AOL Mail problems usually show up as a locked account, missing messages, failed sends, broken attachments, or an app that refuses to sync. Start with sign-in and browser checks, then move through mail rules, sending settings, third-party apps, and the AOL mobile app.
These fixes use AOL's current help guidance and skip outdated less-secure app access and Internet Explorer workarounds.
1. Get Back Into AOL Mail
This fixes forgotten passwords, sign-in loops, and invalid password errors.
Sign out of your AOL account completely, then sign back in at AOL Mail.
For a forgotten username or password, open AOL Sign-in Helper, enter your recovery mobile number or alternate email address, and follow the prompts.
When someone changed your password, use AOL Sign-in Helper, then change your password and review your account settings.
If sign-in keeps looping, enter your username, click Not you?, enter your username and password again, then click Sign in.
If the loop continues, clear browser cookies, quit and restart the browser, then try a supported browser or the AOL Mail sign-in page.
When AOL shows Invalid Password, check Caps Lock and Num Lock, update saved browser autofill, then test another browser.
2. Make Your Browser Work With AOL
Use a supported browser: Edge, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or AOL Desktop Gold on Windows 7 or newer.
On Mac, use the latest Safari, Firefox, or Chrome on Mac OS X or newer.
On mobile web, use iOS 14 or later, or Android 9 or later.
Clear the browser cache from the browser's Clear browsing data or Cache menu, then reload AOL Mail.
If cache clearing fails, open the browser's reset menu and restore default settings after reviewing what the reset removes.
For sending problems or Temporary Error 1, restart the browser, then restart the computer.
If Temporary Error 1 continues, sign out of AOL Mail on all devices, sign back in, or use the AOL Mail app or the native mail app on your phone or tablet.
3. Find Missing Messages
Use AOL Mail search to look for the missing message.
Open Spam and Trash manually because those folders do not appear in search results.
In Spam, select a legitimate message and click Not Spam.
Open Settings > More Settings > Filters, choose any filter that sends mail to the wrong folder, change the rule or folder, then click Save.
To remove a bad filter, select it in Filters and click the Delete icon.
Open Settings > More Settings > Security and Privacy, hover over a blocked address, then click the Delete icon to unblock it.
Open Settings > More Settings > Security and Privacy and make sure the Block all senders except contacts toggle is off.
In any POP mail app, turn off the setting that deletes or removes messages from the server after download.
With IMAP and AOL apps, deletes and moves sync everywhere, so check every connected mail app when messages vanish.
4. Stop Junk Without Blocking Real Mail
For junk mail, select the message and click Spam; when AOL offers it, click Unsubscribe.
If the unsubscribe pop-up does not appear, AOL still marks the email as spam and sends future mail from that sender to spam.
To fix a sender you blocked by mistake, open Settings > More Settings > Security and Privacy and remove the address with the Delete icon.
5. Repair Sending and Attachments
Restart your computer, then send the message again.
If AOL shows an image challenge while sending, complete the challenge, then click Send again.
If the image challenge is correct and sending still fails, change your password and review account settings.
Open Settings > More Settings > Mailboxes, select the account under Mailbox list, edit Your name, then click Save.
Remove any combination of AOL from the display name because AOL says messages will not go through with that text in the sending name.
For attachment failures, remove special characters from the file title, then attach the file again.
Use a supported browser for attachments.
Do not attach unsupported or high-risk file types, including .exe, .bat, and .jar.
6. Show Images or Send Them as Files
When received images stay hidden, open Settings > More Settings > Viewing email tab > Show images in messages and choose Always, except spam folder.
To block external images until you approve them, choose Ask before showing external images in the same menu.
If recipients cannot see images you forward, enable Rich Text/HTML from Options > Mail Settings > Compose tab > Rich Text/HTML > Use Rich Text/HTML, then save the setting.
For the cleanest delivery, click Compose, click the Attach icon, select the image file, and click Open.
7. Reconnect Outlook, Apple Mail, or Another App
Sign in to AOL Mail in a browser, compose an email to your own address, send it, and confirm it arrives.
If webmail works, remove and re-add the AOL account in the third-party mail app.
Update the mail app to its newest version.
Use your full AOL email address, including @aol.com.
For IMAP, use imap.aol.com, port 993 with SSL, and outgoing server smtp.aol.com, port 465 with SSL.
For POP3, use pop.aol.com, port 995 with SSL, and outgoing server smtp.aol.com, port 465 with SSL.
Use IMAP when available because AOL recommends it as the best option with AOL Mail.
In classic Outlook for Windows, open File > Account Settings > Manage Profiles > Email Accounts, double-click the AOL account, then re-enter your AOL password or app password.
In new Outlook for Windows, open View > View settings (or File > Account info), go to Accounts > Your accounts, then click Manage next to the AOL account, or remove the account and add it again.
In Apple Mail on Mac, open Mail > Settings > AOL Mail account > Server Settings, then re-enter the password under incoming and outgoing mail servers and click Save.
For certificate or secure connection errors, install the latest operating system available for the device; if the device cannot update, use mail.aol.com, the AOL app, or a newer device.
8. Use an AOL App Password
Some third-party apps need an AOL app password, especially apps that do not use AOL's branded sign-in page or accounts using two-step verification.
Create one from AOL Account Security page > Generate app password or Generate and manage app passwords > Get Started > app name > Generate password, enter that one-time password in the mail app, then click Done.
To remove one later, open AOL Account Security page > Generate and manage app passwords > Delete > Delete.
Skip older less-secure app access instructions; AOL's current options are app passwords, AOL webmail, the AOL app, AOL Desktop Gold, or secure sign-in by re-adding the account.
9. Fix the AOL App on iPhone or Android
On iPhone or iPad, open the app switcher, swipe up on AOL, then relaunch the app.
On iPhone or iPad, reinstall AOL by tapping and holding the app, tapping Remove App, tapping Delete App, tapping Delete, then downloading AOL again from the App Store.
Install the most recent iOS version available for your device, then retry the AOL app.
On Android, open Settings > Apps > AOL > Force Stop, tap Force Stop again when prompted, then reopen AOL.
On Android, reinstall AOL from Settings > Apps > AOL > Uninstall > OK, then download and install the app again.
Update Android from the device Settings app, and make sure Google Chrome or a Chrome-based browser is installed and enabled for sign-in.
To add an account in the AOL app, open Profile icon > Manage Accounts > Add Account, then enter the email address and password.
To reset an AOL app account, open Profile icon > Manage Accounts, turn the account slider off, then turn it on again. On Android, tap Turn off account to confirm the sign-out before you switch the slider back on.
If you cannot update the AOL app, use mail.aol.com.
If mail arrives but phone alerts do not, open Profile icon > Mail Notifications on iPhone or iPad, or Profile icon > Notifications on Android, and choose the notification level you want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is AOL Mail asking me to sign in again and again?
AOL points to a sign-in cookie loop. Click Not you? on the sign-in page, sign in again, then clear cookies, restart the browser, or switch to another supported browser.
Why are my AOL emails disappearing after I read them in another app?
A POP mail app can remove messages from the AOL server after downloading them. Turn off the app's delete from server or remove from server after download setting.
What are the correct AOL Mail server settings?
For IMAP, use imap.aol.com on port 993 with SSL and smtp.aol.com on port 465 with SSL. For POP3, use pop.aol.com on port 995 with SSL and smtp.aol.com on port 465 with SSL.
What should I do if my AOL account looks hacked?
Change your password immediately, delete app passwords you do not recognize, revert changed mail settings, check recovery options, keep antivirus updated, and consider two-step verification.