Getting started

A practical guide for your first Aon Pro Studio project.

You do not need a license key to follow this guide. Install on Windows or Apple Silicon Mac, start on the free Basic plan, add API keys, then choose the production mode that matches the video you want to make. Activate a Pro license whenever you want to lift the free plan's limits.

Aon Pro Studio dashboard screen

1. Install and start free

  1. Install Aon Pro Studio on Windows 10/11 or an Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or later).
  2. Launch the app. Skip license-key activation to start on the free Basic plan - no key, no time limit.
  3. When you want Pro, choose license-key activation and enter the key provided with your order. You can also enter it later from the main screen.
  4. Keep the license file on the activated computer and avoid sharing license screenshots.

The free Basic plan exports in SD, limits one-click, persona, and motion graphics to 3-scene Shorts and the automation queue to 3 items, and keeps high-quality production mode for Pro. A Pro key is a lifetime Aon Pro Studio software license: product updates and future major versions are included, and AI API usage stays separate on both plans. See the free-vs-Pro comparison.

2. Add API keys

Open Settings and add your OpenAI API key. OpenAI is required for core AI workflows. For TTS you can choose from four providers - OpenAI, MiniMax, ElevenLabs, and Typecast - and MiniMax also adds image-to-video (Hailuo 2.3 Fast and H3) and the high-quality production mode. Gemini is not currently supported.

  • OpenAI powers required core AI work such as scripts, images, voices, and transcription where used.
  • MiniMax is optional for higher-quality TTS and supported image-to-video (I2V) workflows.
  • ElevenLabs is optional for natural, expressive premium TTS voices.
  • Typecast is optional for voice-actor style voices, especially strong in Korean. Load the list in the voice picker and play free samples before choosing.
  • Typecast is optional for voice-actor style voices, especially strong in Korean. Load the list in the voice picker and play free samples before choosing.
  • Provider usage is billed by your provider account, not by the Aon Pro Studio license.

Don't have keys yet? The API key setup guide walks through creating your OpenAI, MiniMax, ElevenLabs, and Typecast keys step by step, with direct links to every official signup, billing, and key page.

3. Pick the right production mode

Editor

Best when you want scene-by-scene control over 16:9 or 9:16 projects, media sources, voice, subtitles, titles, BGM, audio balance, and render settings.

One-click Shorts or Longform

Best when you have a topic and want a guided script-to-render workflow.

Persona mode - signature feature

Best when you want a recurring character across Shorts or longform. Generate a character sheet from just a name (front, three-quarter, and full-body views) or upload your own image, save it to the persona library, and keep the character consistent in every scene. You control where it appears: every scene, intro/outro only, or explanation scenes only.

Motion graphics Shorts or Longform

Best when you want infographic-style videos with on-screen titles, labels, and numbers. Pick one of the Paper Collage, Ink Brush Wash, or Cyber Tech & HUD style sheets by eye; every scene is drawn from that sheet and a per-scene motion prompt is prepared for image-to-video. Requires gpt-image-2 or gpt-image-1.5.

High-quality production (Pro)

Best when you want to set shot size, angle, camera move, and lighting per scene yourself and lock the cast with character sheets. Nine steps - script, voice, planning, characters, images, video, subtitles and BGM, review, render - with MiniMax H3 producing 4-15 second clips that continue from the previous scene's last frame. Needs both an OpenAI key and a MiniMax key; H3 is billed per second and the app tells you before you spend.

Motion graphics Shorts or Longform

Best when you want infographic-style videos with on-screen titles, labels, and numbers. Pick one of the Paper Collage, Ink Brush Wash, or Cyber Tech & HUD style sheets by eye; every scene is drawn from that sheet and a per-scene motion prompt is prepared for image-to-video. Requires gpt-image-2 or gpt-image-1.5.

High-quality production (Pro)

Best when you want to set shot size, angle, camera move, and lighting per scene yourself and lock the cast with character sheets. Nine steps - script, voice, planning, characters, images, video, subtitles and BGM, review, render - with MiniMax H3 producing 4-15 second clips that continue from the previous scene's last frame. Needs both an OpenAI key and a MiniMax key; H3 is billed per second and the app tells you before you spend.

Full automation

Best when you want to queue multiple topics, URLs, or quotes and process them in sequence.

AI highlight extraction

Best when you have a video or YouTube URL and want AI to automatically extract the best moments, plus word-based editing and clip export.

4. Recommended first project

  1. Start with One-click Shorts and a simple topic.
  2. Generate a short script and review each scene line before image generation.
  3. Use still images first; add image-to-video only to opening or key scenes after the draft looks right. The default model, Hailuo 2.3 Fast, is billed per clip; use the per-second H3 model only where it matters.
  4. Open the editor to check scene order, framing, subtitle position, title placement, BGM volume, and narration clarity.
  5. Render a short test before committing to a longer batch or higher quality export.
  6. Check source-media rights, private data, subtitles, audio balance, safe areas, and export quality before publishing.

5. Common troubleshooting checks

  • If Windows Security, SmartScreen, or antivirus software blocks the EXE, confirm you downloaded it from the official link, check release/version details, review quarantine information, and contact support or your IT administrator before allowing it.
  • If macOS blocks the app, confirm the DMG came from the official link, then review System Settings → Privacy & Security. The Mac build requires Apple Silicon (M1 or later).
  • If generation fails, check API key spacing, billing, balance, model permissions, provider status, and network access.
  • If transcription fails, confirm the video has clear speech and the provider account can use the selected transcription model.
  • If higher-quality TTS is unavailable, confirm the MiniMax or ElevenLabs API key is saved and that the selected voice actually uses that provider. For image-to-video, confirm the MiniMax key is saved.
  • If rendering is slow, test a shorter clip first and avoid converting every scene to video on the first pass.