On January 24, 2024, I tried out the new “journal” feature on my iPhone and I’ve added an entry every day since.

I’m finding it’s a good way to keep track of the notable (and mundane) things that happen in my life.

Apparently, the journal lives only on your phone and is not kept in the cloud anywhere. It’s like an old-fashioned diary. It’s meant only for you. There’s no “share to Instagram” button.

I’m finding it’s a handy memory aid. If my mother asks me what I’ve been up to for the last few weeks, I can whip out my journal and jog my memory. I can look back and see which day exactly I got this manicure, or went to the doctor, or talked to my friend Susan.

Occasionally I put some deep thoughts in my journal (things that I wouldn’t share on my blog), but it’s mostly just a quick photo or workout summary.

Here’s my concern: it doesn’t seem like Apple has figured out how the journal will get transferred to a new iPhone, when the time comes. Since the journal doesn’t get backed up in the cloud, when the phone is gone, the journal will be gone too. At least, that’s my understanding.

Please share your thoughts on this new iPhone feature. Have you tried it? Do you like it? Are you concerned about losing your entries when it’s time for a new phone?