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Is Inkwell Safe?

Inkwell privacy label · by Simon Shih · checked November 2026

  • Nothing linked to you
  • Recently updated
App Privacy label Developer-reported · checked November 1, 2026
Used to track you
0types

None declared

Linked to you
0types

None declared

Not linked to you
2types
Short answer

On the label it is low-risk: Inkwell collects some data but says none of it is linked to you or used for tracking. None of it falls in Apple's most sensitive categories (health, financial, location, contacts or your own content). In total the label lists 2 data types; 32% of journal & diary apps we checked declare tracking.

At a glance

Inkwell privacy in one look

Data exposure on the label
Not linked to you
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4

Built only from the developer's App Store label. It describes disclosure, not tested behaviour.

Verdict from the label
Not linked to you

Inkwell collects some data but says none of it is linked to your identity, and none is used for tracking.

Try it

Did Inkwell ask for something?

Pick the permission prompt you saw. We compare it with what Inkwell's developer declared.

It asked me for access to…
Tap a prompt to compare it with the label.
Not on the label

Location is not on Inkwell's label. That can be fine: data used only on your iPhone does not have to be declared. If the data would need to leave the phone for the feature to work, ask why it is missing.

Not on the label

User Content is not on Inkwell's label. That can be fine: data used only on your iPhone does not have to be declared. If the data would need to leave the phone for the feature to work, ask why it is missing.

Not on the label

Contacts is not on Inkwell's label. That can be fine: data used only on your iPhone does not have to be declared. If the data would need to leave the phone for the feature to work, ask why it is missing.

Not declared on the label

Inkwell declares no tracking, so a tracking prompt would contradict its label. Decline it, and consider reporting the mismatch to Apple.

Not on the label

Health & Fitness is not on Inkwell's label. That can be fine: data used only on your iPhone does not have to be declared. If the data would need to leave the phone for the feature to work, ask why it is missing.

A permission is what the app can reach on your iPhone; the label is what the developer says leaves it. They answer different questions.

Line by line

What Inkwell collects, explained

Data typeWhat it coversWhere to limit it
PurchasesNot linked to you What you have bought or tend to buy. Review in-app marketing settings; subscriptions are listed in Settings › [your name] › Subscriptions.
IdentifiersNot linked to you An account ID, screen name, customer number or a device-level ID such as the advertising identifier. Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking: turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track, or tap Ask App Not to Track when prompted.
Reading the label

What Inkwell's label means for you

Inkwell's label has 2 types under “Data Not Linked to You”. A data type can appear in more than one section when it is used for different purposes — for example, identifiers used for both analytics and advertising.

Every type on Inkwell's label is in the “not linked” section, so the developer says the data is stripped of anything that identifies you before it is used. That is typical of anonymous analytics and crash reporting. Not linked is still collected: the data leaves your phone.

None of the data types fall into the categories most people consider sensitive: health, financial information, precise location, contacts, browsing history or the content you create.

Journals collect your private thoughts, moods and often your location and photos. A lock screen inside the app is not the same as encryption of the synced entries. Check whether entries sync to the developer's server and whether that sync is end-to-end encrypted; export your journal regularly.

Among the 173 journal & diary apps in our snapshot with a label, 32% declare tracking, 54% collect data linked to you and 21% say they collect nothing. Inkwell lists 2 data types, about the same as the average of 2.9 for this group.

Lifestyle apps cover family, home and personal organisation, and often combine location, contacts and photos in one place.

On your iPhone

Settings to check for Inkwell

  1. 1

    Tracking

    Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking. If “Allow Apps to Request to Track” is off, apps cannot ask, and they are told to treat you as having declined. You can also turn it off for this app alone.

  2. 2

    Lock the app

    On iOS 18 and later, touch and hold the icon and choose Require Face ID. Anyone who picks up your unlocked phone then needs your face, fingerprint or passcode to open it.

  3. 3

    Notifications

    Settings › Notifications › Inkwell › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.

Cross-app tracking

Does Inkwell track you?

No tracking declared

There is no “Data Used to Track You” section on Inkwell's label.

Does Inkwell track you? Full answer and how to stop it →

iOS 18 and later

Lock Inkwell behind Face ID

  1. Find Inkwell on your Home Screen or in App Library.
  2. Touch and hold the icon until the quick-actions menu opens.
  3. Tap Require Face ID (or Require Touch ID / Require Passcode, depending on your iPhone).
  4. Tap Require Face ID again to confirm. Inkwell now asks for authentication every time it opens.

The lock is an iPhone feature, so it works whether or not Inkwell has a passcode of its own. It does not change what the app sends to its developer.

Lock or hide Inkwell: step-by-step guide →

From the App Store record

About Inkwell

DeveloperSimon Shih
App Store categoryLifestyle (also Productivity)
Latest version1.2.0, released October 2026
First releasedAugust 2026
RequiresiOS 16.4 or later
Size40 MB
Age rating4+
Languages1 (EN)
Bundle IDcom.inkwelljournal.app

The current version shipped in October 2026, so the app is actively maintained and its label is likely current. Labels are updated by developers when practices change.

Read with care

What the label cannot tell you

  • A label is self-reported. Apple publishes the developer's answers and can reject apps that misrepresent them, but it does not independently verify what Inkwell sends.
  • It does not say where data is stored, how long it is kept, whether it is encrypted, or which companies receive it. The privacy policy covers those points.
  • Optional data counts: if a feature lets you add something (a profile photo, a phone number), the type is listed even if you never use the feature.
  • Data handled only on your iPhone is not 'collected', so a no-collection label is compatible with an app that reads your files locally.
  • Third-party sign-in, payment processors and SDKs are supposed to be included, but a label can lag behind a new version.

The question to ask Inkwell's developer: Can anyone at the company read my entries?

How it compares

Inkwell vs similar journal & diary apps

Data types listed on each App Store privacy label
Tracks youLinked to youNot linkedCollects nothing

Fewer types is not automatically safer: a cloud backup app has to collect your files to work. Compare like with like.

Checking another app?

Look up any of our apps in seconds, or put two labels side by side.

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Keep exploring

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All journal & diary apps → Who tracks you? A–Z → Apps that collect purchases → Privacy label decoder →

Do it now

Your Inkwell privacy checklist

Tick what you have done
Tick each step as you do it on your iPhone.

Done. You have applied every control the label points to.

Quick quiz

True or false?

  1. Q1Inkwell's privacy label says it uses data to track you.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    False: there is no Data Used to Track You section on Inkwell's label.

  2. Q2Apple tests every app to confirm its privacy label is accurate.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    Labels are self-reported by developers. Apple can reject or remove apps that misrepresent practices, but it does not audit each label.

  3. Q3Inkwell collects Purchases.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    True: Purchases appears on its label, in the Not Linked to You section.

  4. Q4Data “Not Linked to You” is never sent off your iPhone.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    It is collected and sent; the developer says it is de-identified rather than tied to your account or device.

  5. Q5Tapping “Ask App Not to Track” can stop an app from working.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    Apple's rules require apps to work the same whether or not you allow tracking.

Questions people ask

Inkwell privacy FAQ

Is Inkwell safe to use?
Based on its App Store privacy label, inkwell collects some data but says none of it is linked to your identity, and none is used for tracking. Whether that is acceptable depends on what you will store in it. The label is developer-reported, not an independent security test.
Does Inkwell track you?
No. Inkwell's label has no Data Used to Track You section.
What data does Inkwell collect?
Purchases and identifiers. None of it is linked to your identity.
Who makes Inkwell?
Simon Shih, according to the App Store. It was first released in August 2026 and the current version is 1.2.0.
Can I lock Inkwell with Face ID?
On iOS 18 or later, touch and hold Inkwell's icon and choose Require Face ID (or Touch ID / Passcode). This is an iPhone feature and works for most downloaded apps, whether or not the app has its own lock.
How does Inkwell compare with other journal & diary apps?
Across 173 journal & diary apps with labels in our snapshot, 32% declare tracking and 21% say they collect no data. Inkwell lists 2 data types against an average of 2.9.
Can anyone at the company read my entries?
The privacy label cannot answer that. Look for it in Inkwell's privacy policy or support pages, linked from the App Store listing. Check whether entries sync to the developer's server and whether that sync is end-to-end encrypted; export your journal regularly.
How do I delete my data from Inkwell?
Apps that let you create an account must also let you start account deletion from inside the app (an App Store rule since June 2022). Deleting the app from your iPhone alone does not delete data already sent to the developer.
Facts on this page come from Inkwell on the App Store, as reported by the developer. Checked 2026-11-01. How we collect data · Report a correction