The Journal app makes it easy to capture your thoughts on everyday moments and special events. You can also get suggestions for topics to write about.
It’s simple to begin. You can start writing right away, or begin with a journaling suggestion or reflection prompt, and you can also use Writing Prompts while you write and create multiple journals.
Journaling Suggestions can even pull together outings, photos, and workouts to help you remember your experiences.
Here’s how to write in your journal on iPhone.
Create a journal entry
- Start the Journal app on your iPhone.
- Choose a journal and then tap the Create an Entry button.
- Start writing or choose a journaling suggestion or reflection prompt.
Use Journaling Suggestions
To help you remember and reflect on your experiences, Journaling Suggestions intelligently group outings, photos, workouts, and more.
- Start the Journal app on your iPhone.
- Choose a journal and then tap the Create an Entry button.
- Browse the recommended suggestions or tap Recent to see suggestions sorted by date.
- To start a new entry with all the suggested attachments, tap the Journal Now button at the bottom-right corner of the suggestion.
- To preview the attachments before creating the entry, tap the suggestion. Do any of the following:
- Browse the attachments: Swipe through the attachments.
- Change to list view: To see the details for all attachments, tap the List View button.
- Choose the attachments you want: Tap an attachment to select or deselect it.
- Tap Add to Entry to start writing or the Back button to return to the suggestions list.
To delete a suggestion, touch and hold the suggestion, then tap Remove.
Use Writing Prompts while you write
If you have Apple Intelligence, Journal can offer customized writing prompts based on what you write, plus any photos or drawings you add to your entry.
Note: Apple Intelligence on iOS 27 or later is available on an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or iPhone 16 model or later. Apple Intelligence is not available in all languages or regions. Usage limits may apply.* You must be an adult to use this feature.
- Start the Journal app on your iPhone.
- While composing an entry, tap the Show Writing Prompts button in the toolbar.
- Swipe through the prompts. Then tap a prompt to add it to your entry. You can add up to three prompts to an entry.
Create multiple journals
- Start the Journal app on your iPhone.
- Tap the New Journal button and then name the new journal.
- To reorder journals, touch and hold the journal name and drag up or down.
- To edit the journal name, color, or icon, touch and hold the journal. Choose Edit Journal.
Take action from the Home Screen
- On the iPhone Home Screen, touch and hold.
- Choose New Entry, View Suggestions, Add Photos, or Record Audio.
Start a journal entry from another app
You can quickly capture your thoughts in a new journal entry while you’re doing something in another app, like reading an article in the News app or listening to a song in the Music app.
- In the app you’re using, tap the Share button or Share and tap Journal.
If you don’t see Journal, you may need to add it to the sharing options.
- Enter your thoughts, then tap the Done button.
You can review your entry and add more details later in the Journal app.
*Apple Intelligence is available with Siri and device language set to Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, or Vietnamese. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. Some devices may not be available in all regions. Siri AI is available in beta in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 and requires an Apple Intelligence–enabled device set to a supported language. Available in English to start. Siri AI will not be initially available in the EU on iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Certain Apple Intelligence features that rely on server-side models are subject to daily usage limits, including but not limited to Siri AI, Intelligent Photo Editing Tools, Image Playground, and AFM 3 Cloud models in Shortcuts. Daily limits may vary by feature, request complexity, system demand, system policies, and other factors. Expanded access to such features will be available for a fee in the future. Use of these features is subject to the Apple Intelligence Terms and Conditions.
