Level 1

53 points

AOL mail not working on iPhone

Okay weird problem. I have been using AOL for over 20 years and have had the same email address. I have others, but this is my main email, so changing it as my main email would be cumbersome.

Anyway, a few days ago, my iPhone stopped updating with AOL email messages. I could access messages that were on my phone from that point and before, but nothing current, as in the past few days. So I went through Apple's troubleshooting steps of deleting the AOL account from the Settings on my iPhone, reinstalled it, and lo and behold, my phone's settings keeps telling me I have either the wrong password or the wrong email address/Name.

I tried this several times to no avail.

So I went onto my browser to make sure I had all my details correct (name, email address, password) and verified I did. So now, scratching my head, I used Safari to access AOL's site directly through the browser on phone. It asked me for my email address and password, and it works fine! Okay, so then I downloaded the AOL app, went through basic setup, same email, same password, and it also works fine!

Weird!

At this point I just removed the "Mail" icon from the first page of my Home Screen and replaced it with the App I just downloaded. It works fine, as does Safari. So obviously there is something wrong with my phone's settings. I just did the latest iOS update to see if that would help, and it doesn't.

So at this point, while I have AOL mail on my phone, both with the newly downloaded App as well as with a Safari Browser window, I would LOVE to know why the stock "Mail" app no longer works, and why my phone's "Settings" keeps spitting back an error message even though the password and email address work everywhere else but there.

[Re-Titled by Host]

iPhone 6s Plus, null

Posted on Mar 7, 2018 8:04 AM

Top-ranking reply

M.lu2008

Level 1

9 points

Posted on Apr 28, 2018 12:05 AM

I’ve had the same problem, finally found a solution. Use safari go to aol.com to sign in. Go to account security, then click on generate app password, from there you will see “select app” click on iPhone mail. Then press generate. Copy the password it generates, go back to settings, account and passwords and add account, aol. Input your name and username but instead of your own password paste on the one you copy from safari.

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248 replies

May 25, 2018 6:59 PM in response to ChiroVette

It’s the only thing that worked for me. After installing AOL, I went back to the 2 way verification. I appreciate your comment.

revmacian

Level 4

1,231 points

Mar 1, 2019 7:07 AM in response to ChiroVette

I'm not sure if this will be helpful, but I found this page that deals with AOL mail on mobile devices - it has a section dealing with iOS devices:

https://help.aol.com/articles/aol-mail-mobile-mail

Mar 25, 2019 8:03 AM in response to frustratedandconfused12

Delete the AOL account, then add it back. Settings/Passwords & Accounts

Jun 1, 2019 7:05 PM in response to ausmride

Try reading some posts above yours in this thread.

ChiroVette Author

Level 1

53 points

Mar 7, 2018 11:59 PM in response to Demo

I am not sure exactly what you are suggesting here. I turned off the Primary Server, as you suggested, but now I have no server. It says I can add one manually, but I have no clue what I am supposed to add into the three fields after I click on "Add Server."

What I just tried, and what seemed to work to a point, was in the appropriate fields, I manually input the host name, which was smtp.aol.com, the User name, which was optional, and my password. This time it was a little more cooperative. It took a little longer to go through the verification, but it seemed to accept it, and I thought it worked. But, now when opening the "Mail" app, it still shows AOL and my email address, but there is no mail in there. And I have no ability to send outgoing mail from my phone going through that app.

Note that I can still send and receive AOL mail using Safari and AOL's downloadable app. But the problem is that I now can no longer easily email files, such as pictures, from my phone using the "share" button.

If all it required was the extra step when using AOL's native app, that would be fine. BUT the problem is that it takes a ridiculously long time to send pictures now, where it used to upload them in seconds. I suspect that the downloadable AOL app in the iTunes Store is simply a lot slower with file sending than using the native "Mail" app that comes stock with the phone.

Edit: One more thing. When I go into "Advanced" or into "Other Server" and click on "smtp.aol.com" which is "on"when I click on "Authentication" there is a check mark next to "Password" which would seem to indicate that the password was verified as correct.

I tried this both by turning the Primary Server On and then turning it off, and using only the "Other SMPT Servers" which in this case is just a duplicate of the Primary anyway. However, either way, I still have no mail in any mailbox, and I have no ability to send messages from the "Mail" app on my homescreen. I have plenty of messages in all boxes, by the way, all of which I can see on my PC browsers, iPad, and on all my iPhone mail vehicles that still work (Safari and downloaded AOL app).

Nugrl

Level 1

12 points

Mar 20, 2018 9:49 AM in response to ChiroVette

I am having the exact same problem! I was beginning to think it was just me, because I have done so many google searches and haven't really found anything. I have tried many of the same things you have, except for maybe the one of going in and turning off the Primary server. So that's what I'm going to try next. But as far as what you said happened to you, is exactly what happened to me. The mail app was working fine on my iphone 6S plus running ios 11.x.x and then all of a sudden, without me changing a thing, just started not downloading my incoming mail like it should. It just kept getting progressively worse to the point that's when I ended up deleting my AOL email account and adding it back in but after I did that I was completely screwed. I did exactly what you did and installed the AOL mail app from the app store on my phone which works just like it should. Along with doing the same thing and going to my desktop and signing into AOL mail on my browser and that too worked just like it should. I also at one point even changed my password for AOL, because I read somewhere that it might help resolve this issue. Wrong again! So if there is anyone out there that can assist us, please do! I too am just like you and have had this AOL email address for MANY years and also use it as my main email account. So getting this back to working order on the native iphone mail app is also very important to me!

Nugrl

Level 1

12 points

Mar 27, 2018 1:09 PM in response to Emilie in Key Largo

I did try deleting my AOL account from my Apple devices but I don't have anything AOL installed on my PC. I then changed my password and then tried add my AOL account back onto my iPhone and iPad and it was still a no go for me. Very frustrating! I'm glad you were able to get it working again though!

fmgrlz

Level 1

4 points

Apr 24, 2018 4:21 PM in response to ChiroVette

Yes! I have this same problem!

I tried everything you mentioned, plus the most recent 2 suggestions to either turn on or off AOL's 2-step authentication. Still not working.

Anyone else have a solution? Thx!

Apr 28, 2018 6:21 PM in response to Emilie in Key Largo

This is correct. All of these companies that trade services and email users are getting everything all messed up. They have to give Apple the correct server settings to build into the iPhone which Apple does, but then those companies have to make it work properly. They don’t, and that’s how these things get broken.

May 2, 2018 11:48 AM in response to Spoyledbrat923

Thank you! This fixed my issue and It's working again. Tried calling AOL support and they didn't know anything. What's weird with my email is that it looked like it got hacked or something because it popped up for me to enter in my password on my two phones. I logged in online fine and then changed my password and turned on 2 factor authentication and didn't think anything of the App Password link. Tried that after a couple days of frustration and it's now working. Glad I found this link!

May 3, 2018 6:03 AM in response to Emilie in Key Largo

I’m having the same issue also my emails been working on this iPhone for the last three years and all of a sudden it just stopped yesterday no incoming No outgoing.

I’m going to give this a try hopefully it works. Will update

May 6, 2018 5:25 AM in response to dctm

I went to Apple yesterday, the guy removed my AOL Mail and got all the info off of AOL tech support online to add it back on .. still nothing! he tried it a few times .. even tried on a different phone with no avail.

sooo frustrated .. I use this for business and am so frustrated that I cant send/receive anything on my phone or iPad

May 9, 2018 7:48 AM in response to M.lu2008

When I go through this process, I don’t have an option for adding app in my aol account security!

Argh! This is so frustrating. Was working fine yesterday and not today. Same problem as everyone else...

Mjn49er1

Level 1

4 points

May 15, 2018 7:52 PM in response to ChiroVette

Exactly what I’m going through. But I recently after 2 months am receiving emails now, but cannot send. Tells me wrong user name/password. I go in and reset them and still same thing. Before it would say incorrect IMAP path or something. Apple knows nothing, blames AOL, Verizon blames Apple and AOL doesn’t have a clue. FRUSTRATING 😡

Prim8Pal

Level 1

4 points

May 17, 2018 8:26 AM in response to ChiroVette

This morning I could neither receive nor send nor receive emails on one of the two aol accounts I have on my iPhone. I found this forum question and while I was reading all the responses I was mysteriously able to receive emails even though I had done nothing to my phone. I am still unable to send any emails however, and the phone keeps trying to send two test emails that I tried earlier in the day.

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AOL mail not working on iPhone