Anti-AOL

Hi, and welcome to Anti-AOL, a blog about how to cancel, uninstall, or file a complaint against AOL that also covers the latest bad news about them.

How to find what you need: All the tutorials and help pages are here.
All tutorials work on Windows XP except those written for Windows Vista and Windows 7 users.

Here are questions people typically ask me when they're ready to leave AOL.

Questions

• How do I contact AOL to cancel my service and/or change my price plan to "free"?
• Do I need to use AOL's software or keep paying for AOL if I connect to the Internet with another ISP?
• If I cancel AOL, can I use my existing AOL email addresses with AOL's free email service?
• How do I uninstall AOL/AIM/other AOL products?
• What other help can I find here?

Answers

How do I contact AOL to cancel my service and/or change my price plan to "free"?

You can reach AOL by mail, phone, or fax. Before you do, I suggest you sign up with another ISP, to ensure you can connect to the Internet without any interruption. Here are all of AOL's phone numbers and addresses. You can also use this link to AOL's online cancel form to cancel AOL. Check my tips on how to use the online form to cancel your AOL account.

As liber_cogito (a former AOL call rep) kindly pointed out to me, you can also go to AOL Keyword: My Account and change your price plan to Free. Read more about what AOL offers for free as of Aug., 2006 at Bob Rankin's blog.

AOL's software, email, content, and most of AOL's online services are given away free of charge since August of 2006.

You can stop paying for AOL now (even if you use AOL dial-up, AOL for Broadband, or an AOL high speed partner - just be sure to sign up with another Internet Service Provider before you cancel). To cancel your AOL account, you can call AOL or go AOL Keyword: My Account, or use AOL's online cancel form.

You cannot reach AOL by email to cancel your account. 4-28-08: AOL does have an email system for an online support desk of some sort - if I ever find the link I'll post it here.

Here's everything in the known universe about how to cancel AOL. Write to me if you still can't find what you need.

(Back to Top)

Do I need to use AOL's software if I connect to the Internet with another ISP?

No. A few exceptions are listed below. See this article for more information.

1. If you use AOL Broadband in the UK, you will lose your connection to the Internet if you cancel AOL, so be sure to sign up with another Internet service provider before you cancel. A rough outline on what you will need to do to switch from AOL Broadband in the UK to another service provider is here.
2. In the US, if you use AOL dial-up, or if your high-speed connection to the Internet is through a partnership AOL entered into with the following DSL and/or cable companies: BellSouth, Qwest Communications, AT&T, Covad, Clearwire, or Charter Communications, you may lose your connection to the Internet if you cancel AOL.
   Question: "I have high-speed through one of the AOL partners listed above, so how I can tell if I can cancel AOL without losing my Internet connection"?
   Answer: Check your monthly credit and debit card statements for charges from AOL for service. If AOL charges are present, chances are good you might lose your connection to the Internet if you cancel AOL, so be sure to sign up with another service provider before you cancel.

If you want a new dial-up provider, all the information you need to switch providers before you cancel AOL is found at Easy Call. Once you've chosen a new provider, you can cancel your AOL dial-up subscription and remove AOL's software.

(Back to Top)

If I cancel AOL, can I use my existing AOL email addresses with AOL's free email service?

Yes, but if you don't use your existing AOL email addresses within one year of canceling AOL, they will be deactivated and purged from AOL's system.

(Back to Top)

How do I uninstall AOL/AIM/other AOL products?

AOL's instructions for uninstalling your software are often inadequate and won't help you remove AOL 9.0 SE Optimized, some versions of AOL OpenRide, and other (older) versions of AOL software. AOL's instructions also won't help you get rid of files and folders that are left behind after you remove AOL.

Here are the best ways to...

• Remove AOL from XP, Vista and Windows 7
• Remove AOL when it's not listed in Add and Remove Programs on XP
• Remove AOL when it's not listed in Add and Remove Programs on Vista and Windows 7
• Remove AOL if it "freezes" during uninstall or still runs after you uninstall it
• How to Remove the AOL Wan Miniport Adapter
• How to Remove the AOL Uninstaller From Add/Remove Programs

AIM users: Information on how to remove AIM is here.

Here's everything in the known universe about how to uninstall AOL. Included in those pages are tips on how to use the greatest AOL removers of all time so you can get the job done right.

(Back to Top)

What other help can I find here? How about filing a complaint against AOL? Learning about the latest AOL email issues?

You can find all of that here and more; just check the Tags and the How-to Index.

If you want to import your AOL email contacts into Outlook, about.com has an easy tutorial.

If you want a free email "collection service", my POP Peeper tutorial might be just what you need.

(Back to Top)

If you have a question that's not answered here, or in the How-to Section, or in the other FAQs please feel free to send me an email.

Last updated 10-1-09.