How to Reset Your AOL Password

Looking for AOL password reset help? If so, you’ve come to the right place. 

If you’re a longtime AOL user, you may have fond memories of AIM (AOL Instant Messaging). In those days, AIM was where the action was, whether you were chatting or assigning cringeworthy Buddy icons to friends. 

Between AIM and AOL Email, you lived for the thrill of hearing the iconic “Buddy In” and “You’ve Got Mail” notifications. Hearing them meant you were part of a hip digital culture – at a time when internet access was far from universal.  

Although AIM is no longer available today, the iconic “You’ve Got Mail” voice notification lives on in AOL Desktop Gold. Whether you’re on a free or paid plan like Desktop Gold, your AOL password is essential to accessing both free and paid services.  

Below, we show you the best way to reset your AOL password in 2025 – should you forget it or need to recover your account.  

The top four (4) reasons users get locked out for hours – and it’s easy to miss 

Are you having trouble signing in? Here are the top four (4) reasons why:  

• Forgetting to keep recovery information current: If you haven’t updated your recovery email or phone number in years, you won’t be able to verify your identity. This is the #1 reason many users spend hours trying – and failing – to regain access. 

• Making multiple unsuccessful attempts to log in: If you make too many attempts to log in, AOL may temporarily lock your account for security reasons. 

• Forgetting to update your preferred browser: If you’re currently using an older version of your browser, your online browsing experience may be less than satisfactory i.e. some website pages may not display properly. Browser incompatibility is a common reason some AOL users experience login issues. 

• Trying to access an account that’s been hacked: If you rarely check your account and generally ignore security alerts, you may fail to recognize the signs of a compromised account. Be aware: unexplained logouts may not be a “bug.” An unauthorized user may have changed your password and locked YOU out. 

A step-by-step process to reset your AOL password 

A foolproof method that works every time 

Forgot your password or suspect your account has been hacked? Follow these easy steps to reset your AOL password: 

• Visit the official AOL Sign-In Helper page. 

• Enter one of the following: your sign-in email address/phone number, recovery email address, or recovery phone number. 

• To get a 6-digit verification code, be sure to choose an email or phone number linked to your account. 

• Enter the code you receive and follow the prompts to create a new password. And that’s it! 

The #1 tip for handling issues with security questions 

Have you ever been stuck on security questions you don’t remember answering? If so, you aren’t alone. 

Many users don’t realize AOL allows you to bypass these questions by verifying your identity through recovery emails or phone numbers. This trick can save you hours of frustration.  

Here's how you can delete security questions from your account: 

1. Go to your Account Info page. 
2. Click Account Security. 
3. Click Disable security questions. 
4. Click Yes, secure my account. 
5. Click Continue. 

Finally, if your AOL password reset is not working, you may have to sign up for a new account or get live support here. 

Advanced tips to protect your account after an AOL.com password reset 

The three (3) things you must do immediately after a reset – if your account was hacked 

Was your account hacked? Once you’ve reset your AOL password: 

• Head straight to your account settings to turn on two-step authentication. This security feature adds an extra layer of protection by prompting for a second form of verification during logins. Follow these instructions on enabling two-step with either your phone or an authenticator app. Supported authenticator apps include Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, LastPass Authenticator, and Authy. They can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or App Store. To choose an authenticator app for two-step verification, you’ll need to provide at least two recovery methods for your account. 

• After you’ve enabled two-step verification, create a strong password to minimize the risk of more unauthorized logins. 

• Finally, update your recovery information if you chose phone verification for two-step. 

Bonus tip: There’s an even more secure method for two-step verification – and it’s one recommended by top federal agencies like CISA and NIST. Scroll down to read more about this proven method of verification. 

How to recognize fake AOL emails and texts – before it’s too late 

Phishing scams are on the rise. 

In a 2024 survey of 1,572 consumers across 13 major countries in the Americas, Asia, and Europe, the most common security issue encountered by respondents was phishing texts, emails, or calls that use false pretenses to obtain personal information. 

To protect yourself from the growing threat of phishing scams: 

• Never respond to emails, texts, or calls asking for personal information like passwords, Social Security numbers, or banking info. 

• Ignore any texts or emails asking for verification codes – AOL will never request this information from you.  

• Learn how to identify AOL Official Mail and Certified Mail. AOL Official Mail has two (2) indicators: the AOL icon beside the sender's name and the "Official Mail" banner above the details of the message.  AOL Certified Mail also has two (2) indicators: a green "AOL Certified Mail" icon beside the sender's name and the “Certified Mail” banner above the message details. 

• If you’re viewing AOL emails in third-party apps, you’ll want to hover your mouse over the sender's email address to determine the email’s legitimacy. This is because AOL icons won’t appear in apps, even if the email is from AOL.  If it’s an AOL email, the sender’s address should include “aol.com.” But be aware that fake email addresses may exclude a letter(s), be misspelled, or replace a letter with a lookalike number (e.g. “O” and “0”).  

• Pay attention to the data you’re allowing third-party apps to see in AOL. When you grant an app permission, you’re allowing it to access your personal data. 

• Remember that a malicious link can masquerade as an AOL link. To check a link’s legitimacy, hover your mouse over the link. If in doubt about the destination URL shown, don’t click on the link. 

• Avoid using search engines like Google to find AOL contact info, as they may lead you to scam support sites. Always go directly to AOL Help Central to access AOL customer support. 

Never forget your password again: How a Secure by Design password manager can eliminate AOL password resets for good  

Let’s face it: While passwordless options like FIDO2 MFA have gained popularity, many of us still rely on the trusty username-password combo to access our accounts. 

There’s a certain comfort in familiarity and routine. 

As for the plethora of passwords we must juggle, many of us resort to memorization, browser password managers, or sticky notes. 

But what if there was a way to ditch passwords altogether – and make password resets a thing of the past? 

What if there was a way to keep unauthorized users out of your AOL account? 

With LastPass passwordless authentication, you can do just that. FIDO2 MFA with a security key lets you access all your accounts in LastPass - without entering any passwords. 

While you can individually enable security key verification for your AOL account, LastPass protects not just your AOL account but every online account you have. By requiring a hardware security key to access the vault holding your accounts, you add an extra layer of defense that blocks 99.97% of account compromise attempts. 

This type of passwordless authentication is not only safe but also nearly 50% faster than traditional MFA – you can complete authentication in an average of 4.8 seconds. 

And if you aren’t yet ready to go passwordless, LastPass securely stores all your passwords (including your AOL password) in one encrypted vault. So, you only have to remember one master password to access your accounts. This way, you’ll have peace of mind while keeping things simple. 

To try LastPass, get a free 30-day trial of LastPass Premium today (no credit card or commitment required).