How to close your AOL account

To close an AOL account, you log into your account, go to the Account Settings page, find the option to close or deactivate your account, and follow the prompts to confirm. AOL will ask you to enter your password again and may offer options to keep your email address or transfer your contacts before the closure is final. The process takes about five minutes, but AOL typically keeps your account data for 90 days before permanent deletion in case you change your mind.

Before you close the account, read or forward any emails you want to keep, update any online services that use your AOL email address for login or password recovery, and make a list of any subscriptions billed to that account. Once the account is closed, you cannot send or receive mail from that address, and anyone trying to email you there will get a bounce-back message.

Key Takeaways

  • You must log into your AOL account and navigate to Account Settings to start the closure process — there is no phone number or customer service shortcut.
  • AOL keeps your account data for 90 days after closure, so you can request reactivation during that window if you change your mind.
  • Any online accounts that use your AOL email for login or password recovery will become harder to access after closure, so update those first.
  • Forwarding your emails to another address before closure is the only way to keep copies of messages you may need later.

What to do before you close the account

The most important step is to move any emails you need to keep. AOL does not automatically send you a copy of your inbox when you close the account. You can set up email forwarding to another address (like Gmail or Outlook) so new mail arriving during the final days gets sent somewhere safe, but forwarding does not copy your old messages. To save old emails, you can read them using an email client like Thunderbird or Outlook, or you can forward individual messages to yourself at a new address.

Next, go through any online accounts that use your AOL email as the login or recovery email. This includes banking sites, social media, shopping accounts, and subscription services. Change the email address on file to a different one you control and still use. If you do not do this, you will not be able to reset your password on those accounts if you forget it, and the site may lock you out if it detects unusual activity.

Check your billing history for any recurring charges tied to the AOL account. Some subscriptions renew automatically and may be set to charge your payment method on file. Cancel those subscriptions before closure, or update the payment method on each one to a different card or account.

Steps to close your AOL account

Log into your AOL account at aol.com using your email address and password. Once you are logged in, look for the account menu — this is usually a gear icon or your name in the top right corner of the page. Click it and select "Account Settings" or "Account Info."

On the Account Settings page, scroll down to find the option labeled "Close Account," "Deactivate Account," or "Delete Account." The exact wording changes occasionally, but it is always near the bottom of the settings page. Click that option.

AOL will show you a confirmation screen explaining what happens when you close the account. It will ask you to enter your password again to confirm you are the account owner. After you enter your password, you may see an option to read your account data or forward your emails — use these if you have not already done so. Then click the final confirmation button to complete the closure.

What happens after you close the account

Your AOL email address stops working when ready. Any new messages sent to that address will bounce back to the sender with a message saying the account no longer exists. You will not receive a notification when this happens — the sender will see the bounce-back, but you will not.

AOL keeps your account data on its servers for 90 days. If you realize you made a mistake or need to recover something, you can contact AOL support during this window and ask them to reactivate the account. After 90 days, the data is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.

Any services that were connected to your AOL account — like AOL Mail on your phone, AOL when ready Messenger, or AOL-branded apps — will stop working. If you had those apps set up on multiple devices, remove them from each one to avoid repeated login errors.

If you want to keep your AOL email address

You do not have to close the account to stop using it. If you want to keep the email address but do not want to check it anymore, you can straightforward stop logging in. The account will remain active, and you can reactivate it anytime by logging back in.

Alternatively, AOL offers the option to keep your email address even after closure in some cases. During the closure process, AOL may ask if you want to keep your address for forwarding purposes. If you select this option, emails sent to your old address will automatically forward to a new address you provide, but you will not be able to log into the account itself.

Troubleshooting closure problems

If you cannot find the close account option, make sure you are logged in and on the official AOL website (aol.com), not a third-party email client. Some older AOL accounts or accounts with special status (like those with AOL Mail Plus or other paid services) may have different closure procedures. In those cases, you may need to cancel the paid service first before the close option appears.

If you get an error message during closure, try clearing your browser cache and cookies, then log back in and try again. If the error persists, contact AOL support through the help section of your account. You can reach them by clicking the question mark icon in your account settings and selecting "Contact Us."

If you have already closed the account but realize you need something from it, contact AOL support within 90 days and explain the situation. They can sometimes reactivate the account temporarily so you can retrieve emails or update other accounts that depend on it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reactivate my AOL account after I close it?

Yes, but only within 90 days of closure. After 90 days, the account and all its data are permanently deleted. To reactivate, contact AOL support and explain that you closed the account by mistake. They will ask you to verify your identity and may reactivate it the same day.

What happens to my AOL email if I close the account?

The email address stops working when ready. New messages bounce back to the sender. If you set up forwarding before closure, messages that arrive during the final days will go to your new address, but old messages in your inbox are lost unless you downloaded or forwarded them first.

Do I have to close my account to stop using AOL Mail?

No. You can straightforward stop logging in and leave the account active. If you want to keep the address for recovery purposes on other accounts, leaving it open is safer than closing it. You can reactivate it anytime by logging back in.

Will closing my AOL account affect my other online accounts?

Only if those accounts use your AOL email for login or password recovery. Update the email address on file for banking, shopping, social media, and subscription accounts before you close AOL. If you do not, you will not be able to reset your password if you forget it.

How long does it take to close an AOL account?

The closure process itself takes about five minutes. The account is closed when ready after you confirm, but AOL keeps your data for 90 days before permanent deletion. During those 90 days, you can request reactivation if you change your mind.