How to Access an AOL Email Account with Outlook

Fortunately, AOL provides IMAP access so you can add it to your list of Outlook email accounts easily. Some settings are not exactly standard, though, so pay attention when you create the account.

Access an AOL Email Account with Outlook

To set up an AOL email account in Outlook:

• Select Tools | Account Settings... from the menu in Outlook.
• Go to the E-mail tab.
• Click New....
• Make sure Microsoft Exchange, POP3, IMAP, or HTTP is selected.
• Click Next >.
• Type your name (what you want to appear in the From: line of messages you send) Your Name:.
• Enter your full AOL address under E-mail Address:.
  • Make sure you include "@aol.com". If your screen name is "homers", make sure you type "homers@aol.com" (not including the quotation marks), for example.
• Make sure Manually configure server settings or additional server types is checked.
• Click Next >.
• Make sure Internet E-mail is selected.
• Click Next >.
• Select IMAP under Account Type:.
• Type "imap.aol.com" under Incoming mail server:.
• Enter "smtp.aol.com" under Outgoing mail server (SMTP):.
• Type your AOL screen name under User Name:.
  • If your AOL email address is "homers@aol.com", for example, type "homers".
• Type your AOL password under Password:.
• Click More Settings ....
• Go to the Outgoing Server tab.
• Make sure My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication is checked.
• Now go to the Advanced tab.
• Type "587" under Server Port Numbers for Outgoing server (SMTP):.
• Click OK.
• Now click Next >.
• Click Finish.
• Click Close.