Troubleshooting Guide to all the AOL Mail Login Problems

| Updated on February 13, 2024

AOL is a part of the email world since 1985 and is known as a free email service worldwide. The range of features it offers to its users such as an un-send email feature, calendar, AIM Panel, etc. makes it preferable among all the generations. The 250 GB mailbox size is one of the best highlights of this email client. Most of the features are the same for the premium and basic versions of the AOL account. Some other features of AOL email service are:

  1. It allows attaching a 25MB file in a single email.
  2. It provides a storage capacity of 1000 new and 4000 old messages.
  3. There are advanced security features to secure your account from hacking.
  4. It supports POP3, SMTP, and IMAP.
  5. It also provides auto-correction and spells check feature.

In order to use all these features, the first step is to create an AOL account and once you do that, you will be able to use all the amazing features. But that’s not the end of the story.

Logging into your AOL account is not as smooth as it looks. There can be factors that may create issues in accessing emails.  

Possible AOL Sign in Problems and Their Solutions

Here is a list of problems you may encounter while signing into your AOL account.

  • Authentication Error
  • You will get a Blerk Error 1 message whenever there is an error in the authentication process for AOL. Authentication error occurs when you don’t have the right to access your account. This can mainly occur due to the incorrect settings of the browser or due to using an older or outdated browser. Follow the given troubleshooting to fix this error:

    1. Fix Issues with Browser
    2. Out of the browsers available, Internet Explorer is no more considered a secure way to access AOL account. Also, Microsoft has stopped updating this browser but still if you are using Internet Explorer, you can use the given steps to troubleshoot the problem. However, the better deal will be to switch to a newer browser such as Google Chrome, or Edge. 

      Add AOL to Trusted Sites
      • Click Tools and then move to Internet Options.
      • Next, click on the Security tab.
      • Click on the Trusted sites option and then click on Sites.
      • In “Add this website to zone“, type https://.aol.com and click on Add, then press Ok.
      • Now restart the browser and then check if the error persists.
      Enable Protected Mode
      • Click Tools and then move to Internet Options.
      • Next, click on the Security tab and then click on the Internet option.
      • Select the checkbox for Enable Protected Mode and then click on the ‘Trusted sites’ icon.
      • Again select checkbox for Enable Protected Mode and restart the browser.
      Run Internet Explorer in No Add-ons Mode
      • Click on Start and select All Programs option. 
      • Select Accessories and then click on System Tools.
      • From the list, select Internet Explorer (No Add-ons).

    3. Adjust Browser Settings
    4. The browser security settings can also lead to login issues if not set correctly. Moreover each browser has a different process to adjust security settings such as Edge, Chrome, Safari and Firefox

  • AOL Login Site is Not Working
  • The URL of AOL mail keeps on changing so it is possible that you have bookmarked an older link and it is not working due to the changes made. So make sure to update the browser from time to time using the instructions given for different browsers: Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Edge.

  • Problems in Loading AOL Mail
  • Blerk! Error 4 appears when you face a problem in loading AOL mail. This might be a temporary issue, still you can try the given troubleshooting methods:

    1. Restart your Browser
    2. Sometimes a simple restart can fix all your issues, so simply exit the browser you use and after refreshing your device, restart it. After that, go to mail.aol.com and try to login.

    3. Clear Cache
    4. If your system is full of stored data, it may lead to problems in loading AOL mail. A simple way out is to delete the stored data and files and free some space on your device. Clearing the cache fixes most of the login issues such as outdated pages, websites freezing, and pages not loading. Again the process to clear will differ for each browser such as Firefox, Safari, Edge and Chrome.

    5. Adjust Firewall Settings
    6. The firewall installed on your device and can also be responsible for not loading AOL mail, so you need to check the following issues to fix the problem:

      • Disable the ‘web filtering’ options.
      • Make sure access to https://aol.com is enabled.

  • AOL is not working on iPhone
  • If you are using AOL on your iPhone and are encountering login issues, you can try the given steps:

    • Make sure your device has the latest version of iOS software installed and this will automatically resolve most of the issues.
    • Restart the mail app if you are still not able to login to your AOL account. 
    • If still the problem recurs, you can delete and re-install the AOL mail app.

  • Authentication Error with Third-party Apps
  • Some third-party email apps require entering a password as a part of the login process. Also, if you have activated two-step verification for your AOL mail account, you will have to generate an app password to access AOL mail.

If you are also facing any of the above issues or any other problems such as facing blank screen while AOL mail login, AOL mail sign in is missing, network issues or getting error message during AOL login, etc., while logging into your AOL email account, keep on reading further to get workable solutions.

General Troubleshooting AOL Email Login Issues

Here are some quick fixes that will help you to get rid of the annoying login errors:

  • Check the Internet
  • You need to connect your device to the internet to login and if there is a problem in the network, it will definitely affect the login process. So first of all, make sure that your device is properly connected to a strong internet connection. If not, switch to a better one and then retry to sign in into your AOL account.

  • Verify Browser Settings
  • Issues with the browser can also lead to this problem, so in order to correct this, clear the entire history of the browser. You must also clear all the caches and saved cookies as well. Then try to log in and if the error persists, use a different browser. Also, disable the pop-ups and extensions, if any.

  • Recheck the Login Credentials
  • You need to be assured that you are entering the login credentials correctly. In case you do not remember the correct password, here are the steps using which you can reset AOL Password:

    1. Launch a browser and go to aol.com.
    2. Enter the username and press ‘Next’.
    3. Then click on the option ‘Trouble Signing in’. 
    4. You will get two options to reset the password- one is by using an email address and the other is via phone number linked to your account.
    5. Whatever method you choose, you will receive the verification code on the same.
    6. Immediately after entering the code, you can set a new password for your AOL account.

  • Disable the Antivirus
  • At times, the login issues with AOL can also arise due to the antivirus software installed on your device. To check if they are leading to the problem, disable the antivirus for a while and try to login again. 

  • Change Firewall Settings
  • Firewall installed on your device can also block some of the unknown websites, to fix this; you need to change the settings as follows:

    1. Go to Control Panel or Windows Setting and type ‘Windows Firewall’ in the search box.
    2. Click on the option ‘Allowed Programs’ and verify if https://www.aol.com/ has been allowed.
    3. Uncheck the box for ‘web filtering’ options.
    4. Now, restart the browser and try to sign in again.


Kanika Singh

Webmail and Internet Expert


Related Posts
×