How to Cancel AOL and Still Keep AOL Mail

Perhaps you got AOL before they began offering free services. Or maybe you have AOL's premium paid service. AOL is great, but perhaps you can't afford it anymore, but you'd like to keep your AOL email address. Keeping the same email address is especially important for telecommuters and job seekers. If you cancel your paid account to AOL, will you still loose your email address? Not if you do it this way.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Gather together your password, security question answers, phone and (if necessary) the person whose name the AOL paid account is under.

2. Phone AOL's customer service number (see Resources below). On the automatic menu, select "cancel" and then select to speak to a representative.

3. Answer the security questions asked.

4. Explain your problem to the AOL customer service representative, that you need to cancel your paid account but still want to keep your AOL email. They may argue, but they will do what you want. Be sure to write down the name of all of the AOL representatives you talk to.

5. Wait for them to confirm that they have made all the changes needed on their end. Be sure you know what date you are paid up through on your account.

Tips & Warnings

• You should get one to three emails updating your AOL account status within 24 hours after the phone call.
• A couple of days later, you may suddenly not be able to access your email due to "service error." This usually means that your cookies need to be deleted. Find the error code number on the error page, log on to AOL Help and follow the directions to get your mail service back.
• If you have been paying your AOL bill by letting AOL take the money from your bank account, check your bank statement to see that you haven't been billed after the cancellation date.
• Do not cancel by email or online. You must do it by phone or you will lose your email address.

Resources

• Lifetips: AOL Customer Service Tips
• Computer Help--AOL Help Email