AOL Mail sync with Windows 10

SOLVED problem with Windows Mail app  and  AOL email  access:

Here are the steps I took to allow me to access AOL emails via WIndows Mail  after AOL required new authentication in 2020.

Essentially, you will let AOL generate a password for you to enter into your Windows Mail app. It was a set of 16 letters, such as this example:  XUHO PSIY BBWF ZLKM.  This is not the same password you'll use to login to AOL, but a special password to authenticate your third party email reader (Windows Mail in this case) with AOL. 

From my memory, the basics are thus: 

1.   Go to www.aol.com  and login 

2.    Go to AOL Account Security and follow instructions for gaining access to you AOL security settings. 

  Look for an item allowing access to third party email apps. 

3.   Select that Mail app that you use from a drop down menu. Note: Windows Mail will be "OTHER"

4.   AOL will generate a password for you to enter into  Window Mail account settings. Copy the AOL now generated password, then navigate to your Windows Mail app AOL account settings,  and paste the AOL-generated password into your email app password field.

Your AOL emails should now populate within the Windows Mail app.

Hello Bryan,

I'm Jin, a fellow Windows 10 user and an independent advisor.

If the email you received is true, then it's really unfortunate. Since the decision came from AOL it would be best to send your feedback to them:

https://help.aol.com/articles/submit-product-su...

https://aol.uservoice.com/forums/912886

You can also share your thoughts about this with Microsoft using the Feedback Hub app: https://support.microsoft.com/help/4021566

Kind regards.

___________________________________________________________________________

**Standard Disclaimer**

This is a non-Microsoft website which would provide accurate and safe information. Watch out for ads on the site which are frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). There is no need to buy paid products to fix your computers as they do more harm than good sometimes.

Dear Bryan,

 AOL will not be dumping Windows compatibility/functionality - as that would lock-out 70+% of their users/business = going broke/economic insanity.

 It is more likely the message/email was badly written, or conveys the wrong message.

 I would wait for clarification, which one suspects (several million AOL users all yelling in AOL forums), should not take long (to come out of AOL admin).

 Worst case scenario - if some nutter* has seized control of AOL - is they will put-out a user interface, something like the original interface (AOL and C$erve) - which was just a gateway, behind which everything was pretty much the same.

 Summary - Wait. Why? They cannot function without the majority (70+%) of their customers.

Cheers,

Rick.

[* Image: Greta Thurnberg, with a big box of very old dead sardines, that stink so much they melt glass at half a mile, frowning at the AOL board, saying: "I have to do this - so you all turn 'green'.]

I also use Windows Mail to retrieve my AOL emails.

Below is directly from AOL regarding new email sign-in authentication which now requires OAuth 2.0 tokens: 

We’ve noticed that you’re using non-AOL applications (such as third-party email, calendar, or contact applications) that may use a less secure sign-in method. To protect you and your data, AOL will no longer support the current sign-in functionality in your application starting on October 20, 2020. This means that you will need to take one of the steps below to continue using your AOL Mail without interruption.

As of May 2020, Windows Mail does not support the Oauth2 secure sign-in method for AOL accounts. AOL members should generate and use a third-party app password to sign-in securely**.

Windows Mail apparently has no way to accept a required OAuth 2.0 token. This token can be applied and used with my iPhone however.

Will I need to use another email reader instead of Windows Mail?

Please, Windows, help me with this!

Thank you.

Dear Bryan,

1. If you're in a semi-detached, send your lady upstairs with a flower pot. When the local Verizon salesbloke turns up with the 'new technology' tin can connected by a line of string, or suggests the new connection might have a wonky algorithm ... she might accidentally give the pot a nudge. Kevin Courtney (NEU) might send you a Christmas card...
2. Alternatively, Sue posted some AOL forum links - which are URL's/HMTL (internet addresses).

 It got me thinking. AOL and Compuserve (C$erv), launched before the existence of the mainstream/modern internet browser. I got my first copy of 'gekko' (which MS allegedly pinched and rebadged as Explorer 1), on the second or third member's CD from AOL or C$erv. Point being - back then - the interface was AOL/C$erv ... not Edge/Explorer/Chrome/Firefox (HTML browsers).

 I am wondering if - as part of the UK sale of client/customers - Verizon neglected to have the modern browser interface included in the (purchase) package? Might have found AOL wanted too much for it (extra), so they're scrambling now to come-up with something else.

 Just a thought - but putting that aside and returning to Sue's URLs.

2.1 URL addresses are not exclusive to anyone, unless specifically blocked by court orders (terrorist sites, etc.); thus if you have a browser and internet connection ... you can go straight to it.

Entry passwords and entry site look/feel may look slightly different - however the function would be the same (it is embedded in the HTML page). Should make no practical difference.

2.2 AOL/Verizon might provide the software interface and account charges, but they do not run/own the communication lines (British Telecom) - thus no change there. Only thing I can think of is if AOL will not let Verizon use the old account links addresses (user = email and the like). It would not affect Windows at all, other than having to change (to new) email server addresses and enter the new email account password

 for example:

old: ******@AOL5678.com.uk

new: ******@HSC.dont.call.us.were.math.challenged.com.UK  - or - ******@verizon4uk.com

 It does not seem to make sense, thus I think the letter was either wrongly worded, or drafted by a person who did not know what they were doing (exams board - maybe).

Cheers,

Rick.