How to Check AOL Email on a Mac

While you can always check your AOL email through a web browser, Apple Mail allows you to access the same content and features from a simple app. Most operating systems support an email client that can send and receive email through AOL.

There are two ways to do this. One is to use POP (Post Office Protocol), which fetches your messages for offline access so you can read all of your new emails. The other is through IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol); when you mark messages as Read or Delete messages, you see those changes reflected in other email clients and online through a browser.

It's your choice which to use, but neither one is difficult to configure because the Mail app comes preconfigured for AOL.

How to Set up AOL Mail on a Mac Using IMAP

Open Apple Mail, and select Mail > Preferences from the menu bar.
Select the Accounts tab.
Select the + button under the accounts list.
Select AOL, then select Continue.
Enter your name, AOL email address, and AOL password in the text fields.
Select Sign In.
Highlight the newly created AOL account in Accounts list.
Select the Mailbox Behaviors tab.
In the Sent pane, make sure Store sent messages on the server is not checked.
In the Junk pane, open the drop-down menu and select Quitting Mail.
Close the Accounts configuration window. Select Save if asked to Save changes to the 'AOL' IMAP account?

How to Set up AOL Mail on a Mac Using POP

Setup your AOL account as shown in the section above labeled How to Set up AOL Mail on a Mac Using IMAP.
Select the Server settings tab.
In the Outgoing Mail Account menu, select Edit SMTP Server List from the drop down.
Select the + sign.
Double-click the highlighted text under Server Name.
In Host Name, enter smtp.aol.com.
Enter your AOL username and password into the corresponding boxes below.
Select Agree on the terms and agreements page.
Select which applications you wish to use with this mail account and select Done.
Close the Accounts configuration window.