[SOLVED] Authentication Error connecting Mailspring Email Client to AOL's IMAP
Mailspring cannot authenticate from Mailspring to your AOL account with your AOL Email address and your current working password, even though those credentials work for you when logging into AOL through the AOL webmail interface. Why? Because AOL is expecting to be able to get two-factor authentication (texting a security code to you), but Mailspring cannot do that yet.
In order to connect to AOL IMAP and SMTP using Mailspring email client, you need to create an App Password within the AOL webmail interface. First, log into your AOL email account using the AOL web interface. Just enter your email address and current working password to log in. Then, at the top right select “Options” dropdown list, and select “Account Info” from the list. On the left sidebar, select “Account Security.” Scroll down and click the box to obtain an “app password.” Use this app password when you setup and AOL email account in the Mailspring desktop app in order for Mailspring to be able to log into your AOL email account by properly authenticating to AOL's IMAP and SMTP protocols. The app password basically by-passes the need to use two-factor authentication. When configuring AOL email accounts on Mailspring, use these incoming and outgoing server addresses: imap.aol.com and smtp.aol.com. On both incoming and outgoing mail servers you need to select SSL/TLS. AOL's TCP ports are 993 for IMAP and 465 for SMTP.
When AOL provides you with your app password, AOL states as follows (much of which is wrong):
This is a one-time password – you do not need to remember it. It does not replace your normal password. How to use this password
1. Sign into the app/service using your normal username
2. Instead of your normal password, enter the app password above
If you stop using mailspring, you can delete the app password here to remove mailspring's access to your account.
Important: You still use your original or latest password to log into the AOL webmail interface, instead of the app password.