Hands-On With the New Journal App in the iOS 17.2 Beta
Apple today released the first iOS 17.2 beta, and it has the long-awaited Journal app that Apple initially announced as part of iOS 17. We've installed iOS 17.2 and thought we'd go hands-on with the Journal app to give MacRumors readers a first look at how it works.
The Journal app has a simple, straightforward UI. When you open it up, you're presented with a "+" button, and tapping on it lets you start a new entry. When you first open the app, you can decide what information the Journal app can pull from your phone for writing prompts. Options include workout activity, media like podcasts and music, photos, and significant locations.
There is a setting to prefer suggestions with others when you're around your contacts or large groups, and an option to be discoverable by others to help prioritize the suggestions of other people. Journal options can be toggled on and off in the Settings app under Privacy & Security > Journaling Suggestions.
You can opt to write whatever you like, or choose from one of Apple's prompts that are based on your device usage. Prompts include invitations to reflect on your day, recall a new idea, think of what made you smile, think about what you could do to improve your life, and more.
Journal entries can be customized with images, location information, and voice recordings. Entries are organized by date, and can also be bookmarked so you can save your favorite entries. To keep your Journal secure, you can set it up so you need a Face ID scan to unlock it.
Will you use the Journal app? Let us know in the comments below.
Popular Stories
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to...
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices. The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media...
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis. When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works...
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery...
Apple in 2025 will take on a new compact camera module (CCM) supplier for future MacBook models powered by its next-generation M5 chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Writing in his latest investor note on unny-opticals-2025-business-momentum-to-benefit-509819818c2a">Medium, Kuo said Apple will turn to Sunny Optical for the CCM in its M5 MacBooks. The Chinese optical lens company...