Digital journal: write yours free, plus ideas and examples

What is a digital journal?

A digital journal is any journal you type instead of write by hand. It can be a notes file, a document, a journaling website like this one, or an app. The purpose is the same as paper: a private place to record your days, sort out your thoughts and remember your life.

The difference is how it fits into your day. Your phone is always with you, typing is fast for most people, and a digital page never runs out of room.

Many people use both: a digital journal for daily notes and a paper one for special things. See diary vs journal if you are still choosing a style.

Ways to keep a digital journal

There is no single right tool. Here are the four common ways people keep a digital journal, with the honest pros and cons.

If you are just starting, use the page at the top of this one. It takes ten seconds and costs nothing. You can always move to another tool later by saving your pages as PDFs.

A digital journal free to use here

1. Write on the page aboveClick the lines and type. Today's date is added for you.
2. Let it saveYour page saves itself a moment after you stop typing.
3. Start new entriesTap New page for each new day or topic. Tap My pages to see all of them, and Delete to remove one.
4. Lock itTap Lock and set a PIN if others use this device. It is a privacy screen, not encryption.
5. Print or save as PDFTap Print to print an entry or keep it as a PDF file.

How to start a digital journal in 5 steps

1. Decide what it is forMemories, feelings, goals, gratitude or prayer. One main purpose makes it easier to write.
2. Choose one deviceThe one you use most at the time you plan to write. For most people that is a phone.
3. Put it one tap awayAdd this site to your home screen so it opens like an app with its own icon.
4. Pick a daily time and a tiny goalFor example, three lines after dinner. Small goals are the ones people keep.
5. Plan your backupAt the end of each month, print or save your best pages as PDFs. Delete pages you do not want to keep.

Need a push for your first page? See how to start a journal and journaling prompts for beginners.

Digital journal ideas

A blank page is easier with a plan. Here are 30 digital journal ideas, grouped by what you want from your journal.

For remembering your days

1. Three lines about today: morning, afternoon, evening.
2. The best thing you ate this week and who you ate it with.
3. A list of songs stuck in your head this month.
4. Something a friend or child said that made you laugh.
5. One sentence a day, every day, like a one line a day journal.
6. A short review of every book or show you finish.

For feeling calmer

1. A brain dump of everything on your mind before bed.
2. Three specific things you are grateful for today.
3. One worry, then one small thing you can do about it.
4. A note to your future self for a hard day.
5. Your mood in one word, then why.
6. A list of things that always help when you feel low.

For goals and growth

1. Your top three goals for this month and one step for each.
2. A weekly review: what worked, what did not, what to change.
3. Habits you want to start, with a check each day.
4. Things you learned this week, big or small.
5. A letter to yourself one year from now.
6. A list of times you were braver than you expected.

For fun and creativity

1. Describe the view from your window in detail.
2. Write about a dream you had last night.
3. Make a bucket list for this season.
4. List your favorite small luxuries.
5. Write the story of your day as if it were a movie scene.
6. Plan your perfect lazy Sunday, hour by hour.

For special topics

1. A travel journal page for each trip.
2. A gratitude journal entry each evening.
3. A food journal for meals and how they made you feel.
4. A prayer journal with requests and answered prayers.
5. A reading log of quotes you want to keep.
6. A dream journal by your bed.

Digital journal examples

Here are three short examples to show how different a digital journal can look. None of them is long. Each takes under five minutes.

Want more? See our journal examples and diary entry examples.

Tips for keeping a digital journal

1. Use one place. Notes scattered across apps are hard to find later.
2. Make it easy to open. Add this site to your home screen. It installs with its own icon.
3. Protect your device. A passcode on your phone or computer is the strongest lock you have.
4. Back up regularly. Save your favorite pages as PDFs each month.
5. Avoid private browsing for journaling. Pages written in a private window are gone when you close it.
6. Write a little, often. A few lines a day becomes a full year of memories.

Questions people ask