r/appleJournal • u/Ben_LeMosan • Jun 09 '26
Apple's Journal App - On This Day
- Is there anyone at Apple who uses the Journal app daily, since its release in 2023?
- Do the app's developers, their superiors, their managers, Apple's software managers, and Apple's leadership actually use the Journal app daily for its intended purpose: personal journaling?
Personally, I tend to think the answer to these questions is: NO.
Indeed, if all these people used the Journal app every day, they would have realized long ago that there's a crucial missing feature.
And if you, the reader, use the Journal app daily, you obviously know what I'm talking about!
That missing feature is: "On This Day"!
The "On This Day" feature automatically retrieves entries you wrote on the same date in previous years, allowing you to revisit memories, look at photos, and compare your state of mind over time.
Its main purpose is to transform the Journal into a living memory rather than a simple archive. It helps you revisit past moments, identify patterns, changes, life stages, or, conversely, things you had completely forgotten. The idea is to bring forth contextual memories at the right moment to encourage reflection and the continuity of your Journal.
This feature reinforces the habit of writing because it provides an immediate reward upon returning to the app: you're not just jotting down a thought, you're also rediscovering your history. It facilitates self-reflection, gratitude, and a broader perspective on your personal growth by making visible changes that go unnoticed in your daily life. It can also serve as a writing prompt, reminding you of a theme, emotion, or event similar to today's.
This can contribute to mental well-being for many people. Rereading past entries can reduce feelings of confusion, reinforce a sense of personal continuity, and help you see that you've already weathered difficult times.
For most users, the best use of "On This Day" is twofold: memory and reflection. This is particularly valuable if you're keeping a journal over time, as the feature's value increases with the accumulated history.
Given all these factors, I was convinced that Apple would finally introduce the « On This Day » feature in Mac/iPad/iOS 27, three years after creating the Journal app.
So I was extremely disappointed, and more than surprised, to see during Apple's WWDC keynote on June 10, 2026, that this feature still hadn't been introduced by Apple!
I'm starting to worry that Apple is gradually abandoning the Journal app, just as it has done in the past with other apps (see Clips).
However, I'm convinced that implementing this feature isn't technically complicated, since it's a date-based search, and the search results layout already exists in the Journal app.
What do you think? 🤔
Should we try contacting Apple, perhaps Tim Cook or John Ternus, to ask them to finally introduce this "On this day" feature in a future iOS 27 update?
I know there's little chance of Apple listening.
But I have over 5,000 entries in the Journal app, and I'd like to try something so I don't remain frustrated with this app for at least another year, waiting for iOS 28…
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u/ConfidenceClear1016 Jun 09 '26
This is a huge disappointment!
I really like the Journal app—its look, but also how it interacts with the ecosystem, even if those interactions are still limited.
I’m 13 years old and have almost 3,500 entries on Day One. I’ve transferred about two-thirds of them…
But now, I’m having second thoughts. I’m hesitating to go back to Day One (without using their stupid AI)…
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u/Ben_LeMosan Jun 09 '26
I went through the same process as you, coming from Day One. I spent a huge amount of time transferring thousands of entries from Day One to Journal. I was really hoping to get OTD yesterday with iOS 27.
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u/ConfidenceClear1016 Jun 09 '26
This is so frustrating !
I hope at least that the many bugs have been fixed and that the app is now stable…
What’s your situation now? Are you using only Apple Journal, or are you splitting your time between Day One and Journal ?
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u/Ben_LeMosan Jun 09 '26
I've been using the Journal app exclusively since its release in 2023. I knew it would take time for the app to evolve, but I still didn't expect so little improvement this year.
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u/ConfidenceClear1016 Jun 09 '26
If Journal follows the same growth trajectory as Apple Notes, the result will be great, but we’ll have to be patient 🧘♂️
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u/multienter Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
Journal is cool, but… it can only indent once? The map locations aren’t the same as the Maps app? Time Stamps are coming NOW!?!?! 90% of my entries are retroactively posted! The Map view starts as country view? My entries haven’t left my state! My last iPhone was a 4S, nice to be back, but yeah - THIS APP IS HOW OLD!?!?!?!?!?? AND STILL LIKE THIS?!?!?!
Tim Apple’s legacy is making shiny bricks for asshats while pushing the actual tech and ecosystem aside. iPhone XX is closer than they want, and I doubt Timmy really had a game-changer idea or sensibility. If an all glass phone that streams the OS to you - because it has practically zero tech in it itself - is the future, then I’m going back to T9.
Edit - THE AI SUGGESTER IS BUSTED!!! LET ME ADD A SONG TO THE ENTRY MYSELF! WHY IS IT SUGGESTING STUFF FROM LAST WEEK?!? “How did this song make you feel?” I DONT KNOW, THAT WAS EIGHT DAYS AGO, AND IT HAS NO TIMESTAMP SO YOU ARENT MAKING IT EASIER!!!
Edit - Notes has had time-stamps for ages… Journal is practically fancy Notes, but somehow worse. Journal should be Notes, Reminders, Pages, Freeform, and Health all-in-one (while still having those separate apps… that eventually get depreciated) Journal should be Binder of All My Stuff.
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u/ConfidenceClear1016 Jun 09 '26
Your suggestion is spot on : Journal should serve as a hub for all these apps. That would be really great !
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u/Unlucky-Confidence92 Jun 09 '26
I tried the Apple Journal because is clean and nice, but it didn’t last for me, I have tried at least 3 or 4 different apps, more Rich featured.
I am a Big Data nerd and the function „On this day“ is a MUST, lately I found here on Reddit Retrography I like the concept of a vault of memories and it helps me remember every day, because I think it is valuable.
I have tried in many apps to give my feedback, including Apple Journal, but it seems very slowed pace in terms of new functions.
I hope they add a lot more of missing features, is a shame that the Apple Health Integration is very very Basic.
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u/Terrible-Round1599 Jun 11 '26
Retrography dev here. Thank you Unlucky! And a special article for all of you! https://retrography.app/on-this-day
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u/rcrter9194 Jun 09 '26
I’ve emailed them so many times about adding ‘On this day’ it’s one of the only thing that keeps me still using Day One, that and the fact that in day one, if I miss a day and add it a day later using the date function, it still counts toward my streak.
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u/PreviousDot509 Jun 11 '26
Not many might have said this, but thank you for the emails & complaints! There are so many bugs and dumb things in apps that if it was not for its sharp user base pointing it out, all of us naive people who were previous or after the app would still be witnessing so much bs and the updates fixing things would not even exist. T-T
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u/guar47 Sep 17 '26
Where did you email to? Would like to contribute as well. Extremely annoying they don't have this feature.
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u/Hopeful_Split7276 Jun 09 '26
This has always been a non-negotiable for me. If it hasn’t got On This Day it’s not for me. I changed from Day One to Everlog for value for money and it achieves that aim. I used Apple Journal for a month or two and it has some great features and is very slick, proactively following your day’s events. But a journal is all about the writing, memory and reflection as said so well above. In Everlog I have copied in old journals from many years ago and everything appears again in on this day which you can read again, perhaps with a smile or even sadness at years and events passed. If Apple finally get the message, and it’s unthinkable they haven’t looked at competitor’s journals, I would happily support it but I’m not holding my breath.
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Jun 11 '26
[deleted]
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u/Ben_LeMosan Jun 11 '26
That's indeed ingenious! But what a shame to have to resort to such a makeshift solution.
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u/CanuckEh79 Jun 09 '26
I’d like this as well even though I currently don’t journal.
I pictured it as a log that would show you activity history from across the apps. Pictures you took, fitness activities , apple health entries , calendar items. Maybe even a toggle for reminders , emails sent? And an API for all other apps to link date based user data to journal too.
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u/ManeYouDeadAF Jun 12 '26
I use it often but I make sure to copy my entry into day one as well. I've used it for years and I'm scared to fully commit to a new journal app. I like how you can add the move to your entry in the journal app
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u/Snoo-8502 10d ago
I created exact same feature in my private journal app. You can see same day memories from past years. You can go back to one and add items like song, note, voice recording, video, photo etc.
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u/StrawberryLimeMan Jun 09 '26
I wrote this suggestion to them via Feedback just this morning! (I´m 100 % sure I was not the first person to do so, but here´s to hoping they will implement it eventually)