Configuring AOL Mail for Outlook

Within the recent years, AOL has upgraded their email technology to be compatible with some of the latest versions of the Microsoft Outlook email client.

Per AOL Mail’s requirements, this configuration uses Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) to handle incoming mail requests and Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) to handle outgoing mail requests. The following guide provides a walkthrough on how to configure AOL Mail and Outlook to work together on an IMAP server, as well as a brief explanation of how these settings can affect your access to some AOL Mail features.

How to Configure AOL Mail for Outlook 2013

Setting up Outlook 2013 to work with your AOL Mail account doesn’t have to be complicated. Use the steps below to setup your account in a matter of minutes.

1.    Open Outlook 2013 and click on the “File” tab, then “Info”. This should take you to the “Account Information” section.
2.    Click on “Add Account”. This button should be located above the “Account and Social Network Settings” button on the page. 
 3.    On the following page, select “Manual Setup or Additional Server Types” and then click “Next”.

4.    On the displayed “Choose Service” page, select “POP or IMAP” and click “Next”.
5.    The next page will require you to input user and server information. After entering your user information, you will be prompted to enter information about the IMAP server. Select “IMAP” as the account type, enter imap.aol.com as the incoming mail server, and smtp.aol.com as the outgoing mail server. Click “More Settings”.
6.    Select the “Outgoing Server” tab. On this tab, check the box beside “My Outgoing Server (SMTP) Requires Authentication,” and then select “Use Same Settings As My Incoming Mail Server”. 
7.    Click on the “Advanced” tab. This tab should have a set of numbers that you will need to verify. Your incoming server (IMAP) should be set to 993 or 143, while the incoming server encrypted connection should be set to SSL. Meanwhile, your outgoing server (SMTP) should be set to 25 or 465, while the outgoing server encrypted connection should be set to TLS. Click “OK” and then click “Next”. 
8.    Outlook will then proceed to run two test account tasks including logging on to the incoming mail server and sending a test email message. If all of the information above has been entered correctly, these tasks will be completed successfully and you will be provided with a message stating that Outlook has all of the information necessary to set up your account. Click “Finish” to close out this dialogue box.

How to Configure AOL Mail for Outlook 2010

The setup process for Outlook 2010 is fairly similar to Outlook 2013 with the exception of a few changes. Note that the AOL IMAP server settings are slightly different for Outlook 2010.

1.    In the top left corner, click “File”, then click “Info” in the panel below. This will prompt you to go to the “Account Information” page, where you can click “Account Settings”. 

2.    “Email Accounts” will be displayed on the following page. Click “New”. 
3.    Click “Manually Configure Server Settings or Additional Server Types” and click “Next”. 
4.    On the “Choose Service” page, click “Internet E-Mail” and then click “Next”. 
5.    The “Internet E-Mail Settings” page should appear. Here you will need to input your user and server information. Select “IMAP” as the account type, set incoming mail server to imap.aol.com, and then set outgoing mail server to smtp.aol.com.
6.    Click on “More Settings”, followed by clicking on the “Outgoing Server” tab. 
7.    Check the box beside “My Outgoing Server (SMTP) Requires Authentication” and then select “Use Same Settings As My Incoming Mail Server”. 
8.    Click on the “Advanced” tab. Verify that the incoming server is set to 993 with an encrypted connection of SSL, then verify that the outgoing server is set to 465 with an encrypted connection of SSL. Click “OK”.
9.    Check the box beside “Test Account Settings By Clicking the Next Button”.
10.    Outlook 2010 will then run two test tasks to ensure the information was entered correctly. If everything is successful, Outlook will state so in a dialogue box that follows. Click “Finish”.

Some AOL Mail Features Unavailable

It is important to note that some features associated with AOL Mail’s web service will not be available when you access your account through Outlook. Although these features will still be available if you choose to directly log into your account via AOL Mail, they are not transferrable when using AOL Mail through Outlook’s email client. AOL Mail features unavailable through use of Outlook include:

•    Report Spam button is not available via IMAP settings. In order to report messages as spam, you will need to move those emails into the “Spam” folder in Outlook.
•    It is not possible to check the status of a sent email or a retrieved email message from other AOL Mail users.
•    It is not possible to manually add email messages to the “Inbox” or “Sent” folder. In Outlook, these email messages will only appear when an email has been sent or received from the AOL IMAP server. 
•    Regarding deleted emails, email messages will be marked for deletion via the “Sent” or “Inbox” folders, but will not be removed until later on by the AOL IMAP server. In Outlook, deleted emails will be present in the original folder but will provide a notice stating that they are marked for deletion until the removal process occurs. 
•    You cannot create or delete folders from the root folder via AOL IMAP servers. As a result, you will only see folders for your Inbox, Sent Email, Saved Email, and Spam unless you have otherwise created folders directly on the AOL Mail web client.

Once you have completed these steps, the setup process is complete. Outlook 2013 and Outlook 2010 make it more simple and convenient to set up and access AOL Mail through the respective email client. Compared to earlier versions of Microsoft Outlook Express, the setup process is shorter, allowing you to enjoy your AOL Mail experience as soon as possible.

AOL Mobile App Guide

Designed to make communication more effective and convenient, the AOL mobile app will merge any of your existing AOL contacts with other contacts that are already present on your device.

It eliminates the need to cycle through different apps to make contact with everyone. It also provides quick access to news stories, video, and email. 
Curious if the AOL Mobile app will work on your phone? The app is compatible with Android phones and tablets that are running Android 4.1 and above, as well as iPhones and iPads that run iOS 6.0 and above. To get started with the AOL mobile app, download it from the respective app store associated with your Android or iPhone device. The following guide will provide you with all of the information necessary to customize your AOL mobile app experience.

Navigating the AOL Mobile App Interface

There are two main areas on this app which are particularly useful for navigation. In the top left corner, there is an icon which features a series of three lines; tap on this icon to produce a blue panel to the left that will provide you with information about news stories, as well as access to the settings menu. Towards the bottom, there is another navigation menu which is also displayed. This menu includes four icons which represent mail, news stories, videos via AOL Rise, and a web search function. This navigation disappears when scrolling down, and vice versa, reappears when scrolling back up. 

Edit Your Feed

Your feed in the AOL mobile app provides you with stories and videos about the latest events and reports in the news on a global scale. The app allows you to customize this feed so that you only receive information about the topics that you are interested in the most. To customize your feed settings, follow the steps below.

1.    From the blue panel on the left side, select “Edit” next to “My Feed”. This will display the “Customize News” page. 

2.    From this menu, you can select the news that you would like to view or remove in your feed. Options include Autos, Entertainment, Finance, Lifestyle, News, Sports, Technology, and World news.
3.    Options that are selected will have a check mark displayed next to them on the right side. 
4.    When you have finished making your selections, tap “Save” in the upper right corner. 

Syncing AOL Mail with the AOL Mobile App

The AOL mobile app can be particularly useful if you tend to access your AOL Mail frequently via your mobile device. Whether you are seeking to stay more up to date with your messages or simply want an easier way to organize them, the app ensures that your recent mails are always at your fingertips with a few clicks. The following steps ensure that you will be able to access your mail within minutes.

1.    Click on the “Settings” gear icon located in the upper right corner of the blue panel on the left. 
2.    Under “Account”, tap the “User Account” option and sign in to your AOL account. 
3.    Return to “Settings”. Scroll down to the “Mail” portion. This is where you can customize your AOL mobile mail experience including your message preview, message display, signature, and the text size for your messages. 

For the most part, the AOL Mail options that are provided within the Settings menu are self-explanatory, with the exception of the “Message Display” option. This option does not directly alter how emails are displayed on the app, but rather determines whether or not the app will open the first email when switching between folders and the next email with moving or deleting an email. This setting is off by default. 

Customizing Weather Options

Ensure that you always have updated weather information by setting up the weather feature in the AOL mobile app. The app not only provides you with the current weather information, but also includes information about the weather for the rest of the week at a quick glance. Generally, when you first download the app, your phone will prompt you to enable location settings or approve them on your device so that the app can automatically determine the correct weather information for your location. However, if this does not occur or you would like to alter these settings, you can use the following steps provided below.

1.    Click on the “Settings” gear icon in the upper right corner of the blue panel. 
2.    Under “Account”, tap “Weather”. 
3.    If your city hasn’t been entered from location settings or the listed city is incorrect, input your desired city for weather information.
4.    Select Fahrenheit or Celsius for temperature display information. 
5.    Click “Save Settings”.

Change AOL Mobile App Edition Settings

The AOL mobile app is available in three editions: United States, Canada, and United Kingdom. Changing your edition to your respective location will also change the language and content that is presented on the app during use. To make this change:

1.    Click on the “Settings” gear. 
2.    Under “Account”, tap “Edition”. 
3.    Select your desired edition. 

Change Notification Settings

The AOL mobile app will provide notifications depending on what you have selected within the app itself. Note that many mobile devices also have their own specific notification settings that can be changed to correspond to certain apps, including this one. To select the notifications that you would like to receive via the app:

1.    Click on the “Settings” gear. 
2.    Under “Account”, tap “Notification”.
3.    Select if you want notifications for “Email Received” and “Breaking News”. 
4.    Click the arrow in the upper left corner to return to settings and save your changes. 
 Consider Additional AOL Apps

The AOL mobile app works together with many of the other apps that AOL has previously created and released such as AIM, AOL On, and AOL Reader. To make the most of your experience with AOL, it is highly recommended to download these apps as well in order to have full access to the range of services that AOL provides. 

Source: login-email.net

Accessing Your Inbox

The AOL inbox can be accessed when you login to the AOL email using your account details. On the mail.aol.com page, enter your username and password details. Click sign in and it will direct you to your inbox.
Your AOL inbox is the place that stores and organizes your emails. All new emails that you receive will be displayed here and the inbox is updated to reflect the latest emails that you have received. The inbox can also be accessed by clicking the main menu that is displayed on the very right of your email panel.
To access any email just click on the particular email to open it. It will direct you to the email page where you can read your email and reply to it.
When you click on a certain email, it opens the email with Actions tab to perform functions you desire relative to that email. Just choose the option you want and reply, forward, delete, move, or mark an email in seconds.
There are various options available and you can select the particular action you want making your communications fun and easy.
Click Actions Tab and it will provide the following options for you to choose.
 - Reply
 - Forward
 - Mark unread
 - Move to
 - Report spam

In the inbox section, you can also check boxes next to all your email items to perform actions on multiple email items simultaneously instead of individual emails. Just select the email items that you want to perform an action on and click the arrow icon on top of the menu bar. Select from the list of actions and your instruction will be processed. You can also check an individual email item box and click Edit icon to modify the details of your email.
To compose a message, click the compose icon on the right of the menu bar of your inbox. The compose message window would appear allowing you to create interactive emails with attachments. Type the recipient's email address in the 'To' section and add 'cc' if you desire. This is the email address you want to send a copy to. From the contacts icon you can choose which contacts to send the email to if you have them already added to your address book or contact book. You can also send attachments by clicking the attachment icon in the compose message window. Images, documents, multimedia content and other text files can be attached.
Once you are done composing your mail, you have the option of choosing to save it as a draft or send it. You might want to save it as a draft in case you need to make changes later. The drafts can easily be accessed from the Drafts option in the AOL mail's menu on the right of your inbox panel.
If you wish to send your email then click send and your email will be on its way in seconds.
You can also use the search feature of the email to search for relevant material in your emails, events and contacts. The search icon is available on the right corner of the menu bar of your inbox near the compose message icon. Click on the icon to search for an email or contact. Type in the details of your search query and click search button. The email application will search all your mail data to display search results. You can use this feature if you wish to search for a specific mail item, to find out an event schedule or an address book contact.
You can use the trash folder to add unwanted or deleted mails in order to keep your inbox organized and clear of any junk items. Items in the trash folder are automatically removed or deleted after a month. You can access the trash folder by clicking the Trash folder in the main menu of your inbox and clicking any item that is present there to perform the following actions:
- Deleting permanently
- Moving to another folder
- Restoring email item
You might want to restore an email item if you have deleted it by mistake or if you do not want it in the trash folder.

Setting up your AOL Mail Account

Setting up your AOL account is easy. If you are not registered with AOL and are using AOL mail for the first time, then you will have to sign up for an AOL account. This can be easily done through the AOL website. There are two ways you can set up your mail account on AOL.

• Go to aol.com and click sign up/login on the main menu. This will direct you to the registration or sign up page.  
• Type mail.aol.com in your computer's browser and follow the instructions for registering by clicking 'sign up for a free account'. This will direct you to the account registration page that will be used to create your AOL mail account.

When you are directed to the registration page, the account form will need to be filled. Enter your details for specific fields like:
 - First & Last Name
 - Username and Password
 - Zip code
 - Date of Birth
 - Secret Question
 - Security Code
After you have correctly entered all required data in the form, check the terms and conditions' acceptance box and then enter submit. Your new AOL account would be set up in a few seconds and you will be directed to the confirmation page displaying your account details.
You now have an AOL mail account that can be accessed using the username/password you mentioned during registration. You can change your password by accessing the account settings in your inbox. It is recommended to change your account password every ninety days to keep your mail secure.

Basic Features of AOL Mail (Desktop)

AOL's email application or email client allows the user to easily send and receive emails. The AOL Mail enables seamless communication by providing a smooth platform for exchanging emails. The user-friendly interface allows a dynamic user experience making real time communications more productive through the integration of AIM (Instant Messenger) for chats and conversations.

The email application offers you the following features:

•  Creating Emails with interactive content 
•  Managing your inbox with easy to use tools and Actions
•  Setting up your inbox as per your preferences, including styles and themes. 
•  The new standard version of the email allows flexibility and interactivity. 
•  You can easily login to your Account through your AOL username that can be used with all AOL applications and integrated third party applications. 
•  Easily create and manage folders to better organize your mail. 
•  Sync Calendar and Contacts and set up Mail and Calendar Alerts. 

You can also switch between versions, especially if you are using the AOL mail desktop application. There are three versions available Standard, Basic and Accessibility. You have the option to switch between versions depending on your personal preferences.

 Standard Edition: This is the new version of the email and has a dynamic user interface with many features

Accessibility Edition: This edition is for users who do not need to use a mouse while working in the mail. They perform actions through keyboard shortcuts and commands. This one is a specialized edition for advanced users with the expertise and convenience for keyboard commands and instructions.

Basic Edition: This email edition is the older version and is well suited to desktop browsers.

- The new Standard edition offers a dynamic user experience with a brilliant interface that has many features and options available to the user. This version is also similar to the version using a mobile browser.
- The Search feature is available to the user that can be used to search and lookup emails, events and contacts.
 - The integration of AIM, AOL's instant messenger allows for real time communication, enabling the users to interact through IMs and video chats.
- You can also set up email filters to customize your email according to your preferences.
- The emails from your AOL mail can easily be synced with the AOL app on your mobile, allowing for flexible communications while on the move.
- The Help feature is available to allow users to quickly get access to troubleshooting with their emails and inbox issues or queries. The desktop version also includes a quick feedback section to enable users to submit questions and comments or suggestions regarding their email account.
 The AOL website provides easy access to the user to go to their AOL Mail. Just visit aol.com from your computer's browser and select Mail from the menu on the website. Alternatively, you can also visit mail.aol.com. This would also direct you to the email webpage where you can access your email. You can also directly sign in from the AOL's website aol.com and click Mail, which would direct you to your inbox without having to sign in. Of course, you need to be registered with AOL in order to use their email or applications.

AOL Mail Review

PROS / AOL provides the most freedom to personalize your email address of any service we reviewed.

CONS / You cannot import contacts from social media accounts.

 VERDICT / Although the glory days of America Online are in the past, AOL Mail is still a hard-hitting contender in the free email service space.

America Online was once king of the internet, but that was a very long time ago. What remains of the once-great internet giant is a rebranded name, AOL, aggregated content and an aging but still excellent free email service – AOL Mail. And although AOL Mail falls short of the top email providers on our review, it does offer a free email service that’s worth considering.

The most attractive portion of the new AOL Mail is the fact that it has unlimited storage capacity. With unlimited storage space, you’ll never have to worry about keeping too many emails stored in your inbox again. Additionally, you’ll be able to attach attachments up to 25 MB, which is pretty standard for a free email service.

Furthermore, AOL’s other attractive offers include image blocking, download restrictions, your choice of HTML or plain text composer, IMAP access and plenty of small extras for a free email service.

AOL Mail offers a spam filter feature that’s simple; you choose Off, Low, Medium and High. AOL recommends keeping your filter on Medium. We found that on this setting, all our emails were routed to the appropriate places in the service. If spam does slip through, it's an easy fix. Additionally, with AOL's Security Suite download, you get virus protection in your emails and on your computer, along with phishing protection, parental controls, AOL's firewall, pop-up controls and spyware protection.

With AOL free email, you have the ability to drag and drop each message into its appropriate, customized folder, which makes it very easy to sort through hundreds of emails when you need to. Furthermore, the service allows you to customize filters to reject emails from unknown domains, those with clickable hyperlinks and those that contain pictures and certain words or phrases. Unfortunately, with the way that AOL's security features are set up, there is no way to sort your incoming email to route them into specific folders automatically.

One feature we particularly like is MyAddress. AOL allows you to choose your own domain name. Your email no longer has to be name@aol.com. If you own a domain, you can route your AOL mail through that domain, so your free email address has the potential to be name@personaldomain.com. Additionally, you can invite up to 100 friends to be a part of your domain. No other free email service we reviewed allows you this degree of email address personalization.

Although the MyAddress feature is attractive, and helpful for businesses, if you need a mail service that lets you set up an alias to forward incoming emails to another account and keep your primary AOL address masked, AOL Mail isn’t for you.

AOL Mail includes a calendar that can track events by year, month, day and so on. Additionally, you can record your tasks and place notes in the calendar feature. AIM is AOL's instant messenger, which is included with the free email service.

Summary

AOL Mail is in the process of reinventing itself for the better, but its lack of a few features that the best email accounts offer drops it out of the top email providers out there. However, AOL Mail does provide some of the best free email security available on the internet, and many of the features you enjoyed with AOL as your ISP are now free for the world.

Source: toptenreviews.com

AOL: Features

Features

AOL Mail has the following features available at no cost:

·         Email storage capacity: unlimited

·         Email attachment limit: 25 MB

·         Supported protocols: POP3, SMTP, IMAP

·         Link to other email accounts from other service providers (such as Gmail and Hotmail).

·         Ads: are displayed while working with the e-mail account. Embedded links within emails are automatically disabled and can only be activated by the email user.

·         Spam protection

·         Virus protection

·         Spell checking

·         AIM Panel with a full buddy list, and indicators to show presence of online buddies, as well as shortcuts to sponsored popular web sites.

·         email unsend capability (for mails sent to another AOL or AIM mailbox)

·         Domains: @aol.com and additionally @love.com, @ygm.com (short for you've got mail), @games.com, and @wow.com

·         Supports SSL/HTTPS after login