Industry guru Dave Taylor answers free tech support questions about a wide variety of business and technical topics, including blogging, Google AdSense, MySpace, Sony PSP, Apple iPod, Mp3 players, management, Linux, SEO, Mac OS X, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Microsoft Windows.

SupportSpace: Immediate Live Tech Support. Free Assessment + $10 coupon!!

Can I change my AOL password at AOL.com?

I really don't want to have AOL software on my new Sony Vaio laptop, but I do occasionally need to get to my AOL account to check mail, etc. I can do that via their web site, no worries, but here's what I'm wondering: can I actually change my password and do all that other administrative stuff through their Web site, or does that require the actual AOL software package?

Dave's Answer:

It turns out that you can indeed change your account password and manage your account by using the AOL.com web site, but only if you're running a PC. For reasons that I find inexplicable, if you try to do this with your Mac, running any browser at all, it'll get to a certain point and then tell you that you need a PC. I think it's a conspiracy funded by Redmond, personally. :-)

Anyway, on with the explanation! When you go to America Online's Web site, on the top right you'll either have a signin link that includes your account name (if you've ever signed on before) or a generic "sign in" message. Here's what I get:

When I click on it, I then have the chance to enter my account and password pair:

Fill that in, and you're now signed in to their (quite slick) Web based interface to the AOL service. There's precious little you can't do with the Web interface, so if you are an AOL fan, you should check things out while you're logged in.

Near the top is a set of primary navigation options, just below the search box:

Click on "My Account" and you'll be asked for your security question, to confirm that you're really you since you don't want anyone else tweaking your settings. That'll look like this:

My favorite film is ... oh, yeah, let's skip that part of this article, okay? :-)

Once you've verified your identity with AOL, you can now get one step closer to changing your AOL password. Here are the My Account settings you can access:

AOL.com Web site: My Account settings and options

Almost there. Now click on "Password Reset" and you'll be able to change your password to anything you'd like:

AOL.com Web site: change password on AOL

Perosnally, I recommend you change your password at least every three months, and make it tough to guess!!

Help others find this article at Del.icio.us, Digg, Netscape, Reddit, and Simpy.

Categorized: Computer and Internet Basics , Windows Help (Article 6768)
Tagged: america online, aol, aol password
Previous: What is Amazon aStore?
Next: Can I change the Blogger.com NavBar?

Subscribe!

Never miss another useful Q&A article again! Subscribe to AskDaveTaylor with Google Reader.

Comments

Please tell me how I can take off the guest signer off my computer. I donot want anyone else using my account!

Posted by: Angela at August 25, 2006 2:27 PM

what happens when "my account" isn't under web, video news etc. It won't let me change my password!!!

Posted by: MaRy at October 11, 2006 7:00 PM

I'm with MARy: "what happens when "my account" isn't under web, video news etc. It won't let me change my password!!!" ??

Posted by: sara at October 21, 2006 4:50 PM

I don't see the "My Account" link under the search bar on aol.com. Any suggestions?

Posted by: Amanda at October 30, 2006 8:14 PM

hey where's the "my account" icon??????? i dont see it

Posted by: tia at November 22, 2006 9:41 PM

Thanks for the help Dave but AOL must have changed since you posted this about changing your aol password. I have a HP Lap top and it doesn't show "my account" when you sign into aol.com.

Posted by: Erik at November 28, 2006 12:47 PM

i wont a screen name and password

Posted by: isaac padgett at November 29, 2006 7:24 PM

I have managed to change my password, but would also like to change the account name. It is currently under the name of my spouse. I would like to keep my screen name, remove it from my spouse's account, and create an account of my own. Is this possible?

Posted by: Cynthia at January 29, 2007 12:47 PM

https://my.screenname.aol.com/snsHomePage.psp

Posted by: Marshall Place at February 11, 2007 10:22 PM

ok well im trying to do the whole "change my password" as well but seemed to have run into a few problems. i also could not find the 'my account' link so instead followed the link posted above. it did in fact let me change my password but the old one still works as well as the new one (weird)....ANY SUGGESTIONS on how to delete the old one? THANKS....

Posted by: devyn at February 13, 2007 9:22 PM

My primary account is OK. I know my password. I forgot the password for my second aol account. My preference would be to use the same password for both accounts, When I attempt to make the change for my second account, I am asked for the original password for that second account - which I forgot.

Posted by: H. Rabinovich at March 12, 2007 7:18 AM

want to change my aolpassword but don'know how to do it can you help thankyou for you time two other people use computer not just myself

Posted by: slicknan080255 at May 21, 2007 9:55 AM

i want to cancel my aol service. icant afford it

Posted by: blanch brown at May 22, 2007 4:19 PM

i lost my security question answer....how do i go around it or how do i fix this?

Posted by: gus at July 16, 2007 11:17 AM

hey i want to no if i can change my passwoed to my aol so it will let me on ?

Posted by: destinee at August 31, 2007 6:33 PM

im trying to change my password for aol but when i go to the toolbar it will not allow me to go into settings what do i do and how do i end up changing it.people are checking my mail that dont know my password. thank you Jessi

Posted by: jessica at September 23, 2007 2:45 PM

All of a sudden today my password stopped working and I can't get to my mail. Please fix the problem. Thanks

Posted by: Carla Clise at October 24, 2007 5:51 PM

how do i change my password when i am not the account holder? I am an add-on to the account and i need to change my password...SOEMONE IS CHECKING MY EMAIL!!!!

Dave please advise.. I am so tired of trying to figure this out!!

Posted by: dawn at November 8, 2007 8:49 PM

I forgot my password and know my question but it goes right to live help and they ask for my mom because the account is under her name and she is in a diffrent state.. so how do i get to MY sec Question without that live help? if you can email me back at my yahoo address.. ace420ace82@yahoo.com

Posted by: ace at December 14, 2007 12:55 AM

EVERYTIME I TURN COMPUTER ON, IT SAYS "INVALID PASSWORD" AND I HAVE TO RE-CREATE A PASSWORD. WHY??

Posted by: SYLVIA at December 20, 2007 5:53 PM

I AM TRYING TO CHANGE MY PASSWORD CAUSE I FORGOT WHAT IT IS TO GET IN MY E-MAIL SO I NEED HELP TO CHANGE IT.

Posted by: karen at January 4, 2008 8:30 PM

I was on aol trying to sign in on my old account, but I forgot my password. I thought it would ask me my security question but all it said was another password was sent to my email. I don't understand, if I cant log into my account, how am I suppose to retrieve the new password they sent me? So weird. Is it because I don't have AOL as my internet company anymore or because I haven't signed in for a long time?

Posted by: sarah87 at February 24, 2008 4:37 PM

I cannot remember my password and your puzzles aren't helping me. you used to be able to chat with a tech or make a phone call and talk to one live. can you still do that?

Posted by: linda Willoughby at May 10, 2008 3:20 PM

I have a lot to say, but ...

I have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but most of all I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a chai!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!