Support

Have a question, found a bug, or have an idea? Email contact@practicaljournal.com. Please don't include anything from your journal.

If you're in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, please reach out to a person now. Practical Journal is a journaling tool. It isn't a crisis service, and nobody here reads what you write.

Immediate danger: call 911 or your local emergency number.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US): call or text 988. It's free, confidential, and open 24/7.
Crisis Text Line (US): text HOME to 741741.
Outside the US, contact your local emergency services or a local crisis line.

The same resources are always in the app under Settings → Get support.

Common questions

Where is my journal stored?

On your iPhone. There's no account and no cloud copy. Your writing leaves the phone only for AI features you choose to use, like transcription or Reflect. It's processed and the result comes back, and our server keeps none of it. Details are in the privacy policy.

Do I need an account?

No. You can open the app and start writing. AI features use an anonymous installation ID instead of an account.

Can I use it without AI?

Yes. Writing, frameworks, history, export, and saved items all work offline. If you turn down the AI explanation the first time it appears, nothing else changes.

How do I back up my journal?

This version has no cloud backup. Use Settings → Export complete archive with media and save the file somewhere you trust. Markdown and JSON exports are also available.

How do I delete an entry, or everything?

Deleted entries go to Settings → Recently Deleted. You can restore them there or delete them permanently, and anything left is removed after 30 days. To erase everything, use Settings → Delete all local journal data, or delete the app. Export first if you want to keep a copy.

How do I delete the anonymous usage counts on your server?

Copy your installation ID from Settings → About this installation and email it to contact@practicaljournal.com. The record contains only numbers, never your writing.

Is Reflect a therapist?

No. Reflect is a reflection partner. It asks questions and gives back what it hears in your own words. It doesn't diagnose, give medical advice, or replace professional care. If your writing suggests you might be at risk, it slows down and shows the support resources above.

Video narration isn't working.

Narration uses an English voice installed on your iPhone. If the app says no voice is available, go to Settings → Accessibility → Spoken Content → Voices in iOS and download an English voice, then try again.

Where do my videos go?

Finished videos stay in the app. Save to Photos adds a copy to your photo library, using permission that only allows adding photos. Share… opens the iOS share sheet. Nothing is ever posted for you.