The Journal app is getting some new features in iOS18, including more insights and better search and sorting capabilities. 

Apple's Journal app was originally released in 2023-12, allowing users to record their thoughts and emotions in one space that is easy to find.1 It gives users the option to add photos, songs and prompts to help them start writing. But for all the good things about the app, it's a bit of a bare bone.

However, during Apple's iOS18 rundown at WWDC, several new additions were announced in the Journal. Here's a complete list of everything that comes to the app when IOS18 is released: 

The first change in iOS18 is a new insights tool that compiles all journaling activities into 1 readable page. This includes things like tracking writing streaks, displaying your entries in the calendar and providing your journaling statistics in a fun way that aims to keep writing. 

This makes it much easier to view how long you have used it and use specific media or concepts as a prompt.

Journals are not easy to navigate. Finding a post is a pulled-out process for scrolling through an entry. In fact, the only way currently available is to set up the journal app to display entries with music & podcasts and photos.  However, iOS18 is trying to change this with features that improve the search and sorting of entries. We don't know the full details, but we imagine it would potentially be a feed using the calendar as well as searching for specific phrases.

The time spent in the journal app cannot be recorded as mindful minutes. I don't know what these mean, but it could be added to the iPhone health app or the app could help you chart usage. 

Users can also record their state of mind directly within the Journal app — adding additional mindful context to see any correlation between what you do and your emotional state.

Currently, Journal widgets and pop-ups only go directly to the main page, and there is no easy way to start posting. iOS 18 cuts this corner by introducing a host of new widgets that can be added to the home screen and lock screen.

These widgets allow users to quickly add new entries and view their current stripes from insight view and receive a write prompt throughout the day, which is likely to fit the new customization options on the lock screen and home screen, so users can change the look and feel of these widgets. This means that you can customize the placement of the screen and the screen.

iOS 18 will eventually add automatic transcription for voice recordings, meaning it will be easier than ever to get your thoughts on the page. This feature allows users to record their voice and then add it to the journal app, which will automatically transcribe the musings to the entry. 

This is a godsend for those who may have problems with typing or who prefer to keep a diary in a stream of consciousness rather than concise prose. However, it does not indicate whether this may be locked to Apple Intelligence, and it limits phones that have that feature.

Finally, the iOS18 Journal app allows users to save entries offline or print them for easy reading Export entries This is a feature that may not be used much, but there is an option if you need a physical copy of your thoughts.  

iOS18 is a big improvement on the iPhone, and all the new features bring something to the table. It's unclear if all these features will be available on all iOS18 compatible phones, and whether some will be locked on iPhone15 and iPhone15Pro,

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be journal support for either iPad or Mac yet. But hopefully it comes sooner rather than later, and the new iPadOS18 and MacOS15 have some great new features to get excited about.