Popular journaling app Day One received an update yesterday that introduces end-to-end encryption to its cloud server for the first time, as well as a handful of other improvements.

Rather than using iCloud, Day One synchronizes data between devices using its own servers, something that has opened it up to criticism in the past because of security concerns regarding private journal data.

DayOne2 Showcase 001 03 1
Version 2.2 of the app should allay those worries, since Day One now encrypts journal data from client to server via a user-generated private key. However it's important to note that the new end-to-end encryption feature is enabled on a journal-by-journal basis, so users need to go to Journals in Day One's Settings and select the journals they want to encrypt from there.

If users do not enable end-to-end encryption, Day One defaults to standard encryption, which encrypts journal data "at rest" on the company's servers. This less secure method requires that Day One staff hold the keys to decrypt journal data.

In addition to the enhanced security feature, the in-app camera has been improved to make it easier to take photos and quickly add multiple square-cropped shots to entries. Journal metadata now also includes the device name on which an entry was created.

Elsewhere, recent searches are now saved in a list for convenient re-use, while an app-wide state restoration system has been implemented so that users can pick up where they left off in the event of a crash or a force quit. The update also includes several fixes that should improve the user experience.

End-to-end encryption is included in the 2.2 update for both iOS and Mac. Day One is a $4.99 app on the iOS App Store and costs $39.99 on the Mac App Store.

Tag: Day One

Top Rated Comments

miknos Avatar
113 months ago
This is how encryption should be! Only YOU should have access to YOUR data!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleInLVX Avatar
113 months ago
Out of interest what benefit do you find in looking back at what you were doing a year ok this day
There's a couple things I'd consider benefits. I can see where I was a year or more ago with regard to what I was doing and see if I've moved the needle in any way, see which of my great ideas were just ideas and which had legs. I'm a hobby gardener, and so I can see when the plants are out this year vs. previous years and thereby track how the seasons are going. More surprizingly, I've noticed patterns in the wheel of the year that keep repeating year over year and it's just plain neat to see how precise the seasons are. A particular flower or bud will appear on *exactly* the same day. Sometimes I'll find I do yearly tasks like road trips on exactly the same days without thinking or planning, things I think are spontaneous are in fact running on feelings that get triggered by the time of year. It's hard to explain, but very cool. Also, the photos I take show the evolution of the world around me and document what I've been up to, how I've felt, etc. I've found it to be a really nifty sort of exercise. Whether these things are "benefits" are probably down to what you value personally, but it's been good for me.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iDento Avatar
113 months ago
If they ever go out of business or stop making this app, is there any way to move all of your entries to something else?

The last time I attempted to keep anything like a journal was a notebook in college. Electronically I used a Word document but got tired of that after a week's worth of entries. Facebook was fun but obviously I can't write anything too private on there.

I'm 50 and while I don't need to pour my heart out into a diary I do need some way of remembering what happened last week. I meet a lot of people and forget who they are fifteen minutes later. It would be nice to have a journal to help refresh my memory about such things. I kind of survive off of post it notes. Or worse, I email myself. Doh.
I export my entires as PDF files each month, then use an app to hide it, I use Hider 2 for that.

The PDF files exported by DayOne looks gorgeous and frankly, I think they look even better than viewing my journal in the app interface!

Also, you can order prints of your data but I'm not quite familiar with that.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DocPenguin Avatar
113 months ago
Most excellent. Day One is awesome, but now my tinfoil hat will glow a little less brighter when I use it.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iDento Avatar
113 months ago
I've been using this app for 7 years and it's really useful, although when they released ver 2.0 I bought the iOS app only, partly because I don't use my Mac for this kind of apps anymore and partly because it is expensive, I got version 1 for 19.99$ if I am not mistaken.

End to end encryption and a solid sync are major features and they're nailing it.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BigMcGuire Avatar
113 months ago
There's a couple things I'd consider benefits. I can see where I was a year or more ago with regard to what I was doing and see if I've moved the needle in any way, see which of my great ideas were just ideas and which had legs. I'm a hobby gardener, and so I can see when the plants are out this year vs. previous years and thereby track how the seasons are going. More surprizingly, I've noticed patterns in the wheel of the year that keep repeating year over year and it's just plain neat to see how precise the seasons are. A particular flower or bud will appear on *exactly* the same day. Sometimes I'll find I do yearly tasks like road trips on exactly the same days without thinking or planning, things I think are spontaneous are in fact running on feelings that get triggered by the time of year. It's hard to explain, but very cool. Also, the photos I take show the evolution of the world around me and document what I've been up to, how I've felt, etc. I've found it to be a really nifty sort of exercise. Whether these things are "benefits" are probably down to what you value personally, but it's been good for me.
What an awesome write up! Really great!

I was shocked to see that for my "goals" part of my daily logs - I was saying almost the IDENTICAL stuff years ago. Like wait a minute, I've been trying to do this for 2 years now? Really? lol. What am I not doing to make this happen? It was incredibly shocking.

I take a lot of photos of my surroundings just so I can remember what I did during the day - to make it easier to write a "daily log" when I get back home. This helps me with the self improvement process - noticing small things, habits, etc...

The biggest benefit that I've found writing these logs is the act of de-stressing. The world, my job, etc... is incredibly stressful. It's an incredibly de-stressing exercise to write my thoughts down, talk about my day, and recording information.

Many many years ago, while watching Star Trek episodes, I thought how cool it was - the Captain's log - daily logs of the crew. That's what started my whole "daily log" routine.

I've found that the quality of my "logs" go up if I don't do one every day because it's not every day I feel like spending 10-15 mins writing about my day. When I was writing every day it became a monotonous chore where I was listing off the things I did. When I write once or twice a week, I remember more, talk about thoughts, state of mind, etc...

I figure for the cost of 30 mins a few times a week - the relaxing (anti-stress) action is incredibly beneficial.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

imac video apple feature

Apple Unveils First New Products of 2026

Monday January 26, 2026 1:55 pm PST by
Apple today introduced its first two physical products of 2026: a second-generation AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch. Read our coverage of each announcement to learn more:Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More Apple Introduces New Black Unity Apple Watch BandBoth the new AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided...
iPhone 5s

iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

Monday January 26, 2026 3:56 pm PST by
Alongside iOS 26.2.1, Apple today released an updated version of iOS 12 for devices that are still running that operating system update, eight years after the software was first released. iOS 12.5.8 is available for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 6, meaning Apple is continuing to support these devices for 13 and 12 years after launch, respectively. The iPhone 5s came out in September 2013,...
Apple Logo Black

Apple Just Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever After Beats

Thursday January 29, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio. Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014. Q.ai has...
Apple Creator Studio

Apple's Next Launch is Today

Tuesday January 27, 2026 2:39 pm PST by
Update: Apple Creator Studio is now available. Apple Creator Studio launches this Wednesday, January 28. The all-in-one subscription provides access to the Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage apps, with U.S. pricing set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year. A subscription to Apple Creator Studio also unlocks "intelligent features" and "premium...
Apple Event Logo

Apple Teases 'Innovations That Have Never Been Seen Before' This Year

Friday January 30, 2026 5:40 am PST by
Apple CEO Tim Cook believes that his company will have opportunities to deliver "innovations that have never been seen before" this year. "As I said at the beginning of my remarks, this was, in so many ways, a remarkable quarter for Apple, and we're excited for all the opportunities we'll have in the year ahead to deliver innovations that have never been seen before and enrich the lives of...