Options, then the Security tab, deselect "Enable Protected Mode," and restart the browser.
Turn Off Blockers and Enable Scripts
Ad blockers, script blockers, privacy tools, and pop-up blockers can all stop AOL Mail from running. So can disabled JavaScript or cookies.
- Enable Java (JavaScript) scripting and cookies; AOL Mail will not work properly without them.
- Disable pop-up blocking, or add AOL to your allowlist. Many browsers let you bypass a blocker temporarily by holding the Shift key while you click.
- If a security tool or firewall filters URLs, allowlist these AOL addresses: *.aol.com, registration.aol.com, and webmail.aol.com.
- Temporarily disable firewall or security software (such as McAfee) to test whether it is blocking the connection, then re-enable it once you know.
Reset or Recover Your Password
The error "Invalid password. Please try again" usually means exactly that. If you have forgotten it, recover access through AOL's Sign-in Helper.
- 1.Open the Sign-in Helper (AOL's account-recovery tool).
- 2.Enter one of your listed recovery items, such as a recovery phone number or alternate email address.
- 3.Click Continue, then follow the instructions to verify your identity and set a new password.
If you are already signed in on the web, go to the AOL Account Security page, click "Change password," enter a new password, and click Continue. In an AOL mobile app, tap the menu icon, then Manage Accounts, then Account info, then Security settings, enter the security code, choose Change password, and enter the new one.
One caution: if a sign-in image (CAPTCHA) challenge keeps reappearing even after you answer it correctly, that points to an account-security problem rather than a typo, and may need further security steps.
Fix Missing, Sending, or Blocked Mail
If sign-in works but mail behaves oddly, the cause is usually a setting inside AOL Mail, not your browser. Check these in order.
- Missing incoming mail: review your filters. A filter can route messages out of your Inbox into another folder. Then open Mail Settings, then Block Senders, and make sure "Block All Senders Except Contacts" is unchecked, since it stops mail from anyone not in your contacts.
- Spam folder: open the Spam folder, select any legitimate messages, and click "Not Spam" at the top. Also check other custom folders for misdirected mail.
- Can't send: check your display name and remove any combination of the letters "AOL" from it. Any "AOL" string silently blocks your outgoing mail, an easy-to-miss cause after an account compromise.
- Images: pictures sent as attachments must be downloaded before viewing. For recipients not seeing your images, enable Rich Text or HTML in Mail Settings, or send the picture as an attachment.
If the account was deactivated for long inactivity, that can also explain missing mail or sign-in failure, so confirm the account is still active.
Secure a Compromised Account
If your Sent folder shows messages you never wrote, treat the account as compromised. This can also cause sending to fail afterward.
Secure the account and change your password immediately using the steps above, then check that your display name does not contain "AOL," since attackers sometimes alter it. Once secured, try sending again.
Set Up Third-Party Apps Correctly
If AOL works on the web but fails in Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, or similar, the app's configuration is almost always the problem. First confirm the account itself is fine: sign in to AOL Mail in a browser, send a message to your own address, and check it arrives.
AOL recommends IMAP, which keeps the server and your app in sync. Use these verified settings:
- Incoming IMAP: imap.aol.com, port 993, SSL on.
- Incoming POP3 (alternative): pop.aol.com, port 995, SSL on. Note that POP can delete mail from the server depending on the app's setting, so enable "Keep email on server" if you choose POP.
- Outgoing SMTP: smtp.aol.com, port 465, SSL on, authentication required.
- Username: your full email address including @aol.com.
AOL uses OAuth2 as its secure sign-in method. Some apps do not support it and instead need a generated app password: Outlook Desktop, Outlook for Mac, Windows Mail, and (per AOL, as of May 2020) the Gmail app. You also need an app password if two-step verification is enabled.
To create one, go to the AOL Account Security page, select "Generate and manage app passwords," click Get Started, enter the app's name (for example, "iPhone Mail"), click Generate password, and use that one-time password in place of your normal password. Generate it in a browser you have signed into AOL Mail with for several days, and avoid Incognito or Private mode, or it may fail. If a password change or settings fix doesn't take, remove and re-add the AOL account in the app, and update the app to its newest version.
Fix the AOL App on iOS and Android
Mobile glitches usually clear with a restart, an update, or a reinstall. Try these in order.
On iPhone or iPad, update iOS to the latest version, then force stop and relaunch the app (swipe up and hold, then swipe the app away). If it still fails, tap and hold the app, tap Remove App, then Delete App, then reinstall it from the App Store.
On Android, first make sure Google Chrome or a Chrome-based browser is installed and enabled, since it is required to sign in to the AOL app. Update Android, then open Settings, tap Apps, tap AOL, and tap Force Stop. To reinstall, go to Settings, then Apps, then AOL, tap Uninstall, then download it again from the Google Play Store.
For a mobile browser instead of the app, update the browser, clear its cache and cookies, restart the browser and the device, and if needed try a different browser. To add AOL to the built-in Apple Mail app, go to Settings, then Apps, then Mail, then Mail Accounts, then Add Account. If AOL is not auto-detected, tap "Add Other Account," then "Mail Account," and if prompted choose IMAP and enter imap.aol.com (993, SSL) and smtp.aol.com (465, SSL), using an app password as the password.
Free Up a Full Mailbox
A full mailbox can stop new mail from arriving. Clear space by deleting unneeded messages from your largest folders: Inbox, Sent, Spam, and Trash.
Empty the Trash afterward, because deleted messages can keep counting against your storage until they are permanently removed. Target old emails with large attachments such as photos and videos, since they use the most space. If you need to keep any, download the attachments to your computer or cloud storage before deleting the originals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does AOL Mail say my password is invalid when I know it's correct?
Start by clearing your browser's cache and cookies, since a stale login cookie often triggers this. If a sign-in image (CAPTCHA) challenge keeps reappearing even after correct answers, that points to an account-security issue rather than a typo, and may require additional security steps.
Why can't I send email from AOL?
Check your display name and remove any combination of the letters "AOL," which silently blocks outgoing mail. Also confirm your Sent folder has no messages you didn't write; if it does, secure the account and change your password before trying again.
What are the correct AOL server settings for Outlook or Apple Mail?
For incoming mail, AOL recommends IMAP at imap.aol.com, port 993, SSL on. For outgoing mail, use smtp.aol.com, port 465, SSL on, with authentication. Use your full @aol.com address as the username.
Do I need an app password for my email app?
You need one if AOL two-step verification is enabled, or if the app does not support OAuth2. Apps that need an app password include Outlook Desktop, Outlook for Mac, Windows Mail, and (per AOL, as of May 2020) the Gmail app. Generate it on the AOL Account Security page.
Why did my messages disappear from the Inbox?
A filter may be moving them to another folder, so review your filters first. Also check the Spam folder and confirm "Block All Senders Except Contacts" is unchecked under Mail Settings, then Block Senders. If you use a POP-based app without "Keep email on server" enabled, it can delete mail from AOL after download.
Is AOL Mail down right now?
AOL does not publish an official outage status page. If sending, receiving, or loading fails for more than a few minutes, check a third-party monitor such as isitdownrightnow.com or StatusGator to confirm whether the service is down before troubleshooting further.
