Cannot get AOL to work with Microsoft Outlook

Question

I cannot seem to get my AOL to sync with Microsoft Outlook. I am using Windows 11 with Microsoft 365. When I try to open my AOL e-mail it asks for my password. The password I enter is definitely correct. Various sources suggested deleting my AOL account from Outlook; get an app password from AOL; and then try to add AOL account again. I completed all these steps and now I can not add AOL account. I have verified port settings, etc. I have deleted old app passwords and had new ones generated, but I can not get my AOL account set up with Outlook anymore.

Answer 1

Hello Patricia Perkins, thanks for posting in the community.

This issue is usually not caused by incorrect credentials. In most cases, it occurs because AOL is blocking the sign-in attempt due to cached or legacy authentication data, Outlook is trying to use Modern Authentication (OAuth) which AOL does not fully support, or Outlook is holding on to corrupted cached credentials or a damaged profile.

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First close Outlook and remove any stored AOL credentials from Windows Credential Manager. Open Control Panel, go to Credential Manager, select Windows Credentials, and delete all entries related to Outlook, AOL, or IMAP. Once this is done, restart Windows. Clearing these cached credentials is important because they can remain even after an account is removed from Outlook and continue to cause authentication failures.

Next, create a brand-new app password in AOL and do not reuse an old one. Sign in at https://login.aol.com, open Account Security, generate a new app password, and select “Mail app” when prompted. Copy the generated password exactly as shown, as spaces and formatting matter. App passwords can become invalid without warning if they are reused or previously associated with a failed sign-in attempt.

After that, add the AOL account back into Outlook using manual configuration instead of automatic setup. When Outlook attempts to switch to OAuth or AOL web sign-in, cancel the process and proceed with a manual IMAP configuration. You can follow the screenshots shown in this Microsoft Q&A thread, Adding AOL email address to Outlook:

OR

Refer to AOL’s official guidance for using third-party email applications at https://help.aol.com/articles/how-do-i-use-other-email-applications-to-send-and-receive-my-aol-mail. These resources show how to configure AOL using IMAP with an app password, which is the supported method.

I hope this helps clarify the cause and the steps needed to get the account work using Outlook.

Kind regards,

John Oli

Answer 2

To troubleshoot the issue of connecting your AOL account with Microsoft Outlook, you can follow these steps:

1. Check Account Settings: Ensure that you are using the correct server settings for AOL in Outlook. The incoming server should be set to IMAP (imap.aol.com) and the outgoing server should be SMTP (smtp.aol.com). The ports should be 993 for IMAP and 465 for SMTP.
2. App Password: Since you mentioned generating an app password, make sure you are using this app password instead of your regular AOL password when setting up the account in Outlook. This is necessary for security reasons.
3. Create a New Outlook Profile: If you are still having trouble, consider creating a new Outlook profile. This can sometimes resolve issues related to account settings. To do this:
   • Exit Outlook.
   • Open Control Panel and select or double-click Mail.
   • Click on Show Profiles and then Add to create a new profile.
   • Follow the prompts to add your AOL account using the app password.
4. Repair Outlook: If the above steps do not work, you might want to repair your Outlook installation. Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features, find Microsoft Office, and select Modify to repair it.
5. Check for Updates: Ensure that your Microsoft Outlook and Windows 11 are up to date. Sometimes, updates can resolve connectivity issues.

If you continue to experience problems, consider checking AOL's support resources or contacting their support for further assistance.

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References:

• Outlook doesn't connect or web services don't work after migration to Microsoft 365
• Fix Outlook connection problems for Microsoft 365 account