Effective July 23, 2026
Overview
Parchment is a private journaling app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Journal data stays on your devices and, if you use iCloud, in your private iCloud account. Parchment does not include advertising, third-party analytics SDKs, or tracking technologies.
Information Parchment handles
Journal content
Parchment stores the journal entries, handwriting, drawings, dates, and app settings you create. This information provides writing, editing, past-entry viewing, syncing, export, search, and the Shortcuts or Siri actions you choose to run.
iCloud sync
If iCloud is available for your Apple ID and enabled for Parchment, the app uses Apple's CloudKit service to sync journal data between your devices. The data is stored in your private iCloud database for Parchment.
Parchment does not operate a separate server for journal content. The developer does not receive or have direct access to journal entries stored in your private iCloud database.
Calendar and Reminders
With your permission, Parchment can access calendars and reminders to show today's events and due or overdue reminders above your journal entry. It can also mark reminders complete when you choose. This access is used only for agenda features and day summaries. Parchment does not sell, share, or use calendar or reminder data for advertising or tracking.
App Intents, Shortcuts, Siri, Spotlight, and search
Parchment supports system features such as Shortcuts, Siri, App Intents, and Spotlight. If you use these features, Parchment may read or update journal content on your device to complete the action you requested, such as adding text to today's journal, opening a journal date, or summarizing a day.
By default, Parchment indexes journal dates, full typed text, and recognized handwriting text with Spotlight so you can find entries through system search. This index is handled by Apple on your device. You can turn Spotlight indexing off in Parchment Settings; doing so removes Parchment's existing Spotlight items from that device. Turning it back on rebuilds the on-device index.
Support email
If you contact support, your email address and anything you include in the message are received and used to respond. Avoid sending private journal content unless it is necessary for support.
Information Parchment does not collect
- Parchment does not track you across apps or websites.
- It does not use the App Tracking Transparency framework because Parchment does not perform tracking.
- It does not include third-party advertising or analytics SDKs.
- It does not sell your information.
- It does not require a Parchment account.
- It does not collect payment information.
- It does not access your location, photos, camera, microphone, contacts, or health data.
Data sharing
Parchment does not share journal content, calendar data, reminder data, or app-usage data with advertisers, analytics providers, data brokers, or third-party AI services.
Data may be handled by Apple services when you use Apple platform features, including iCloud, CloudKit, Siri, Shortcuts, Spotlight, Calendar, Reminders, crash reports, and App Store services. Apple's handling of that data is governed by its policies and your Apple ID and device settings.
Retention and deletion
Journal data remains on your devices and, if iCloud sync is enabled, in your private iCloud database until you delete it or disable or remove the app's stored data.
Clearing journal text or erasing a drawing removes the previous content from the local journal store and, when iCloud sync is enabled, queues the corresponding CloudKit records and drawing assets for deletion. Cloud deletion requires a successful sync and may take time to reach offline devices. Parchment retains a content-free deletion marker for the date so a stale device cannot restore deleted content.
The Delete Local Data maintenance action clears the journal cache on that device and downloads the private iCloud copy again; it does not delete the iCloud copy. Deleting the app may also leave data already stored in iCloud. Manage or delete that data with the iCloud settings provided by Apple.
If Parchment cannot open its local journal store, it leaves that store untouched unless you explicitly choose the recovery option. That option first creates and verifies a local Recovery Copy before rebuilding from iCloud. Recovery Copies can contain journal content, remain only on that device, are excluded from general cache cleanup, and remain until you explicitly delete them.
If you contact support, support emails may be retained as long as needed to respond to the request and maintain support records.
Your choices
- Use Parchment without Calendar or Reminders access.
- Revoke Calendar and Reminders access in system settings.
- Disable iCloud for Parchment in system settings.
- Disable Spotlight indexing in Parchment Settings.
- Delete journal content in the app.
- Delete the app from your devices.
- Contact support with privacy questions.
Children
Parchment is a general productivity and journaling app. It is not directed to children and does not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Changes to this policy
This policy may be updated from time to time. When it changes, the effective date at the top of this page will be updated.
Contact
For privacy questions or support, email Christopher.Lawley@TheUntitled.Site.