You have an AOL Mail account and an Android phone, and you want your mail showing up on the device so you can read and send from anywhere. The good news: AOL gives you several supported ways to do this, and you can pick the one that fits how you like to work.
The quickest route is the official AOL app. If you would rather not install anything, AOL Mail also runs in your phone's browser. And if you prefer your phone's own mail app (Gmail, Samsung Email, or the built-in one), you can add AOL there too, either automatically or by typing in AOL's server settings yourself.
Before you start, have two things ready: your full AOL address (the one ending in @aol.com) and its password. If you use 2-step verification on your account, you will need a generated app password instead of your normal password for any non-AOL app; that step is covered below.
Install the Official AOL App from Google Play
This is the simplest setup and the one most people want. There is no separate app literally called "AOL Mail"; the official app is named AOL - News, Mail & Video, and it includes your mailbox. Your phone needs to be running Android 9.0 or newer.
- 1.Confirm your device runs Android 9.0 or newer (this is required).
- 2.Open the Google Play Store on your phone.
- 3.Type AOL in the search field.
- 4.Choose AOL - News, Mail & Video from the results.
- 5.Tap Install, then tap Open.
- 6.Sign in with your AOL username (your full @aol.com address) and password to reach Mail.
If you have 2-step verification turned on, your normal password will not work here. Generate an app password first (see "Generate an App Password" below) and sign in with that instead.
Open AOL Mail in Your Phone's Browser (No App Needed)
If you do not want to install anything, you can use AOL Mail straight from a mobile browser. AOL lists Android Chrome 61 and Android Opera 51 as supported; newer versions work too, while older or unsupported browsers may run slowly.
Open a supported mobile browser on your phone.
Next, go to mail.aol.com.
Then sign in with your AOL username and password.
The mobile web layout differs from the desktop version, but it offers similar access and customization. This is a handy fallback if an app is misbehaving and you just need to get to your inbox.
Add AOL Inside the Yahoo Mail App
AOL and Yahoo Mail share the same backend, so the Yahoo Mail app for Android can hold an AOL mailbox. This is a good option if you already use Yahoo Mail or want one app for several accounts.
Install the Yahoo Mail app from the Google Play Store (search its name, tap Install).
After that, open the app and tap the Profile icon.
Tap Add another mailbox.
Then tap an email provider and choose AOL (the app supports third-party accounts such as Gmail, Outlook, or AOL).
If prompted, tap Allow to confirm.
Enter your AOL email address and password when prompted (use an app password if 2-step verification is on).
Follow the on-screen prompts to allow access to the account.
To remove it later, tap the Profile icon, then Settings > Manage mailboxes > Remove, and tap OK to confirm.
Add AOL to Your Phone's Built-In Mail App (Automatic)
You can also add AOL to Gmail, Samsung Email, or your device's built-in mail app. Many phones will configure everything for you once you enter your address and password.
Open your device's built-in email app, or go to Android Settings and choose to add an account.
Choose to add a new email account.
Enter your full AOL Mail address (ending in @aol.com) and tap Next.
Enter your AOL password (or app password if 2-step verification is on) and tap Next.
Let the app auto-configure the account.
If the app cannot detect AOL automatically, switch to manual setup and enter the server details yourself, as shown next.
Enter AOL's Server Settings Manually (IMAP Recommended)
When auto-setup fails, manual entry always works. Choose IMAP if you can: AOL says IMAP works best with AOL Mail and keeps your messages synced across every device. In your mail app, add an account, choose manual setup, and select IMAP.
Incoming (IMAP) server: imap.aol.com.
Incoming port: 993, Security type: SSL.
Outgoing (SMTP) server: smtp.aol.com.
Outgoing port: 465, Security type: SSL.
Username: your full AOL email address including @aol.com (for both incoming and outgoing).
Password: your AOL password, or an app password if 2-step verification is enabled.
Make sure SSL is enabled for both incoming and outgoing mail, and that the outgoing server requires authentication. Then finish setup (set check frequency or display name if asked) and save.
If you specifically need POP instead, select POP during manual setup and use these incoming values: server pop.aol.com, port 995, security SSL. The outgoing SMTP server, port, username, and SSL requirements are the same as IMAP above. Note that POP downloads mail to one device rather than syncing it everywhere, which is why IMAP is preferred.
Generate an App Password for Non-AOL Apps
If 2-step verification is enabled on your AOL account, your regular password will not work in third-party or native mail apps, because those apps use a single password field instead of AOL's branded sign-in page. You need a generated app password to paste in its place. Even without 2-step verification, AOL recommends an app password for any non-AOL app that uses a single login field.
On a browser you have signed into AOL Mail with for several days in a row (not Incognito or private mode, or generation may fail), sign in and open your AOL Account Security page.
Select Generate app password (or Generate and manage app passwords).
Click Get Started.
Enter a name for the app in the text field (for example, "Gmail Android").
Click Generate password.
Copy the one-time password shown and use it to sign into your Android mail app in place of your normal password.
Click Done.
One important gotcha: app passwords stay active even after you change your main AOL password. To invalidate one, you must delete it. Return to Account Security > Generate and manage app passwords, click Delete next to it, and confirm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a dedicated "AOL Mail" app for Android?
No. The official app is called AOL - News, Mail & Video and includes your mailbox. Separately, the Yahoo Mail app can hold an AOL account because AOL and Yahoo Mail share the same backend.
Should I choose IMAP or POP?
Choose IMAP. AOL states IMAP works best with AOL Mail and keeps your messages synced across all your devices. POP downloads mail to a single device, so use it only if you have a specific reason.
My password keeps getting rejected in my mail app. Why?
If you have 2-step verification enabled, your regular password will not work in third-party or native apps; you must generate and use an app password instead. Also double-check that you entered your full address including @aol.com as the username, and that SSL is on for both incoming and outgoing servers.
I changed my AOL password and now mail stopped working. What do I do?
Third-party apps store your old credentials, so they will stop sending and receiving until you update the saved password (or app password) in the app's Account Settings. Note that changing your main password does not deactivate an existing app password; delete that separately if you want it revoked.
Why did generating an app password fail?
AOL asks you to use a browser you have signed into AOL Mail with for several days in a row, and to avoid Incognito or private mode. Generating from a fresh or private session can fail.
My mail app cannot connect or auto-setup did not detect AOL. Any fixes?
An outdated app can fail against AOL's current security settings, so update the app to the latest version, then remove and re-add the AOL account. If automatic detection still fails, switch to manual setup and enter AOL's IMAP and SMTP details yourself.