Help

What is Lingoshelf? What can I log?

It is a study log: you record how long and what you studied, and those records pile up as books and shelves. For now it is built around logging English study. You can see your balance of input (listening, reading) and output (speaking, writing), and keep recordings, writing, and an expression notebook for new phrases. The focus is on looking back at what you did and how much.

Do I have to sign up? Where are my records saved?

No. You can start right away without logging in; your records then stay only in this device's browser. If you sign in, your records are also saved to your account, so you can pick up the same records on your phone or laptop.

How do I log a study session?

Open the 기록 (Log) tab in the bottom menu → 공부 시간 (Study time), pick what you did (listening, reading, shadowing, reading aloud, copying, grammar, vocabulary, workbook, speaking, writing), enter the minutes and save. You can also time yourself with the stopwatch on the same screen. Recordings and writing go in 녹음·글 (Recordings & writing), and new phrases go in 표현 노트 (Expression notes).

I forgot to log. Can I add a record for an earlier day?

In the Log tab you can choose 오늘·어제·그저께 (today, yesterday, or the day before). There is no way to pick an earlier date for now.

Can I fix or delete a record I entered by mistake?

Yes. In the list of that day's records at the bottom of the Log tab, tap 수정 (Edit) or 삭제 (Delete). Right after deleting, you can bring it back with 되돌리기 (Undo) in the notice that pops up.

Is it worth logging just 5 or 10 minutes?

Absolutely. Short sessions count. Whenever you save, it tells you how many minutes were added, whatever the length. All of your time goes toward your library stage, and minutes short of a full book (15 minutes) are not lost — they carry over to the next book.

How does it help me build a study habit?

Your study time piles up as books and shelves you can see: 15 minutes is one book, 48 books fill a shelf. There are no streaks to keep, and your stage never goes down when you take a break. Short sessions count too.

What are the books and shelves? Are they real English books?

They are not real books — they are the study you logged.

• Shelves = the frame: grammar and sentence structure
• Books = the material: words and expressions

Both need to grow for books to sit in place. Shelves alone leave empty slots; books alone pile up on the floor.

When do I get a new book?

When the "book share" of your input study (listening, reading, vocabulary and so on) adds up to about 15 minutes, you get one book. Each kind of study splits differently between books and shelves: vocabulary goes all to books, grammar all to shelves, and reading partly to each. So if you studied 15 minutes and no book appeared, it may have been shelf-side study like grammar.

I logged speaking and writing, but no books appeared.

Output study like speaking and writing does not turn into books or shelves, but it still counts as study time and is added to your library stage.

How many books fit on a shelf? What happens when it is full?

One shelf holds 48 books. A full shelf moves to your past shelves, and you can swipe sideways to see them.

What does the suggested ratio for my level mean?

It shows how much of your input study might go to the shelf side (the frame), based on your level: 60% for A1–A2, 40% for B1–B2, 20% for C1–C2 (40% if you have not set a level). As your level rises, you collect more books than shelves. These are rough guides to show the direction, not verified exact numbers. You can adjust them in the My tab.

I took a break and my books look faded. Are they gone?

After more than two weeks without a record, books fade a little (pale, dotted books), and after a longer break some may slip off the shelf (up to half). When you log again, faded books come back first. Full past shelves are set and never fade. Your library stage stays the same.

When you need a break, like a trip or a busy day, choose 오늘은 휴식 (Rest today) under "오늘 컨디션은 어때요?" on Home, and the fading clock stops for that day.

How does my library stage go up?

Only by the running total of the study time you log. There are 8 stages.

1. A small bookshelf — start
2. My own study — 10 hours
3. A little neighborhood library — 40 hours
4. Village library — 100 hours
5. City library — 200 hours
6. University library — 400 hours
7. National library — 700 hours
8. Library of the world — 1,000 hours

When you reach a new stage, a celebration screen appears. You can see all stages in the Stats tab.

Will my stage go down if I take a long break?

No. Your stage never goes down when you rest; it depends only on the time you have built up. (If you delete a record yourself, that time is taken out of the total.)

Which accounts can I log in with?

You can log in with Google or Kakao, at the top of the My tab. There is no separate sign-up with an ID and password.

What happens to the records I made before logging in?

When you first log in, the records on this device are moved into your account. If the account already has records, the two are merged. A copy from before the merge is kept on the device.

I got a new phone (or want to use it on my laptop too).

If you were logged in, just log in with the same account on the new device to continue. Records made without logging in live only in that device's browser, and there is no way to move them to another device for now. From here on, if you stay logged in, you can continue on any device. Recordings stay only on the device you recorded them on, even when logged in.

My records are gone!

Could you check these first?

1. Is it the same browser? Records are saved per browser. For example, a page opened inside KakaoTalk and one opened in Safari or Chrome are different places.
2. Were you logged in? If so, log in again with the same account. Logging in with a different account shows that account's records.
3. Did you clear the browser's site data? Records made without logging in are deleted along with site data.
4. Was it a private (incognito) window? If the browser blocks on-device storage, records may not remain after you close the window.

If you still can't see them, let us know as described in "I want to report a problem" below.

What happens to my records if I log out or go offline?

• Logging out leaves both this device's records and your account's records as they are.
• If you log while offline, it is saved on the device first; if you are logged in, it is uploaded when you reconnect or return to the app.

Is there a mobile app in the app store?

There is no app to install; it is a web app at https://lingoshelf.com. Add it to your phone's home screen and it opens like an app. There may be other apps with similar names in app stores — those are different services.

How do I add it to my home screen?

• iPhone (Safari): tap the Share button in the bottom (or top) bar (inside ··· if you can't see it) → scroll down → Add to Home Screen
• Android (Chrome): tap 홈 화면에 추가 (Add to Home Screen) on the guide card, or open the ⋮ menu at the top right → Add to Home screen (or Install app).
• Opened inside KakaoTalk or Instagram? Adding doesn't work there. Copy the address, open it in Safari or Chrome, then add it.

If you closed the guide card, you can find it again under My tab → "홈 화면에 추가하는 법" (How to add to Home Screen).

What is the free English level test (CEFR)? How long does it take?

It is free and needs no sign-up, at https://lingoshelf.com/en/test (Korean: /ko/test). 14 grammar and reading questions plus a self-check of listening, reading, speaking and writing give you a CEFR level (A1–C2). It takes about 7–8 minutes, and if you like you can continue with a habit check (about 5–7 minutes) to get a study habit plan. A "+" on your level means you are near the top of that level, not at the next one. Your level is not a grade — it is a compass showing where you are now.

How do I put my test result into the planner?

On the result screen, tap the button to add your level to the planner, and it goes straight into "내 레벨" (My level) in the planner's My tab — no login needed. If you haven't taken the test, you can pick your level yourself in the My tab. You can retake the test anytime from the result screen.

Are my level test answers saved?

Only if you agree to anonymous statistics at the start, we save your level result, how far you got, your habit type, and any review you leave. None of it is linked to an account. You can take the test the same way without agreeing, and then nothing is saved. Your own level guess and the nickname, age group and goal you enter in the habit check are used only on the screen and never sent.

What information do you collect, and where is it stored?

• Only when you log in: email and name with Google (nickname with Kakao, plus email if you agree)
• What you write yourself (study records, writing, expression notes, goals, level, librarian name, etc.): on the server if you log in, otherwise only on your device
• Recordings: only on your device, never sent to the server
• Visit statistics: without cookies, only in a form that can't identify you

The server that stores logged-in records is in Seoul, South Korea. We don't use advertising or tracking cookies. Details are in the Privacy Policy at the bottom of the My tab.

I want to delete my account and all my records.

While logged in, tap '탈퇴하기' (Delete account) at the bottom of the My tab and confirm twice. Your account, server records and the records on that device are deleted right away. This can't be undone. Your Google or Kakao account itself stays; to remove the connection too, disconnect it in your Google account settings (Security → Third-party apps) or Kakao account settings (Connected services).

If you can't use the app, write to lingoshelf.app@gmail.com with the email address you logged in with (nickname for Kakao).

Records made without logging in are deleted when you clear the browser's site data.

Can children under 14 use it?

Login (accounts) is only for people aged 14 and over. Using it on the device without logging in is fine.

Where does my reply to a visitor go?

If you reply to a visitor while logged in, your reply is sent to our AI provider (Anthropic) to write the visitor's answer. We don't store the reply on our server; we only count how many times a day (one AI answer per day for logged-in users). If you are not logged in, the visitor answers with a short greeting.

Is Lingoshelf free? What does "beta" mean?

Yes. During the beta, every feature is free, and you can use it without signing up. If paid features are added, we will announce the price and refund policy in advance and ask for your separate consent.

The beta is a period of shaping the service together as people use it. Features may change, pause or be removed, and things may sometimes be unstable. We work hard so your records don't disappear. Telling us how it feels to use helps a lot.

When will language exchange or conversation partners open?

Finding conversation partners (English conversation peers, language exchange partners), shown in the 파트너 (Partners) tab, is still being built. There is no opening date yet. Tapping "열리면 쓰고 싶어요" (I'd like to use it) in the Partners tab adds to a count that helps decide what to open first (we don't record who tapped it). You can also tell us what kind of partner you'd like to meet through the feedback form.

Can I log languages other than English? Can I see the screens in English?

It is built around English for now, but you can use it to log study time for other languages too. The planner screens are only in Korean so far. The level test, Privacy Policy and Terms of Service have English versions.

I want to report a problem.

Thank you! Reach us whichever way is easier:

• The feedback form at the bottom of the My tab ("써 보니 어땠어요? 의견 남기기 →")
• Email lingoshelf.app@gmail.com

It helps us find it faster if you include: your device (iPhone/Android/PC), browser (Safari, Chrome, inside KakaoTalk, etc.), which tab you were on and what you tapped, and a screenshot.

If you open the address with ?check=1 at the end (for example lingoshelf.com/?check=1), a check box appears at the bottom of the screen. A screenshot of it helps a lot in finding the cause. You don't need to send personal information like your email or your records.

I have an idea for a feature.

We'd love to hear it! Tell us through the feedback form in the My tab or by email. The person who makes Lingoshelf reads every message personally.