How to Fix “Unable to Verify Account Name or Password” in AOL Mail?

Want to fix the “Unable to verify account name or password” issue in AOL Mail on your Apple device?

Staring at a pop-up that says “Unable to verify account name or password” every time you try to log in is upsetting. That happens even if you’re sure that you’re typing the correct name and password. So what more could you do to verify your AOL account?

There are various reasons this AOL Mail issue occurs. It could be because you forgot you updated your AOL password on another device. Or it could be due to your Mac or iPhone failing to validate your AOL account protected by two-step verification.

No matter the root of the problem, we’re here to help you. In this article, we list down several possible solutions for you. Here’s how you can fix the “Unable to verify account name or password” issue in AOL Mail on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad.

Let’s dive in!  

1. Update Your Device.

One reason you can’t log in to your AOL Mail is that you’re using an out-of-date device. Often, macOS or iOS upgrades are needed for built-in Apple apps like Mail to work smoothly. 

Before you try on different solutions, update your Apple device. Make sure you’re using the latest version of macOS, iOS, or iPadOS.

Here’s how to update your Mac:

1. First, go to the Apple Menu. Select System Preferences.
2. Next, click Software Update.
3. If there’s an available update, simply follow the on-screen instructions.

---

Here’s how to get the latest version of iOS or iPadOS

1. Start by going to Settings.
2. Select General and then click Software Update.
3. Follow on-screen instructions if there are available updates.
   

If there are no other issues, updating your device should do the trick. Otherwise, go on and try other fixes in this article. 

2. Generate an App Password.

Like other digital services, AOL Mail has security measures in place. It might think your Mac or iPhone’s Mail app isn’t secure if your device runs on an older OS. It won’t let Mail connect to its servers. In turn, the “unable to verify…” message will show up.

Again, updating your device should be your first option. But there’s a workaround if that didn’t work: use a special app password generated by AOL just for the Mail app.

Here’s how to generate an app-specific AOL password:

1. First, open a web browser and log in to the AOL website. 
2. Look at the top-right corner to click your Username.
3. You will then be directed to the Account Settings page. Click Account Security on the menu in the upper left part of the page.
4. On the Account Security menu, find and click the Manage App Passwords or Generate App Password.
5. The action above will result in a pop-up menu window. Navigate the dropdown box to select your Mail app (iPhone Mail, iPad Mail, or Mac Mail) and then click Generate. A new app-specific password will be created. 

6. Follow the on-screen instructions on how to update your Mail password using the newly generated app-specific password.

This should get the job done. But we still have other solutions should you need them.  

3. Update AOL Password Through System Preferences.

Have you changed your Mac’s keychain password recently? This action may have erased your passwords for your online accounts, including your AOL Mail account. 

Good thing there’s an easy way to correct this issue. All you have to do is key in your AOL password through the System Preferences of your computer. 

Here are the specific steps you need to do:

1. On the Apple menu, launch System Preferences.
2. From there, click Internet Accounts.
3. Next, choose the AOL account you want to verify in the sidebar.
4. The action above will lead to a pop-up that prompts you to enter the password. But hit the Cancel button instead. This way, you get to see the comprehensive page of your archived email accounts.
5. On that page, you should see a blank password field for your AOL account.
6. Key in the correct password and then press Tab to move to the next field. This will then trigger the validation of your AOL account.
7. Log in to your AOL account through the Mail app to see if it works.

If the pop-up message “Unable to verify account name or password” still shows up after executing the solution above, don’t worry. We have another workaround.  

4. Disable Two-Step Verification.

Many email service providers like AOL include a two-step verification process to add another layer of security for their users. The problem, though, is it can interfere with the verification process of email accounts on devices like Mac, iPhone, or iPad. 

The solution is to deactivate AOL’s two-step verification for third-party apps temporarily. Then validate your AOL account (See Solution 3) or create a generated app password (See Solution 2). After that, enable the two-step verification again. 

Here’s how to deactivate the two-step verification on AOL:

1. Start by logging in to the AOL website. 
2. Look for the “two-step verification.” Then click the Toggle button to turn it off.

This should get your AOL account on Mail working again. But in case it didn’t work, you can try another fix. 

5. Delete Your Offline Mail Cache Folder.

Does it take time before your Mail app shows up? Infected data may have caused the error code: “Unable to verify account name or password.” If that’s the case, you should erase your offline mail cache folder, along with any corrupted caches.

This solution may be a bit tricky. It requires you to launch the terminal and type a specific path to find hidden files. But we’re here to guide you every step of the way. 

Here’s how to remove the offline mail cache folder on your Mac: 

1. In the dock, click the Launchpad icon.
2. Type “terminal” in the search field. Then, click Terminal.
3. On the terminal window, key in this path: “defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE;killall Finder” and hit Enter.
4. Shut down the Mail app.
5. Next, go to the cache folder. Simply go to the Users directory. Click on your profile, select Library, click Mail, and then choose IMAP_account_name.
6. The .OfflineCache folder will then appear on your screen. Delete it. 

Once you open your Mail app again, a newly-created cache folder will kick in. This should get rid of the “unable to verify account name or password” issue. But read on if you still need one more workaround. 

6. Delete and Re-Add Your AOL Email Account.

If you still can’t access your AOL email account through your Mac or iPhone’s Mail app, try deleting and re-adding your account. This helps remove the email cache from the system. But that’s without compromising email attachments and other stored data.

Here’s how to do it on your Mac:

1. Launch System Preferences.
2. Select Internet Accounts. Look for your AOL account, select it, and then click the Remove (-) button. 
3. Restart your Mac. 
4. Finally, re-add your AOL account through the Mail app. Launch the Mail app. Select Mail on the menu and click Add Account.

Here’s how to delete and re-add a mail account on iPhone or iPad:

1. Tap Settings.
2. Click Passwords & Accounts and navigate down to the Accounts section. Then select the account you want to remove.
3. Next, tap the Delete Account button.
4. Then, make sure to click the Delete from My iPhone button to confirm the process.
5. Restart your iPad or iPhone.
6. Finally, re-introduce your AOL account by going through the same steps. But after clicking Passwords & Accounts, select Add Account and key in your AOL account credentials.

That wraps us our list of solutions for AOL error: “Unable to verify account name or password” on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Got more questions? Feel free to comment below. We’ll do our best to help, so you can use your AOL email again without a hitch.

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂