How do I change my password on AOL?

I want to change my account password on America Online (AOL) but am pretty clueless about how to do that. Can you show me? Thanks, Dave.

Dave's Answer:

It's pretty easy when you remember that America Online (AOL) still has its old "keywords" system in addition to everything else on the new, fancy AOL system. To change your password, you basically just enter the "password" keyword and go from there.

But let me show you step-by-step so you can see how it works.

First off, to enter a keyword, choose "Go To Keyword" from the "Keyword" menu (I'm running AOL 9.0 Security Edition, but older versions have this identical option):

It'll pop up a little window asking what keyword you want to learn more about, and type in "password":

Click "Go" and you'll instantly know that you're traveling in the right direction:

Pay particular attention to the hints about a good, hard to guess password. Using your girlfriend/boyfriend's name, the name of your dog, or even the street you live on isn't going to keep your friends out from your account, and that can be a disaster!

When you've picked out a good password, click on "Change Your Password" and you'll see:

Notice that you have to enter your existing password for this to work too. That's good, because you don't want someone to change your password and trick you while you've gone to the bathroom or popped into the kitchen to grab a cup of tea! :-)

Enter your new password twice and if it's a good password and the two match, you'll be greeted with the cheery:

As it says, don't forget that if you store your account password for automatic login, you'll need to change that too. You can either follow its suggestion, or you can simply wait until the next time you try to autologin: it'll fail and then you can re-enter your password, updating it to the new one.

Finally, if you want to change the password of your master screenname please note that there's nothing different about the process. Log in as the master screenname and follow these same steps exactly.

Good luck!

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Categorized: Computer and Internet Basics (Article 4701, Written by Dave Taylor)
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Reader Comments To Date: 173

Smexican said, on May 21, 2008 5:25 PM:

David, I really don't know what to do, I've tried getting live help from AOL but that was pointless. For one of my screen names I don't know my Security questions, nor the password. And somehow the name AOL has on file for the account is doesn't match anything I would ever possibly put. I made the screen name about 4 months ago maybe, think you could help me prove I'm the owner of it to AOL?

Anna said, on June 10, 2008 7:58 AM:

My ex came over and changed the password on my AOL account. I can no longer access my account. I have contacted customer service but they were no help. Is there anything I can do?
Thanks

FLIP said, on June 19, 2008 10:28 PM:

i hate aol.

Steve Morley said, on June 23, 2008 11:28 PM:

Like one of the other posters I forgot my security question which asked for my pets name and I've listed every pet I've ever had and been locked out each time for 24 hours; three times now. I've been trying to add an new account. What the heck do I do?

Thanks,

Stve

Sheila said, on July 21, 2008 11:54 AM:

Help! I am beyond frustrated and actually have no idea where to turn. I use free aol for email. I believe that someone has hacked into my account and all of my inbox emails are gone. I want to change my password (or possibly close my account) but I can't reach a live human being because I use free aol. I cannot change my password because I don't know the answer to my question and I have no idea what the last 4 digits of the last payment method were because I relocated from California to New Mexico and have new bank accounts. Can anyone offer a possible solution? I'd be very grateful. And by the way, I hate aol. Sheila

paul said, on July 25, 2008 5:52 AM:

I have had an aol account for over 10 years- recently changed to free aol email as australia didnt have an aol access point

recently I have tried to sign in and get invalid password or username

I have changed my password using the aol automated phone service but yet again cant access the account

is there anyway i can access my address book and/or old emails so I can let the other people know not to use this email account

morgan bliss said, on August 2, 2008 4:39 AM:

i cant acess my aol account, some has hacked into it how can u get my password back

ED said, on August 10, 2008 8:43 AM:

DAVE, I CAN'T ACCESS AOL, LET ALONE MY ACCOUNT. ED CALLAHAN

none of your business said, on August 15, 2008 1:34 AM:

Your directions DO NOT WORK. I have tried at least 10 different experts advise and have come to the conclusion that it it IMPOSSIBLE to change an AOL password. AOL can't come up with an easy solution??? Stop wasting customers time!

LAYLA said, on August 19, 2008 4:50 PM:

I HAVE BEEN LOCKED OUT OF MY AOL EADDRESS ACCOUNT. I CAN NOT RESET THE PASSWORD BECAUSE I DONT KNOW THE SECURITY ANSWER. PLEASE HELP!

Ben said, on September 5, 2008 8:48 AM:

someone has hacked my msn account and changed my password. i have lost all of my contacts and i want to get back on it again. nothing has helped me change my password because it says it will send a link to my e-mail, saying i can change my password. but how can i possibly read that link if i cannot sign in to my account? please help me!

Sharon said, on October 9, 2008 3:52 PM:

I cannot access my free aol account. I have had the same password for many years now and it is saying that my password is invalid. Which, I know I have not changed it. How do I get help to get into my email? I need to get into it asap. Please let me know who to talk to or who can access my account. I have called aol for the past 2 hrs and have spoken to a couple of people and say they cannot help me because of my "free" account.

collins said, on October 13, 2008 4:20 PM:

hey, please help me with how i can recover my lost password on aol. i think someone has spy my password. pls get get back to me.
thanks

kev johnny said, on October 28, 2008 8:48 AM:

i would like to change my screen name and cancel the old hoe do i do that

Asia Bailey said, on October 28, 2008 12:21 PM:

could not get on aol with my normal password, so i called support and they game me a password of their own that I do not want... Want my old password back

prem said, on November 4, 2008 6:45 AM:

many peopple know my password so want to change my password

pamela collins said, on December 6, 2008 1:54 PM:

hello can u email me back i have one question i forgot my password and was wondering if u could help me out.when i click forgot my password i type everything in and it says not enough information...what do i do please help me

adrian said, on December 30, 2008 6:04 AM:

I have just rec'd an incoming EMAIL from someone at MY address - YoadrianM@aol.com.

It is from a Penis enlargment firm - I am NOT kidding - they have written to me at 4am this am - with an ad.

I want to change my password - am very upset - my 9.0 and 9.1 have NOT been working well lately and AOL refuses to give me tech support because I am a free account. How do I get help - I've been using internet explorer but would love my aol to be working again.

What is not working is that I cannot get on to the internet - on 9.1 and on 9.0 when I DO get on - I cannot see my subject nor who wrote me emails - it's blank - I click and they open - but until they open I cannot see whom they're from. And I cannot hit reply - nor hit and open downloads. HELP~~~~~

Sandi said, on January 22, 2009 2:23 PM:

Hi, Short and sweet

I lost the temporary password given to me by AOL after my account was invaded - 4 months ago.
I had a paid account for many years and switched to a FREE account.
Can't remember answer to security question or 4 digit account which has long since been replaced by another.
I recall getting a temporary password and thought by phone.. Can you help me. I can't get in! Not email above. THANKS Sandi

freddie mcclurkin said, on January 23, 2009 3:05 PM:

I forgot my password on one of my screen names on aol not the master, I do not see a link for reset or forgot screen name. how can I reset it.

Kiki said, on February 17, 2009 6:05 AM:

I am unable to access my aim account. It keeps saying password is invalid and when I try to change it it says there is not enough information to change my password. I was able to get into the mailbox because it was linked with my other aol accounts but just yesterday the link was broken and I cannot access it at all. What's going on?