AOL - Oct 20,2020

I don't know exactly how to answer your question, but AOL has offered awful instructions to make their "security changes and when". I get emails every day that my acct/s security is out of date.

I believe we will have to add a secure password generated by aol.com security section after deleting the given AOL/Verizon email box, and when adding it back in, you would put in your account name e.g. Mary123 and the would put in the app password generated by AOL as the password, not your normal password of say e.g hopefulXYZ. You would put in the, I believe 16 letter password that aol security generates. I believe you would have to do this on all MacMail devices.

I get email every day, so I called AOL and they said I would have to wait till the 20th to do whatever.

Sometimes, older versions, like perhaps HighSierra may need to have this app generated password, because it is "old" and not as secure as Catalinna.

I remain totally confused, but wait for 10/20 to see what happens.

Sorry I couldn't be more specific, but AOL's instructions are elusive and incomplete at best. By the way, I chose option 2. You could try to delete 1 of your AOL email accounts from Internet acts in system prefs.

then go to aol.com and sign in to the same acct with your normal password

click on the icon of the person in the upper right which will take you to where the app word generator is

click on account security

select mac mail from the drop down box (assuming you are using a non iOS device, or check ?? iOS Mac mail for iOS device (not sure about iOS)

click generate word

you'll get a 16 (i think) letter word...keep it there and go back to internet acts and add back in the acct you deleted

click the plus button on the bottom of internet accounts and click AOL

then put in Mary123 and copy and past the 16 letter word you previously generated.

If that works, great

click done on bottom of the 16 letter word window

close out of aol.com

if it doesn't work, put in your normal pword to bring back your mailbox

In the end you should always be able to get your email directly from aol.com and putting in your normal name and word.

I know this is somewhat rambling, but did this from memory, as I have tried at least 30 times with different account to get ready for AOL changes. I have no clue what will happen 10/20. I have even got to the point where AOL has a popup that I has exceeded the # of changes for the day!!!!!!

I hope I have helped somewhat, but forgive me if I have not. This such a pain !

Not sure what you mean by "G'ma is pretty much on overload", but if it relates to gmail, this AOL stuff has no effect on gmail. Be brave, save your hard earned $$ and wait and see what happens with AOL.

In the end, obviously up to you.

All the best

I'm worried that this may be a scam. I've been getting the same emails but they are from aol.net not aol.com. My husband also has aol and has not received any of these instructions. Seems suspicious to me.

Hi,

Yes, I would disregard aol.net...probably a scam.

I have given up on AOL's instructions re: 10/20, and will wait till then to see what happens. I will try to remember to reply here if I get lucky.

hi

Don't know if you got your AOL working. It is definitely option 2. I needed to use an app specific word on an older iPad to do the new AOL sign in requirements. There is no question that the newer the device the less hassle. I guess that newer os's have better security. I do not have any new iOS devices other then an old iPad, so I would be of limited help there. Hope things are working, but feel free to post and I'll try to help.

oops I see you have iOS mail , I am enclosing a pic from the aol security page showing the choices:

What specifically do you need help with?

What are the details of "couldn't get it back?"

At what point did adding the account fail?

I don't understand it either, but I don't think it requires a new password daily.

The instructions indicate for option 3 you need to activate 2-step verification on the settings page at AOL.

I still think Option 2 will work. You don't need 3.