Log in to America Online (AOL) as a guest?

I have a friend staying over at my house for a few days and she'd like to check her AOL email. But I don't want to lose my own AOL settings. How do I let her log in as guest without messing things up?

Dave's Answer:

This is a question that arises surprisingly often, and once you see how easy it is for your friend to check her email on your America Online (AOL) account, you'll also be surprised!

When you're at the main login screen for your AOL account, before you click on the "Log in" button, click on the small black triangle immediately adjacent to your account name. You'll see a pop-up menu that includes the value Guest:

Chose the "Guest" value, click on "Sign On", and your guest will then see:

All she has to do is enter her account and password properly, and she'll be logged in as if she were on her own computer at home.

It's also worth remembering that if you don't have the AOL software handy, you can always log in to AOL by using their Web-based interface. Simply go to AOL.com and you'll see a login area on the top right.

Hope that helps out!

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Reader Comments To Date: 81

Shannen said, on December 1, 2005 12:00 AM:

Whenever I sign on to my grandpa's computer (I'm a minor), I always sign on as a guest. How can I sign onto AOL on my grandpa's computer without being a guest?

Shannen said, on December 1, 2005 12:01 AM:

Whenever I sign on to my grandpa's computer (I'm a minor), I always sign on as a guest. How can I sign onto AOL on my grandpa's computer without being a guest?

Shannen said, on December 1, 2005 12:02 AM:

Whenever I sign on to my grandpa's computer (I'm a minor), I always sign on as a guest. How can I sign onto AOL on my grandpa's computer without being a guest?

stephanie said, on December 18, 2005 1:30 AM:

how do i sign online without downloading aol i allready have a screen name just not on this computer so how can i sign online without downloading anything.

Tim said, on December 21, 2005 7:51 AM:

Congratulations on being selected on the first day of Winter for Cool Site of the day!

Michael Lowder said, on December 30, 2005 10:46 AM:

How do Isign on a friends computer which does not have AOL to check my email?

Dave Taylor said, on January 1, 2006 10:31 AM:

Michael, the easiest way to do that is to simply go to the AOL Web-based interface and read your email that way. It's surprisingly well-designed and if you're using the latest version of the AOL software, you should even be able to get access to your address book (earlier versions store the address book on your computer, but later versions have a copy on the AOL server too, making it accessible from other computers you use)

kelli said, on January 6, 2006 10:10 AM:

I want to know how to sign into AOL while at school. How would you do that without messing my aol settings up at home?

Dave Taylor said, on January 6, 2006 10:12 AM:

Kelli, same as I said above: use the web-based interface to AOL, sign in, check your email, etc, all without interfering with any other system or leaving AOL software on the school computer. But remember, you should be doing schoolwork at school! :-)

cheryl said, on January 15, 2006 9:07 AM:

i have a few teens in town and they stay on my comp.they sign in as a guest.is there any way i can put parental controls on computer since they r signing in as guest?

Linda said, on January 24, 2006 4:13 PM:

Hi. I'd like to know if my boyfriend can sign on to AOL if he doesn't have an AOL account. Linda.

Ted said, on February 27, 2006 11:23 PM:

My stepson logged under guest aol internet to get his messages from yahoo. When he signs onto my computer under his name it now says he has 36 unread messages. How is that ? When I did not give him an aol scean name account. And I am trying to remove it. Help !

Dave Taylor said, on February 28, 2006 11:48 AM:

Linda, no, if you don't have an AOL account you can't sign in to the AOL service. You can, however, visit AOL online through the Web and see much of the information that they make available. Just go to http://www.aol.com/

Ted, I don't really understand what you're saying. Did you give your stepson a Windows account on your computer, then within that he signed on to Yahoo? Did he use Outlook Express to download his Yahoo messages?

J.A. VANDANACKER said, on March 31, 2006 9:54 PM:

II AM A REGULAR MEMBER OF AOL, NOT A GUEST, YET I AM ASKED TO SIGN IN AS A GUEST EVERY TIME I LOG ON.
WHY?????

jenny said, on April 4, 2006 9:47 AM:

how do i sign onto aol w/o signing on as a guest, i got switched to a diff computer and im sick of signing in as a guest....please help

ilene said, on May 17, 2006 7:29 AM:

I have a 14 yr. old .I thought I deleted his myspace but he still seems to be getting on the computer under guest.How can I find out his screen name and password he's using to log on ?

Carol said, on May 18, 2006 10:29 AM:

Is there any way to track the time a person is on as a guest? Thank you.

Terry Beloncik said, on May 19, 2006 5:42 PM:

I wanted to be able to get my email from aol while visiting my mother's house. She has walmart.com. But the AOL screens have changed unbelievably, and they are NOT helpful at all. There is no place for us to sign on to our account with aol. Please change it back the way it was. Thanks. Terry Beloncik

Agnes Manuel said, on June 14, 2006 8:18 AM:

How do I sign on for my own aol account? I am currently on another person's aol account and she will be discontinuing hers.

Paul Bullard said, on July 7, 2006 10:32 PM:

I keep getting this thing for guest to sign in on my screen and I want it removed . it is a pain in the but.

cleo said, on July 30, 2006 12:42 PM:

Can I get downloads right away

Allison said, on August 2, 2006 3:07 PM:

if you work for internet explore and dsl and you go on america online do i have to pay

Elizabeth said, on August 9, 2006 10:56 AM:

How do I sign on to my screen name without signing on as a guest? All of our families screen names (4) have dissapeared from the sign on screen and 2 of my sons friends are now there instead. How do I remove those names and add back our 4 family names. One I sign on as a guest I do not have access to change things as it says I am not the account holder. Help!!

Kevin said, on August 20, 2006 9:18 AM:

When I want to switch screen names, I click onto "Switch Screen Names", but only my Screen Name appears. What happened to "Guest"?!?!?!
It used to be there as a choise to click onto, but now I no longer see it!!!
Please advise!! Thank you in advance!!
Sincerely, Kevin R.

Jean Hairston said, on August 25, 2006 9:03 AM:

How do I get the guest thing to come off so I can get on line as usual

DONALD said, on September 6, 2006 5:51 AM:

HOW DO I REMOVE THE GUEST NAME FROM MY AOL SIGN UP SCREEN?

marilyneslami said, on September 30, 2006 3:17 PM:

I am a guest on my grandson's computer and wish to get on my aol.com site.

karina said, on November 11, 2006 10:04 PM:

how cut a block my guest

Berlongdore said, on November 24, 2006 7:40 AM:

I have two computers which are on the same line but my second computer has me sign in as a quest and I used my name Berlongdore but it will not accept my password...what should I do?

Berlongdore said, on November 24, 2006 7:51 AM:

I have two computers which are on the same line but my second computer has me sign in as a quest and I used my name Berlongdore but it will not accept my password...what should I do?

mindi said, on March 13, 2007 9:10 PM:

HOW DO I REMOVE THE GUEST NAME FROM MY AOL SIGN on SCREEN?

SHIRLEY FOLDS said, on March 16, 2007 11:21 AM:

I WANT YOUR AOL SIGN UP OFF MY SCREEN THANK YOU

Jeff Nielsen said, on March 28, 2007 6:23 PM:

I had a friend over and he tried to log on to his computer from mine. Now I have a permanent box about 4" x 4" in the right lower corner of my screen with his screen name on it. The title is AOL dialer. How do I get rid of this thing? I can cancle it,but its back the next time I log on.

dennis conner said, on April 5, 2007 3:42 PM:

How can I remove the guest log in. Thank you in advance

kk said, on April 7, 2007 12:59 PM:

i have a aol account my computer crashed so i am using my sisters computer in the meantime....I sign on a guest and everything is fine.....however; i want to change my password on account but it wont allow me to....it says i am signed in a guest......what should i do......am i stuck with this problem until i get my own computer again....please advice....thank you in advance

James Lesonik said, on April 17, 2007 7:00 PM:

I have a broter who signs on as a guest, and hen is able to go to any website he wants, how can I block anyone and everyone from signing on as a guest on my computer?

fred abrahms said, on April 24, 2007 11:13 PM:

Would like to have my AOL sign on screen back. It
allowed other screen names & more important,
allowed "guest" sign ins. Don't know why it was
removed--but need it back or ---bye-bye

everly said, on May 4, 2007 3:34 PM:

i have lost my setting i can't sign on with my screen name i have to use guest help

Paula said, on May 29, 2007 8:26 AM:

How do I disable the AOL guest sign-in?

Bill said, on June 3, 2007 8:33 PM:

Iwant to disable guest sign-on from my PC.

arlene said, on July 24, 2007 5:01 PM:

Dave, I had to close out my aol dial up and moved in with my sister who also has aol.(mine is in storage) I can log on as guest and get my emails and favorites no prob, but I cnat get to my personal settings cause I have to log on originally under my sister's name and it is all her personal settings? I cant get to my documents or web sites ect and that is a big prob for me!Help! Arlene

ssexylady07 said, on October 4, 2007 4:46 PM:

how can i get my son to sign on aol with out going on mine and not a guest?

Donald steeves said, on October 5, 2007 4:28 PM:

Is there any way to keep guest from signing on your aol account. we had parental controls for son with time limits. he had someone else make him a screen name now he gets on while we are not home by using guest sign on.

charles brown said, on October 6, 2007 3:10 PM:

my aol will not sign onto aol with my new pc that has windows vista onit i have installed aol 12 times now, i have spent loads on phone to aol still canot sign onto aol with vista

ian said, on November 17, 2007 6:10 AM:

i hope u can help me i set my aol up so no one could sign on as a guest i got a frend comeing who will wont to check there email an i forgot how to cancell wot i av done can u help plz ty

Ryan said, on November 25, 2007 2:49 AM:

I install Aol 9.1 in my pc with windows xp...after the installation and open the AOL, I cannot change the screen names, there only an option like, new user, existing member and guest, but once i click sign on, it's showing an error. i tried to uninstall and install again, but it doesnt work. is there an option to change the screen names. How can i change the screen names..

lisa said, on February 14, 2008 1:40 AM:

I logged into someone elses computer and now my name shows up when I log onto their computer, how do I remove my screen name from someone elses computer

John said, on February 14, 2008 1:53 PM:

Can you use the dialer provided with Windows to log on to AOL?

bristow said, on February 15, 2008 2:55 AM:

I used to log into my sons computer under guest option. Never had any problem with logging on. I have now got my own computer and successfully log into that. I have since tried to log on as a guest on my sons computer and it will not let me. It says my email address is only available to my new computer. Both his and mine are signed to aol, so does this mean I can no longer sign in as a guest on anyone's computer that is signed up to aol? If so this is crazy!

leeanne said, on March 17, 2008 10:33 PM:

With aol 10.0 there is no guest drop down...now what?

l. Byerly said, on April 21, 2008 9:48 PM:

how do i remove aol guest.

Judi said, on June 8, 2008 12:19 AM:

how do I find out were my guest was searching the web. Is it possible? I do not know my neices guest name. But is was done on my computer. Can I see were my guest traveled. I would like to block all friends. How? Please help. Thank you.

Landa said, on June 16, 2008 8:19 AM:

How do i delete or turn off Guest access on my aol

Chris said, on August 2, 2008 4:33 PM:

I disabled my guest access, now i want enable it again but i can't.

AOL 9.0 VR

dianna said, on August 7, 2008 11:33 AM:

my name is david, my wife has an aol acount and i also have an aol screen name but i forgot my password. how can i log on as a guest on her account to get my password

Linda Sue said, on October 30, 2008 6:59 AM:

AOL recently revamped their home page (lovely) and now I sign in to my mail successfully but my address book is missing and an error says "unable to download address book". Been through almost all of AOL searching, don't get answer from "feedback" and can't get a person calling AOL. Any help in getting my address book (and tons of it's information) back? thanks....linda sue

Jim said, on December 7, 2008 7:07 AM:

Hi, I disabl;ed my guest controls, but now i need them enabled, how do i enable them, I seem to have forgotten.

Rosalind said, on January 27, 2009 2:21 PM:

how can I enable my quest log in

BARBARA FROMM said, on January 27, 2009 7:42 PM:

I an a guest and I want to get into my AOL e-mail on a friends computer. How do I do this?

gene said, on May 26, 2009 7:44 PM:

We have a broadband connection at home and use aol. I have a laptop plugged into the router, and my wife has a laptop using wireless. When we go to our condo, we bring the laptop, and we plug it directly into broadband. When we returned home, she cannot log onto aol using her screen name. It immediately begins trying to set up a dialup connection. If she uses the Guest identifier, it does allow her to sign in with her screen name. She also lost her Save on my PC emails.

sue said, on May 28, 2009 11:36 AM:

when i enter my username and pasword it wont let me in my mail my screenname is PEARSONFAMILY101

annemarie said, on June 10, 2009 7:41 PM:

How do I stop one screen name from signing onto aol via guest. My step daughter is not allowed on aol but uses the gues feature to sign on our computer via the guest name under her mothers aol account

Tim Young said, on August 28, 2009 8:42 AM:

AS someone above stated, after a dozen attempts to download AOL software into my vista powered laptop with no success, I am ready to have vista taken out and xp put back in. Any suggestions on how I can get aol to load and function on this new machine would be a great help.

m. newman said, on September 30, 2009 3:31 PM:

Dear Dave: Recently acquired my daughter's computer. Can only sign on as guest. Cannot access my favorites as guest. How can I sign on as owner of computer and not as guest?

Wendy said, on October 3, 2009 6:51 AM:

how do I remove the guest option from my drop down of sign on names

Lillian Fiorentini said, on November 5, 2009 3:18 PM:

My husbands Vista computer always comes up with his e-mail automatically. I have my own address in aol. In xp no problem. How do I get my e-mail on his (our only computer) ??

Joel said, on February 1, 2010 3:46 AM:

How can I get into my AOL mail without being a guest? Thanks

Reuben said, on March 8, 2010 9:11 AM:

My wife is on my homenetwork and, in the past, I have been able to switch to her signon after putting in her password. Now, it doesn't remember her password and every time she asks me to check her mail I have to re-enter her password.

It is doing the same thing with me when I try to check My Calendar or Finance. What's up doc?

rbaratte said, on April 20, 2010 11:20 AM:

reffering to guests sign in; what if the guest doesnot have a password no.?

susan said, on May 20, 2010 3:55 PM:

At one time I had my facebook on the page with my aol email....now I don't want that because everytime I am on my aol mail account it shows the facebook F up in the corner. I have logged off of facebook, and off of my aol mail, but it keeps sayings on facebook I am logged on to more than one facebooks. what can I do?

carol said, on August 25, 2010 1:06 PM:

I have a aol e-mail and also pay for an account.
all I use AOL for is my e-mail how can I just use my e-mail and not pay for AOL.

George D'Isabella said, on September 9, 2010 2:30 PM:

I have a aol e-mail account that someone has hacked into and changed my password and security question, now I can't get in it. What can I do?

Bruce Donharl said, on January 25, 2011 1:02 PM:

I have been a AOL member for years. I have just purchased a new computer. I have also just linked up to high speed internet via Comcast. I would like to down load AOL so I would be as I was. HOWEVER the 9.0 didsc I have is scrathed and I need a new one to program my new computer. Please send me one : Bruce Donharl ,310 Folsom Ave, Egg Harbor Twp. , NJ 08234

cleo brown said, on January 27, 2011 1:40 AM:

my son came home for the weekend and used my computer and now i cant use the e-mail on my
outlook express. keep getting box that says
errow on send. what can i do?

miriam said, on June 2, 2011 10:58 AM:

i am trying to log onto my AOL email from another computer in the UK, but it won't accept my username or password. this happened to me when i traveled out of state as well. i can only log onto AOL from my computer at home. why? how can i check my aol email? what can i do to resolve this???

shirish said, on July 4, 2011 9:39 AM:

I wanna know , how do I sign up ?

Paul said, on July 16, 2011 11:49 AM:

How do I block "guest" and keep it from popping up on my sign in screen. I want to be able to keep someone off my computer. Is it possible to block them completely?

maria said, on August 7, 2011 11:44 PM:

just..opened..my..laptop..and.can.not.go.futher,.as.a.new..thing.has..appeared..asking.password..i..never..ever..had.a.password

Kathy said, on September 2, 2011 10:41 PM:

i installed aol desktop on my husbands laptop and i put my screen name instead of his screen name and now i can sign on and he have to sign on as guest. can i change his screen name as the account holder and me as a guest?

tony bruno said, on November 3, 2011 5:59 PM:

I have gotten phone calls that someone is using my AOL account. please close off for me.

arash said, on November 12, 2011 7:32 AM:

hello

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!

Log in to America Online (AOL) as a guest?

Reader Comments To Date: 81

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

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