Journal Collections

Journal Collections let you group your journals into named folders so your sidebar stays organized no matter how many journals you have. You can create collections for different areas of your life, move journals in or out at any time, and collapse collections you aren’t actively using.

Creating collections requires a Day One Gold or Silver subscription. Once created, your collections sync automatically across all your devices.

Creating a Collection

iPhone and iPad

1. Open the Journals list from the sidebar or home screen.
2. Tap the New Collection button (the folder icon with a +) in the toolbar. A new collection is created and ready to name.
3. Type a name for your collection and tap Done on the keyboard.

Mac

1. Click the + (Add) button on the Journals section header in the sidebar.
2. Select New Collection from the menu. You can also choose New Collection from the File menu.
3. Type a name directly in the sidebar and press Return.

Android

1. Open the journal switcher (the Journals list).
2. Tap the + (create) icon in the toolbar, then select New Collection.
3. Type a name and tap Save.

Web and Windows

1. In the left sidebar, click the Add button on the Journals section header, then choose New Collection.
2. Pick an icon and color if you like, type a name for your collection, then click Create Collection.

Adding Journals to a Collection

Drag and Drop

Drag a journal from the sidebar and drop it onto a collection name. The journal moves into the collection, and the collection expands to show its contents. This works on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android, the Web app, and the Windows app (drag a journal into a collection, drag and drop journals into a folder, move a journal by dragging). On Android, tap Edit first to show the drag handles. On the Web and Windows apps, holding a dragged journal over a collapsed collection for a moment expands it so you can drop the journal inside, and you can drag a journal back out of a collection to the top level the same way.

Using the Move Menu (iPhone and iPad)

1. In the Journals list, tap the three-dots menu on the journal you want to move.
2. Tap Move to Collection and choose a collection.

To move several journals at once, tap Select Multiple in that same menu, select the journals you want, then tap Move to collection in the bottom bar.

Using the Move Menu (Mac)

1. Right-click a journal in the sidebar.
2. Select Move to Collection and choose the collection.

Using the Move Menu (Android)

1. Long-press a journal in the Journals list to select it. You can select more than one.
2. Tap the three-dots menu, tap Move to Collection, and select a destination.

Using the Move Menu (Web and Windows)

1. Right-click a journal in the sidebar.
2. Select Move to Collection and choose the collection.

Removing a Journal from a Collection

To move a journal back to the root level, use the steps for your platform.

iPhone and iPad

1. Tap the three-dots menu on the journal.
2. Tap Move to Collection.
3. Choose Out of Collection.

Mac

1. Right-click the journal in the sidebar.
2. Select Move to Collection.
3. Select Out of Collection.

Android

1. Tap Edit to turn on edit mode.
2. Drag the journal out of the collection and drop it at the top level.

Android does not have a menu option for this, so dragging is the only way to move a journal out of a collection.

Web and Windows

1. Right-click the journal in the sidebar.
2. Select Move to Collection.
3. Select No Collection.

You can also drag the journal out of the collection and drop it at the top level.

Renaming a Collection

iPhone and iPad

1. Tap the three-dots menu on the collection.
2. Tap Rename.
3. Edit the name and tap Done on the keyboard.

Mac

1. Right-click or control + click the collection name in the sidebar
2. Click Rename
3. Press Return.

Android

1. Tap the three-dots menu on the collection
2. Tap Rename and edit the name.
3. Tap Save.

Web and Windows

1. Right-click the collection in the sidebar
2. Select Rename and edit the name
3. Press Enter.

Deleting a Collection

Deleting a collection does not delete its journals. Any journals inside the collection are automatically moved back to the root level of your sidebar before the collection is removed.

iPhone and iPad

1. Tap the three-dots menu on the collection.
2. Tap Delete.
3. Confirm the deletion in the alert that appears.

Mac

1. Right-click the collection in the sidebar.
2. Select Delete Collection.
3. Confirm in the dialog.

Android

1. Tap the three-dots menu on the collection.
2. Tap Delete.
3. Confirm in the Delete Collection dialog that appears.

Web and Windows

1. Right-click the collection in the sidebar.
2. Select Delete.
3. Confirm in the Delete Collection dialog.

Expanding and Collapsing Collections

Tap or click the chevron (arrow) next to a collection name to collapse it and hide the journals inside. Tap or click again to expand it. This works on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android, the Web app, and the Windows app (collapse a collection, hide the journals in a collection, expand a collection, collection arrow).

On Android, you can also tap anywhere on the collection row.

Collapse state is saved locally on each device and is not synced, so your sidebar layout can differ between your devices.

Tips

• Reorder journals within a collection by dragging them into the order you prefer.
• Reorder collections in the sidebar by dragging them up or down.
• On iPhone and iPad, tap a collection name to open a combined timeline of all entries across the journals inside it.
• A collection shows the number of journals and entries it contains below its name.
• Collections sync across all your devices automatically when you have a Day One subscription.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put a collection inside another collection?

No. Collections are a single level of organization. You can have as many collections as you like, but they cannot be nested.

Will deleting a collection delete my entries?

No. Deleting a collection only removes the grouping. All journals and every entry inside them are preserved and moved to the root level of your sidebar.

Are my collection names encrypted?

Yes. Collection names are encrypted using the same end-to-end encryption that protects your journal entries when you have an encryption passphrase enabled.

My collection is not appearing on all my devices. What should I do?

Make sure all devices are signed into the same Day One account and have an active internet connection. Collections sync through the Day One servers, so a brief delay is normal. If a collection is still missing after a few minutes, try pulling down to refresh in the Journals list.

Do collections require a subscription?

Only creating a collection requires a Silver or Gold subscription (do I need to pay for collections, are collections free, why is New Collection locked, collection option greyed out). Managing collections you already have is available on any plan — you can see them, open them, move journals in and out, rename them, collapse them, and delete them without a subscription. Without Silver or Gold, the New Collection option shows a Silver badge and opens the upgrade screen instead of creating a collection.

If you have questions not answered here, visit the Day One Support Forum or contact support.