Keeping a journal can be a useful way to not only record our day, but also capture our thoughts and feelings about special moments, both personal and professional. One way to create and maintain a journal is to use Apple’s new Journal app.
Automatically available on iPhone with iOS 17.2 and later, the Journal app offers journaling suggestions based on your photos, videos, music, podcasts, and locations. Alternatively, you can just write about whatever comes to mind. Let’s see how it works!
Choose from suggested items, as well as photos and videos from your library, new photos or videos you take, audio recordings, or specific landmarks and other locations. You can write an entry in plain text or enhance it with other content, such as photos or audio clips.
Your iPhone can remind you to add an entry to your journal based on specific days and times, or you can simply create an entry whenever you want. You can also sync your journal entries with iCloud, where they are protected by end-to-end encryption. Additionally, you can add another level of authentication by securing the journal with a password, Touch ID or Face ID.
How to use the iPhone Diary app in iOS 17
To use the Diary app, you will simply need an iPhone compatible with iOS 17.2 or higher. This includes models dating back to the iPhone XR. To make sure your device can use the app, simply check your iOS version or update your iPhone.
To make sure you are using iOS 17.2 or later on your iPhone. Go to Settings, select General, then tap Software Update. Tap the button to download and install the latest update.
- After installing iOS 17.2, the Diaro app appears on the home screen. When we first start the app, we are asked if we want to enable suggestions that help us generate new entries. If so, tap the button to enable log suggestions. Otherwise, tap No now.
- On the journal entry creation screen, browse the different suggestions based on photos, locations and other items which can offer you meaning. Swipe down to see more suggestions. Tap the header at the top of Recent to see more recent suggestions.
- Beyond suggestions based on personal content, the application offers reflections that push you to write something in response to a certain question. Tap the item you want to write about.
- Select or deselect any item included in the suggestion you chose. Write your entry in the text space. When you’re finished, tap Done. Your entry is added to the log.
Create new entries
Sometimes you might prefer to write a free entry that doesn’t rely on any suggestions. On the Log screen, tap the plus icon at the bottom. Then choose New Entry at the top. You can now write your entry based on what you want. When you’re done, tap Done.
Would you like to enhance a journal entry with images or other content?
- On the input screen, look at the toolbar icons.
- Tap the first icon to add an item from the suggestions, the second to add an existing photo or video, the third to take and add a new photo or video, the fourth to save and add a cut audio, and the fifth to add a specific location. Tap Done to save the entry.
Manage content
By default, all your journal entries appear on the app’s home screen. To see only specific types, tap the three-line icon at the top. You can now filter the list by photos, recorded audio, reflections or locations.
To manage a specific entry, tap its ellipsis icon. From the menu, select Edit to edit the entry, Mark to mark the entry, or Delete to delete the entry. After adding one or more entries to your favorites, tap the three-line icon at the top and choose Bookmarked to see only those entries.
You can manage log suggestions to enable or disable specific suggestions. To do this, go to Settings, select Privacy & Security, then tap Log Suggestions. In the top section, turn off the switch for any suggestions you don’t want to receive: activity, media, contacts, photos, or important locations. Tap Clear History to remove all existing suggestions.
The Journal app prioritizes content suggestions that you share with others. Additionally, the app allows other iPhone users to detect whether your phone is nearby in order to prioritize their own suggestions. For privacy reasons, you should disable both options.
Configure the Journal app
To manage general settings for the Journal app, go to Settings and select Journal. In the top section, select Location. Change the location to include your current location, although you may also want to turn off precise location.
Back on the Log settings screen, tap Photos, then select Options. Turn off the location and caption switches if you don’t want to include them in your photos. Under Format, select the type you want to use for your photos.
Under New Entry, turn on the Ignore log suggestions switch if you no longer want to see suggestions.
To protect your journal entries, tap Lock Journal. Turn on the lock switch and choose when to require a password. The next time you open the Journal app, you’ll be asked if you want to unlock your Journal using Touch ID or Face ID.
Back on the diary settings screen, tap the diary calendar settings. To set a schedule, tap the days and times you want to be reminded to write an entry. Otherwise, turn off the Scheduling switch to turn off reminders.
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