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AOL Shuts Down Dial-Up Service, Ending an Early Internet Era

A routine product review prompted the shutdown, leaving a small dial-up–only population to find alternatives without altering AOL email.

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FILE - An AOL logo is seen in the company's office in Hamburg, Germany, Jan. 12, 2010. (AP Photo/Axel Heimken, File)
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Overview

  • Dial-up access and associated legacy software, including AOL Dialer and the AOL Shield browser, were discontinued effective September 30, 2025.
  • By Wednesday, dial-up vanished from AOL’s website and related help pages were no longer available.
  • U.S. Census data indicates about 163,401 households relied solely on dial-up in 2023, underscoring lingering connectivity gaps.
  • CNBC reporting cited by multiple outlets suggested AOL’s paying dial-up subscribers had fallen to the low thousands by 2021, down from 2.1 million in 2015.
  • Free AOL email and other non–dial-up plan benefits remain available, and some smaller internet providers still offer dial-up service.