Backup Mail in Your AOL "Saved on My PC" Filing Cabinet

Where does AOL store email on a PC?

by
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Writer
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
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Heinz Tschabitscher
Updated on May 16, 2020
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AOL Desktop Gold lets you backup emails you want to save and other data to a file that can be easily transferred to another computer. This data includes toolbar favorites and settings associated with your AOL username.

Instructions in this article apply to AOL Desktop Gold.

Backup or Copy Mail in AOL

"Backing up" your locally saved messages is also a great way to move them from an old computer to a new one where you "restore" them.

  1. Sign in to Desktop Gold.

  2. Select the Settings icon. General Settings will open.

  3. Select the My Data tab.

  4. Select Export.

  5. Choose the location where you want to back up the file and select Save.

    By default, AOL saves the backup file in your My Documents folder. The name includes AOL Desktop Backup along with the date you created the backup.

  6. Create a password for your backup file, if you wish. Doing so gives you added security.

    You must enter this password if you import the backup data to another computer.

  7. The export progress window opens, notifies you when the export is completed.

You can use a removable flash drive if you ever need to transfer the file onto another computer.

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