How to Download AOL Online Mail to Your Hard Drive

Now that AOL has joined the 21st century and finally allowed POP and IMAP mail programs access to AOL accounts, the easiest way to download AOL mail to your hard drive is to use a third-party email program such as Outlook or Mac Mail. Not only does your email download to your computer via the mail program, it remains in AOL's online in-box as well. That means you can still check mail via the Web when you're not on your own computer.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Mail program
• Internet access

Instructions

1. In the preferences or options of your third-party e-mail program, put [e-mail] as your email address. (See References 1.)

2. For incoming mail, you'll use either imap.aol.com for POP or pop.aol.com for POP3.

3. If required by your program, click the box labeled "Leave messages on the server."

4. For outgoing mail (SMTP) use smtp.aol.com and port 587.

5. Use your AOL screen name as your user name in the mail application, and when prompted for a password use your AOL password. You should now be able to send and receive AOL mail.

References

• AOL: Read and Send e-mail using other e-mail applications