You want your AOL Mail on your iPhone so messages arrive automatically and you can reply from anywhere. The fastest route is iOS Mail's built-in AOL option, which fills in the technical settings for you.
For most people this is just a few taps. The one thing that trips up otherwise-correct setups is two-step verification, which blocks your normal password inside Mail and requires a special app password instead.
This guide covers the quick automatic setup first, then how to handle two-step verification, manual server entry if automatic detection fails, the standalone AOL app, and what to do when mail stops syncing. Have your full AOL address (ending in @aol.com) and password ready before you start.
Add AOL Through iPhone Settings (Fastest Method)
iOS Mail includes AOL as a built-in provider, so it knows the correct servers automatically. This is the recommended path.
- 1.Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- 2.Tap Apps, then tap Mail (Settings > Apps > Mail on current iOS).
- 3.Tap Mail Accounts, then tap Add Account.
- 4.From the list of providers, tap the AOL option (shown as "Aol.").
- 5.Enter your AOL email address and password. If two-step verification is on, enter an app password here instead (see the next section).
- 6.Tap Next and let Mail verify the account.
- 7.Tap Save to finish.
Your inbox should begin loading within a moment. If verification fails, skip to the manual setup section below.
Create an App Password if Two-Step Verification Is On
Third-party mail apps that do not use AOL's branded sign-in page require a single password credential. With two-step verification enabled, that credential must be a generated app password, not your normal one. Generate it from a browser, then paste it into iPhone Mail.
- 1.Sign in to your AOL Account Security page (login.aol.com/myaccount/security/).
- 2.In the "Other ways to sign in" section, click Generate app password (also shown as "Generate and manage app passwords").
- 3.Click Get Started.
- 4.Type a name for the app, such as "iPhone Mail," in the text field.
- 5.Click Generate password.
- 6.Copy the generated password and use it in place of your normal password during iPhone setup.
- 7.Click Done.
The generated password is a unique randomly generated code. Two cautions: create it from a browser you have signed into AOL Mail with for several days in a row, and avoid Incognito or Private mode, or generation may fail. App passwords also stay active even after you change your main account password, so revoke any you no longer use from the same Account Security page.
If you have not turned on two-step verification yet and want to, go to the same Account Security page, select Turn on in the "2-Step Verification" section, choose Phone number, and follow the prompts to receive and enter a code. After that, generate an app password for any third-party mail app.
Set Up AOL Manually if Automatic Detection Fails
If the built-in option cannot verify your account, add it as an "Other" account and enter the servers yourself.
- 1.Go to Settings > Apps > Mail > Mail Accounts > Add Account.
- 2.Tap Add Other Account, then tap Mail Account.
- 3.Fill in your name, email address, password, and a description, then tap Next.
- 4.Mail attempts automatic configuration. If that fails, choose IMAP or POP and enter the server details by hand.
For the Incoming Mail Server using IMAP (recommended), set the host name to imap.aol.com, the user name to your full AOL address including @aol.com, and the password to your AOL password or app password (port 993, SSL enabled). If you prefer POP, use pop.aol.com on port 995 with SSL enabled.
For the Outgoing Mail Server, set the host name to smtp.aol.com, the user name to your full AOL address, and the password to your AOL password or app password (port 465, SSL enabled, authentication required). Make sure SSL encryption is enabled for both incoming and outgoing mail, then tap Next and tap Save once the settings verify.
IMAP is preferred over POP because it keeps the app and your mail.aol.com account continuously in sync. If you choose POP and the app asks whether to keep mail on the server, choose Yes, otherwise downloaded messages are deleted from your AOL account. IMAP avoids this entirely.
Use the Standalone AOL App Instead
If you prefer AOL's own app over Apple Mail, you can install it and sign in directly. First download it.
- 1.Open the App Store and tap the Search icon.
- 2.Type AOL and tap Search.
- 3.Next to "AOL: News Email Weather Video," tap Get.
- 4.Authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your Apple ID when prompted.
- 5.Tap Open to launch the app.
Then add your account inside the app.
- 1.Tap the Profile icon in the upper-left.
- 2.Tap Manage Accounts, then tap Add Account.
- 3.Enter your email address and password to sign in.
To switch accounts later, tap the Profile icon and select the account. To remove one, go to Profile icon > Manage Accounts > Edit, tap Remove next to the account, then confirm. If you change a setting and need the app to refresh, go to Profile icon > Manage Accounts, toggle the account off with the slider, then toggle it back on. AOL also provides a dedicated help article for setting the AOL app as your default mail app on iOS, so that mailto links and Share > Mail actions open it instead of Apple Mail.
Fix AOL Mail That Stops Syncing
If mail was working and suddenly stops sending or receiving, AOL recommends a short sequence. Verify your IMAP or POP settings (IMAP preferred), generate an app password if two-step verification is on, update your mail app to the latest version, and remove and re-add the AOL account.
One very common cause: if you recently changed your AOL password, iPhone Mail keeps using the old saved one and stops working until you update the saved password in the account's settings. If you use an app password, remember it remains valid even after a main password change, so that specific credential does not need updating unless you revoked it.
Two host caveats worth knowing. AOL's mail-export help page lists an incoming server of export.imap.aol.com, but that host is only for one-time bulk downloading of your mail, not ongoing sync; for normal iPhone setup, always use imap.aol.com. Separately, very large mailboxes with around a million or more emails in a folder can fail to download every message.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won't my normal AOL password work in iPhone Mail?
If two-step verification is enabled on your account, a regular password will not work in iPhone Mail or other third-party apps. Generate an app password from your AOL Account Security page and use that in place of your password.
Should I choose IMAP or POP?
Choose IMAP. It keeps your iPhone and your mail.aol.com account continuously in sync, and it avoids the POP risk of messages being deleted from the server when downloaded. Use IMAP server imap.aol.com on port 993 with SSL.
What are the correct AOL server settings?
Incoming IMAP is imap.aol.com, port 993, SSL. Incoming POP is pop.aol.com, port 995, SSL. Outgoing SMTP is smtp.aol.com, port 465, SSL with authentication required. Your username is always your full address including @aol.com.
My app password generation keeps failing. What's wrong?
Generate it from a browser you have signed into AOL Mail with for several days in a row, and do not use Incognito or Private browsing mode. Both conditions can cause generation to fail.
I changed my AOL password and now Mail is broken. How do I fix it?
iPhone Mail keeps the old saved password until you update it. Open the account's settings in Mail and enter your new password (or your existing app password, which stays valid after a main password change).
Do I have to use Apple Mail, or can I use AOL's own app?
Either works. Apple Mail's built-in AOL option is the quickest setup. If you prefer AOL's interface, install "AOL: News Email Weather Video" from the App Store and add your account under the Profile icon > Manage Accounts > Add Account.
