This app has every functionality I could need, and none of the fluff. I think it’s perfect for journaling as well as for writing long form text. it feels very minimalist and not cluttered with additional buttons and options and settings; I have no complaints, as this app is incredibly user friendly; I’m impressed and very happy with it. Things I love:1) It integrates smoothly with all the Apple iOS stock apps. I do a lot of voice memos as audio journals, and I love that you can record straight in the app and add photos and videos too.2) You can select multiple entries at once and bulk-organize your entries into different journals really easily.There are only a couple refinements that I would appreciate, including: 1) being able to backdate entries with less clicks (I often write entries retroactively), 2) being able to attach files like a voice memo from the Journal app (currently you have to go into Voice Memos, click share, and share to the journal from there). A potential improvement is that the automatic journaling suggestions so far have not been very relevant, but maybe I just need to put in more entries before it can learn to suggest more relevant prompts). Note: other journaling apps have the ability to add hashtags, but honestly that introduces a lot of clutter and too much personalization, and the level of personalization it offer offers is perfect right now. I hope the developers do not fall into the trap of adding more and more functionalities and clutter that a few people use.

OK, so, I’m not much of a journaling person. Like, at all. But that’ll changed when I found this app on my home screen. Turns out, it’s a default app now! This has really helped me, in the sense of, I find it way more easy to actually follow through with journaling than I ever have in the past.This app is perfect, and I love the simplicity of it all! It’s truly an awesome app, and I am really glad that this is a default app on the home screen! I think that every one should have an app for their mental health default on their home screen. Because some people, like me, are too lazy to download one. Or, just don’t have any interest in it, or don’t think about it. as for me, I didn’t think that I needed it. But, I thought that since I already had it, might as well open it and see what it could do. And honestly, I am so glad I did! The only suggestion I really have to make, is that there should be a search function. Or like an adjustable thing to go through the years. It’s really not fun if you want to find a room entry and having to scroll through all your entries, especially if you’re right very frequently. so, just put in the search function. Like something adjustable that you can swipe up and down to adjust, or anything. Honestly, the app is very accessible, tidy, organized, and easy to write in. All you have to do is click, compose, and press new entry. You can even record audio! you can take pictures, and lock feature is especially awesome! I really like how even if you don’t close the app, you still have to touch ID or enter a passcode or Face ID when you open Journal up again! That way, if someone breaks into your phone when you forgot to close the app, they still can’t break in. So thank you so much, Apple! Thanks for this awesome app!

For me, as someone who loves writing, this app is really cool! At 15 i’m writing a book and sometimes do short story competitions, but just having a topic and writing a paragraph about is just so fun. I love going back to journal entries I did years ago and reading about what I was struggling about then. It’s so cool, for me anyway, because the things and the people I was deeply struggling with I don’t anymore. That’s just so encouraging for me to see how God has really worked in my life. One verse I write a lot about is Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.” I would usually write this verse after I wrote about what I was struggling with, and going back and rereading it and just seeing how God does have plans for me and they are for my good. Even if life feels hard is really encouraging. Something I came up with while writing is, “A fire will burn and destroy, yes. But the growth and new life that comes after is a fresh start to what once was.” God can do this as well. It’s through our pain and suffering, like a fire, that can start to break and weaken us, but it’s the through that that we learn and grow. Nothing bad happens for no reason. God always has a plan, for the lost or for the found. He always cares. My God is a loving God. And he has done, and will continue to do, great things for us. Because he loves us.

While I appreciate the privacy features this extremely simple, barebones journal app provides, I have a hard time justifying use of it every day. Lack of a search bar, attachment options outside of photos, video, and IN APP RECORDED audio (not any audio you can import from voice memos, for example) makes it hard to use. I wish I could link to notes I have taken, or voice memos I have recorded. As an aspiring educator, I often record audio in conferences to take notes and better myself. I wish I could at least add a link to said audio recordings so when I look back on how far I’ve come I can listen and reinforce what I’ve learned. The lack of search bar and titling/tagging is annoying. I would love to be able to filter by anything other than just photos/media in the future as my journal becomes filled out. This app is nice however, for stream of consciousness writing, that gets thoughts to paper so to speak.Using this app a little more, I can safely say that it’s not the best. The fact that an app, that does not take advantage of iCloud or its features, has an attachment limit. Why is this? Can’t there be just integration of photos so that you don’t have to worry about attachment limits? What if you want to upload a concert video? What if you upload a loved one’s speech at a funeral? Sorry, you can’t because it’s too big. Even if the entry data is saved on your phone, or that the video is on your phone. I guess you can upload a few photos of it! But no videos…