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

Thomas said, on January 18, 2006 2:45 PM:

how do I create a screen name for my son under my account?

Susan Solomon said, on January 19, 2006 1:37 PM:

i would like to know how you find the account settings because i can't seem to find it

Heather Lawler said, on January 20, 2006 7:33 PM:

I put a buddy under my buddy list.... but it always shows that he is offline even when he is online. How do I fix that? It also won't let me talk to him.... or he talk to me.

Rebecca Turner said, on January 22, 2006 8:11 PM:

i am a new user and need my own aol account

Martin said, on January 25, 2006 3:47 PM:

Question: How do I delete all of my previously used screen names.....in other words....I do not want to restore them....I want to delete the ones I'm being asked that I can restore?????
Thank you for your time.
M

nicole said, on January 26, 2006 2:54 PM:

i cant get a screen name

Alx said, on January 26, 2006 8:48 PM:

how do i creat a new screen name at verizon yahoo.com please help thank you

shavon said, on January 28, 2006 7:44 AM:

hey
i need help sign on my screename please help

Julie Murphy said, on January 30, 2006 8:00 AM:

Hi Dave,

I let someone sign on his screename for AIM on my computer. I have auto Login and now I need to load my screen name back, how do I do that if I have auto login?

Thanks for your help.

Julie

Amanda said, on February 8, 2006 12:00 PM:

I hope you can help me! I am trying to add a screen name to my account but it wont let me. This has been an existing problem for the past week since we cancelled our previous master screen name. ADeshong8 is now our master screen name but it still wont let us add one. When I go to Keyword:names, it tells me that I must sign on with an AOL screen name, which I am. Tech support has no idea whats going on or how to fix it so Im hoping you can help. Thanks, Amanda

dusty said, on February 10, 2006 7:02 PM:

since i have aol where do i go to change my aim screen name without changin my aol screenname?

natasha sowell said, on February 12, 2006 10:14 AM:

i wat to create a screennames for aol and i want to know where you go do i cancreate a password and a screennames thank you for your help

cece said, on February 13, 2006 6:50 PM:

how can i change another screenames password with the aster screename,please help me out

mike said, on February 16, 2006 10:08 AM:

i am trying to put add two more screen names to my account and it want let me do it so please help me thanks mike

Granny said, on February 20, 2006 12:31 AM:

I have a house in the country with my old computer and I have a new house in town.
The town house I can have AOL DSL, but in the country house it has to be dialup. Do I need two accounts, one for in town and one for in the country?

Dave Taylor said, on February 20, 2006 10:02 PM:

Granny, I would call and talk with the AOL account folk. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that they have an option where you get both DSL and a dialup for the same account, at a reduced rate.

sandra walker said, on February 24, 2006 10:48 PM:

I still can't create a screen name on my computer and I have a 16 year old, a 12 year old and a 19 year old and I don't want any of them to sign in under my screen name so e-mail me when you can help me.

Shylee said, on March 4, 2006 5:19 PM:

I am trying to create a new aol screen name for myself and it gets to the screen where it says what is your security question. When I click on the questions there aren't any and it wont let me create a screen name until I do that. What do I do?

Dave Taylor said, on March 6, 2006 12:02 AM:

Shylee, are you logged in to a parental controlled screen name, or are you on a master screen name? That might make a big difference.

Meg said, on March 6, 2006 1:43 PM:

Hi,
I'm trying to create a new screen name on AOL 9.0 Optimized, but there is one problem. It asks for a security question, known as an ASQ, but where it says to select a security question, there are no questions, making it impossible to add screen names. My family and I can't figure it out, we've only made one screen name, which is the primary name, but since he has no ASQ, we can't select one for him. Please help.

Jeff said, on March 8, 2006 12:56 PM:

I am also having the same ASQ problem. I have an Account Security Question set-up (verified by calling aol billing) but if I try to add a screen name for my daughter it says I do not have one and i need to create one. The main problem is there are NO questions in the list to pick from. Tech support is of NO help at all and this has been happening for well over a week. Its hard to believe it would take aol that long to fix a server issue. any ideas?

monique said, on March 10, 2006 8:28 AM:

I need help creating screen names I'm the master screen name of this account but i cant seem to make other name because they said that im signed on as guess. How do i fix this problem.

rodney said, on March 13, 2006 7:55 PM:

hey im trying to put another screen name for my brother and i dont know if u could help me with that .. it would be great...

karren said, on March 14, 2006 10:01 AM:

yea uh hey dave,

i just started a new account and my daughter wants a screename,but when i go to create hers i go to search and put in new screename but when i do that it gives me a blank page. so dave hpw am i suppose to set up new screenames? plssss help me!!!!!!!!!!

austin said, on March 15, 2006 9:49 PM:

THIS WAS NOT AT ALL HELPFUL !!!!! ALL THAST I NEED IS INFO FOR SETTING UP AN ADDITIONAL SCREEN NAME. IT USED TO BE EASY, NOW YOU HAVE ALL THIS GARBAGE TO GO THROUGH!!!!!

James Aumack said, on March 17, 2006 2:45 PM:

Is there a website that I can rely on to create an AIM acount for AOL for my son?

James Aumack said, on March 17, 2006 2:54 PM:

I`m not at all a computer wiz but I accidently put parental controls on my sons computer. I don`t have the time to take it off so is there a way to give my son AIM without taking the parental controls off?

reyna wyatt said, on March 18, 2006 7:48 PM:

look i go to screen names but the site never shows up. what can i do?

James said, on March 20, 2006 3:06 PM:

I am trying to set up two new screen names

James said, on March 20, 2006 3:20 PM:

All would like to is how to put in screen names.If anyone can tell me how to do it.It would be helpfull and appreative. Think you

rick said, on March 22, 2006 8:40 PM:

how do i move a screen name from a existing screen name (note a master name ) to another existing aol account

Dave Taylor said, on March 22, 2006 11:18 PM:

Rick, you can't do that, last I talked with the AOL folk. Sorry!

DeLisa said, on March 23, 2006 8:36 PM:

The Answer To Security Question Can't Be Located. Why?I'm Trying Tto Create A New Screen Name.Can You Help?

Ashley said, on March 24, 2006 11:40 PM:

I have a question ..I have been trying to add a screenname to my account for almost 2 weeks now and everytime I try it says error in a pop up...it goes back and forth saying screenname service and error and then after a minute or so it just stops and says the site is unavailable .try again..
Any ideas as to why???
Its going on 2 weeks that its been like this...

britany richardson said, on March 27, 2006 6:24 PM:

OK! i have downloaded AIM before...but i had to delete it because it was causing problems with my computer. Well i need to kno how to get it back without losing my screen name or my buddy list. So basically i juss want AIM back!

Amy said, on April 3, 2006 6:42 PM:

I go to screen names under settings. There is nothing on aol screen names to click. The page will come up it says it's done but there are no arrows, no pictures nothing. I can't even create a child's screen name. I just want to create another screen name for my room mate to use please help.

regine' said, on April 5, 2006 5:16 PM:

how can you create your own email address and screen name on american online.com for free?

Jordano Pena said, on April 12, 2006 3:05 PM:

Thanks

Bill said, on April 12, 2006 3:26 PM:

I am trying to restore an old screen name and went to 'restore screen names'...and it wasn't there...AOL rep tells me you cant restore them after 6 months...they go out so other people can use them...I then emailed it and it said it was an 'unknown account' so obvioulsy no one else is using it. I then tried to make a new screenname out of the old one(same name)...it said it was already in use...so if i cant restore it and nobody else has it, why can't I get it back?

Erryn Bohon said, on April 13, 2006 3:24 PM:

If i dont have a exsisting AOL screen name how do i make one??

thanks a lot!!

michelle hawkins said, on April 15, 2006 8:45 AM:

How do i change me screen name.

Lar said, on April 21, 2006 5:17 PM:

The master account is unable to get into to change any of the other screen names. is there a way to recover old passwords?

carlos said, on April 23, 2006 10:22 AM:

after i followed your direction the screen wasnt so i couldnt make a screen name so wats the problem ?

George said, on April 23, 2006 7:28 PM:

THERE HAD BEEN A PROBLEM WITH ACCESSING (creating and deleting) AOL SCREENNAMES FOR 3 months. THE TECHS have no clue what he prob is. Do you?

1. settings> screen names, comes up blank when done.
2. create screen names under favorite used to work but no more.
3. typing aolscreennames in the browser used to work also but no more.

Please help.

Cyesha said, on April 29, 2006 7:13 PM:

thankyou for helping me with my new screename

kat said, on April 30, 2006 1:51 PM:

i dont have aol, but i need aim to talk with my friends. can i stil get one without getting aol?

Dave Taylor said, on May 1, 2006 11:36 AM:

Kat, you bet! America Online would like nothing better than to get you hooked into its AIM service, even if you don't have an AOL account. Please see:

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

aolscrutcher said, on May 4, 2006 1:59 AM:

Dave I thankyou for all your help for teaching me .How to get a screen name.ThankYou SHARON CRUTCHER

julie said, on May 6, 2006 8:20 AM:

hey i have an aim sn but i cant get it too work on an aol sn what do i do ?

Scott said, on May 6, 2006 6:30 PM:

Hi,I changed my screen name but it does not show up on the sign in screen. Every time I am forced to click "GUEST" and I can't use all the AOL features when I'm on as a guest. Please help.

Michael said, on May 7, 2006 5:11 PM:

Hey there my problem is that my friend has an aol acoount and I live with him and have never had an aol account before. Now that I am trying to get online with his pc I have to go through his account.....I need my own!!! How do I do this.

Taryn said, on May 8, 2006 3:42 PM:

Hey Dave i was wondering if u could put up the directions to get a new sn for aol 9.0 because when i try to create a sn it is totaly different from the photos u have posted.

Dominic said, on May 8, 2006 4:33 PM:

whenever i try to find account settings i can never find it, and when i go to a different site to get a new sn the norton internet security always comes up. wat do i do?

William Yull said, on May 11, 2006 2:04 PM:

I am very frustrated with aol it used to be a simple to change your screen name now I cant even find where I am suposed to click to alter them.

Brittany said, on May 12, 2006 5:23 PM:

i already have an email adress with aol but i would like to create one for my daughter how do i do that

Taralee said, on May 13, 2006 4:31 PM:

I do not know how to change my sn.....so please help me!!! thanks,
~*Taralee*~

karen mitchell said, on May 18, 2006 6:59 AM:

my old screen name was skipper227@aol.com then i put the new one which is cristylove44 aol has the other screen name as the primary for billing what do i do?

Sydni sands said, on May 18, 2006 5:36 PM:

i dont get why u cant ckic make screnn name i still need help!!!

becky said, on May 20, 2006 11:22 PM:

Hi Dave,
I have had a LOT of problems lately with my pc crashing, service providers, and a bunch of stuff in between. Now that I had a new hard drive installed I am changing everything around, so I went with aol as my online proveder- well, I have a pogo membership that I am paying for that I opened when I had a different provider, I need to add that name to my aol sign on list but it won't let me- it says sorry that name is already being used. I know this, it's my name! How do I get it set up to where I can log in to aol with that name?
thanks, Becky

nick said, on May 22, 2006 10:48 PM:

i can't get to the screenname page where you can delete and create screennames. i go to the account settings and click on screennames and all that but still nothing happens.the page just comes up blank. what can i do?

britt said, on May 23, 2006 1:30 PM:

Hi. I would like to keep my screen name but I would like to have another one. How do I do this?

Sam said, on May 28, 2006 1:21 PM:

Something happened to my buddy list on all of my screen names they disappeared. I can't find them. Can you tell me what happened.

alisha said, on May 28, 2006 7:37 PM:

Hi umm...well i'm having a hard time making a new screen name i looked at your advice but miine doesn't show account screename i have a gateway computer not a mac and i dont know how to make a new screename can you help me???

Angela said, on May 29, 2006 12:53 PM:

OK well i really need help! i try to create a new s/n by going into Settings on the AOL toolbar. Then i get to a page and i click parental controls. Then i get to a page and i click Create your childs screen name. I click it and then the page comes up. It says its done, but nothing comes up except a blank white page and i cannot find any other way to create a name. Please try and help me!! THANKS

Britney said, on May 31, 2006 4:19 PM:

i love this thanx u helped me alot~!

george montgomery said, on June 2, 2006 2:32 PM:

I would like to add a screen name. How do I do this?

Sarah Landry said, on June 3, 2006 7:45 PM:

I have 2 spanish screen names that are showing up as primary screen names on my account. I have to sign in as a guest. How do I get rid of these?

stacy said, on June 6, 2006 1:09 PM:

im an aol member so how do i change my screen name

Mckenzie said, on June 8, 2006 6:47 PM:

Nothing but thanks

Wendy Smith said, on June 8, 2006 7:04 PM:

I would like to just sign on PLEASE

Rob said, on June 8, 2006 9:30 PM:

WHY, when i try to add a screenname, the AOL screenname page says DONE at the bottom left, but nothing comes up on the page?? I only have a master screenname, and i cant seem to add another, and its really irking me, as AOL does with you......

ROB

valerie said, on June 10, 2006 4:05 PM:

I STARTED THIS ACCOUNT AT A DIFFERENT ADDRESS AS A GUEST. WHEN I LEFT I WAS ABLE TO USE IT AT THE NEW ADDRESS. MY FRIEND JUST DELETED MY ACCOUNT OFF HIS ACCOUNT AND NOW I CANT GET ONLINE.... WHY? YOU CAN SEND A MESSAGE TO VSPATRICK4@AOL.COM

mariah said, on June 11, 2006 5:09 PM:

hi,
My mom said she can delet her screen name so i can have another one. But we both do not now how to delet a screen name??? PLEASE HELP USE!!

Robert said, on June 12, 2006 7:45 PM:

I already have a screen name, but I want to add it to my new computer. How do I add it without it saying that the acount already exsists because its my account?

Delanna said, on June 12, 2006 10:39 PM:

I keep tring 2 set up a screen name but when I go to key word sreen names it goes to a screen that sais screen name services and doesnt put up the form just a sreen with whit with the blue border what do I do

NATE said, on June 13, 2006 12:01 PM:

ok, i have aol on windows. i click create knew screen name. Then it asks "What school do you go to". I put in the name of my school and it said "information is invalid". What the heck do i do??

erin said, on June 17, 2006 8:43 PM:

no comment I just need a screen name

Michelle said, on June 18, 2006 1:07 AM:

I can not figure out how to add a screen name to my account. I can not find account settings or screen names anywhere on my main page of my aol.

Cathy Reynolds said, on June 19, 2006 4:09 PM:

When I follow your instructions I get to the settings main page and when I click on screen names i get a list that say create on it. I click on create and it goes into a page that will not open up. I need my daughter to have her own screen name and i will not work. I have been trying for a week to do this and i am getting upset with aol.

Michael Noel said, on June 21, 2006 3:31 PM:

i need help
i need to change my aim passwords but i dont remember the answer to my security question how do i find it out

Evelyn said, on June 21, 2006 10:14 PM:

I cannot get the screen name page to open . I have done it before to delete and add a new screen name , but now it wont even open . Can you please help me with this ?

Thanks so much .

Denise Baccari said, on June 22, 2006 5:36 PM:

thanx for the help!!!

Frances McCann said, on June 26, 2006 2:10 PM:

Please help. AOL gave me a screen name and password for my first e-mail acct. I put in another screen name and password for a second acct. I cannot pull up the second one. What did I do wrong? Also, how do I set up separate address books? Thank you.

Ashley said, on June 29, 2006 1:11 PM:

thank you know what do i go to to creat one i tryed ever where for one

Bettie Shaw said, on July 2, 2006 12:34 PM:

We have had two AOL accounts and two phone lines for years! We connected with broadband, and dropped my account (MsGizmmo) and kept husbands acct. TShawjr,, my Question, how do I get those names on my computer, so I don't always have to sign on as a guest! I called Tech service yesterday and everything he told me to do, did not work, Hope you can help me??

Heather said, on July 4, 2006 6:04 PM:

I am trying to get a new screen name. But everytime i try it says the website is not found or action canceled. It's making me mad. And I don't know how to fix it.

Alyssa Lemos said, on July 7, 2006 10:54 PM:

hi dave
i like my screename alot but i want two screenames i can't seem to figure out how u get another one anyways if u can help me it will work out very well

Thank you

helen said, on July 14, 2006 7:29 PM:

what site do i go 2 change my screen name.i want something that mi want 4 get

Esperanza said, on July 15, 2006 2:40 PM:

How do I Reset my ASQ on Aol?

Olivia said, on July 18, 2006 7:55 AM:

How do i find peoples screen names

Erika said, on July 24, 2006 10:41 PM:

Why can't i add another sn? I tried but when it asks for my ASQ the questions never show up, so what am i supposed to do?

patty said, on August 2, 2006 11:01 AM:

im under my fathers account and im trying to get my own screen names under him for myself and i can't seem to do it

lula said, on August 2, 2006 8:46 PM:

i need to make a new screen name but i dont remember my security question. what do i do?

Patti said, on August 3, 2006 7:59 AM:

I have a screen name on another account that I shared with my x-husband. I want to switch it to my current account. How do I do this?

Dave Taylor said, on August 3, 2006 8:27 AM:

There is a way within AOL that you can convert a screen name into its own account. The best solution I have is for you to call AOL tech support and ask them to help you out. Remember, if you are reticent enough about keeping the service, they'll offer you a $9.99/month subscription plan, rather than the default $22/mo program. Just keep saying "well, I want my own screen name, but AOL is so expensive, I just don't know why I would keep it anyway..." and good luck!

Leslie Ceron said, on August 4, 2006 12:13 PM:

Dear Dave,

I'm trying to change mt daughters screen name. When i get to the screen name page, it is blank. I've tried several ways to open it. I am the primary screen name on this account. I can delete ok but not add. I only have two screen names at this time on my account. Help.

Leslie

elisa said, on August 11, 2006 10:12 AM:

i have a question? how can i start my own screen name right here at aol?

Horse_Lover11 said, on August 13, 2006 10:53 AM:

How do I sign up to get a screen name and also check my mail?

Need SN!! said, on August 14, 2006 8:11 PM:

I need help i hate my screen name right now i need a cute new one! any ideas?

breanna said, on August 15, 2006 9:12 AM:

I keep tryin to create another screen name but when I try to a new page comes up but then nothing happens.What should i do?

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

Reader Comments To Date: 449

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