AOL Mail Not Working? Fixes for Missing, Sending and App Problems

Find the problem you're seeing below. Sign-in problems — wrong password, verification codes, the page reloading — are covered separately in logging in to AOL Mail.

Email isn't arriving

• Check “Block All Senders Except Contacts”. In Mail Settings → Block Senders, make sure it's unchecked. If it's on, you won't get mail from anyone who isn't in your contacts.
• Check your filters. A filter can send messages straight to Trash or another folder.
• Check Spam. Open the Spam folder, select a message that shouldn't be there and click Not Spam at the top.
• Allow for a delay. Most mail arrives right away, but server problems or heavy traffic can occasionally hold it up. There's no way to see a delayed message in transit, so ask the sender to send it again.

Emails have disappeared

• Look in your other folders — missing mail is often there because of a filter or a spam decision.
• Check your email app's settings. One of the most common causes, according to AOL: an app such as Outlook set up with POP and told to delete messages from the server after downloading them. Turn on Keep email on server, or better, switch the account to IMAP.
• Using IMAP? Mail sorted into an unexpected folder may just be your app's rules being synced to AOL.
• Not signed in for a long time? An account going through deletion for inactivity can lose mail — AOL deletes accounts with no sign-in for 24 months.

Messages won't send

• Check your display name for “AOL”. AOL says that if your display name contains any combination of “AOL”, messages won't go through. Hackers sometimes set this deliberately, so check it after a break-in.
• Sent folder full of mail you didn't write? Your account has probably been compromised — secure it first (see AOL Mail security); sending usually recovers after that.
• Image challenge won't clear? If you answer the challenge correctly and still can't send, AOL treats it as a sign the account may need securing.
• Browser trouble: restart your computer, clear the browser's cache, try an up-to-date browser (not Internet Explorer), and temporarily disable pop-up blockers or security software that may be interfering.
• Bounce messages? Our SMTP error codes guide explains what the code in the bounce means.

Images don't show

• The picture may be an attachment rather than embedded — download it to view it.
• Formats like TIFF may not display; ask the sender to use JPG or GIF.
• If recipients can't see images you forward, make sure Rich Text/HTML is enabled in Mail Settings, or send the image as an attachment.
• Clear your browser's cache, or try again in a few minutes if AOL's servers are busy.

Outlook, the Gmail app or a phone app stopped working

1. Changed your AOL password recently? Update it in the app's account settings — unless the app uses an app password, which keeps working.
2. Using 2-step verification, or an app without an AOL sign-in screen? You need an app password. AOL lists Outlook for Windows and Mac, Windows Mail and the Gmail app among those that need one.
3. Apple Mail, iPhone Mail, Samsung Email or Thunderbird? Remove the AOL account and add it again, choosing the AOL logo so the app uses AOL's secure sign-in.
4. Check the server settings. AOL recommends IMAP: imap.aol.com, port 993, SSL; outgoing smtp.aol.com, port 465, SSL; your full email address as the username. All settings are in AOL Mail server settings.
5. Update the app. Old versions may not support AOL's current security; update, then remove and re-add the account.

Verizon.net addresses hosted by AOL have their own published settings — follow AOL's Verizon.net instructions rather than the AOL ones.

AOL Mail won't load properly

A blank page or broken screen usually means a browser problem: clear the cache and cookies, make sure JavaScript and cookies are enabled, switch off pop-up blockers for AOL, and use an up-to-date browser such as Chrome, Safari or Edge. Signing out completely and back in fixes more than you'd expect.