Your Method account: sign-in options, password rules, deleting your account, and who owns the data
The boring page that should exist for every app you give your training history to. Sign-in methods, the exact password policy, how deletion works and when it is blocked, and how to get your data out first.
ExplainerUpdated 3 min readMarkdown version
Signing in
Method supports three ways in.
| Method | Notes |
|---|---|
| Sign in with Apple | On iPhone and on the web |
| Sign in with Google | On iPhone and on the web |
| Email and password | The address must be verified before password sign-in works; the verification link expires after one hour |
One account covers the iPhone app, the Apple Watch app, and the web. Programs built on the web appear on the phone; workouts logged on the phone appear in history on the web.
Linking. If you sign in with Google and later with Apple, Method links them to one account only when the email addresses match. A different address is a different account. OAuth tokens are stored encrypted.
Passwords. At least 8 characters and at most 128, with at least one uppercase letter, one digit, and one special character. Resetting a password signs out every session and the reset link lasts one hour.
Offline sign-in
On iPhone, a snapshot of your session is kept in the Keychain so the app opens authenticated without a network round trip. See offline workout logging.
Deleting your account
Deletion is self-serve.
- Start it from the account screen on iPhone, where you re-authenticate with Apple or Google first.
- Method emails a confirmation link. Following it on the web, or opening it into the app, deletes the account.
- Deletion removes the account and everything attached to it immediately. There is no recovery window.
What blocks deletion. Method refuses to delete an account that owns a Coach Workspace, has active coaching relationships, clients, or pending invitations, or has an active marketplace subscription. Close those first; the error names the reason.
Billing. Any open web checkout for Method Pro is closed during deletion. An App Store subscription is Apple's and keeps billing until you cancel it in your Apple subscriptions; Method cannot cancel it for you. Cancel with Apple before deleting.
Media. Uploaded images are cleaned up after the account is removed.
Getting your data out first
Method Pro exports your strength history as CSV, one row per set, and produces PDFs of your history summary, any program, and analytics. Do this before deleting. See exporting your training data.
What Method keeps and where
Your programs, workout logs, cardio activities, preferences, and account details live in Method's database until you delete the account. Cardio recorded in Method is also written to Apple Health on your phone if you granted write permission, and that copy stays in Apple Health after you delete your Method account; it is yours and on your device. Imported Apple Health workouts remain in Apple Health regardless.
There is no data retention window after deletion.
Common questions
- How do I sign in to Method?
- With Apple, with Google, or with an email address and password. Email sign-in requires verifying the address first; the verification link expires after one hour. One account works on iPhone, Apple Watch, and the web.
- Can I link Apple and Google to the same account?
- Yes, if they use the same email address. Method links sign-in methods only when the email matches, so a different address cannot be attached to your account by mistake.
- How do I delete my account?
- From the iPhone app's account screen. Method emails a confirmation link; following it deletes the account and its data immediately. Deletion is blocked while the account owns a Coach Workspace, has active coaching relationships or pending invites, or has an active marketplace subscription.
- Does deleting my account cancel my App Store subscription?
- No. An App Store subscription is managed by Apple and stays active until you cancel it in your Apple subscriptions. Cancel there first, then delete. Web subscriptions through Stripe have any open checkout closed as part of deletion.
Try Method
Write your program on the web, log every set on iPhone, and keep the whole history in one place. Free to start.
Related reading
Exporting your training data from Method: CSV and PDF, exactly what is in each
Your training log is yours. This page lists the exact CSV columns Method writes, the three PDF documents it produces, where each export lives, and the limits on range and size.
Where Method runs: iPhone, Apple Watch, and web
A plain list of the devices Method runs on, the minimum versions, what each surface is for, and what Method does not support, so nobody installs it and finds out the hard way.
Apple Health workout sync in Method: what imports, what writes back, and what does not
Method imports workouts from Apple Health in the background, including Apple Watch and Apple Fitness workouts and anything Strava or other apps write to Health. This page lists the activity types, the fields, the timing, and the edges.
How to choose a workout tracker app: the questions that actually separate them
Most workout tracker comparisons rank apps by features. This guide sorts them by the job you need done, lists the questions worth asking, and says plainly which kind Method is and who should look elsewhere.
Method writes and maintains this page. Every statement about Method is checked against the shipped product. If something here is out of date, email contact@methodapp.net. For general references, link to the Method homepage.