How do I change my security question on AOL?

I have looked all over AOL, but I can't figure out how to change my security question. I just realized that a lot of people know the answer I have to give, if I ever forget my password. I would like to change the question to something more difficult. Please help me, as I can't find how to do this, when I search the AOL site. Thank you very much.

Dave's Answer:

This is one of those tasks that you would think would be easy to accomplish on America Online (AOL), but is rather a bit tricky, as it turns out. Here are the steps...

First, choose Settings from the Safety menu:

Now you'll be shown the rather staggering number of setting options for the AOL program:

You can choose "Account Security Question" or "Security Question", as I highlight with the cursor.

Now's when it gets a bit confusing. AOL will ask you for the answer to your current security question:

Then you can get to a spot where you can specify that you want to update your security question:

America Online (AOL) Update Security Question

Click on Update an Account Security Question and it will again ask you for the answer to your current security question before finally dropping you here:

America Online (AOL) Change your Security Question

Finally, that's where you can change your security question. Pick a question that your friends wouldn't know, of course, and good luck to you!

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Categorized: Windows PC Help (Article 6414, Written by Dave Taylor)
Tagged: america online, aol, aol account security
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Reader Comments To Date: 55

mary a ferguson said, on April 2, 2006 10:17 AM:

I am trying to change my account security question because I have forgotten the old one. I've been through all the steps down to "Select a question " which grays out and I can't enter anything. What the heck is wrong? I've spent hours trying to straighnten this out and am about ready to givbe up on aol.

THOMAS J. WRIGHT said, on April 10, 2006 4:43 PM:

I'M AM TRYING TO DELETE MY OLD AOL WALLET BECAUSE OF WRONG INFO AND SET UP A NEW AOL WALLET. I GUESS IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. IT'S BEEN A WHILE AND I DO NOT REMEMBER MY PASSWORD OR ID NAME. NOW CAN I START THIS MESS OVER OR JUST DUMP ALL.

Dave Taylor said, on April 11, 2006 2:04 AM:

If you don't remember your password or ID name, well, then I'm afraid your out of luck. I'd start over. Good luck!

Cristina said, on April 26, 2006 9:16 AM:

I've been trying to create a security question, but the option to create or choose an already existing question does not appear.

Patty said, on May 11, 2006 1:40 PM:

I am trying to remember the answer to my aol security question so I can create a new screen name, I haven't a clue what the answer is to the question. How do I fix this problem? Can some one at aol tell me the answer I gave when I siugned up for aol?

kate kennedy said, on May 16, 2006 7:27 AM:

i am asked if i want to use my aol wallet and theni am told by message i do not have an aol wallet then when i complete the required information i am told i do have a wallet. it is never shown and of course i can't use something i can't see. this happened a year or so ago but before that i had used the wallet and liked it.

EDWARD MELROY said, on May 20, 2006 9:28 AM:

I WANT TO DOWNLOAD JAVA BUT THE MESSAGE I GETIS MY SECURITY IS SET TOO HIGH. HOW DO I RESET IT?

Jannette said, on May 29, 2006 7:12 PM:

I have never been asked my security question when changing screen names. Even so I am answering the question correctly and it is telling me its not right. I have been on AOL for about 10 years and this is ridiculous to have to go thru a format like this and that it's not accepting my answer that is correct. What city was I born? I know the city and its telling me NO what is going on?

Rick Carr said, on June 8, 2006 11:23 AM:

I am trying to remember the answer to my aol security question so I can create a new screen name, I haven't a clue what the answer is to the question. How do I fix this problem? Can some one at aol tell me the answer. I have all the needed information.

Jennifer said, on June 10, 2006 8:52 PM:

I'm in the same fix as some of the other people with security question problems. I also know where I was born, but AOL say's it not true. How can I get to an AOL person to straighten this out?

chris said, on June 12, 2006 10:08 PM:

I can get to the part where it asks for my answer but where do I specify that I want to update my security question? I just dont know what to click on.

Robert Shulda said, on June 18, 2006 6:38 AM:

I am trying to add another screen name, but they ask me about my seccurity question, which I have forgotten, can you please help me?. I haven't a clue what the answer is to the question. How do I fix this problem? Can some one at aol tell me the answer. I have all the needed information.

Mark said, on June 27, 2006 7:38 PM:

I am trying to change my security question, can you tell me how?

Samuel Corbett said, on June 28, 2006 9:17 AM:

I'm trying to answer my secuity question and can't seem to do so.

chris said, on August 13, 2006 6:43 AM:

I don't know the answer to my security question on my netscape.net acct. and therefore I am locked out of my email. Netscape.com tells me there is nothing they can do to help because I don't pay for service. Is there anything that you know of in order that I may log in to get my emails and more importantly my addressbook?

Lisa said, on August 16, 2006 1:04 PM:

I don't know if you read these comments anymore, but...

As much as I appreciate all the trouble you took to create this page, you seem to have left out a step. You go straight from -

"Now's when it gets a bit confusing. AOL will ask you for the answer to your current security question:"

to this -

"Then you can get to a spot where you can specify that you want to update your security question:"

So how do you get to the "spot"??? Your screenshot of the 'Account Security Question' screen looks exactly like mine. There is a 'Submit' button, a 'Cancel' button and various links (Help, Terms of Use, Security Tip), none of which get you to the "spot where you can specify that you want to update your security question".

So how did you get there? What exactly did you click???

Lisa said, on August 16, 2006 1:26 PM:

Never mind, my mistake.

I see now that this isn't a page for helping people who have forgotten their security question and want to create a new one. It's just a page for creating a new question as long as you still know the old one.

Continue on as if I never posted. :-)

raven mayhall said, on September 7, 2006 8:28 PM:

uhh.. i need some cause im tryin to create a new Aol account and i forgot my security awnser that it asks u for so.. if u can help me with it i would aprecciate it

Milton Fowler said, on September 8, 2006 9:01 PM:

My correct answer to the security ? -What city were you married in? ie:Rome is not recognized so I am locked out.

DENA said, on September 9, 2006 12:14 PM:

I DONT REMEMBER MY SECURITY QUESTION. HOW CAN I FIND IT?

lisa said, on September 15, 2006 5:59 AM:

i forgot what i put for my security question can you please help me. it keep tell me no no

Martha Johnson said, on September 21, 2006 12:15 PM:

I have forgotten the answer to my security question. I have people on there that no longer work for me. Please help me.

Kathy Wagner said, on September 25, 2006 9:01 PM:

I can't remember my security question. Is there any way I can change it? Or find out a way to remember it?
Thank You
Kathy Wagner

taushawn aaron said, on October 13, 2006 9:32 PM:

i have forgotton my security account answer and cant change screen names please please tell me what to do i have tried everything but i cant remember it. can aol help me with this.

Liam said, on October 25, 2006 3:27 PM:

Hiya!

I am trying to create a new screen name and im asked my security question but i have forgot the answer to it,how do i get round this

karen said, on October 29, 2006 1:51 AM:

I forgot the answer to my security question. I have not been to my billing since I opened my aol acct. and totally forgot the answer. I really do not even remember answering a security question. Please tell me how to fix this problem.

Tony Ali said, on November 15, 2006 4:58 PM:

I forgot my security question. can you help me.

MARY R. said, on December 7, 2006 1:02 AM:

DITTO! (I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM THAT EVERYONE ELSE IS HAVING REGARDING SECURITY QUESTION.) FIRST OF ALL I DON'T REMEMBER BEING ASKED ONE. SECONDLY WHEN I PROVIDE AN ANSWER WHICH I FEEL IS CORRECT, IT TELLS ME I AM INCORRECT.WHAT CAN I DO?

Shaun said, on December 8, 2006 3:40 AM:

SERIOUSLY! This age old question may never be answered. I was paying AOL for service but no longer and my screen name rolled over to the free account for wich there is absolutley no support. Should I just keep guessing and lock my account for 24 hours for the 50 billionth time? Or delete the screen name I have had for 8 years? LAME.

joann silvers said, on December 22, 2006 9:55 AM:

I have tried to log on to my security question for about 3 months.I have talked with several aol personnel who transfers me from one to the other.I have tried the setting,keyword,bill.aol.com without any success.The way i pay for aol is not even on record,but they still keep taking the money each money.Can you help????????? thanks

tom walker said, on December 28, 2006 12:00 AM:

We have tried to answer our security question which we have forgotton. IWe have not received an answer to the question, "How do we retrieve it or make a new one", I guess when we close our AOL account and notify the bank to not allow any deductions we will will be happy again using another ISP. Good luck to everyone.

Betty said, on January 16, 2007 5:36 PM:

I still can not get how to change my security password?

farhin said, on February 10, 2007 4:15 PM:

heyy...umm...i tried many times to answer my security question but i cant remember the answer.....i tried in every way and now the website is BLOCKED! teh page is blocked...wat can i doo???

LINDA said, on March 6, 2007 11:42 AM:

IAM TRYING TO REMEBER SECURITY QUESTION ANSWER BUT FORGOT IT CAN U HELP ME

kelsey said, on March 11, 2007 9:04 PM:

Im trying to create a new screen name, but i cant remember the answer to my security question. Every answer iv tried has been wrong, and now im locked out. Can you help?

David said, on March 31, 2007 11:14 PM:

in aol wallet
forms fill settings will not set on or off!!!

stefano said, on April 25, 2007 7:33 PM:

I forgot my account security Question

Sissy said, on May 29, 2007 6:12 AM:

I have waited until the computer took me out of lock mode so I could get asked my security question again. But I still can't remember my answer to the old security question. Is there any way for AOL to get me through so I can just get a new one?

kathy said, on July 24, 2007 9:17 PM:

i am trying to add a screen name for my daughter and it's asking a account security question that i do not remember the answer to. can you help;;;;

G Claire said, on August 20, 2007 4:16 PM:

I can't remember the anwser to my security question, and oddly, I don't recall ever choosing my favorite restauratn as my security question, which is why I can't find the answer. I paid for AOL for 7 years, and just went free, and now they have locked my account because I didn't know the answer to my question. Can anyone help me or do I have to give up the email address I have had for 7 years?

Priscilla said, on September 8, 2007 8:22 PM:

Hey, I am trying to create a new screen name but I forgot the answer I gave...Can someone please tell me the answer to my security question?

Priscilla said, on September 8, 2007 8:26 PM:

Btw, if you can help me get through this, i will buy you a cup of starbucks coffee!!! For real! but i really need your help with this...please e-mail or im me the info i need.

Andrea said, on September 10, 2007 2:58 PM:

im trying to change my account security question, but i totally forgot the answer!! i don't know how to chasnge this problem and i would like to make a new screen name!!

Paul Mikolon said, on September 26, 2007 8:31 PM:

Like so many others I have forgotton my security question on AOL and have tried numorious times to log into my account, can you please contact me if you have any solutions Thanks for all your help

ntrezowan said, on February 13, 2008 3:16 AM:

maybe i am the last person to post in here...
but today i realize one thing for sure...
aol is disgusting...

veronica said, on July 9, 2008 9:07 PM:

how do i change the security question through google gmail if i forgot the password? thanks

Cathy said, on July 30, 2008 5:47 PM:

all I want to do is add a program to my aol icons. how can i do this??

hello said, on February 21, 2009 6:27 AM:

you see a while ago i forgot my old security question...and AOL helped me change it...but now for some reasons those settings are gone...i hate AOL...people are signing on for me...and i can do nothing about it...

Don said, on March 30, 2009 3:52 PM:

Hi,Dave.
i would like to cancel my internet service with AOL ,hOW DO I GET THIS DONE FAST ?

van said, on March 31, 2009 6:40 PM:

I am not a paid aol customer, but I do have an aol email. I have forgotten the answer to my security question. Is there any way I can reset my security answer? I do not remember the password either.

tye said, on March 12, 2010 12:32 PM:

I am trying to remember the answer to my aol security question so I can create a new screen name, I haven't a clue what the answer is to the question. How do I fix this problem? Can some one at aol tell me the answer I gave when I signed up for aol?

daniela said, on July 6, 2010 7:26 PM:

ok so i forgot my answer to my security questions and i've tried so long to get it done but i cant figure it out can some please tell me how to change my security question thanks

Brielle said, on July 27, 2010 7:45 AM:

Where is the settings button on aol.

alisagreenway said, on March 11, 2011 7:24 AM:

im just wantin to get on my email that ive had with aol for 7 years can you plz do that yes or no answer would be great

alyssa said, on February 14, 2012 8:11 PM:

i know my account name obviously but it says my password is wrong and it isn't it won't let me on. i don't know the answer to my security question... please help me out. i don't know how to get it back.

I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!

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

How do I change my security question on AOL?

Reader Comments To Date: 55

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

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