TL;DR
Apple has expanded its Journal app from iPhone to iPad (and Mac with macOS Tahoe) as part of iPadOS 26. The app adds features such as contextual suggestions, Apple Pencil support, a Map View, and multiple journals, and one reviewer reports using it nearly every day on an M5 iPad Pro.
What happened
Apple’s Journal, which originally launched as an iPhone-only app in 2023 and received updates in iOS 18, is now available on iPad with iPadOS 26 and on Mac via macOS Tahoe. The app surfaces suggested entry prompts based on recent activity—like workouts, media, contacts, photos, locations, and logged moods—to help users start writing. On iPad, Journal accepts Apple Pencil input, so handwriting, sketches, and drawings can be added to entries. Two notable additions in the recent releases are a Map View that displays past entries by location and the ability to maintain multiple separate journals for different topics or seasons. In a hands-on account, a reviewer who uses an M5 iPad Pro described adopting the app for daily reflection, saying it helps organize thoughts and supports a range of entry types from daily recaps to gratitude lists.
Why it matters
- Bringing Journal to iPad and Mac gives users larger screens and physical keyboards for longer-form writing, which may make the app more practical for regular journaling.
- Contextual suggestions lower the barrier to starting entries by proposing recent photos, activities, and moods as prompts.
- Map View and multiple journals add organizational tools that help users revisit entries by place and separate topics or life phases.
- Apple Pencil support opens the app to handwriting, sketches, and visual notes, extending use cases beyond typed text.
Key facts
- Journal first appeared as an iPhone app in 2023 and received further updates in iOS 18.
- With iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe, Journal is available on iPad and Mac in addition to iPhone.
- The app offers suggestion categories including Activity, Media, Contacts, Photos, Significant Locations, and State of Mind.
- iPad version supports Apple Pencil for handwritten entries, sketches, and illustrations.
- Map View shows previous journal entries on a map to revisit past notes by location.
- The app now supports multiple journals, allowing entries to be organized into separate journals acting like folders.
- A reviewer reports using Journal on an M5 iPad Pro almost every day for reflection and organizing thoughts.
- Suggested uses mentioned by the reviewer include daily recaps, future planning, prayers, and gratitude lists.
What to watch next
- Whether Apple will expand Journal’s cross-device syncing details or add advanced export options — not confirmed in the source.
- If Apple plans deeper integrations between Journal and other system apps or services (calendar, health, or media) — not confirmed in the source.
- Future enhancements to search, privacy controls, or AI-assisted summaries for entries — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- iPadOS 26: The 26th major release of Apple’s operating system for iPad, delivering new features and app updates for iPad hardware.
- Apple Pencil: A stylus accessory for iPad that enables handwriting, drawing, and precise input.
- Map View: A view or feature that displays items—such as past entries—geographically on a map to make location-based browsing possible.
- Multiple journals: A feature allowing users to create and manage several separate journals or collections of entries for organization.
Reader FAQ
Is Apple’s Journal app available on iPad?
Yes; Journal arrived on iPad with iPadOS 26.
Does the app support handwriting or sketches?
Yes; the iPad version accepts Apple Pencil input for handwriting and sketches.
Can I organize entries into different journals?
Yes; iPadOS 26 adds support for multiple journals to separate entries by topic or period.
Does Journal automatically sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac?
not confirmed in the source
Apple Card shake-up may finally happen this year: Here’s the latest Michael Burkhardt Jan 3 2026 IPADOS 26 APPLE JOURNAL iPadOS 26 adds new ‘Journal’ app, and I’ve been using…
Sources
- iPadOS 26 adds new ‘Journal’ app, and I’ve been using it almost every day
- Write in your journal on iPad
- Apple Journal Just Got Huge Upgrades in iOS 26
- Journal – App Store – Apple
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