Updated October 7, 2026
Your content lives on your device
Designed for privacy, the App keeps journal text, photo attachments, health and tracking records, important reminders and other content in its own directory on your device. There is no journal account, cloud storage or cloud sync. The active journal database and its attachments are excluded from system backups; use the App's encrypted backup feature. The website's appearance studio does not receive or store your journal.
Encrypted backups and reading exports
You can create a portable encrypted backup in Settings → Data & Privacy. The file is created in the App's own local directory. You cannot choose another save location in the App, and it has no save-to-cloud feature. Use Finder or Apple Devices file sharing to copy the complete file to your computer for safekeeping. The App does not store the passphrase (recovery secret). There is no master key: the developer cannot recover the secret or decrypt your backup for you. Keep a valid backup file and its passphrase safe separately. Content without a backup outside the device, and changes made since the last backup, may be lost when the App is uninstalled or the device is erased or lost. The backup is validated before restoration. A successful restore replaces the current diary; it does not merge or sync diaries. Reinstalling, iCloud Backup and Quick Start are not guarantees of journal recovery. PDF reading exports are not protected by the backup passphrase and cannot restore a journal.
Copies after transfer
The App stores your diary and generated files locally; it does not save them to cloud storage. Copies leave the App's sandbox when you choose to transfer files to your computer using Finder or Apple Devices. If you then independently save a copy to your own cloud storage or send it to someone outside the App, that service or recipient manages the copy. This is not an upload of your diary to the developer or an App cloud-sync feature. Uninstalling the App, deleting records or erasing the on-device journal does not delete copies saved or shared elsewhere. Manage those copies yourself.
Voice is transcribed on-device
The App needs microphone and speech-recognition permissions when you choose to use voice. Its voice flow uses Apple's on-device recognition and does not retain raw recordings. Transcribed text is available for you to review, edit and organize. Apple speech and language resources may need to be downloaded through the system. Manual input remains available without those resources. This describes voice inside the App; Apple services such as keyboard dictation have their own settings and information.
Photos you choose
Use the system photo picker to select photos for your journal. The App stores the selected photos locally as journal attachments. Photos are included when you choose the corresponding backup or journal-content PDF export. Check for private photos before saving or sharing a file.
You confirm suggestions before saving
Smart organization uses Apple's on-device model to turn input into suggestions for review. Your device must support Apple Intelligence with it enabled and available, including the required model and language resources. Records are written only after your confirmation. Manual recording remains available without smart organization.
Permissions and managing content
Manage microphone and speech-recognition permissions in iOS Settings. You can still type manually with these permissions disabled. Edit or delete your content in the App; Recently Deleted lets you inspect items that remain recoverable. You can also erase the whole journal on this device in Privacy & Legal. Before permanently deleting content, erasing the journal or uninstalling, decide whether you need a backup. Deleting or erasing content in the App does not delete backup or export files you have copied outside the device; manage those copies yourself.
The website and support email
The website remembers language and sound preferences in your browser. Hosting services may process basic access records such as IP addresses and request times. If you email us, your address and the content you choose to send are used to handle your request, and are transmitted and stored by email services. Send only what is needed to investigate, and obscure private records in screenshots.
Contact us
Petals & Days is made by Pineroost Studio LLC. Contact the address below with questions about data handling or your content. This page describes current product behavior; we will update it if that behavior changes.