Outlook Classic in Office 365 cannot receive email from AOL. Can send email. How to fix.

First check the mailbox in its web browser to determine whether AOL is the account Outlook should download or merely the sender whose messages are missing.

If the AOL address is your email account

1. Sign in to AOL Mail in a browser and send a test message to the AOL address.
   • Message appears in AOL Mail: AOL received it, so classic Outlook is not synchronizing correctly.
   • Message does not appear: this is an AOL delivery/account issue rather than an Outlook synchronization issue.
2. If the message is present in AOL Mail, remove and re-add the AOL account:
   • In classic Outlook, select File → Account Settings → Account Settings.
   • Select the AOL account and choose Remove.
   • Restart Outlook.
   • Select File → Add Account and enter the AOL address.
   Removing the account deletes its offline Outlook copy but does not deactivate the AOL account. Confirm that important mail exists in AOL webmail before proceeding. An accepted AOL-specific resolution recommends re-adding the account and, when automatic configuration is unsuitable, adding it explicitly as IMAP.^1^
3. If automatic setup fails, add it manually:
   • Select File → Add Account.
   • Enter the AOL address.
   • Select Advanced options → Let me set up my account manually → Connect.
   • Choose IMAP.
   • Enter the account password and select Connect.
   • If setup fails, select Change Account Settings and enter the incoming/outgoing settings supplied by AOL. Microsoft documents this manual setup path for third-party accounts.^2^
4. Only if Outlook asks for an app password or rejects the normal AOL password, generate an AOL third-party app password and use that password in Outlook instead. An AOL-specific setup resolution documents this requirement and the path AOL Account Security → App Password → Generate App Password.^3^
5. In Outlook, press Send/Receive → Send/Receive All Folders. The messages already visible in AOL webmail should then download.

If your mailbox is Microsoft 365 and only messages sent by AOL users are missing

This is not an AOL account-setup problem. Check whether Outlook is diverting those messages:

1. Open Junk Email and search for the AOL sender.
2. In classic Outlook, select Home → Block → Junk E-mail Options.
3. Open Blocked Senders:
   • Remove the sender’s address if listed.
   • Remove aol.com if the entire domain is listed.
4. Open Safe Senders → Add, then add either the individual AOL address or aol.com.

Classic Outlook moves messages from blocked addresses or domains to Junk Email, rather than preventing their delivery.^4^

If the messages are absent from Inbox, Junk Email, and webmail, ask the AOL sender whether they received a nondelivery report. For a work or school Microsoft 365 mailbox, provide that report to the Microsoft 365 administrator so the administrator can investigate server-side delivery or quarantine.

If all incoming mail—not only AOL—is missing

Check the bottom of Outlook for Working Offline. If displayed, select Send/Receive → Work Offline to reconnect. Microsoft also recommends checking the POP/IMAP settings when classic Outlook can send but cannot receive.^2^

If the settings are correct but synchronization still fails, run Microsoft’s Classic Outlook troubleshooter; these troubleshooters apply to classic Outlook, not new Outlook.^5^

References

1. Issues Receiving AOL Mail in Outlook - Microsoft Q&A
2. Troubleshoot Outlook email setup | Microsoft Support
3. I cannot setup my aol.com email account in Outlook - Microsoft Q&A
4. [New Outlook](https://support.microsoft.com/outlook/mail/block-or-unblock-senders-in-outlook)
5. Issues sending and receiving email | Microsoft Support