What This Solves
Aelano runs on four platforms: iOS, macOS, Android, and Windows. When you switch between them, your library, My Words & Sentences, review progress, and study time should follow you — you should not get home, open your Mac, and find that the words you added on your phone on the subway are gone.
That is what the account system is for. This page explains how to sign in, how to link several sign-in methods, what data syncs, how to manage signed-in devices, and how to delete your account.
Sign-In Methods
Aelano supports these sign-in methods:
- Phone number + SMS code: currently supports mainland China numbers only
- One-tap sign-in with your device number: available on domestic carrier networks, and the fastest option
- Apple account: the most convenient on iOS and macOS, and compliant with Apple's policies
- Google account: commonly used by users outside China
- WeChat: commonly used by users in China
For your first sign-in, just pick whichever is convenient.
Linking Multiple Sign-In Methods
One account can have several sign-in methods linked at the same time, and this is strongly recommended:
- If you normally sign in with WeChat, link a phone number so you can still get in if something happens to your WeChat account
- If you sign in with Apple, link a phone number so you can still sign in when you switch to an Android device
You will find this under Settings → Account and Security. Each sign-in method shows as "Linked" or "Not linked"; tap an unlinked one to add it.
Linking Limits
- A Google account requires a linked phone number first: this is the fallback for recovering your account
- The same WeChat, Google, or Apple account cannot be linked to two Aelano accounts at once: you will see "This account is already linked to another account"
Unlinking
You can also unlink a sign-in method — as long as you keep at least one method.
To unlink, tap the method you want to remove under Account and Security and follow the prompts.
What Data Syncs
As long as you are signed in to the same account, almost all study-related data syncs across devices:
Syncs
- Your library (imported content, folders, subscriptions, sorting preferences)
- Subtitle edits, translation edits, and word marks made in the player
- My Words & Sentences (including mastery status and source marks)
- Review progress (intervals, rating history)
- Study time / streaks / daily goal
- Most app settings (appearance, language, native language, proficiency level, and so on)
- Membership status and points
- Progress in each Practice stage (blind listening / focused listening / shadowing completion)
- Shadowing score history
Does not sync
- Local device cache (each device needs to play something once before it has a local cache)
- System-level permissions (microphone, notifications) — granted separately on each device
- Temporary UI state (sidebar toggles, scroll position, and so on)
Members only
- Audio and video files uploaded from your device: files uploaded by members go to the cloud, so you can keep studying them from any device you sign in on; local files on the free plan stay only on the device you uploaded them from and are not visible after you switch.
This applies only to local uploads: content imported from links (YouTube / Bilibili / podcasts / cloud drives / Douyin / Xiaohongshu, and so on) syncs across devices for everyone — that content is pulled from the original platform and does not depend on your local storage.
Managing Signed-In Devices
Under Settings → Account and Security → Device Management you can see which devices your account is currently signed in on:
- The number of signed-in devices
- A list showing each device's model and sign-in time
- The option to sign out a single device — if you no longer use an old phone, or you suspect your account is signed in on a device you do not recognize, you can sign it out in one tap
It is strongly recommended that you check the device list from time to time and sign out devices you no longer use, to keep your account secure.
Common Multi-Device Flows
Signing In on a New Device
- Download Aelano (iOS / macOS / Android / Windows)
- Sign in with any method you have already linked
- Wait a few seconds while your library, My Words & Sentences, and review progress sync down from the cloud
- Start studying
Sync Delay
Most actions sync close to real time:
- Add a word on your phone and it shows up on your Mac a few seconds later
- Edit a subtitle line on your Mac and the same line on your phone shows the edited version a few seconds later
A few things, such as study time stats, can lag more noticeably — on the order of minutes. If something never syncs, pull to refresh or restart the app to trigger a sync.
Deleting Your Account
If you are sure you will not use Aelano again, you can delete your account. You will find it under Settings → Account and Security → Delete Account.
What Happens When You Delete
- You can no longer sign in to Aelano with that account, effective immediately
- All data is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered, including: account information, subscriptions, playback history, study records, audio and video files, My Words & Sentences, review progress, and more
- Any membership you purchased also becomes invalid
Deletion is immediate and irreversible — once you confirm, all data is permanently erased and cannot be restored. If you are only taking a break, it is better to keep the account: it costs nothing, and you can pick up where you left off when you come back.
A Few Practical Tips
- New users should link a second sign-in method early: if your main method runs into trouble (for example, a banned WeChat account), the backup is how you get your account back.
- Check your sign-in methods still work before switching phones: switching to a new iPhone does not lose your account, but confirm that the methods you linked (phone number, Apple ID) match the new device.
- Clear out unfamiliar devices regularly: old phones, a friend's computer you once borrowed — sign them all out from device management.
- Your account is worth more than your devices: your study records and My Words & Sentences are the result of all that time, and matter more than any single device. Account security deserves more attention than device security.
Common Questions
What if I change my phone number?
If you have another sign-in method linked (Apple / Google / WeChat), sign in with that, then go to settings and change your phone number or link the new one.
If a phone number is the only method you linked, sign in with the old number before it is cancelled and link an alternative (such as an Apple ID or your new number).
If my Apple, Google, or WeChat account is reclaimed or deleted, can I still recover my Aelano account?
Yes, as long as another sign-in method is still linked (a phone number is the most reliable fallback). That is exactly why linking several methods is strongly recommended.
Why do words I added on device A not show up on device B?
Usually a sync delay. Wait 30 seconds to a few minutes, or pull to refresh / restart the app to trigger a sync. If it never syncs, device B may be signed in to a different account — check that both are on the same one.
Can several people share one account?
Technically yes — but the study data gets mixed together. If you share an account with a family member, words added by both of you land in the same My Words & Sentences. If you are learning different languages with different goals, it is strongly recommended that each person have their own account, otherwise the data interferes.
Can account deletion be undone?
No. Deletion is immediate and permanent — the moment you confirm, all data is already erased, and there is no undo window. So be certain before you delete.