Orbit
Support
Orbit is a mood journal for noticing patterns in your own observations. Log a mood and its intensity, add details when useful, then explore the history in Trends. Your entries stay in the app's local storage unless you export them or your device includes them in a backup.
Requirements
- iPhone running iOS 17 or later, or a Mac running macOS 14 or later.
- Location permission for automatic place matching and weather.
- An internet connection for weather and address lookups.
Contact us
For questions, feedback, or a bug report, email [email protected]. Include your device, operating system version, Orbit version, and the steps that led to the problem. If you include a screenshot, remove names, notes, locations, and other details you want to keep private.
Getting started
- Choose the person you're logging for using the name menu on Log.
- Select a mood and intensity. Add a place or meal timing if useful.
- Choose Log to save. Open Trends to explore your entries or add a note through its History editor.
- Visit Settings to change display names, meal times, places, and location access.
On Mac, you can also open Orbit from its menu bar icon to log a quick entry. This writes to the same local journal as the main window.
Frequently asked questions
How do I switch between my journal and my partner’s?
Use the name menu at the top of Log to select who the entry is about. Orbit keeps the two profiles separate in Log and Trends. The names are display preferences you can change in Settings; they do not create online accounts or contact the other person.
Does the journal sync between my iPhone and Mac?
No. Each device keeps its own journal. To move entries, export JSON from Settings on one device, transfer the file yourself, then import it on the other. Import merges entries and skips entries already present. Saved places, anchors, meal schedules, and display names are not included in the export.
Can I log without internet access or location permission?
Yes. Mood logging and charts use local data. Location is optional, and you can choose a place label yourself. Weather and address lookups need Apple’s services and an internet connection. A weather lookup that fails does not prevent your mood entry from being saved.
Why does an entry have no weather?
Weather needs an available location reading and a successful Apple Weather response. In Settings, allow Location and choose Check Weather. If the check fails, confirm your internet connection and device location settings, then try again. Past entries are not backfilled; the next successfully enriched entry will carry weather.
How do Home and Work labels work?
You can select a label when logging, or set Home and Work in Settings so Orbit can match your location automatically. Matching happens on the device. Searching an address or choosing Use Current Location for a pin asks Apple Maps for address information. You can remove or change the pins in Settings.
Why is “hours since last meal” already filled in?
Orbit estimates it from the meal times in Settings and marks the value as assumed. Adjust the value on Log when you know the actual interval. A meal estimate is a convenience for journaling, not a measurement of when someone ate.
How do I see older dates in the mood log chart?
In Trends, drag the top mood log chart horizontally. Earlier and Later jump to dates with entries, and Today returns to recent dates. The other charts use the selected date range. Each profile has its own entries, so check the selected name if a chart looks empty.
What do the patterns in Trends mean?
They summarize the observations you recorded. Missing entries, assumed meal times, and unavailable weather affect what appears. Similar timing does not establish that weather, a meal, a place, or a cycle caused a mood. Use the charts as a starting point for reflection.
How do I export or delete my journal?
Settings offers CSV and JSON exports, JSON import, and Erase All Data. Export includes entries from both profiles, so check the file before sharing it. You can also delete individual entries. Erasing the app’s local data does not delete exports or device backups you made elsewhere.
Can the developer recover a lost journal?
We do not hold a server copy. Recovery depends on your own JSON export or device backup. If Orbit displays a recovery notice, keep a copy of the set-aside file before discarding it. Contact support with the message you see; you do not need to send your private journal to report the problem.
Privacy and terms
Optional Apple Weather requests use a rounded location. Apple Maps receives address searches and current-location pins when you set a place. Read the Orbit Privacy Policy for details, or the Terms of Service for the app's usage terms.
About the studio
Orbit is made by trolls.dev, a small independent software studio. Read more about the app on the Orbit product page.