HOW TO Set up and use the Journal app

Tap the “+” icon

When you first launch the Journal app, you’ll be given a brief description of what it does. Tap Continue then “+” and you can begin to set up the app so that it understands what you want to get out of it.

Set up suggestions

Journal likes to suggest topics that you may want to write about based on information your device gathers about you. Rather than simply tapping Turn on Journaling Suggestions, however, we’ll select Customize.

Customize the app

You can now tailor your journaling experience. Toggle the categories (you may not want the app to base suggestions on who you’ve messaged, for example) and decide if you want Journal to send notifications.

Create an entry

Tap the “+” at the bottom of the screen. You’ll see Reflections seeking to inspire you, as well as suggestions based on your day, be they images, workouts, connections and so on. You can select these or tap New Entry.

Begin to write

Choosing a suggestion, either by tapping one and selecting Start Writing, or by tapping the pen on paper icon in the bottom–right corner, places it at the top of the screen. A New Entry leaves the section blank. It’s time to write.

Change the date

Although the entry date will always be today, you can change it by tapping the “…” button at the top of the screen and selecting Custom Date. When the calendar appears, choose the date of your entry and tap Done.

Add some photos

Above the keyboard are a set of icons that enable you to add extra content. The first — Journal — lets you see the app’s suggestions once again, but tapping the Photos icon allows you to browse and select images and videos.

Make a recording

You can also tap the Camera icon to take a fresh photo using your device, or you can select the Audio icon if you would like to record a sound entry. For the latter, just tap the red button to start or stop recordings.

Include a location

Tap the arrow to decide if you want to allow Journal to use your location. You can add your current whereabouts to a Journal entry or search for other locations. Tap the map and you can edit the title and location.