The fastest way to change your AOL password

Go to the AOL Account Security page at account.aol.com/account/security, sign in with your current password, and click "Change password" in the Password section. Enter your current password once, then type your new password twice to confirm it. AOL will ask you to verify the change through a code sent to your recovery email or phone number — enter that code and you're done. The whole process takes about two minutes.

If you cannot remember your current password, use the "Forgot password" link on the AOL sign-in page instead. That route requires you to verify your identity through recovery email or phone before you can set a new one.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your password directly from account.aol.com/account/security if you remember your current one.
  • AOL requires you to verify the change by entering a code sent to your recovery email or phone number.
  • If you forgot your password, use the "Forgot password" link on the sign-in page and verify your identity instead.
  • A strong password should be at least 8 characters long and include uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
  • Changing your AOL password does not automatically sign you out on other devices — you may need to sign in again manually.

Step-by-step: changing your password when you know the current one

Open a web browser and go to account.aol.com/account/security. If you are not already signed in, enter your AOL email address and current password. Once you reach the Account Security page, look for the "Password" section near the top.

Click the "Change password" button. A form will appear asking for three things: your current password (to confirm it is really you), your new password, and your new password again. Type your current password in the first field, then enter your new password in both the second and third fields. Make sure the two new passwords match exactly — if they do not, AOL will show an error.

Click "Change password" to submit the form. AOL will send a verification code to your recovery email address or phone number (whichever you have on file). Check that email or text message, copy the code, and paste it into the box AOL shows you. Once you enter the correct code, your password change is complete.

What to do if you forgot your password

Go to the AOL sign-in page at login.aol.com and click "Forgot password?" below the password field. Enter your AOL email address and click "Next." AOL will ask you to verify your identity — you can choose to receive a code by email or text message to a phone number you registered with your account.

If you choose email, check the inbox of the recovery email address on file and look for a message from AOL with a verification code. If you choose text, the code will arrive as an SMS to your recovery phone number. Enter that code on the AOL page, and you will be taken to a screen where you can create a new password.

If you no longer have access to your recovery email or phone number, click "I can't access these" on the verification screen. AOL will ask you security questions or other details to confirm your identity. Answer as many as you can, and AOL will either let you reset your password or direct you to contact AOL support for additional help.

Creating a password AOL will accept

AOL requires passwords to be at least 8 characters long. Your password must include at least one uppercase letter (A–Z), one lowercase letter (a–z), one number (0–9), and one special character such as ! @ # $ % or &. For example, "BlueSky2024!" meets all these rules, but "bluesky2024" does not because it lacks an uppercase letter and a special character.

Avoid using your name, email address, or common words that appear in a dictionary. Do not reuse a password you have used before on your AOL account. If AOL rejects your password, it usually means it does not meet the length or character requirements — try adding a number or special character, or make it longer.

What happens after you change your password

Your new password takes effect immediately. You will remain signed in on the device where you made the change. On other devices where you were already signed in to AOL Mail, AOL will not automatically sign you out — you can continue using those devices until you manually sign out or until AOL's session expires (usually after a period of inactivity).

If you want to sign out everywhere at once, go back to account.aol.com/account/security after changing your password and look for an option to "Sign out on all devices" or "End all sessions." This forces every device to sign out, and you will need to enter your new password the next time you sign in on any of them.

Troubleshooting common password change problems

If you see an error message saying "Password does not meet requirements," check that your password is at least 8 characters long and includes an uppercase letter, a lowercase letter, a number, and a special character. If you see "Verification code is incorrect," go back to your email or text messages and copy the code again — make sure you are not including any spaces before or after it.

If you do not receive a verification code after clicking "Send code," check your spam or junk folder in your recovery email. If the code still does not arrive, wait a few minutes and request a new code. If you are still stuck, you may need to contact AOL support — go to help.aol.com and look for the contact option, or call the AOL customer service number listed there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my password sign me out of AOL Mail on my phone?

Not immediately. You will stay signed in on your phone until you manually sign out or until the session expires. If you want to force a sign-out on all devices, go to account.aol.com/account/security and select "Sign out on all devices" after changing your password. Then sign back in on your phone with your new password.

Can I change my password from the AOL Mail app on my phone?

No, you cannot change your password directly in the AOL Mail app. You must go to account.aol.com/account/security in a web browser on your phone or computer. After you change it, you may need to sign out and sign back in on the app.

What if I change my password but still cannot sign in?

Wait a few minutes — sometimes it takes a moment for the new password to work across all AOL servers. Clear your browser's cache and cookies, then try signing in again. If you still cannot sign in, go to the AOL sign-in page and click "Forgot password?" to verify your identity and reset it again.

Do I need to change my password if I think someone else knows it?

Yes, change it right away. If you suspect someone has accessed your account, also check your recovery email and phone number in the Account Security settings to make sure they have not been changed. If they have, change them back immediately and consider enabling two-factor authentication for extra protection.