Email server settings
AOL IMAP settings and SMTP server
The AOL IMAP settings are imap.aol.com, port 993, SSL, with your full aol.com address as the user name; outgoing mail uses smtp.aol.com on port 465 with SSL. Mail apps that don’t open AOL’s own sign-in page need an AOL app password.
Last checked October 9, 2026, against AOL Help and the Thunderbird ISP database.
AOL Mail IMAP, POP3 and SMTP servers
| Server, port and securityServer | Port and security |
|---|---|
| IMAP · incomingimap | 993SSL/TLS |
| POP3 · incomingpop | 995SSL/TLS |
| SMTP · outgoingsmtp | 465SSL/TLS |
Sign-in: App password, or AOL sign-in (OAuth 2.0) in apps that offer it
User name: your full AOL address, for example jane.doe@aol.com.
AOL SMTP and IMAP settings explained
The host names and ports above are the ones mail apps download for automatic setup from the Mozilla Thunderbird ISP database, which points to AOL’s article Use POP or IMAP to sync AOL Mail on a third-party app as its documentation.
- AOL IMAP settings:
imap.aol.com, port 993, SSL/TLS. IMAP keeps the app and your AOL mailbox in sync. - AOL SMTP settings:
smtp.aol.com, port 465, SSL/TLS, with authentication turned on and the same login as for incoming mail. - POP3:
pop.aol.com, port 995, SSL/TLS, if you want to download mail to one computer. - The user name is always the full address, including
@aol.com. Legacy AOL brand addresses (aim.com,netscape.net,compuserve.comand others in the list below) use the same servers. - Sign-in: apps that open AOL’s own sign-in page (OAuth 2.0) need no app password; every other app needs an AOL app password.
Create an AOL app password
A third-party email app that doesn’t use the AOL Mail sign-in page asks for a single password, and an AOL app password provides it. You enter it once (AOL Help):
- Sign in to your AOL Account Security page.
- Click Generate app password (or Generate and manage app passwords).
- Click Get Started.
- Enter your app’s name and click Generate password.
- Use that one-time password to log in to the app, then click Done.
AOL recommends a browser you regularly use for AOL Mail, and no Incognito window, when you create the app password.
If an app that used to work suddenly fails, AOL asks you to reauthenticate. Outlook users may need a new app password; in other apps, delete the current app password, generate a new one and sign in with it (AOL Help).
AOL IMAP settings for Outlook, Apple Mail and iPhone
AOL’s reauthentication article gives these paths:
- Outlook for Windows: File → Account Settings → Manage Profiles → Email Accounts, open the AOL account, enter the password (or a new app password) again, and close the window when the status says Completed. For a new setup, choose IMAP with the servers from the table.
- Mail on Mac: Mail → Settings, select the AOL account, open Server Settings, enter the password for the incoming and outgoing servers again and click Save. If the fields can’t be edited, remove the account and add it again.
- iPhone and iPad: Settings → Apps → Mail → Mail Accounts (iOS 18 and later; on iOS 17: Settings → Mail), select the AOL account and tap Re-enter Password. If that option is missing, delete the account and add it again. AOL asks POP3 users to contact support instead.
- Spark: click Reauthorize (Windows) or Log in below the error (Mac), enter your full
aol.comaddress and the password or app password, and check the IMAP settings. - Thunderbird: enter your address; Thunderbird takes the AOL servers from its ISP database. Compare them with the table above.
Common AOL Mail errors in mail apps
| Error or symptom | Fix |
|---|---|
| Authentication error in an app that worked before | Reauthenticate the account in the app (steps above). If you use an app password, generate a new one and sign in with it. |
| Password rejected in a third-party app | The app doesn’t use AOL’s sign-in page and needs an AOL app password instead of your AOL password. |
| Creating an app password fails | Use a browser you regularly use for AOL Mail, not an Incognito window, and try again. |
| Receiving works, sending fails | Check the outgoing server: smtp.aol.com, port 465, SSL/TLS, authentication on, same user name and password as for incoming mail. |
When mail you send to others bounces, look the reply code up in the SMTP error codes reference.
Is @aol.com still a valid email domain?
Yes. AOL Mail is still running in 2026: AOL’s help center has current iPhone setup steps and app passwords. Addresses end in aol.com, aim.com or country domains such as aol.co.uk and aol.de; older brands like netscape.net, compuserve.com and cs.com belong to the same service (full list below).
An AOL address on an old list may have been closed since. Mail to a closed mailbox hard-bounces, so check old AOL contacts with our free check Is this a real email address? or a whole list with the bulk email verifier before you send. Incoming mail for aol.com is received by Yahoo’s servers: the MX record points to mx-aol.mail.gm0.yahoodns.net (live lookup on this page). If you send to many AOL and Yahoo recipients, read the Gmail and Yahoo sender requirements.
All 18 domains that mail apps set up with these servers
aol.com, aim.com, netscape.net, netscape.com, compuserve.com, cs.com, wmconnect.com, aol.de, aol.it, aol.fr, aol.es, aol.se, aol.co.uk, aol.co.nz, aol.com.au, aol.com.ar, aol.com.br, aol.com.mx.
Source: the Mozilla Thunderbird ISP database (MPL 2.0), which mail clients use for automatic setup.
About the address domain: Is @aol.com a valid email domain?
Sources
Checked on October 9, 2026. Sign-in steps come from AOL Help, server names and ports from the Thunderbird ISP database:
Other mailbox providers
AOL Mail settings: FAQ
What are the AOL IMAP settings?
imap.aol.com, port 993, SSL/TLS. Use your full AOL address as the user name and an AOL app password as the password, unless the app signs you in on AOL’s own page.What are the AOL SMTP settings?
smtp.aol.com, port 465, SSL/TLS, authentication required with the same user name and app password as for incoming mail.How do I create an AOL app password?
How do I set up AOL in Outlook?
imap.aol.com (993, SSL/TLS) and smtp.aol.com (465, SSL/TLS), your full address and an AOL app password. If Outlook later shows authentication errors, re-enter the password or create a new app password.Is @aol.com still a valid email domain?
Email validation API
Validate aol.com addresses before you send
emailvalidation.io checks syntax, MX records and the mailbox over SMTP, flags disposable, role and free addresses and returns a quality score, in one request.
/v1/info Email validation API Read the documentation
100 free validations every month. No credit card required.
GET https://api.emailvalidation.io/v1/info?
{
"email": "support@emailvalidation.io",
"user": "support",
"tag": "",
"domain": "emailvalidation.io",
"format_valid": true,
"mx_found": true,
"smtp_check": true,
"catch_all": null,
"role": true,
"disposable": false,
"free": false,
"score": 0.64,
"state": "deliverable",
"reason": "low_quality",
"did_you_mean": "",
"catch_all_resolution": null,
"bounce_probability": null,
"status": "valid",
"sub_status": "role_based",
"explanation": "The mailbox exists, but it is a role address (such as info@ or support@), usually read by a team rather than one person.",
"recommended_action": "send_with_caution"
}