It appears there's a slight misunderstanding regarding Verizon email. As of my last update, Verizon no longer directly provides email services to new customers or maintains email accounts for former customers through its own platform. Verizon migrated its email services to AOL (now part of Yahoo/Oath) several years ago. This means that if you had a Verizon.net email address, it would have been transferred to the AOL platform.
Therefore, accessing your "Verizon email" through Gmail actually means accessing your AOL email (which was originally your Verizon.net email) through Gmail.
Let's clarify this and then proceed with a comprehensive guide on how to access your AOL email (formerly Verizon.net) through Gmail.
Accessing Your Former Verizon.net (Now AOL) Email Through Gmail: A Comprehensive Guide
Are you still clinging to that familiar @verizon.net email address, wondering how to streamline your inbox by bringing it into the modern, unified world of Gmail? You're in the right place! While Verizon no longer directly hosts email services, your old Verizon.net address was seamlessly transitioned to AOL. This guide will walk you through, step-by-step, how to integrate your AOL email (your former Verizon email) into your Gmail account, allowing you to send and receive messages directly from Google's powerful interface.
Step 1: Let's Start with a Quick Check – Do You Still Use Your Verizon.net Email?
Before we dive into the technicalities, let's take a moment to reflect. Are you actively using your old @verizon.net email address? Perhaps it's a nostalgic holdover, or maybe you still have important contacts tied to it. No matter the reason, unifying your inboxes can save you time and hassle. If you're ready to bring all your email under one roof, keep reading!
Step 2: Ensure Your AOL Mail (Former Verizon Mail) is Accessible
Before you can add your AOL account to Gmail, you need to make sure you can log into your AOL account independently. This is crucial for obtaining the necessary security settings.
2.1: Confirm Your AOL Login Credentials
Go to the
AOL Mail login page Enter your full @aol.com or @verizon.net email address and your password.
If you've forgotten your password, use the "Forgot password?" link to reset it. You'll need access to the recovery phone number or alternate email address associated with your AOL account.
2.2: Generate an App Password for Gmail (Crucial for Security)
AOL, like many email providers, uses app passwords for third-party applications like Gmail to enhance security. You cannot simply use your regular AOL password.
Log in to your AOL account.
Click on your profile name/icon in the top right corner and select "Account info" or "Options" > "Account info".
Navigate to "Account Security" on the left-hand menu.
Scroll down and look for "Generate app password" or "Manage app passwords."
Click "Generate app password."
Select "Other App" or "Mail app" (if prompted) and then click "Generate."
A 16-character password will be displayed. Copy this password immediately. This is the password you will use in Gmail, not your regular AOL password. You will not see this password again once you close the window. If you lose it, you'll have to generate a new one.
Step 3: Adding Your AOL Account to Gmail (Receiving Emails)
Now that you have your AOL app password, you're ready to configure Gmail to retrieve your messages.
3.1: Access Gmail Settings
Log in to your Gmail account.
Click on the gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner.
Select "See all settings."
3.2: Navigate to "Accounts and Import"
In the settings menu, click on the "Accounts and Import" tab.
3.3: Add a Mail Account
Under the "Check mail from other accounts:" section, click "Add a mail account."
A pop-up window will appear. Enter your full AOL email address (e.g., yourname@verizon.net or yourname@aol.com) and click "Next."
3.4: Choose "Import emails from my other account (POP3)"
On the next screen, select "Import emails from my other account (POP3)" and click "Next."
3.5: Enter POP3 Settings
This is where you'll use the app password you generated earlier.
Username: Your full AOL email address (e.g., yourname@verizon.net).
Password: The 16-character app password you generated from AOL.
POP Server:
pop.aol.comPort:
995Always use a secure connection (SSL) when retrieving mail: Check this box.
Leave a copy of retrieved messages on the server: It's generally recommended to leave this unchecked if you want Gmail to be your primary email hub, but you can check it if you want copies to remain on AOL's server.
Always use a secure connection (SSL) when retrieving mail: This should be checked by default with port 995.
Label incoming messages: You can check this if you want a specific label (e.g., "Verizon Mail" or "AOL Mail") to be automatically applied to messages imported from this account. This helps with organization.
Archive incoming messages (Skip the Inbox): Do NOT check this unless you specifically want messages from this account to bypass your Gmail inbox.
Click "Add Account."
Step 4: Setting Up Sending Mail From Your Gmail Account (Optional, but Recommended)
You've successfully set up Gmail to receive emails from your AOL account. Now, let's configure it so you can send emails that appear to come from your AOL address directly from Gmail.
4.1: Yes, I want to be able to send mail as...
After successfully adding the POP3 account, Gmail will ask: "Yes, I want to be able to send mail as [your AOL email address]." Select this option and click "Next Step."
4.2: Enter Your Name and Alias Settings
Name: This is the name recipients will see when you send emails (e.g., "John Smith" or "John Smith - Personal").
Treat as an alias: Keep this box checked. This tells Gmail to treat this address as another address you own, allowing you to reply from it naturally.
Click "Next Step."
4.3: Configure SMTP Settings
Again, you'll use your AOL app password here.
SMTP Server:
smtp.aol.comPort:
465(for SSL) or587(for TLS).465with SSL is generally preferred.Username: Your full AOL email address (e.g., yourname@verizon.net).
Password: The 16-character app password you generated from AOL.
Secured connection using: Select "SSL" (if using port 465) or "TLS" (if using port 587). SSL is generally recommended.
Click "Add Account."
Step 5: Verify Your Ownership (The Final Step!)
To confirm you own the AOL email address you're trying to send from, Gmail will send a verification email to that address.
5.1: Check Your AOL Mail Inbox (Within Gmail or Directly)
Go back to your Gmail inbox. You should see a new email from Gmail asking you to confirm the addition of your AOL address.
Alternatively, log in directly to your AOL Mail account (if you haven't set up POP3 retrieval yet or if you want to be sure).
5.2: Click the Verification Link or Enter the Confirmation Code
Open the verification email.
Click on the confirmation link provided in the email. This will open a new browser tab confirming the setup.
Alternatively, the email might contain a confirmation code that you can copy and paste into the Gmail pop-up window (if it's still open).
Congratulations! You've Successfully Integrated Your AOL (Former Verizon.net) Email with Gmail!
You can now send and receive emails from your AOL address directly within your Gmail interface. When composing a new email, you'll see a "From" dropdown menu where you can select your Gmail address or your newly added AOL address. Enjoy your streamlined inbox!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to find my AOL app password?
You can find your AOL app password by logging into your AOL account, going to "Account Info," then "Account Security," and looking for "Generate app password." If you've already generated one and forgotten it, you'll need to generate a new one.
How to fix "Authentication failed" when adding my AOL email to Gmail?
"Authentication failed" usually means you're using the wrong password. Ensure you are using the 16-character AOL app password, not your regular AOL account password. Double-check that you copied it correctly. Also, verify your username is your full AOL email address.
How to delete my AOL email from Gmail settings?
Go to Gmail Settings > "Accounts and Import." Under "Check mail from other accounts," click "delete" next to your AOL email address. Under "Send mail as," click "delete" next to your AOL email address.
How to make my AOL email the default sending address in Gmail?
Go to Gmail Settings > "Accounts and Import." Under "Send mail as," select your AOL email address from the dropdown menu next to "When replying to a message:" and also click "Make default" next to your AOL email address.
How to stop Gmail from importing old AOL emails after initial setup?
Gmail's POP3 retrieval is designed to import new emails. If it's importing old ones, it means it hasn't fully processed your entire AOL inbox yet. It will eventually catch up. You can't selectively stop it from importing old emails once it starts a full sync.
How to check if my Verizon.net email was successfully migrated to AOL?
If you can successfully log into
How to manage labels for my AOL emails in Gmail?
When you add your AOL account via POP3, there's an option to "Label incoming messages." If you checked this, all emails imported from AOL will automatically have that label applied, making them easy to find and manage in your Gmail sidebar.
How to switch between my Gmail and AOL sending addresses when composing an email?
When composing a new email in Gmail, click on the "From" field. A dropdown menu will appear, allowing you to select either your primary Gmail address or your added AOL (former Verizon.net) address.
How to troubleshoot if I'm not receiving new emails from my AOL account in Gmail?
First, ensure you can log into AOL Mail directly. Then, check your Gmail "Accounts and Import" settings for the AOL account. Verify the POP server (pop.aol.com), port (995), and that "Always use a secure connection (SSL)" is checked. Also, confirm you're using the correct AOL app password.
How to improve security for my AOL account after integrating with Gmail?
Always use the app password for third-party access like Gmail.
Enable two-step verification (or two-factor authentication) on your AOL account for an extra layer of security.
Periodically review connected apps in your AOL account settings.
Use strong, unique passwords for your AOL account itself.
