AOL Mail & Outlook 2007 IMAP - Send and Receive AOL/AIM Mail Using Outlook 2007 and IMAP

Before we go about setting up this AOL Outlook 2007 connection, let's quickly go over the benefits of using IMAP for this connection. With IMAP, your messages are synchronized between Outlook and the AOL mail servers. Your AOL (or AIM) Mail isn't simply copied into Outlook then deleted from the AOL/AIM servers.

There are some real benefits for you. With IMAP you can still work with your AOL/AIM Mail using your web browser like you used to. Plus, changes you make in one place (the Outlook Inbox, for example) get carried over to the other place (your AOL mailbox).

Note: If you are looking to connect Outlook 2010 and AOL mail, you want to go to this AOL Outlook 2010 page.

If you have multiple computers running Outlook, and establish IMAP connections between each of them and AOL, any changes you make in one place automatically get made in the other places too (assuming your computer has an Internet connection). This synchronization can prevent lots of confusion.

Many of us believe that this is the best way to connect Outlook and AOL or AIM Mail.

AOL Mail and Outlook 2007 IMAP

Follow these steps to configure an IMAP connection between Outlook 2007 and AOL/AIM mail:

1. In the main Outlook window, click Tools, then Account Settings. This opens the "Account Settings" dialog box.


2. Click the E-mail tab. On the "E-mail" tabbed page, click New. This launches the "Add New E-mail Account" wizard.


3. Select the "Microsoft Exchange, POP3, IMAP, or HTTP" option, then click Next. This opens the "Auto Account Setup" screen.


4. Check Manually configure server settings or additional server types, then click Next.


5. Select "Internet E-mail," then click Next. This opens the "Internet E-mail Settings" screen.


6. Enter your name as you want it to appear in messages in the "Your Name" field.


7. Select "IMAP" in the "Account Type" box.


8. If you have an AOL account, enter "imap.aol.com" in the "Incoming mail server (POP3)" field and "smtp.aol.com" in the "Outgoing mail server (SMTP)" field.


9. If you have an AIM account, enter "imap.aim.com" in the "Incoming mail server (POP3)" field and "smtp.aol.com" in the "Outgoing mail server (SMTP)" field.


10. Enter your full AOL address (user@aol.com or user@aim.com) in the "E-mail Address" field.


11. Enter your AOL or AIM screen name in the "User Name" field.


12. Enter your AOL or AIM password in the "Password" field.


13. Set the Remember password check box so you don't have to enter your password manually each time Outlook checks your mail.


14. Make sure that the check box next to Require logon using Secure Password Authentication is not set.


15. Click More Settings to open the "Internet E-mail Settings" dialog box.


16. Click the Outgoing Server tab.


17. Set the My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication check box.


18. Select "Use same settings as my incoming mail server."


In the "Outgoing mail (SMTP) box, enter 587.

20. Click OK to return to the "Internet E-mail Settings" screen.


21. Click Test Account Settings. The "Test Account Settings" dialog box appears and Outlook sends a test message using the settings you have just entered. If the Cox Mail Outlook connection is set up properly, a "Congratulations!" message appears in the dialog box. You've completed your Yahoo Outlook connection. Click Close to close this dialog box. If you didn't see the Congratulations! message, go back through this procedure from the top to check all your settings.
22. Click Next then Finish.

Once you have a connection set up successfully, you will find a new set of email folders in Outlook's Navigation Pane. These folders represent your AOL or AIM mailbox and are the place to look for AOL/AIM mail messages in Outlook.

Go to the top of this AOL Mail Outlook 2007 IMAP page.

Go to the main AOL Mail page.

Go to the mail Outlook Mail Accounts page.