Change your AOL password from your account settings

To change your AOL password, sign into your account on AOL.com, go to Account Settings, and select the Security section. From there, you can enter your current password and create a new one. The whole process takes about five minutes and takes effect immediately across all your devices.

You will need to know your current password to start. If you have forgotten it, you will need to use AOL's account recovery process instead, which involves verifying your identity through a recovery email or phone number you set up earlier.

Key Takeaways

  • Sign into AOL.com with your current password, then navigate to Account Settings and select Security to change your password.
  • Your new password takes effect immediately on all devices, so you will need to sign in again on phones, tablets, and email clients.
  • A strong password should be at least 8 characters long and include uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
  • If you have forgotten your current password, use the "Forgot password?" link on the AOL login page to recover your account instead.

Step-by-step: changing your password on a computer

Open a web browser and go to AOL.com. Click the "Sign In" button in the top right corner and enter your full AOL email address and current password, then click "Sign In."

Once you are signed in, look for your account icon or profile picture in the top right corner of the page and click it. A menu will appear. Select "Account Settings" from this menu. On the Account Settings page, find and click the "Security" tab on the left side. Under the Security section, you will see an option that says "Change password" or "Password." Click this option.

Enter your current AOL password in the first field to verify it is really you. Then enter your new password in the second field. Type it again in the third field to confirm you did not make a typo. Click "Save" or "Change Password" to finish. AOL will show a confirmation message that your password has been changed.

What to do after you change your password

Your new password is active right away, but you will be signed out of AOL.com. The next time you check your email on the web, you will need to sign in again with your new password.

If you use AOL Mail on your phone, tablet, or in an email program like Outlook or Apple Mail, you will need to update your password there too. Go into the app's settings, find your AOL account, and enter your new password when prompted. If you do not update these, the app will show an error and stop downloading your email.

Creating a password that is hard to guess

A strong AOL password should be at least 8 characters long. Include at least one uppercase letter (A through Z), one number (0 through 9), and one symbol like ! @ # $ % or &. Avoid using your name, your birth year, or common words that appear in the dictionary.

Do not reuse a password you have used before, especially one you used for other accounts. If someone gets your old password from another website, they might try it on your AOL account. A unique password for AOL means that even if another account is compromised, your email stays safe.

If you cannot sign in to change your password

If you have forgotten your current password and cannot sign in, go to AOL.com and click "Sign In." Below the password field, click "Forgot password?" AOL will ask you to enter your email address, then offer ways to verify your identity. You can usually choose to receive a code by text message, email to a recovery address, or by answering security questions you set up when you created your account.

Once you have verified your identity, AOL will let you create a new password without needing the old one. This process can take a few minutes, but it is the only way back in if you have truly lost access to your current password.

Troubleshooting common password change problems

If you see an error message saying your new password does not meet AOL's requirements, check that it is at least 8 characters long and includes uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols. AOL will reject passwords that are too short or that use only letters.

If the "Change Password" button does not appear in your Security settings, try signing out completely and signing back in. Sometimes the page needs to refresh. If it still does not show up, try a different web browser — occasionally a browser extension or cached data can hide the button.

If you changed your password but your email app still will not connect, make sure you typed the new password correctly in the app's settings. A single wrong character will cause the connection to fail. Also check that you are not still signed into the old password somewhere — some apps cache the old one and need to be completely closed and reopened.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I change my AOL password?

There is no rule that says you must change it on a schedule. Change it if you think someone else knows it, if you used it on another website that was hacked, or if you have not changed it in several years. A password you created years ago and have never shared is reasonably safe to keep.

Can I change my password on my phone?

Yes. Open a web browser on your phone, go to AOL.com, and sign in. Tap your profile icon and select Account Settings, then Security, then Change Password. The steps are the same as on a computer, just with a smaller screen.

What happens to my email if I change my password?

Your email stays exactly where it is. Changing your password only changes how you sign in — it does not delete messages, move folders, or affect anything in your mailbox. You will just need to sign in again on any device that was using the old password.

Do I need to tell anyone else about my new password?

No. Keep your password to yourself. If someone else needs to read your email, set up a forwarding rule or let them use their own AOL account instead of sharing yours. Sharing a password is never safe, even with family.

Can I change my password more than once a day?

Yes. You can change your password as many times as you want. There is no limit on how often you can do it, though most people only change it when they have a reason to.