Can't log into old AOL account through iTunes

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Level 1

6 points

Can't log into old AOL account through iTunes

I finally upgraded my iPhone 6 to iOS 9 yesterday, which deleted all of my songs that I did not purchase from iTunes off my iPhone (thanks Apple!). Not a big deal as all of my music is on my computer. However, when I synced my music back to my iPhone, there were 25 songs that were not authorized on this computer.

After spending some time trying to figure out the problem, I realized those songs are attached to my old AOL account, back when AOL accounts were integrated into iTunes. The problem is, that AOL has long since been deleted, so it won't let me log in. I tried logging in with the username@aol.com and that said the computer was authorized for that account, but it would not play the songs. I'm thinking I need to log in directly through AOL to access these songs, however I can't do that since my account no longer exists.

Does anyone know how I can get access to these songs back? Some of them are pretty important and the last thing I want to do is give Apple $20 for music I already own.

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch,Early 2015), iOS 9.3.1

Posted on May 6, 2016 8:10 PM

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Answer 1

May 6, 2016 8:18 PM in response to kschmidt2

So you are indicating that when the AOL usernames were phased out, you went to your Apple account that had that AOL name for the User ID, and you edited it to a valid email address? Or was it converted by Apple automatically after the deadline. If you did not convert it, then try the other variations that could have been used to convert the ID as indicated in this article:

AOL Usernames can no longer be used with the iTunes Store - Apple Support

If you did edit to a new email address, are you certain that the email address you are authorizing is the email address you changed it to? And are you saying you are using a different, totally separate Apple account now?

Cheers,

GB

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Answer 2

kschmidt2 Author

Level 1

6 points

May 6, 2016 8:45 PM in response to gail from maine

Hi Gail,

I actually completely forgot the AOL account existed as I've been using my gmail account (Apple ID) for as long as I can remember. Actually, when I managed to log into the AOL account, it had my address from 2006-07, so it's been a while.

I was able to log into my account at apple.com tonight using username@aol.com, then converted the account to a current email address. I've authorized that account on my computer, but it still won't play the songs. I figure they are tied directly to the AOL account, which I can't log into as it no longer exists.

I've read that if you try logging in with your AOL three times, it will prompt you to convert to an Apple ID, but it's just prompting me to call AOL. I put in a ticket with iTunes support as that seems to be the only solution.

Thanks!

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Answer 3

May 6, 2016 9:04 PM in response to kschmidt2

Did you read the article that I posted? I'm not sure I'm understanding the part that says:

kschmidt2 wrote:

I've read that if you try logging in with your AOL three times, it will prompt you to convert to an Apple ID, but it's just prompting me to call AOL. I put in a ticket with iTunes support as that seems to be the only solution.

Which AOL do you mean in this case? It sounds like your original AOL account was changed automatically on 4/1/2015. So, if you found your AOL user name with an @aol.com appended to it, then that should be the correct account. Did you by any chance try the other two versions that are listed in that article? If you happened to have the same AOL username as someone else, then maybe it got converted to one of the others?

Are you getting any sort of error when you attempt to play the music that you purchased with the original AOL account? The music is definitely not tied to the original AOL user name, it is tied to the Apple account that previously used that User Name. When that name was changed, the music was still tied to the Apple account, regardless of what the User Name was changed to.

Cheers,

GB

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Answer 4

kschmidt2 Author

Level 1

6 points

May 6, 2016 9:17 PM in response to gail from maine

Thanks, I understand all of that. Looks like my AOL account was changed, as I was able to log in, but the purchases were not transferred with it. The songs are still showing that they belong to my AOL username.

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Answer 5

May 6, 2016 9:19 PM in response to kschmidt2

OK, where are you seeing that they are linked to your AOL user name? Are you opening the "Get Info" window and looking under the file tab? Is that where you are seeing the old AOL name?

Cheers,

GB

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Answer 6

kschmidt2 Author

Level 1

6 points

May 6, 2016 9:21 PM in response to gail from maine

Yes, the file info has my old AOL username under the purchased by field.

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Answer 7

May 6, 2016 9:25 PM in response to kschmidt2

Yeah - I agree that you are going to need iTunes Support to sort this out. Not sure why, if they were converting the Apple ID from an AOL name to a new email address, the "Purchased By" wouldn't have changed as well. Because again, all purchases are tied to the Apple account that they were purchased with, regardless of whether you have changed the ID on that account or not.

If you are so inclined, can you post back with how they resolved it for you? This seems to be "Part 2" of the AOL saga....😝

Thanks, and sorry I couldn't help,

GB

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Answer 8

kschmidt2 Author

Level 1

6 points

May 7, 2016 9:53 AM in response to gail from maine

So for some reason, my songs were locked under username@aim.com instead of @aol.com. Which makes absolutely no sense since I never even had an AIM account with that username.

Thanks for trying to help, the woman on the phone couldn't even really help until she suggested I try @aim.com.

So if anyone is reading this and can't access iTunes songs purchased under an old AOL account, try your username @aim.com. If you don't remember your password, you can answer a security question to reset it.

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Answer 9

May 7, 2016 12:00 PM in response to kschmidt2

Right - that is why I sent you the link and asked if you had tried all of them. The article explains that your old AOL User name could have been changed to any of three possibilities:

@aol.com

@aim.com

username_AppleID@AOL.com

To wit:

So you are indicating that when the AOL usernames were phased out, you went to your Apple account that had that AOL name for the User ID, and you edited it to a valid email address? Or was it converted by Apple automatically after the deadline. If you did not convert it, then try the other variations that could have been used to convert the ID as indicated in this article:

AOL Usernames can no longer be used with the iTunes Store - Apple Support

Did you by any chance try the other two versions that are listed in that article? If you happened to have the same AOL username as someone else, then maybe it got converted to one of the others?

GB

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