Your last Google Drive sync needs attention.

Getting started and moving around

Use Entry to record an emotion, Logs to read your records and Charts to explore patterns. My Data has your saving, backup and sync controls. Share My Data lets you give people access and manage sharing. Data Shared with Me lists files other people have shared with you.

On a phone, open Menu to move between pages, choose the data to view, change the theme or open sync settings. My Data shows your Google account. On a larger screen these controls are in the header. Help is also available from the menu and the bottom of the page.

Add Emotion Wheel to your phone or computer

Add an icon so you can open Emotion Wheel without finding the website each time. No app-store download is needed. Start from the app’s main page, rather than a shared-file link.

iPhone or iPad — Safari

1. Open Emotion Wheel in Safari.
2. Open Share. Depending on your Safari layout, this may be inside the More menu.
3. Choose Add to Home Screen. If it is missing, choose Edit Actions and add it.
4. Check the name, then choose Add. If Open as Web App is offered, you can leave it on to open in its own window.

Android — Chrome

1. Open Emotion Wheel in Chrome.
2. Open More, the three-dot menu.
3. Choose Add to home screen, then Create shortcut if offered.
4. Check the name and choose Add, then follow any confirmation from your phone.

Computer — Chrome

Open the app’s main page. Choose More (the three-dot menu), then Cast, save and share, then Install page as app. Check the name and choose Install.

Computer — Microsoft Edge

Open the app’s main page. Choose Settings and more (the three-dot menu), then More tools, Apps and Install this site as an app. In some versions Apps is directly in the main menu. Confirm the name and install.

Mac — Safari

On macOS Sonoma 14 or later, open the app’s main page and choose File, then Add to Dock. Check the name and choose Add. You can also find Add to Dock in Safari’s Share menu.

These options depend on your browser and operating-system version. If an install option is unavailable, bookmark the main page instead. Installing adds a convenient app window or shortcut; it does not add background sync or offline support.

Official desktop instructions: Chrome, Edge and Safari on Mac.

An app or Home Screen icon does not move or back up your records. If it opens with an empty log, return to the browser containing your records and save a JSON backup before loading it in the new view, or connect Google and sync your own data. Keep the original until you have checked the records. Internet access is needed to load the app and use Google Drive; adding an icon does not enable offline use.

See Apple’s Home Screen instructions or Google’s Android shortcut instructions.

Recording emotions

Choose an emotion from the wheel or the written choices, then record it. You can choose a broad emotion or a more specific description. A note is optional.

Capture settings lets you choose how many questions to answer:

• Phase 1 asks for the emotion.
• Phase 2 adds reflection, such as emotion strength, whether the emotion fits the situation and physical sensations.
• Phase 3 also offers tags and an emotion bucket rating.
• Custom lets you choose Expected emotion level, Actual emotion level and Emotion is appropriate independently, alongside the other questions.

Tags are short labels such as Work or Family. You can choose several and add your own. The bucket rating describes how full your emotional bucket feels. Strength and bucket ratings use your chosen scale of 1–5 or 1–10. Questions you leave unanswered stay “Not recorded”.

When both emotion levels are selected, their alignment appears while recording and in the save confirmation. When only one is selected, that level is recorded independently. For new ratings, “Aligned” means the expected and actual levels are equal. It is a comparison of your answers, rather than a judgement about your feelings.

Finding and changing records

Logs shows the selected dataset. Search or combine filters to find records by date, emotion, tag, ratings or other recorded details. Clear filters to see everything again. Counts and exported views follow the filters you have chosen.

For your own records, Edit lets you change a record and Use as new prepares another entry from it. Delete removes a record; the undo control can restore the most recently deleted entry while it is available. Clear local log in My Data clears the active log after confirmation. Recovery copies and saved sync comparison data can still contain records; see the Privacy notice for how to remove those copies.

Files shared with you are read only. Entry and editing controls are unavailable while viewing them. Choose My local data to return to your own records.

Understanding charts

Charts summarises the data you are viewing. Choose all time, a day, a week, a month or Custom. Custom lets you combine filters. Previous and next controls move between periods where available.

Charts can show emotion counts, changes over time, strength ratings, tags, physical sensations and bucket ratings. Some views compare periods or explore how emotions and tags occur together. A pattern can suggest something to reflect on; it does not establish what caused an emotion.

Each chart has written information or a matching table. Missing answers are not treated as a zero rating. Sharing or copying a chart shares the displayed view, so check the selected dataset and filters first.

Backups on your device

In My Data, Save backup file downloads a complete backup. Keep it somewhere you can find again. CSV exports are useful for spreadsheets; use the full backup file when you want to restore the app's data.

Add records from a backup combines it with your existing records and asks you about conflicting versions. Replace log from a backup replaces your local records, rating scale and tags after confirmation; it keeps your existing capture settings. A recovery copy is also saved in this browser before replacement. Keep a downloaded original backup somewhere safe.

Records kept in a browser belong to that browser and website address. Another browser or device has its own records. Clearing browser site data can remove them, so keep a backup or use Drive sync if you want a second copy.

Google is optional

Your emotion records are kept on your device, in the browser you are using. If you choose Google Drive, copies are also kept in your Google Drive. Emotion Wheel does not store your emotion records in a developer's database or on GitHub.

In My Data or Data Shared with Me, choose Connect Google and select your account. Google handles sign-in and permission. The app can work with files it creates or that you explicitly choose; it does not request access to all your Drive files.

My Data shows whether Google is connected and which Google email address you are using. The Sync button in the header or mobile menu opens the sync settings on that page. The owner of a shared file is shown separately; these may be different people.

You will need to reconnect Google regularly. Refreshing or reopening the page clears the app's connection. Google also gives the app temporary access that expires, even if the page stays open. The app keeps this access token only in the open page's memory and cannot extend Google's expiry time. Google requires a user action to renew access, so the app cannot reconnect silently in the background. This is normal and does not delete your local records or Drive files. See Google's explanation of token expiry.

Once this browser has connected at least once, a status strip appears above the page. It is separate from the Log and other page content. The top row shows connection status and the disconnect time in your local time zone beside a clock icon, with an Extend button at the right. When five minutes remain, the time becomes a minutes-and-seconds countdown. The second row shows the time since the last successful sync, or Sync off, Sync paused or Sync issue. When disconnected, it shows Disconnected and Sync stopped with Reconnect. Larger screens also show Connected and Last synced labels. Choose the status to open its full details in My Data; screen readers receive the complete connection, expiry and sync description. Both displays use the timeout Google returned and update on your device without making extra server requests. They include a brief safety margin before access expires and recalculate when you return to the page.

Choose Extend before the countdown ends to request fresh Google authorisation for the same account. The new countdown starts only after Google authorises the renewal and the app verifies the account. You stay on the same page, and active sync continues. Cancelling or declining renewal keeps the existing connection until it expires. Google controls the access-token lifetime; Extend obtains a new token rather than increasing the old token's timeout.

When disconnected, the strip shows Google Disconnected and a Reconnect button. Choose Reconnect and complete Google's sign-in. You stay on the current Emotion Wheel page, with connection feedback shown above its content. If automatic sync was on, the app remembers that choice and resumes it for the same verified Google account and current file. If a choice is needed, the sync prompt appears above the page and receives keyboard focus.

Disconnect stops the app using that connection, but keeps your local records, Drive files and saved sync preference. Choosing Pause Sync turns off automatic resumption. To remove the app's Google permission entirely, use your Google account's connected-app settings.

Shared files are downloaded into memory to show their logs and charts. Their contents are not saved as your personal log. The browser remembers the file links and names so you can reopen them.

If you export, copy or send a record or chart through another app, that copy goes to the destination you choose. Anonymous pageview information is collected separately; see the Privacy notice for details. Emotion notes and records are not included in those statistics.

Saving and automatic sync

Save to Drive checks your local data and the current Drive file, then merges changes. It does not simply replace the Drive copy with whatever is on this device.

Start Sync enables automatic checks every 15 seconds while the page is open and connected, and remembers your choice for that Google account and file in this browser. The buttons then become Sync Now and Pause Sync. Sync Now checks immediately. Pause Sync stops the automatic checks, keeps both copies and turns off automatic resumption. After reopening or connection expiry, reconnect; previously enabled sync resumes after the account and existing current file are checked. A different account or file, a missing saved comparison copy, an unfinished edit or rating review, a data upgrade, or an unresolved sync issue prevents automatic resumption. Review the prompt or issue before continuing. Choose My local data before starting sync, saving or restoring. Viewing another dataset never makes it your current Drive file. Sync already running continues to use your own local data, and Pause Sync remains available.

Use the same Google account on your devices to work with the same current file. A common saved version helps the app distinguish changes from each device. Deletions leave a marker for sync so an old device does not simply restore a deleted record.

Sync status and the last successful sync date appear beside the controls. The compact Sync On or Sync Off button in the header or mobile menu takes you straight to this section. Automatic sync pauses when retries are exhausted or a conflict needs your choice. Disconnection or a page reload also stops it. It does not run when the app is closed.

Drive backups, comments and cleanup

Your Drive backups are listed newest first with their names, dates and comments. Comments are saved in each Drive file’s description and filename, so all your devices can show them. The list is read from Google Drive when you open My Data, return to the app or choose Refresh backups. Backups deleted or moved to Trash in Drive disappear at the next refresh. Add an optional comment of up to 80 characters before choosing Create dated backup. New backup filenames begin with the UTC date and time, followed by the backup name and comment. Advanced Backup Settings contains the usual name and the number of copies to keep. Move to Trash beside a backup asks for confirmation; cleanup nearby lets you review the oldest excess copies together. The current synced file is kept.

After connecting, if your current file is found and sync was previously enabled for it, the app resumes sync using the saved comparison copy. Otherwise, Start syncing or Not now appears above the current page; the prompt receives focus and accepting it keeps you on that page. Not now leaves sync off. The current file is kept in Google Drive's Emotion Wheel folder and keeps the same sharing link. Create dated backup makes a separate named copy in Emotion Wheel / Backups. Advanced Backup Settings lets you change the name and how many copies to keep. The default is five. If there are more, the app lists the oldest first and asks before moving them to Trash. It keeps the current file.

Recovery backups made before conflicts, restores, rating changes and data updates also start with the UTC date and time, followed by a description of why they were created. They appear in the same backup list and count towards your chosen number of copies. Review these recovery copies before approving cleanup. Existing files are not renamed.

Filename example: 2026-10-05T18-30-00.000Z - Emotion Wheel backup - Before changing ratings.json. The Z means UTC; the Created column shows dates and times using your device’s local time.

Restoring a Drive backup

To restore a dated Drive backup, open My Data and find Your Drive backups. Choose Refresh backups if needed, then Restore beside the file you want. Review its record count and rating scale, then confirm Restore this backup. This replaces your device data and current Drive file, including capture settings. Recovery copies of both are saved first. The selected backup is kept. Sync stays off until you start it again. Other devices without new edits adopt the restored data; devices with unsynced edits ask which complete dataset to keep.

If an older backup has no capture settings, the review tells you that your current settings will be kept. If the backup changes, your local data changes during review, or a recovery backup cannot be saved, restoration stops. Review the copies again before continuing.

When sync needs attention

If a copy changes during automatic sync, or the connection briefly fails, the app retries using the latest copies at 15-second intervals. It allows up to three retries after the initial failure before pausing. You do not need to switch sync back on after a successful retry. Conflicting edits always need your choice before syncing continues.

A banner appears on every app page if sync fails. Choose Review sync issue to go to the explanation in My Data. The last successful date tells you when both copies were last checked successfully.

If both devices changed the same record, you see both versions. Choose which one to keep for each affected record, then apply your choices. Other changes are merged. If a backup was restored on another device while you had unsynced edits, or rating scales differ alongside other edits, you may need to choose one complete dataset because the ratings cannot safely be mixed.

Before applying conflict choices, the app saves both originals locally and as recovery backups in your Drive. If a backup fails or either copy changes during review, it stops and asks you to review again.

For a connection error, check your connection and Google account, then try Save to Drive or Sync Now. An unsupported newer data format needs a newer version of the app before it can sync. Keep both copies while you resolve the issue.

Sharing your data

1. Connect Google and save your data to Drive.
2. Choose Share My Data from the menu. If disconnected, choose Connect Google, then choose Add person. This normally uses your current file. Use a different file lets you choose another file you own.
3. Enter the recipient's Google email address and choose Give Viewer access. This grants Viewer access. Sending a Google email notification is optional and off by default. Tick it beside the email field if you want Google to notify them.
4. Use Share link to send the link through your browser's share controls, or Copy link and paste it into a message yourself.

The link opens the file you shared from your Google Drive. It contains a file reference, not your records or a sign-in token. Having the link alone does not grant permission: the recipient must use a Google account with access to that file.

Sharing your current file lets viewers see later saved or synced changes when they reopen or refresh it. A dated backup stays a snapshot of the time it was created.

The sharing section lists who has access, directly from Google Drive. Refresh who has access checks for changes made in Drive. Use Copy link or Share link below the people table to send the file link. Add person gives someone access; the link buttons stay disabled until a person has access. Choose Stop sharing beside them and confirm on the page to remove their permission. The table shows individual people. Group and public access must be managed in Google Drive; someone may still have access through these. You can also manage access in Google Drive. Future attempts to open or refresh it will then fail. Someone may already have downloaded or copied the data; removing access cannot erase those copies or a view already loaded into their browser.

Data shared with you

Open the Emotion Wheel link you receive. Data Shared with Me asks you to connect Google. Choose the account the owner gave access to. The app checks access, then opens the shared logs.

If access fails, try the correct Google account. If Google needs file approval, the app opens Google’s picker showing only the file from your link. Confirm that file once to let Emotion Wheel open it. No search through your Drive is needed. If no file appears, check the account and ask the owner for access. If you do not have permission, use the request-access link or ask the owner.

The table shows the file's name, owner and simple actions: View data opens Logs, Edit name changes its label in your shared-file list, Refresh downloads the latest copy and Remove closes it and removes it from your list. Removing a bookmark does not delete anyone's Drive file.

When you connect Google, the list of shared file references and names is saved in your own Emotion Wheel folder as Emotion Wheel shared files.json. Connect the same Google account on another device to bring back the list. Changes and removals are checked every 15 seconds while connected; Refresh shared-file list checks immediately. Each file still belongs to its owner, and viewing it checks your access again. Shared emotion records are not copied into your Drive. Different Google accounts have separate lists.

You can keep several shared files in the list. Use Data to view in the header or mobile menu to switch between them and My local data. Every opening, selection or refresh fetches the file again and checks permission. Files already being viewed do not update continuously.

Rating changes and data updates

Changing the rating scale can change saved values and alignment. The app explains the conversion and asks for an original backup before you confirm. Download it or choose the Google backup option. If you are disconnected, that option lets you connect first.

When the app needs to update an older data format, save an original backup first. If you use Drive on another device, use the Google backup option to check its latest copy and protect both originals before confirming the local update. After the update, the app checks and merges Drive changes; conflicting edits still need your choice.

Supported older formats are compared using a common format and stable record identities. The app preserves the original ratings during a format update. A file saved by a newer, unsupported app version is kept unchanged until you use a compatible app.

Keyboard, screen readers and appearance

Use headings and the topic links to navigate this help page. In the app, the menu uses named controls and shows which page is selected. The emotion wheel has written choices, and charts have readable summaries and tables.

Use Tab to move between controls. File-name editing has Save name and Cancel buttons; Enter saves and Escape cancels. Theme offers light, dark and muted versions. On a phone the controls are in Menu.

Incoming sharing prompts stay on the page. Google provides its own account-selection and file-selection interface. Its sign-in service currently opens a separate account window; Emotion Wheel's sharing and sync explanations remain within the app.

For more detail, see Accessibility and design.

Your logging streak

The Entry page shows how many consecutive days you have recorded one or more emotions. Each day counts once, using this device’s local calendar dates and your own log, including records received through your own Drive sync. Shared logs are excluded. A streak ending yesterday remains visible during today, with “Last logged yesterday”. A gap of a complete day hides the indicator until you record again.

The count is calculated from your records, so editing, deleting, importing or syncing records may change it. It updates after record changes, at local midnight, and when you return to the page. The first new emotion you save each local calendar day shows a congratulatory message confirming today’s log and the updated streak, with encouragement to keep logging daily. Repeat logs, edits, imports and sync do not trigger it. This browser stores only the last congratulated calendar date to prevent repeats after reload, undo or deletion. No streak information is sent to a server.