Journals are inherently private. We write freely precisely because no one else will see our words. This privacy enables honesty, vulnerability, and the kind of deep reflection that self-consciousness would prevent.
But sometimes, sharing makes sense. A travel journal you want family to follow. A recovery journey that might help others facing similar challenges. Memories of a loved one that relatives would treasure. Creative writing you have developed through journaling that deserves an audience.
DayCanvas Public Pages lets you share exactly what you want, with exactly who you want, while everything else remains completely private. The default is always privacy. Sharing is always optional, always deliberate, and always under your control.
What Are Public Pages?
Public Pages are a way to make selected journal entries viewable by others via a unique web link.
When you create a Public Page, you choose specific entries to include. Those entries become viewable at a unique URL that you can share with anyone. Everything not included in your Public Page remains private and encrypted, completely invisible to viewers.
Think of Public Pages as curated selections from your journal, like choosing which photos from your camera roll to put in a shared album. The full collection remains private. The selection you choose becomes shareable.
How Public Pages Work
Creating and managing Public Pages involves a few simple steps.
Creating a Public Page
In DayCanvas, navigate to the Public Pages section. Tap to create a new page. You will give it a title and optionally a description that viewers will see.
Then select which entries to include. Browse your journal and tap each entry you want to add. Selected entries appear in a preview so you can see exactly what your Public Page will look like.
When you are satisfied with the selection, publish the page. DayCanvas generates a unique URL that you can share with anyone.
Sharing Your Public Page
Once created, your Public Page has a unique web address that anyone with the link can visit. Share this link however you like: email, text message, social media, or printed on a physical card.
Visitors to your Public Page see only the entries you selected, displayed in a clean reading format. They cannot access your other entries, your account, or any information beyond what you explicitly chose to share.
Managing Your Public Pages
You retain complete control over your Public Pages at all times.
Add entries. After creating a page, you can add more entries to it at any time. New entries appear immediately.
Remove entries. Changed your mind about something? Remove any entry from a Public Page with a single tap. It immediately becomes private again.
Edit the page. Change the title, description, or organization of your Public Page whenever you want.
Unpublish. If you no longer want a Public Page to be accessible, unpublish it. The URL immediately stops working. Anyone trying to visit will see nothing.
Delete. Remove a Public Page entirely. This does not delete the underlying entries, which remain in your private journal.
Privacy Protection Features
We designed Public Pages with extensive privacy safeguards.
Explicit Selection Required
Nothing becomes public by accident. Every entry that appears on a Public Page was deliberately selected by you. There is no default sharing, no automatic inclusion, no way for entries to become public without your explicit action.
Private by Default
Your journal is private by default and stays private unless you specifically choose otherwise. Public Pages are an opt-in feature that changes nothing about entries you do not select.
Password Protection
For additional privacy, you can add password protection to any Public Page. Visitors must enter the password you set before viewing any content.
This is useful when sharing with a specific group. You share the link publicly but give the password only to intended viewers. Anyone who stumbles on the link without the password sees nothing.
Link Obscurity
Public Page URLs are long, random strings that cannot be guessed. No one can find your Public Page by trying random URLs or searching. Access requires knowing the specific link you create.
This is not security through obscurity alone, because you can add password protection for additional security, but it does mean that your Public Pages are not discoverable unless you share them.
No Search Indexing
By default, Public Pages are not indexed by search engines. They will not appear in Google search results or other search engines. Access comes only through links you share directly.
If you want your Public Page to be discoverable through search, you can enable indexing. But this is off by default.
Revocation Without Notice
If circumstances change and you no longer want content shared, you can unpublish instantly. There is no waiting period, no notification to viewers, no trace that the page ever existed.
Use Cases for Public Pages
Different users find Public Pages valuable for different purposes.
Travel Journals
Share your travel experiences with friends and family without giving them access to your entire journal. Create a Public Page for each trip with entries about destinations, adventures, and memories. Family can follow along without seeing your personal reflections.
Memory Sharing
Create a Public Page of memories about a loved one who has passed. Share it with family members who would treasure seeing your written memories, photos, and reflections collected together.
Recovery and Support
Some people find value in sharing their recovery journey with others facing similar challenges. A Public Page can contain entries about progress, struggles, and insights while keeping other aspects of life private.
Creative Writing
If you use your journal to develop creative writing, Public Pages let you share finished pieces or works in progress. Get feedback on your writing without exposing the messy drafts and personal entries that surround it.
Professional Documentation
Document professional experiences like a project journey, lessons learned, or career reflections that you want to share with colleagues, mentors, or the public.
Accountability
Share specific entries with an accountability partner, therapist, or coach. Give them access to relevant reflections while maintaining privacy for everything else.
What Viewers See
When someone visits your Public Page, they see a clean, focused reading experience.
The page displays your title and description at the top, then each selected entry in chronological order. Entries appear with their dates and any photos or formatting you included.
Viewers cannot see entries not selected for this page. They cannot see your profile, account information, or any indication that other entries exist. The Public Page is a self-contained presentation of exactly what you chose to share.
There is no registration required to view a Public Page. Visitors do not need a DayCanvas account. Anyone with the link, and password if set, can view the content.
Sharing Versus Collaboration
Public Pages are for sharing, not collaboration. Viewers can read but cannot comment, edit, or interact with your content.
If you need collaborative features, you might export entries and share them through collaborative platforms. Public Pages are designed for one-way sharing where you publish and others read.
A Feature, Not A Requirement
We built DayCanvas around privacy. Public Pages do not change this foundation. They add an option for those who want it while changing nothing for those who do not.
If you never use Public Pages, your experience is identical to a DayCanvas without the feature. Your journal remains fully private, fully encrypted, fully yours.
If you do use Public Pages, you gain a powerful way to share selectively while maintaining control. Every choice is yours. Every default protects your privacy.
Sharing is optional, always. When you share, it is on your terms.