MyAOL Mail: Understanding the Absence of Clickable Links in Emails

Despite the widespread belief that myAOL mail restricts clickable links, the reality is more nuanced. According to a support article from AOL Help, while older versions of AOL's email service may have required specific coding practices to enable hyperlinks, modern iterations have evolved. Users can now include and access clickable links in emails with greater ease. This change reflects AOL's adaptation to user needs and the dynamic nature of email communication. As we delve into the functionalities of myAOL mail, it's important to recognize how the service has been updated to facilitate a more seamless user experience, ensuring that subscribers can navigate emails with the efficiency that today's digital landscape demands.

The reason for this is that AOL email messages, especially in older versions of the program, are mainly text. Yet, even though messages are not fully HTML, anchor tags are required in order to use clickable links. The older versions of AOL, basically find or filter HTML tags and format them as they would appear in a browser.

Many users simply copy or cut and paste the information into the browser and then search for the destination indicated in the link. Yet, this can be problematic for new computer users or new AOL customers accustomed to clickable links. Those who may not realize it’s necessary, those who haven’t yet learned to cut and paste, or those who don’t know where to paste the link in order to proceed may be frustrated. Long links may break as well, leaving out necessary characters.

The new versions of AOL email interpret HTML better, allowing more versatility for users. However, that does not mean that all clients will upgrade and use the newer versions. Many may still be using 5.0 or an earlier version, which means that the links still won’t work properly, even if you are an AOL member who has upgraded. Therefore, it’s probably still best to include a separate, AOL friendly link if you want clickable links to be available to those who receive email from you.

In conclusion, it is not necessarily the case that AOL does not “allow” clickable links. The newer versions in fact do. It is more a matter of past versions of the email program that may be still in use, having issues with the formatting. Those versions do not readily accept clickable links in the typical format, so unless or until all users upgrade, the links will not work properly for all users. If you are using an outdated version of the AOL email program, and you want to be able to use hyperlinks, the simplest option is to upgrade.