How can I keep my AOL email address without paying for it?

Answered by Stephen Mosley

If you want to keep your AOL email address without paying for it, there are a few options available to you. Despite the decline in popularity of AOL, you can still access your AOL username and email account for free. Here’s how:

1. Access your AOL email online: You can log in to your AOL email account through the AOL Mail website at mail.aol.com. Simply enter your AOL username and password to access your email messages, contacts, and other features. This method allows you to use your AOL email address without any cost.

2. Use a third-party email client: If you prefer using an email client like Microsoft Outlook, Apple Mail, or Mozilla Thunderbird, you can set it up to access your AOL email account. By configuring the email client with your AOL account settings, you can send and receive emails using your AOL address without needing to pay for AOL’s software or services.

To set up your AOL email account with a third-party email client, you’ll typically need to provide the following information:

– Incoming mail server (IMAP or POP): For AOL Mail, the IMAP server is imap.aol.com, and the POP server is pop.aol.com. Choose the appropriate server based on your email client’s requirements.
– Outgoing mail server (SMTP): The SMTP server for AOL Mail is smtp.aol.com.
– Your AOL email address: Provide your full AOL email address when prompted.
– Your AOL password: Enter your AOL account password to authenticate your email client’s access to your AOL email.

Each email client has different steps for adding an AOL account, so it’s best to consult the documentation or support resources for your specific email client to complete the setup process.

3. Forward AOL emails to another account: If you want to maintain your AOL email address but prefer using a different email service, you can set up email forwarding. AOL allows you to automatically forward incoming emails to another email address of your choice. This way, you can receive emails sent to your AOL address in your preferred email account without paying for AOL’s services.

To set up email forwarding in AOL Mail, follow these steps:

– Log in to your AOL email account at mail.aol.com.
– Click on the “Options” menu (represented by a gear icon) in the top-right corner of the page.
– Select “Settings” from the dropdown menu.
– In the left sidebar, click on “Forwarding.”
– Enable forwarding by toggling the switch to the “On” position.
– Enter the email address to which you want to forward your AOL emails.
– Save your changes.

From now on, any new emails received in your AOL account will be automatically forwarded to the designated email address.

It’s important to note that while these methods allow you to continue using your AOL email address for free, you may not have access to all the features and services that come with a paid AOL subscription, such as customer support or additional AOL software. However, for basic email functionality, these options should suffice.

Keeping your AOL email address without paying for it is possible by using the AOL Mail website, configuring a third-party email client, or setting up email forwarding. Choose the method that best suits your needs and preferences.