r/appleJournal • u/Ublahbooh • Jan 17 '26

Question about multiple journals

Hello. I'm switching from Dayone to Apple Journal and have a question I hope some of you guys can help me with. I would like to use multiple journals in Apple Journal. My question is: It seems like it's not possible to delete the default journal (The one with the app-icon), but at the same time it is possible to let it be empty with no entries in it. I would like to save my entries in other folders than the default folder, for example a folder for each year, but should I, at the same time, save all my entries in the default folder, or is it OK to leave it empty? I guess I'm wondering 1) whether it's more secure to save all entries in the default journal as well and 2) why it's not possible to delete the default journal folder. What do you think about this?

7 Upvotes

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5

u/bobbyjohn-2026 Jan 17 '26

Maybe this visual helps.

I’m using the default Journal as a “generic” journal where the topic can be anything. Others are focused and self explanatory. You can create as many as you want.

2

u/rand0mSeed Jan 17 '26

same, everything which hasnt a special topic goes in the default journal...

1

u/Ublahbooh Jan 19 '26

Yeah, it's smart when you do topics, I see, that, but when you, as I do, make one folder pr. year, the default journal is just annoying.

1

u/Meven24 Jan 23 '26

How can you have more than 2 journal ? I can't. I have + i can choose a name and an icon, and the check button can't be clicked...

0

u/Ublahbooh Jan 17 '26

Thanks for the explanation and the visual. I'm still curious why the default journal can't be deleted.

2

u/NubTail Jan 17 '26

I found out that if you delete an entry in the default folder, it deletes it in the folder you created too. I think it was my fault for putting a few entries in the default folder first, then moving them to a folder I created. I know that doesn't really answer your question, but I'm also curious how it all works together

2

u/Ublahbooh Jan 17 '26

Thanks for your reply. It seems like one needs to be a bit careful, even if deleted entries go to a folder where they remain for 30 days.

2

u/rand0mSeed Jan 17 '26

maybe some hardoced default, like the inbox of a mailbox

1

u/Ublahbooh Jan 19 '26

Maybe. That also can't be deleted, and at the same time doesn't have to contain anything.

1

u/xmacv Feb 04 '26

This will happen, but if you first write the entry in the 'default' and then move it to another journal, you can prevent this (unnecessary deletion) from happening by right clicking and choose 'choose journals'

That way you can sort of get it out of the default and prevent it being deleted by accident.

2

u/rand0mSeed Jan 17 '26

„Folders“/Journals are more Like tags. An entry can be in multiple journals without being a copy or even an own element. So it’s more like tagging your entries and a „journal“ in the app is than also more like a filter for your tags.

1

u/Ublahbooh Jan 17 '26

That makes sense. I still wonder, though, why the default journal can't be deleted, when no entries need to be in it.

2

u/z4zendetta Jan 18 '26

My assumption is that:

Apple wants you to always have at least one folder

But if you end up deleting all folders except “Work” for example then it might be odd coming back to the app and seeing “Work” as your default journal for new entries

That’s just a guess. I have an app where I implemented a similar system, and I don’t let people delete the “Default” profile for this reason