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  • Can I use Microsoft Outlook Express with AOL?

Can I use Microsoft Outlook Express with AOL?

March 29, 2005 / Dave Taylor / Windows PC Help / 37 Comments

Dave, I use America Online (AOL) for reasons that are too tedious to explain, but I only just recently learned that instead of using their brain-dead mail program, I could be using Microsoft Outlook Express instead! How do I use MS Outlook Express to read AOL mail and send mail through my AOL account?

According to the helpful online documentation at the AOL help site, you can access AOL mail through their Open Mail Access system. There’s detailed information on how to work with Outlook 2000, Outlook Express, IncediMail, Microsoft Entourage, Outlook 2002, and even Eudora.

In terms of Microsoft Outlook Express, here’s what I found out. This document is entitled How do I use Microsoft Outlook Express 6 to read and send AOL e-mail:

There are two steps to setting up Outlook® Express to read and send AOL e-mail. First, you need to create a new e-mail account in Outlook Express. Once the e-mail account is created, you need to configure your Outlook Express e-mail account so you can send and receive your AOL e-mail.

To create a new e-mail account in Outlook Express

  1. Sign on to AOL.
  2. Open Outlook Express. (If Outlook Express is not your default mail client, you may be prompted to specify whether you want to use it as the default by clicking OK).
  3. From the Outlook Express Tools menu, click Accounts.
  4. In the Internet Accounts dialog box, click Add and then click Mail.
  5. In the Internet Connection Wizard, in the Display name field, enter your name as you would like it to appear on your outgoing e-mail messages.
  6. Click Next.
  7. In the E-mail address field, enter your full e-mail address, e.g., GabbyGrace@aol.com.
  8. Click Next.
  9. On the E-mail Server Names screen, select IMAP from the drop-down menu.
  10. In the Incoming mail server field, enter: imap.aol.com.
  11. In the Outgoing mail server field, enter: smtp.aol.com.
  12. Click Next.
  13. On the Internet Mail Logon screen, enter your AOL screen name in the Account name field.
  14. Enter the password for your AOL account in the Password field.
  15. If you want Outlook Express to save your password, leave the Remember password check box selected.
  16. Click Next.
  17. Click Finish.

To configure your Outlook Express e-mail account

  1. When you are returned to the Internet Accounts dialog box, click the Mail tab. (If the Internet Accounts dialog box is not open, click the Tools menu and then click Accounts).
  2. Select your AOL IMAP account.
  3. Click Properties.
  4. In the Properties dialog box, click the Servers tab.
  5. In the Outgoing Mail Server section, click the My server requires authentication check box.
  6. Click Apply.
  7. Click the Advanced tab.
  8. In the Outgoing mail (SMTP): field, change the number that displays to 587.
  9. Click Apply.
  10. Click the IMAP tab.
  11. In the Special Folders section, click the Store special folders on IMAP server check box to deselect it.
  12. Click Apply.
  13. Click OK.
  14. Click Close.

Notes

  • If you receive a message prompting you to download folders from the mail server, click Yes.

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Starbucks coffee cup 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!

37 comments on “Can I use Microsoft Outlook Express with AOL?”

  1. Susan Smith says:
    October 13, 2011 at 2:54 pm

    This totally fixed my problem. I haven’t been able to use Outlook for a year so I was unable to respond to Craigslist ads who didn’t list their phone numbers. Thanks a bunch! Have a coffee on me!

    Reply
  2. Abhishek says:
    August 25, 2011 at 11:53 pm

    Sir, i w failed to open my yahoo mail becoz it shows a message that ‘authenticatio required’. Please help me!

    Reply
  3. Ann says:
    December 18, 2010 at 2:45 am

    My aol account stopped working on my outlook account 2 days ago. I thought it was a computer problem but then I used outlook on my netbook and had the exact same problem. Did aol change their system? I tried “repairing” the problem but I’m basically shut out of my e-mail on outlook. Thanks for any help you can give me.

    Reply
  4. Alistar says:
    November 10, 2010 at 6:26 am

    Hi dave
    I am Alistar working in MNC company. If I configure aol in my outlook does the server knows it? When I am receving and sending e-mails Server will track it? Give me the possible way to work in outlook express without knowing Company server.

    Reply
  5. diane says:
    September 7, 2010 at 7:34 am

    I installed outlook to use instead of aol, and bought epreserver to transfer all my address book etc, but now I cannot open any of the emails sent to me. I get the title but when I double click to open the mail it says item not downloaded and to retry again, but the same keeps happening.
    Please can someone advise me.
    Many thanks
    Di

    Reply
  6. Ladagosta says:
    June 1, 2010 at 9:01 pm

    I am having trouble getting it to send and I set it up the way it says.. no out box?????? wtf???

    Reply
  7. Jennifer says:
    October 17, 2009 at 10:57 am

    Help! I followed all of the instructions to the t. It gives me at the end this message: “The connection to the server has failed. I am connected to the internet.
    Configuration:
    Account: imap.aol.com
    Server: imap.aol.com
    User name: circusgroupie07
    Protocol: IMAP
    Port: 143
    Secure(SSL): 0
    Code: 800ccc0e

    Reply
  8. Tom Stricklin says:
    October 9, 2009 at 1:04 pm

    I was so frustrated by outlook express not working. I am so grateful for your help.
    Tom

    Reply
  9. michael gill says:
    September 16, 2009 at 5:08 pm

    I am using outlook 2003 with my aol to recieve and send email. I started getting this error when I try to send: outgoing mail server does not support SSL secured connection. code is 0x800cc7d
    if you could help me this I would be grateful.
    Michael

    Reply
  10. Alicia says:
    April 14, 2009 at 9:44 pm

    OH MY GOD! Thank you so much!!!

    Reply
  11. Monte says:
    February 28, 2009 at 12:11 pm

    using aol and outlook express, thru the address book I can send myself an email, and receive it, but if I send one to myself and someone else, it says message sent, but I don’t receive the message and the other people don’t receive it either.?

    Reply
  12. brad says:
    September 18, 2008 at 8:01 pm

    I followed your instructions and I received a message that says “The specified IMAP server does not appear to be a valid server name. I went ahead with it any way and finished the set up. It did not work and said that the imap was wrong.
    Please help.

    Reply
  13. Katie says:
    July 12, 2008 at 11:02 am

    thank you so much DAVE this helped…i couldnt figure out how to do it at first but thanks to u i have it fugured out! thanks again!

    Reply
  14. beth says:
    July 3, 2008 at 10:33 am

    When I try to send email outlook express shows but I want to send email from internet explorer or my aol account. how can i do this. thanks a million. beth

    Reply
  15. josh says:
    June 10, 2008 at 3:34 pm

    Thank you!! this info helped me decipher the world of outlook express.. now I don’t have to sign in to my other account near as often.. Thanks Again!!

    Reply
  16. fred says:
    February 13, 2008 at 3:02 pm

    thank you you rockmy sox off

    Reply
  17. Steve says:
    February 3, 2008 at 3:29 pm

    How does one set up outlook 2007 to receive and send AOL email. This is Office Pro – Outlook 2007. I think this is different than outlook express.

    Reply
  18. Mark says:
    January 18, 2008 at 6:06 pm

    If I add AOL to Outlook, does than mean my AOL mail will go to outlook, or can I use both at the same time?

    Reply
  19. Tom Hicks says:
    December 27, 2007 at 8:59 am

    I am getting the the same error message as the person that wrote in previously. This only started occuring within the last day. Before it worked fine. What do I do? It is configured as you provided instructions.
    The connection to the server has failed. Account: ‘imap.aol.com’, Server: ‘smtp.aol.com’, Protocol: SMTP, Port: 25, Secure(SSL): No, Socket Error: 10060, Error Number: 0x800CCC0E

    Reply
  20. Bruce Fair says:
    November 28, 2007 at 9:04 am

    I use Outlook Express 6 for email. How do I turn of the “check names” icon (and procedure) from the send format. I want to send email to addresses that are not listed in my address book. The damn thing keeps asking if I want to enter the address (s) in my book, I say no and it repeats itself. Any help here greatly appreciated. My own tech support said ” Golly, we can’t help you, we don’t know how to disable that feature, yada yada.

    Reply
  21. Justin N says:
    September 20, 2007 at 8:23 am

    My Outlook does not have the IMAP tab! I hve

    Reply
  22. Tambe Joe says:
    September 3, 2007 at 9:36 am

    hullo Dave i have a problem connecting to outlook.I can not read or send mails in outlook.When ever I send a mail, it often refere me to the system administrator.Iave tried to remove mails that ihave read and send it to my sent items but this problem still persist .Is there any way you can help me out?

    Reply
  23. Cayla F. says:
    August 24, 2007 at 5:01 pm

    Now AOl has presented another problem. how do we get the security authoriation.
    I have already gone through the security authoriation already with AOL.
    Error Message Outlook gave me:
    The message could not be sent because the server rejected the sender’s e-mail address. The sender’s e-mail address was ‘**************@aol.com’. Subject ‘test again’, Account: ‘imap.aol.com’, Server: ‘smtp.aol.com’, Protocol: SMTP, Server Response: ‘556 CLIENT AUTHENTICATION REQUIRED. USE ESMTP EHLO AND AUTH.’, Port: 587, Secure(SSL): No, Server Error: 556, Error Number: 0x800CCC78

    Reply
  24. Pat says:
    July 12, 2007 at 3:21 am

    Hi, i have managed to accesss my aol email account via outlook express but am unable to retrieve my address book, any help with this would be much appreciated. Pat

    Reply
  25. matt f says:
    June 8, 2007 at 5:43 pm

    The connection to the server has failed. Account: ‘imap.aol.com’, Server: ‘587’, Protocol: SMTP, Port: 25, Secure(SSL): Yes, Socket Error: 10060, Error Number: 0x800CCC0E

    Reply
  26. kake24 says:
    June 4, 2007 at 12:37 pm

    i have no problem sending…..but retreiving my mail isn’t working……. i get this error when i try to check the folders…
    Configuration:
    Account: ******@aol.com
    Server: imap.aol.com
    User name: ******@aol.com
    Protocol: IMAP
    Port: 587
    Secure(SSL): 1
    Code: 800ccc0e
    is 587 the correct port number for incoming mail?

    Reply
  27. David McWilliams says:
    May 28, 2007 at 1:01 am

    I keep getting the message: “The server rejected your login. Please verify that your user name and password are correct.”
    and the more details are:
    Configuration:
    Account: imap.aol.com xxxxxxx@aol.com
    Server: imap.aim.com
    User name: xxxxxxx@aol.com
    Protocol: IMAP
    Port: 143
    Secure(SSL): 0
    Code: 800ccc03
    please help.

    Reply
  28. jim watson says:
    January 16, 2007 at 6:19 am

    great column – have come by from time to time but only just got round to send thanks for help. Aol via outlook problems look solved – thanks.

    Reply
  29. Steve R Hill says:
    November 22, 2006 at 5:13 am

    NOW I KNOW: It’s all AOL’s fault! It revolves around the Outgoing Server number, which needs to be changed from the default of 25 to AOL’s number of 587. It’s as simple as that, and it really, really works! In OUTLOOK 2000, Tools> Account> highlight the account you want to send from then press ‘properties’. Advanced tab> Server port numbers, Outgoing SMTP change to 587 from 25 (or whatever). APPLY> OK> Close. Job done.
    In OUTLOOK 2002: Tools> e-mail accounts> view or change> highlight account needed then hit ‘change’. More settings> advanced tab> Outgoing Server (SMTP) change to 587. OK> Next> Finish> Job done. Good luck to you all, it is such a relief!

    Reply
  30. Steve R Hill says:
    November 21, 2006 at 5:26 am

    Like so many others, I have a continuing problem using Outlook 2002 (and previous versions) for sending e-mails, whilst using my AOL account as ‘the gateway’. I have done the ‘fix’ that both AOL and your good self have offered, and yes it works a dream if I want to do things that way round, but that’s not it! It’s almost as if AOL will not allow ‘third party’ mail (i.e. a different e-mail address) to be sent on their service. HELP!!!!!!

    Reply
  31. Nannie says:
    October 26, 2006 at 10:35 am

    Dave following is the error I get everytime I try to send email through outlook express from my aol address – any thoughts? The connection to the server has failed. Account: ‘imap.aol.com’, Server: ‘imap.aol.com’, Protocol: SMTP, Port: 587, Secure(SSL): No, Socket Error: 10060, Error Number: 0x800CCC0E

    Reply
  32. nick says:
    September 23, 2006 at 3:37 pm

    dude i love this site it was soooooooooo helpfull! i love it it told me how to use outlook express with my aol account it was so thurl with the instructions it diddent miss a step it was asowm… i cant spell dont mind the spelling mistakeslol thank u keep up the good work ps i added ur site to my favrats list

    Reply
  33. Lee says:
    August 17, 2006 at 2:23 am

    I also have installed outlook 2002 XP pro and I get a “could not open item. try again.” when i try to open the features like contacts, new mail, calender, etc. how can i fix it?

    Reply
  34. Kevin says:
    July 22, 2006 at 1:01 pm

    This is the same exact thing on the AOL site and neither of the two have helped me at all. The AOL server rejects my account and or username every time.

    Reply
  35. Kevin says:
    June 1, 2006 at 1:40 pm

    So, Dave, lets say that I want to use my school e-mail through Outlook… but I have AOL at home. I need to use Northwestern’s incoming IMAP, but AOL’s outgoing SMTP? When I plug in all of the outgoing AOL info, I get nothing! Thoughts?

    Reply
  36. Jason Samford says:
    September 1, 2005 at 5:58 am

    I have install outlook 2002 XP pro and I get a “could not open item. try again.” when i try to open the features like contacts, new mail, calender, etc. where did i go wrong?

    Reply
  37. Dr Simones-Jones says:
    August 13, 2005 at 6:29 pm

    Wow. At last. Fredom to use my URL rather than the embarisment of ***@aol.com. Cheers Dave.

    Reply

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