add Verizon /AOL email to outlook 365

Question

This PC (my wife) has had a longtime Verizon.net email account and was working until recently.

Remember Verizon move folks over to AOL but left the account ID the same.

It decided to ask for the password which she had long forgot.

It also decided that her account server was Yahoo and I can't change that.

I found instruction to setup Verizon using imap.aol.com but no go, I tried adding the verizon /aol account but got a warning that the account was already established.

In frustration I deleted the account and followed the instructions to add again but still get an error message.

She can still get message on her iPhone via AOL but I'm in trouble if I can't get outlook working again.

Help please.

Answer 1

To add a Verizon/AOL email account to Outlook 365, you can follow these steps:

1. Check Account Settings: Ensure that you have the correct email settings for AOL. For Verizon accounts that have been migrated to AOL, use the following IMAP settings:
   • Incoming Mail Server: imap.aol.com
   • Port: 993
   • SSL: Yes
   • Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP): smtp.aol.com
   • Port: 587
   • SSL: Yes
2. Remove Existing Account: If you previously attempted to add the account and received an error stating that it was already established, ensure that you have fully removed the account from Outlook. Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings, select the account, and click Remove.
3. Add Account Again: After removing the account, go back to File > Add Account. Enter the email address and choose Advanced Options to set up the account manually. Enter the IMAP settings mentioned above.
4. Password Recovery: If you have forgotten the password, you may need to reset it through the AOL account recovery process. Visit the AOL website to recover or reset the password.
5. Check for Updates: Ensure that your Outlook is up to date, as updates may resolve issues with account setup.

If you continue to experience issues, consider checking the Microsoft Community for additional support or troubleshooting steps.

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References:

• Connection to Microsoft Exchange is unavailable error when a Microsoft 365 user tries to set up Outlook
• Outlook can't set up a Microsoft 365 account

Answer 2

Hi. I'm Brian and I'll try to help.

Yahoo bought AOL a while back but has now sold it off (in October 2025) to a company named Bending Spoons. Your Verizon mail should now be hosted by Yahoo. You should be able to allow Outlook to configure your account automatically and it will choose Yahoo for the servers. Your Verizon username and password shouldn't have changed.