Plume
Is Apple's Journal App
on Mac and iPad?
Yes, now it is. Apple's Journal app launched on iPhone in 2023. It came to iPad with iPadOS 26 and to the Mac with macOS Tahoe 26, both released in 2025. If your iPad or Mac runs an older version, you won't find it. Below: how to check, what Journal does well, how it compares with Notes and Goodnotes, and when a dedicated journal app is worth it.
Where Apple Journal runs
| Device | Apple Journal | Needs |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone | Yes | iOS 17.2 or later |
| iPad | Yes | iPadOS 26 or later |
| Mac | Yes | macOS Tahoe 26 or later |
| Windows, Android, web | No | — |
That is why so many people search "why is there no journal app for Mac". For its first two years, there wasn't one. If Journal is missing on your Mac, open System Settings, then General, then Software Update. If your Mac can't run macOS 26, Journal won't appear, and you'll need a third-party app on that machine.
To find it once you're updated, open Spotlight and type "Journal". On iPad, it may be in the App Library rather than on your Home Screen. If you deleted it at some point, it's a free download from the App Store.
What Apple Journal does well
It's worth being fair here. For a lot of people, the built-in app is enough.
It's free and already there
No download, no account beyond your Apple Account, no subscription. That lowers the bar to starting, which matters more than any feature.
Encrypted in iCloud
Apple says Journal entries are end-to-end encrypted when stored in iCloud. You can also lock the app with Face ID, Touch ID or your device passcode.
Multiple journals
Since the 26 releases you can keep separate journals, say one for travel and one for work, instead of one long stream.
Export and print
Apple documents export and PDF printing for Journal entries. Your writing isn't stuck. Whether another app can import that export cleanly is a separate question.
On the Mac, Apple also documents streaks and Insights to help you build the habit. It is a calm, capable app. If you only write on Apple devices and want something simple, start there.
Apple Journal vs Notes vs Goodnotes
People often ask which Apple-side tool they should journal in. They're built for different jobs.
Apple Notes
A general notebook. Great for lists and quick capture, and you can lock individual notes. But it has no sense of days. A journal kept in Notes becomes a long folder of dated titles, with nothing that nudges you back tomorrow.
Goodnotes
Built around handwriting on digital paper. If you love the feel of a pen on an iPad, it's a good fit. Typed, searchable daily entries are not what it's designed around.
Apple Journal
Made for one thing: writing about your days. It's organised by entry and date, and it's the easiest free choice if you're typing rather than handwriting.
When a dedicated journal app is worth it
Apple Journal covers the basics. A dedicated app earns its place when you want more structure, more reflection, or more of the Mac. A few honest signals:
- Your Mac is on an older macOS. Journal simply isn't there.
- You want structure, not a blank page. Guided prompts, a mood rating and a calendar you can move through day by day.
- You want to look back, not only write. Streaks, week-over-week comparisons and themes across months of entries.
- You live on the keyboard. A command palette, global shortcuts and a menu bar presence change how often you actually write.
- You want no account at all. Some people would rather their journal not involve a cloud account by default.
This is where Plume fits. We make it, so weigh this paragraph accordingly. Plume is a journal app for iPhone, iPad and Mac, and one purchase covers all three. It needs no account and has no ads or telemetry. Entries stay on your device unless you turn on iCloud sync, which is encrypted before upload with a key derived from a passphrase you choose. It has three guided prompts (gratitude, memory, accomplishment), a 1–5 mood rating, on-device voice journaling and Face ID lock. On the Mac it has a menu bar app, a ⌘K command palette and global shortcuts.
You can export to plain text or JSON at any time. The first 21 writing days are free. After that the app goes read-only rather than locking you out, so you can always read, search and export what you wrote. For a closer look, see Plume vs Apple Journal, our three-way comparison with Day One, and the best journal apps for Mac.
Frequently asked questions
Is Apple's Journal app available on Mac?
Yes. Apple Journal came to the Mac with macOS Tahoe 26 in 2025. Macs running older versions of macOS don't have it. If your Mac can run macOS 26, update in System Settings, then General, then Software Update.
Is the Journal app on iPad?
Yes, since iPadOS 26. Apple introduced Journal on iPad in 2025, along with support for multiple journals. iPads on older versions of iPadOS don't include it.
Why was there no Journal app for Mac before?
Apple launched Journal as an iPhone-only app in iOS 17.2 at the end of 2023. It only came to iPad and Mac with the 26 releases in 2025. Until then, Mac users needed a third-party journal app.
Is Apple Journal free?
Yes. Journal is built into iOS, iPadOS and macOS at no cost. If you've deleted it, you can download it again from the App Store.
Is Apple Journal private?
Apple says Journal entries are end-to-end encrypted when stored in iCloud, and you can lock the app with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. That is a solid baseline. It still depends on your Apple Account and iCloud for sync.
Should I journal in Apple Notes or Apple Journal?
Notes is a general notebook with no sense of days, while Journal is organised around dated entries. For a daily journal, Journal or a dedicated journal app is usually the better fit. Notes works well for quick lists and ideas.
A journal app for
every Apple device you own.
iPhone, iPad and Mac from one purchase. No account. Free for 21 writing days, then read-only, never locked out.