Talk it out
What is still buzzing around your head from today?
Answer out loud. Your words appear below as you speak.0:00
Press start and talk for about three minutes. Stop whenever you like.
Privacy: Hilo does not receive, record or store anything you say or type here. Your entry stays in this browser tab until you download it or close the page. Speech-to-text is provided by your browser, which may process the audio with its own service (for example Google in Chrome or Apple in Safari).
How to use the voice journal
- Pick a prompt. Keep the one above or tap “New prompt” until one feels right.
- Press start and talk. Allow microphone access when your browser asks. Speak the way you would to a friend. Messy is fine.
- Keep going for about three minutes. If you run out of words, say the prompt again or describe what you are feeling right now.
- Save it if you want. Download your entry as a text file, copy it into your notes, or simply clear it. Saying it out loud is the point.
Why journal out loud?
Many people like the idea of journaling but stop because writing feels slow or formal. Talking is faster and less polished, which makes it easier to say what you actually mean. You also hear yourself, and a thought often sounds clearer, or smaller, once it is spoken. Our guide to voice journaling covers the habit in more depth.
Prompts to try
Stuck on what to say? Try our journal prompt generator, a list of gratitude journal prompts or evening journal prompts for winding down. New to journaling? Start with how to start journaling.
Which browsers work?
Speech-to-text works in recent versions of Chrome, Edge and Safari on desktop and mobile. In browsers without it, such as Firefox, you can still type your entry. The quality of the transcript depends on your browser, microphone and surroundings, so a quiet room helps.
Journaling with a companion
A voice journal listens, but it cannot ask a follow-up question. We are building Hilo as a voice-first AI companion for exactly this kind of everyday reflection: you talk, your companion listens and asks what made something hard or how it turned out. Join the waitlist to hear when it is ready.
Journaling can be a helpful habit, but it is not a treatment. If difficult feelings keep coming up, please talk to someone you trust or a professional. Our safety page lists where to find help.