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Can I change my AOL security question at AOL.com?

I have been trying to change my darn security question at America Online for weeks now, and every time I get to that area in AOL, it just says "temporarily unavailable. Please try later." What's up with that? isn't there some way I can use the AOL Web interface to change my security question before I get hacked again? Thanx.

Dave's Answer:

Yes, you can change your security password at the America Online Web site, which is darn cool. Much of the process looks exactly like my earlier tutorial on how to change your AOL password at AOL.com, but let me go through the steps again so you can see exactly how to do it.

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

Click on "Account Security Question" and you'll get this helpful explanation:

AOL.com Web site: change AOL security question

Since this is such a critical change, you should be glad to see that you yet again have to verify your identity:

AOL.com Web site: verify your AOL account

Do that and, finally, you can change your security question:

AOL.com Web site: actually change your AOL security question

Unfortunately, there really aren't that many different choices here, as you can see:

AOL.com Web site: security question choices on AOL.com

I think that Google's Gmail service has a much better approach to security questions, personally, because you can enter your question and your answer, meaning that there are an infinite number of different security questions. With AOL, as you can see, there are only four or five snippets of info you'd need to be able to defeat this secondary account confirmation, the kind of info that's often included in a MySpace profile or related.

Anyway, that'll get you access to your security question. Hope that helps you out!

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Categorized: Computer and Internet Basics , Windows Help (Article 6769)
Tagged: america online, aol, aol password, aol security question
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Comments

i need a password to access my aol account

Posted by: Desere Mena at September 4, 2006 5:10 AM

Hi, I have a huge problem I can`t remember my security answer. Can you try and see whay can be done. Please I need to read my mail.I don`t want to loose my mail. You can email me @www.Sweetbabes777@yahoo.com or call on my phone@ 1-718-547-7061 OKAY THANK YOU.

Posted by: Leia Moise at October 20, 2006 12:38 PM

I need to change the password for my sons aim account, I know the current password and the e-mail, but not the answer to the security question, he cannot remember, any suggestions

Posted by: Steve Zahran at December 17, 2006 8:14 PM

begining yesterday aol won't let me switch screen
names, how can i get that function back ?
another question: i can't remember the answer to
account security question, how can i retrieve
it? thanx much.

Posted by: tiber at March 16, 2007 12:19 PM

Posted by: tiber at March 16, 2007 12:21 PM

Just same problem as above stated: I forgot the answer to my security question. So... how do I go about retrieving it and changing it so hopefully next time I will remember?

Posted by: genevieve at April 23, 2007 10:06 PM

this still did not tell me how to change my security password if i forgot it

Posted by: candice at June 8, 2007 2:28 PM

NEED HELP NOW AOL HAS BLOCKED TO MY SECURITY ANSWER WONT LET ME IN SO WHAT DO I DO NOW TO RESET IT PLEASE

Posted by: JIM WHITE at August 19, 2007 12:01 PM

What if you can't remember your original security question?

Posted by: Caitlyn at August 28, 2008 6:33 PM

how can i change my security question on aol

Posted by: niki at March 26, 2009 8:49 PM

I can't remember the exact form of the answer to my security question. Please help. Email me at raydeep@hotmail.com

Posted by: Chiranjib at May 18, 2009 11:03 AM

I need my security code to be changed so that
the will be no one who can read my Email

Posted by: Sandi Nelani at June 8, 2009 3:11 AM

Hi,

I forgot my aol password and the alternate email id that I used for the same, I tried and followed the "Forgot Password" link provided by AOL but I was not able to reset my password.

When I created the email id for which i forgot the password, I have created two more email ids with same account information but diffrent passwords, I am able to login the other two emailids and checked the account information. I followed the same steps to reset the AOL passwords for the other email ids but that does not work for all the three email ids PLease Help?

Posted by: Altamash Shaikh at September 16, 2009 6:35 AM

HI. I have been trying desperately to delete my account but I cant remember my security answer and my alternative email was deleted. what can i do? can you please help me?

Posted by: zoyly DELEON at January 25, 2010 3:07 PM

I need to change the password for my sons aim account, I know the current password and the e-mail, but not the answer to the security question, he cannot remember, any suggestions

Posted by: sylvie at February 14, 2010 7:28 PM

I have something to say, now that you mention it, but ...

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

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