The Journal app gives you a private place to write about your day, attach memories, and use gentle prompts from your iPhone when you do not know where to start. It can suggest moments from photos, workouts, locations, music, and other activity, while keeping those suggestions processed on the device.
Journal requires iOS 17.2 or later. Some settings are placed under Settings > Apps > Journal on newer iOS versions, while iOS 17 may show Journal directly in Settings.
Does This Affect You?
Use this if you want a built-in diary on iPhone that can remind you to write and help you turn recent photos, places, workouts, or reflections into a saved entry. You can also ignore suggestions and begin with a blank page any time.
Write Your First Entry
- Open the Journal app.
- Follow the first-run setup screens and choose whether to allow journaling suggestions. You can change this later in Settings.
- Tap the plus button to create an entry.
- Start with a blank entry, choose a reflection prompt, or pick a suggested recent moment such as photos, places, music, or activity.
- Type your note. Use the attachment tools to add photos, audio, drawings, locations, or mood details when useful.
- Tap Done. The entry is saved in your journal automatically.
If suggestions feel too busy, turn them off and use Journal as a simple writing app. The app does not require a prompt, photo, or location to save an entry.
Set a Journaling Reminder
- Open Settings.
- Go to Journal, or Apps > Journal on newer iOS versions.
- Tap Journaling Schedule.
- Turn the schedule on.
- Choose the days and time window when you want iPhone to remind you.
Pick a time you can actually use, such as evening or after lunch. A reminder is most helpful when it appears during a quiet part of the day instead of when you are already rushing.
Lock Your Journal
- Open Settings and go to Journal or Apps > Journal.
- Tap Lock Journal.
- Turn on locking and confirm with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
- Choose when Journal should require authentication again, such as immediately, after 1 minute, after 5 minutes, or after 15 minutes.
Locking Journal is a good idea if other people sometimes use your unlocked iPhone. It adds another privacy layer beyond the phone lock screen.
More Journal Tips
Search and Filter Entries
Use the search button to find text you wrote, or filter entries by media types such as photos, drawings, or audio. This makes Journal easier to use once you have more than a few entries.
Suggestions Stay Private
Journaling Suggestions are generated from information already on your iPhone and are designed to be processed on-device. Apple does not receive a list of your suggested memories just because they appear in Journal.
Use iCloud Carefully
Journal can sync through iCloud from Settings > your name > iCloud > Saved to iCloud. When enabled, entries can be kept with your Apple account using end-to-end encryption.
Sources
- Apple Support: Get started with Journal on iPhone
- Apple Support: Set a journaling schedule in Journal on iPhone
- Apple Support: Keep journal entries private in Journal on iPhone