How To: Use a Standalone Browser With Your Journal

Hi all. Here's how you can create new entries and edit your Journal, even when you're not using the AOL client software.

The front-end of AOL Journals is just about completely Web-based, which means that it's all Web pages. Generally, AOL Journalers access Journals from inside the AOL software, but there's no reason why you can't use any standard external Web browser -- you just have to sign in. (When you use the AOL software, you're automatically signed in.)

This can be a useful workaround when there's an AOL client problem, but it's also helpful when you're away from your usual computer, or even if you want to sign on with one Screen Name on the AOL software and want to work on a Journal that's on another of your screen names (just like you can use Webmail to check multiple e-mail accounts simultaneously).

To do this, all you need is standalone, or external, Web browser, like Firefox (which I'm partial to because of tabbed browsing and a lot of useful extensions), Netscape or the standalone version of Microsoft Internet Explorer (Internet Explorer, or MSIE, is on just about every Windows machine out there, so it's always an option.

To open Microsoft Internet Explorer,
1. Go to the Start Menu
2. Click Programs, then Internet Explorer.

This should open up the standalone version of Internet Explorer.)

There's also AOL Explorer, which is a standalone browser that also hooks into a lot of AOL features, but it's pretty much still an external browser built on MSIE.

Anyway, no matter what standalone browser you use, if you know the address of your Journal, just go directly to it (if you don't know your blog's address, I will tell you a shortcut in a second).

When you get to your Journal, there should be a link in the very top right of the page that says "Sign In" (it may show the screen name that last signed in there); go ahead and click it:

This will give you a little sign-in dropdown, which is the newer sign-in behavior; it's a little more convenient than the old version (which went to a destination screen -- you can still get to if you want -- just click the "Standard Sign In Screen" link). It will show you Screen Name and Password fields:

Type your Screen Name and Password and click the Sign In button.

When you've signed in, you should have the signed-in, owner's view of your Journal, complete with the owner's blue create and edit buttons.

Here, you're able to do everything with your Journal that you can when you're editing your Journal inside the AOL software.

(You should also be signed in if you've signed in elsewhere with your Screen Name, like if you've been reading your Webmail.)

Now, if you don't know your blog's address, one thing you can do is go to the Journals main page (the shortcut address is http://www.aol.com/blogs) & sign on like I mentioned above. After you sign in, it should show you a widget listing all of the blogs you own under that screen name, which you can then click to edit.

Thanks -- Joe

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This entry has 52 comments: (Add your own)

#52 Comment from davethesod
10/12/06 7:09 PM | Permalink

Sorry, beabvt, but I'm not sure that's entirely correct!

I pay for my AOL service and yet I still have a bloody great big ad across the top of my journal.

Incase I'm being stupid and missing out on something here that will remove these annoying ads, could somebody please fill me in...

http://journals.aol.co.uk/davethesod/mish-mash/
#51 Comment from deabvt
11/16/05 10:43 PM | Permalink

"For AOL Journalers, this means that the neighborhood is about to get a lot bigger and a lot more diverse -- and, not entirely coincidentally, that all your friends with AIM accounts will now be able to have their own blog here on AOL, with all the features of AOL Journals (the real difference is that AIM Blogs, being a free service, have an ad at the top, whereas AOL Journals, as part of your paid AOL account, are ad-free)."

Really????
V
#50 Comment from ckays1967
11/16/05 8:30 PM | Permalink

LOL this is how I always get on journals by the way.....

The AOL software doesn't work on my computer, never has. It is how I posted bright and early on the 15th, I didn't know any better.....since I go www.aol.com everyday.
#49 Comment from labdancer51
11/16/05 2:42 PM | Permalink

Thanks for this info, I don`t want to leave AOL but it`s very annoying as we pay a lot for this service without having advertising attached to it. No matter, I`ll be thankful to make an entry again!

Sandra x
#48 Comment from tenyearnap
11/16/05 2:40 PM | Permalink

I stilll cannot save my entries. I have always used Safari (on my Mac). I downloaded Firefox--which I do not like--and can save an entry from there but cannot use HTML, so I cannot put photos and links in my journal now.
Can I not keep Safari? What's up with the HTML now working?
http://journals.aol.com/tenyearnap/Passerdomesticus

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How To: Use a Standalone Browser With Your Journal