# AOL question - cancel and keep email addresses?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-question-cancel-and-keep-email-addresses/478598>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 24, 2008, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-question-cancel-and-keep-email-addresses/478598 "2008-12-24T22:13:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-question-cancel-and-keep-email-addresses/478598/1 "2008-12-24T22:13:22Z")

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Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone out there has the answer (couldn’t find it on aol, surprise!) If I cancel my subscription, will they take away my email accounts? I know you can create a new account and not be a member, but I’m wondering about current subscribers who want to keep aol email addresses and not pay for the service any longer.

Thanks  
SFP

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**Author:** ![JimOfAllTrades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@JimOfAllTrades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimOfAllTrades)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-question-cancel-and-keep-email-addresses/478598/2 "2008-12-24T22:36:07Z")

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We quit paying for AOL a couple of years ago, and my wife still uses the same AOL email address she has used for over a decade. She just has to access it through the web interface.

I think there was an option in AOL where you manage your account to convert to the free version, and you do that before (or as part of?) cancelling your account. I don’t remember all the details, but I know it’s possible to keep your email address. Check out your account and billing options and you should see something.

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**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-question-cancel-and-keep-email-addresses/478598/3 "2008-12-24T23:55:56Z")

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Thank you **RickJKUgly**!

I’m free! I’m free! Lordy Lordy I’m free of AOL!

Now THAT’S a Christmas present!

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**Author:** ![Madgolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Madgolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madgolf)\
**Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aol-question-cancel-and-keep-email-addresses/478598/4 "2008-12-25T04:25:13Z")

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If you ever need any help with your AOL account, you can upgrade your account for 14.99 a month, get your help, and unsubscribe back down to free again and they will only take your 14.99 for that month.

On a sad note, they took everyone’s, whether paid or not, AOL homepage away last month ☹ No warning, no backup. Nothing.

I was a paid user from 1996 to 2005 and have been free since then on the same email address. I can still use the AOL software… any version… which comes in handy for certain features (recently deleted mail which differs from the Trash)