A Simple Journal Setup

I’ve used various journal apps over the years. For now, I’m settled on a simple one that has served me well before — Apple Notes. Yet I’ve also got Apple’s new-ish Journal app in the back of my mind. Maybe I’ll switch to it; maybe not.

Widget

One thing I love about journaling with Apple Notes is the Notes widget. The small version of the widget shows a folder of your choice with the most recent note. So on my Mac, iPad, and iPhone, I see the same widget on the homescreen/desktop. Its visual presence reminds me to journal every day.

It’s also convenient. My daily journal entry is always just a tap/click or two away. The note shown on the widget directly launches the journal entry for the day. And the widget header launches the folder it represents, which I’ve set up to be the current journal month.

Easy access, journaling success.

Pencil

I often type journal entries from my iPhone, iPad, or MacBook. But now I’m handwriting many journal entries with the Apple Pencil on iPad. It feels more personal or intimate to write my most personal thoughts with my hand.

I know there are other notes apps and journal apps with similar features. But Apple Notes has grown super capable over the years and comes “free” with every Apple device purchase. It’s nice to rely on the stuff that ships “in the box.”

As long as iCloud keeps working well, Apple Notes is the app I can rely on. Yet there’s one function I wish wasn’t missing: export. Notes lets you Save to Files or Open in Pages, but only one note at a time.

Apple Journal

Last year Apple debuted its new dedicated journaling app, aptly named, “Journal.” But at launch, I thought it might be a bit creepy in how it “tracks” or “knows” everything you do so it can suggest journal entries to you. And being new, it is missing many basic features like search and export. The biggest downside is the app works only on iPhone — not even on iPad.

But announced at WWDC24 this week, the Journal app is slated to get a truck load of needed and nice features. It has really got me reconsidering the app. But…I can’t use it because it is still not coming to iPad or Mac this year. What!? Yeah, sigh. Despite that, I’m interested enough to launch the app for the first time and see what it’s like in its nascent state.

Summary

Maybe in a year or two, the official Journal app from Apple will be good enough for me to switch to. But would it allow Apple Pencil handwriting? That’s very important to me.

Meanwhile, I’ll keep enjoying the simple convenience of Apple Notes to type my missives on a MacBook keyboard or handwrite my introspections with Apple Pencil on iPad.

And maybe someday I’ll settle on one app. Or throw out digital altogether for old-school analog paper journaling. Low-tech and Slow-tech does have a place…