How to create new screen names on AOL (America Online)?

I need to create a new screen name in AOL but am not sure how to do so. Can you help me out?

Dave's Answer:

First off, let me say that I don't help kids try to circumvent protections that their parents have put in place: if you're a minor and want to foil the protections your folks have created, then you'd be much, much better off just talking with them and asking for permission. There's a reason that they're watching out for you...

Having said that, let's go through the process of creating a new screen name on AOL, because if you have a parental controls screen name, you won't be able to do this anyway, and if you don't, well, then you're legit.

Log in to America Online (AOL) as usual, then choose Account Settings --> Screen Name. (I'm using a Mac for these examples, but the Windows version is almost exactly the same. On the Mac, the Account Settings option is found on the "AOL" menu).

Now you'll see something like this:

Click on the "CREATE a screen name" and you'll promptly be asked if you're creating an account for a child or not:

I'll choose "NO" here, and then get this:

As you can see, you can take one of their suggested screen names, based on pulling bits out of your profile, or you can enter one of your own. If you enter one, be warned that there are a lot of AOL users, so it's not easy to find a screen name that hasn't already been taken!

From this point, the process is pretty self-explanatory, so I won't step through any further. This should get you started in the right direction, though, and good luck to you!

Additional helpful AOL tutorials:

• Get rid of AOL popup ads!
• How to delete an AOL screen name
• How to change your AOL account password
• How to cancel your AOL account

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Categorized: Computer and Internet Basics (Article 4063, Written by Dave Taylor)
Tagged: america online, aol
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Reader Comments To Date: 449

O. Wolkenstein said, on July 11, 2005 10:54 AM:

Hi,

I'm trying to get rid of my primary screenname (I'm not an AOL member, but I set up an email account with Netscape some years ago and can't get rid of it...). Can you help out?

Eternal gratitude if you can, if not, thanks anyway for this service!

Dave Taylor said, on July 11, 2005 2:25 PM:

Sorry to say that I think you're stuck forever with your primary screen name, unless you cancel your account and sign up for a new one, but then you'll lose all the other screennames too, I expect. That's why once I signed up, I picked a different screen name and have ignored the primary ever since (and yet it gets tons of spam. Go figure)

kelsey said, on July 11, 2005 3:29 PM:

ya i cant find out how to get a aol screen name it jus brings me up to aim and i downloaded aim and it dont work wut do i do

Dave Taylor said, on July 11, 2005 3:52 PM:

You're probably not authorized to create new screen names, Kelsey. Sorry!

Drew said, on July 29, 2005 5:14 AM:

I'm trying to get a new aim name but when i tried it says "the maximum ammount of screen names has been reached for this email address" so do u know how to delete aim screen names?

zach said, on July 31, 2005 5:06 AM:

im trying to get an aim screen name but im not able to on aim. how could i get an aim screen name from aol?

Melanie said, on August 2, 2005 3:53 PM:

I want to make a new screen name, but everytime I click create a new screen name it goes to a blank page. Have any links to the page?

Gardner said, on August 4, 2005 6:10 PM:

I really want to delete a master screen name as the function that it was intended to represent is no longer a valid one. Why cannot this be done without forcing the creation of a new account? It seems to be an economic decision by AOL.

Dave Taylor said, on August 4, 2005 7:06 PM:

To sound just a little geeky, I think it's simply because the primary account name is the "database key": delete it and everything else vanishes too.

Michelle Jensen said, on August 5, 2005 3:29 PM:

My niece got on line on my computer and put her user name and password on and did not click save and now she is incarcerated and I dont know what to do, she also did something because I now have a start up error telling me a required DllC60Cmmon file is not there can you help me if not I can understand THANK YOU VERY MUCH, Michelle

Sarah said, on August 7, 2005 7:18 PM:

there is a way u can get a new screenname with out any hastle its this website but i cant remember what it is

B45 Turbo said, on August 11, 2005 4:14 AM:

i cant make an aim screen name neither can someone send the link the the "get a screen name" page?

Dorothy Di Giacomo said, on August 12, 2005 7:10 PM:

My granddaughter put all her names on aim. Now when I come on line the first thing come up is her name. How do I get rid of this.
Also how can I change my name on YAHOO? THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.

Dave Taylor said, on August 12, 2005 11:12 PM:

AIM is a different beast to AOL itself. Go into the AIM preferences and you should be able to remove some of your alternative screen names and/or change the default name when you connect. Good luck, Dorothy!

kaylee said, on August 13, 2005 2:08 AM:

I am trying to create a screen name but it keeps on saying info on prantal control and i press ok and it does nothing what should I do

emilie said, on August 13, 2005 2:28 AM:

i am trying to restore this old screen name, so i went to restore screen names...and it wasn't there...because you cant restore them after 6 months...they go out so other people cna use them...so i emailed it and it said there was no such screen name...somebody else cant have it cause it still ahs my buddy icon...so i tried to make a new screenname out of the old on(same name)...it said it was already in use...so if i cant restore it and nobody else has it what exactly should i do..i kinda need it back...

Brianna said, on August 13, 2005 10:51 PM:

how come every time that i try to make a new screen name is always says that i am to young and that i cant. what is wrong with that

Dave Taylor said, on August 14, 2005 4:51 PM:

Brianna, your account has parental controls set up by the master screen name on the account. I presume that's your Mom or Dad. You'll have to talk with them before you can create a new screen-name on AOL.

emilie said, on August 15, 2005 3:05 AM:

haha i restored my old screen name i deleted it two years ago...i'm still not sure how i did it...might have to do with that thing with aol dropping all the screen names, ones people were still using, and then restorin them again...i also got back two other past restoring(6 months) screen names...yes!...lookin to get an old screen name back after you deleted it? i guess just sign in like usual with your old password and everything...and voila...

help said, on August 15, 2005 6:12 AM:

I need help on creating a new screen name on aol 9.0

Suzanne said, on August 15, 2005 7:27 PM:

Hello dave,

I have been on aol for about 10 years. I would like to restore some old screenames that aol took out of my "restore" bin. How do I do that? Thanks, Suzanne\PS: I checked and they are not being used by any other member!

maria said, on August 16, 2005 4:39 AM:

hey dave...i just got the new aol dsl and i cannot for the life of me find any of my old features. where is this mythical "account settings" you speak of? also, i couldn't get onto pogo to play games cuz i didn't have java. i downloaded java and i still can't get on. is it cuz of pop-up blockers? if so, how do i disable them? thanks man!! the account settings thing is important, so if you can only answer one question, that's it. -maria

Help needed urgently said, on August 17, 2005 5:47 PM:

Hi Dave,

A few months back i created an AOL screen name for my work requirments. Anyway, when i did so it asked me if i would like to set it to the 'master screen name' so I did & i did not know what this meant. Now I have forgotton my password & because I can't get into that account, when AOL says "would you like us to send you your password in an e-mail" I obviously can't. Do you know any way in which I could switch my new screen name into a master one as I am not receiving important e-mail. Thanks,

Lauren

tabitha said, on August 18, 2005 11:54 PM:

My name is Tabitha is the a way of getting all your emails from an account that has just been closed to an account that is just opened to be able to let people know your new address from your old my old account is xxx2006@aol.com and my new one is xxx2007@aol.com

Dave Taylor said, on August 19, 2005 10:44 PM:

Tabitha, I'm sorry to say that there isn't a way to get your old mail, as far as I know, and redirect people to your new address. In general, I find that the vast -- VAST -- majority of people get an email address and stick with it. I'm surprised you keep changing your email address every year, frankly!

Rachel said, on August 20, 2005 12:42 AM:

I have aol and aim. For aim I just use my aol screen name. We are getting a new internet provider, but will I still be able to use the same screen name on aim even when we don't have aol anymore? Or will I have to get a new aim screen name?

Courtney said, on August 22, 2005 4:31 PM:

Hi my aol is not letting me search things. i can only use enternet explorer and i need to change my aol screennames password, not for my master screen name

sil said, on August 23, 2005 5:08 PM:

can not get started with using screen names to redo them

allison said, on August 23, 2005 8:26 PM:

hey dave...i have a lot of screenames and i want to delete almost all of them. i cannot figure out how to delete them and the aim site has no way for anyone to get in contact with them. can you help me please?

thanks
allison

LelaT said, on August 25, 2005 5:05 AM:

Hi Dave, I have been using aol. and someone upgraded me to another version I can not locate the previously saved mail I saved on the old aol can you tell me how I can retrieve it there is a file called pfc but it will not open says not enough memory on aol. not sure what to use to open it. Thanks.

chelsea said, on August 26, 2005 8:55 PM:

i want to make a new account on aol using windows. can u show me how??

Elroy said, on August 28, 2005 2:52 AM:

Dave...I just got AOL DSL and I cannot find the "account settings" to setup an additional screen name under my account?

CINDY said, on August 29, 2005 5:52 PM:

HEY IM TRYING TO GET MYSELF TO AOL BECUASE MY 14 YEAR OLD SON IS IN MY WAY SO I WANT TO MAKE MY OWN SO I WOUN'T GET INTO HIS SITE I APPRICIATE YOUR HELP IN GUIDING ME .

Sarah said, on September 4, 2005 2:04 PM:

when i try to get a new aim sn it says my aol an has too many aim sns....how do i delete some of my aim sn's?

Ali said, on September 4, 2005 11:40 PM:

Ok, I can't get onto regular AOL so I am using internet Explorer, and checking my mail from there. But I am trying to make a new one, I don't know how...please help?

oanh said, on September 5, 2005 6:13 AM:

I am trying to download all my new screen names onto my desktop so I can select one of them each time I want to sign in rather than signing in as 'guest' all the time. Can you show me how to do this?

Thanks!

billy munns said, on September 6, 2005 12:49 AM:

i want to change my aol name back but how can i do it when it a delet?

becca said, on September 6, 2005 3:15 PM:

i'd like to delete one of my master screenames .. can that be done?

Sam said, on September 7, 2005 11:01 PM:

Hey Dave!,
Is there any way I can change a password on a different acount from a different computer? I have a screen name on a different computer and different account, but cannot reach it for now and I need to change the password. It's critical. Thanks for your help, Dave.

Dave Taylor said, on September 8, 2005 12:31 AM:

Sam, the only thing I can think of is to log in to that account on the computer you have currently, then change the password. That should do the trick.

Britany said, on September 11, 2005 6:28 AM:

this is my brothers screen name , how do i get my own?.

Renee said, on September 13, 2005 3:39 AM:

I would like to create a new account for an existing screen name. Please provide all information related. Thank you.

Dave Taylor said, on September 14, 2005 5:18 AM:

Renee, you can't create a new account for an existing screen name. You can create a new screen name, but accounts are glued quite solidly to screen names, and I've heard from plenty of people who get upset when they create new accounts just to find that the screen name doesn't move with them.

Dave Taylor said, on September 14, 2005 5:48 AM:

Those of you finding these instructions frustratingly incorrect for the latest AOL 9.0 Security Edition will be glad to know that I have an updated article available here:

http://www.askdavetaylor.com/how_do_i_create_a_new_screen_name_in_aol_america_online_90.html

Whitney said, on September 24, 2005 8:11 PM:

I have a screen name but my account has been off for awhile and my profile is still up so my name should still work but i've forgotten my password. So how could i get it since there is no way to get on it?

ginger said, on September 25, 2005 3:45 AM:

i created new screename but when i try to get on i cant it will disconnect only the original screename works to get online why?

Hanna Jackson said, on October 1, 2005 2:41 AM:

hi, i am trying to get rid of my old screen name and i wont a new screen name please

michael said, on October 1, 2005 3:43 PM:

I AM 22 YEARS OLD .I NEED THIS AOL FOR MY HOMEWORK.I AM IN COLLAGE.OK

kerrie said, on October 4, 2005 1:33 AM:

i keep on trying to create a new screen name because i dont like the one i have now but every time i try to get a new one it says PAGE CANOT BE DISPLAYED why wont the page show up?????

Ronald McPhee said, on October 4, 2005 1:39 PM:

I would like to add another Screen Name to our other two. What is my next step?
Thanks.

jean said, on October 5, 2005 7:36 PM:

hi. i have an email address and i am trying to sign up for aim. i used my email address once but it said that it couldnt connect to the sign up thing. so i tried again and it said i had used my email to many times but i had never used it before! please help me.

RonaldCranageSr said, on October 12, 2005 12:06 AM:

I'm new to computers & AOL. Don't understand what
is meant by go to this, press that, on and on. Why
don't you create a term list for "Dummies" like
myself so we can understand WHAT these directions are trying to tell us what to do and so on ?
I started out with Email Add "AwesomeWelshKing"
I want to continue with that!In applying for AOL
Security Edition Offer I punched something I was
told to and now cranagesr1 is showing up. I really
want everything to show up as AwesomeWelshKing

JESSICA said, on October 14, 2005 7:21 AM:

HOW DO I CREATE A MASTER S/N

brittany said, on October 20, 2005 2:52 AM:

i already have and existing screen name on another computer, but how do i add my screen name under a different master screen name?

Brittanie said, on October 21, 2005 2:09 AM:

how do u make a new AIM screen name is what I was looking for .Could you make one a bout that

destiny boulware said, on October 23, 2005 4:26 PM:

hi,i want to have a screenname but i have no idea how to get one. can you help me create a screen name?

jenny dietiz said, on October 25, 2005 7:23 PM:

i need help on getting a new sn (screenname) and every time i try it , it says something like try again or its not in service........i dont now help me make one and ill be very greatful

thank you. :) :] thankz.-jenny

ashton said, on October 28, 2005 1:00 PM:

where do i go to get another screen name for aol.

rosie said, on October 31, 2005 1:53 AM:

uch, so ive been thinkin of so much screennames but all of em are already regitered so d you hav any suggestions? please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*Sammi~ said, on November 1, 2005 1:58 PM:

I have an existing AOL Account. I in a rush I created an AIM Screen Name and now want to add that SN to my current AOL account. When I try to add it says that the name is already taken. When I go the other route to "use existing AIM SN" it asks for cc information like I am creating another account. HELP ME!!

vt said, on November 2, 2005 1:23 PM:

All I want to do is add a scree name to my account. All that comes up now is this ask dave thing. it does not link me to where I want to go. I've been running around this web page "ask dave" too long now. Take me straight to the place where I add an screen name, now!!!

Mitch said, on November 3, 2005 12:00 AM:

hi dave i got aol on mii computer and i want an screen name on aol and i want it for free and i want the buddylist to pop up

GRACE said, on November 12, 2005 8:38 PM:

HOW DO I GET MY OWN SCREEN NAME FOR TEH FIRST TIME

Walker Hall said, on November 17, 2005 7:32 PM:

HAHAha Whew, hilarious reading with these comments. I had to keep rubbing my eyes and looking at the dates to make sure they were really from 2005 and not 1995! What a flashback to the early days of the net.
LOL I mean, what kind of question is, "HELLO I NEED THIS FOR SCHOOL I AM IN COLLAGE. OK." AHAHAHAHahahahaha..... Scary. Thanks for the good chuckles! =-)

Elicia said, on November 18, 2005 3:34 AM:

how do I change a screen name, without deleting everything? My daughter wants to change her screen name, but we don't know how without deleting her present one, and making a new one..

sean said, on November 18, 2005 6:53 PM:

we had swithed accounts and my old screen name is under my old account how will i be able to get it back

Regina said, on November 20, 2005 2:01 AM:

My fiance and I both opened up seperate accounts. Dumb! He opened one on the laptop and I opened one on the desktop. However, in order for him to check his email on the desktop he has to sign on as a guest. How can I cancel out one membership but keep another under the other account and pay only one monthly bill? Also, how do I add this screen name under my account on the desk top?

kasey said, on November 20, 2005 4:55 PM:

what website do i go to to make a new screen name i have 1 i want to make another one but i can't figure it out can you help or give me the website to go on to to do waht i want done.

thanks

micco robbins said, on November 24, 2005 2:21 AM:

need help with a new screen names

erica said, on November 27, 2005 1:19 AM:

i can not get my computer to make me a new s/n evertime i get all the information down it all goes away when i hit the buttencan you help me

Renee said, on November 27, 2005 4:36 AM:

Hi I need help I'm going crazy trying to add my son on so he can play the new aol learning games. I already have an account for my daughter and it says you can add up to six users with a regular account. Well I guess I don't have a regular account so how do I add him. I go through internet explorer. Hope you can help thanks Dave.

sk8rchic577 said, on November 27, 2005 7:19 PM:

please make me this screen name

Jennifer said, on December 1, 2005 1:56 AM:

Hello i dont know how to change my master screen name!!!!!!! and its driving me crazy!!!!! can u please help ME????????

Dave Taylor said, on December 1, 2005 6:36 AM:

I don't believe that you can change your master screen name without signing up for an entirely new account.

abby said, on December 4, 2005 5:57 PM:

how do i change my sn(screen name)?

kristem tallman said, on December 13, 2005 10:22 PM:

i need my child to be proteced by pop up blockers

help me out said, on December 17, 2005 12:59 AM:

ok...dude i need help...i need help on how 2 gt rid of my screen names!!!pleze help me on it!!!!!

Teresa said, on December 22, 2005 7:46 PM:

Hi, well I need help. OK I got a new password again, and no my two kids can not get on their screenames, it says invalid password, and I was wondering how do I change their passwords while Im n my screename im the masters screename if you can reply with an email please neeed help

denise said, on December 25, 2005 6:49 AM:

i was given a used computer. the person did not erase his screen name. Now every time i log on, i am on as a guest. and have to enter name and password every time. how do i become the primary user. your help will be appreciated, thanks

Suhyun said, on December 25, 2005 12:51 PM:

HEy!!
I am tring to make a screen name.. Well I know how to and btw I am tring to make a short screen name and that rocks like..... swirlypink but someone took that one already and I dont like my uddy list so does anyone have suggestions?

Dave Taylor said, on December 25, 2005 11:00 PM:

Denise, quite seriously, I'd recommend that you do a clean install of the operating system on the computer. You have no idea of what viruses, spyware, or other junk might be left behind...

Suhyun, picking a good screen name is a massive hassle, no question. I get frustrated when I try to set up something new, but my experience is that if you come up with 3 or more words that you want to string together, it's often available, whereas any one or two word combination is probably long since gone. Good luck!

PERSON said, on December 27, 2005 11:28 AM:

Everytime that i try to get a screenname, i fill everything out and push enter, then it says that its not available at this time. Ive been trying for the last 3 days.
PLEASE HELP!!!

Dave Taylor said, on December 27, 2005 11:54 AM:

Person, this is an amusing, yet logical mistake. When AOL says that a screenname isn't available 'at this time' they're really saying that 'someone else has this screenname'. You need to pick a different one, as odds are it'll NEVER free up.

carly said, on December 27, 2005 1:42 PM:

I have the same problem as person!

Karlene said, on December 28, 2005 6:32 PM:

I have made a screen name on AOL for my daughter but she has forgotten her password. I wanna know is there any way that I can change it on my account.Thanks:)

Toufeeq Ahmed said, on December 29, 2005 1:46 AM:

i want to change password my aol master screen name

Dave Taylor said, on December 29, 2005 11:05 AM:

Toufeeq, I just wrote a new article on that subject:

http://www.askdavetaylor.com/how_do_i_change_my_password_on_aol.html

I think that'll help you out!

Kerri said, on January 3, 2006 4:27 PM:

Hopefully you can help me....I created an AOL account on a computer that is no longer set-up. I just sign on as a guest on other computers. However, I now need to add a screenname to my account and I cannot access my account settings. I have tried aol help but have received none. Is there any way to do this without setting up the computer I created the account on?
Thanks for your time, any input would be appreciated!

Dave Taylor said, on January 3, 2006 5:08 PM:

Why can't you just log in using your master account name and add new screen names that way?

Kerri said, on January 4, 2006 8:12 AM:

I guess I assumed that because I'm not listed as a user I wouldn't be able to sign in unless it was as a guest. I'll try that though.

Barbara said, on January 4, 2006 12:16 PM:

I just have a question I created a new account with a different screen name and want to know if there is anyway that I can get back my old buddy list didn't write them down and had so many friends and family in there if you could help me I would appreciate it can you email me if you can help thanks

Dave Taylor said, on January 4, 2006 2:48 PM:

I don't believe you can do that, Barbara. Alas. Very frustrating for a lot of users!

anna said, on January 7, 2006 8:05 PM:

question...
i'm trying to get an existing screenname to show up on my aol sign on screen. however, according to the directions, i'm supposed to be able to click on the "down arrow" and find "existing memnber." on my sign on screen, it does not show up. any suggestions? thanks! i'm going nuts!

Jashauna said, on January 8, 2006 9:52 AM:

hi. i was wondering, how do I make more screen names.

tom said, on January 11, 2006 7:43 AM:

thanks

Sarah A said, on January 12, 2006 2:47 PM:

Dave, I have a question. The AOL account on my home computer and my work computer, as well as the laptops that my other family members have, is the same account. However, when I delete a screen name and add a new one on my home computer, the change does not take effect on the other computers. The list of AOL SNs to choose from when signing on on my other computers still has my old (deleted) SNs. Is there a way to update the sign-on list on my other computers? Thank you very much.

Alina said, on January 12, 2006 7:53 PM:

hello, I deleted a screen name recently I wanted to create a new one, I also wanted it to be the same as the one I just deleted but with different letters and such. I can't do so because it keeps saying screen name already in use. What should I do?

anetra said, on January 13, 2006 10:22 AM:

Hey,I want to add my kids to the account so they can sign in under their own name how would i do that?

kevin said, on January 17, 2006 4:23 PM:

heyyy dave i have a screen name but i need to add it to the master acnt. how do i do so. i dont see anything saying add existing screen name. please advise.

ginny lynn said, on January 18, 2006 10:49 AM:

can't remember one of my screennames on aol. from another computer, how can i look up or can I somehow get to my mail screen and see all of the screennames? or am i " SOL"?

please help, im ion another town and cannot get to my homebase computer.

thx alot,
ginny

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!

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

How to create new screen names on AOL (America Online)?

Reader Comments To Date: 449

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

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