# 16 Guidelines for a Happy Life

> Practical guide for personal growth, empathy, and resilience through reflections and challenges. (iPhone/iPad app by Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/16-guidelines-for-a-happy-life/id1168991799 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom](https://appshunter.io/developer/1168991798)
- Category: Health & Fitness, Lifestyle
- Price: Free
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 2 App Store ratings · 9 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 70 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2017-03-20
- Data updated: 2026-08-01
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/16-guidelines-for-a-happy-life/id1168991799/reviews.md

## What is 16 Guidelines for a Happy Life?

Seeking new inspiration and calm in your life? Take a few minutes to reconnect with the best of yourself, and discover fun ways to make a positive difference to your family, friends and workplace.

This practical app with guided audio reflections and daily challenges will empower you to make a positive change in yourself that will reverberate in the world around you.

Motivated by the work of our patron, The Dalai Lama, the 16 Guidelines have offered tens of thousands of people around the world a tried and tested framework for developing empathy, compassion and resilience in daily life.

Features
PAUSE – a unique animated guide to the 7-11 breathing technique
CONNECT – take your pick or take your chance to find your Guideline for the day
REFLECT – stimulating quotes on the deeper meaning of each Guideline
EXPLORE – 16 three-minute guided reflections for inspiration and calm
SHARE – practical challenges to turn each Guideline into action

16 Guidelines origins

Based on a 7th century Tibetan text, the 16 Guidelines for a Happy Life are a set of ethical precepts that cut through the issues that divide the modern world. They are instantly recognisable to people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds, and hold the key to the happiness for our families, our communities and ourselves.

The 16 Guidelines propose that it isn’t material wealth, reputation and status, or even comfort and good health that will bring us stable and lasting happiness. Instead, they encourage us to pay deeper attention to how we think, act, relate with others and find meaning in life.

The 16 Guidelines are not a set of commandments or quick fixes. Instead, they offer an opportunity to explore your own life experiences. Ranging from humility to courage, the guidelines are universally familiar yet profound qualities that take us to the heart of what it means to be a caring and fulfilled human being.

Browse the 16 Guidelines here - 
http://www.16guidelines.org/index.php/explore/browse-the-guidelines

About us

The 16 Guidelines for a Happy Life programme was launched by the Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom (FDCW) (http://compassionandwisdom.org/) in 2006 and has changed the lives of tens of thousands of people in over 20 countries around the world.

Visit www.16guidelines.org to find out more about 16G books, workshops, community projects and other programmes inspired by the 16 Guidelines in fields such as education, youth work, health and social care, and leadership.

## Key features

- Guided audio reflections
- Daily challenges
- 7-11 breathing technique
- Stimulating quotes
- Practical action steps

## Recent user reviews (9 of 9)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/16-guidelines-for-a-happy-life/id1168991799/reviews.md

### 5/5 — 16G

*2018-04-26, version 1.0.0*

16G have been so beneficial to my life. In particular, just now when life has been challenging. It guides me to react and consider all sorts of things from a different angle/focus. This has always led to a positive within me, whether it has been in what I have said or how it has impacted upon me. Thank you 🙏

### 5/5 — A great way to start the day!

*2017-10-05*

16G provides a simple way to align your day.  Start by giving yourself 15 minutes to slow down your “first thing in the morning to do list” to put the right intentions into your self and daily hectic life.  I write down my “card” word on a couple post it notes and place them around; one in my purse, one on my dashboard, restroom mirror - wherever you may see it, especially at a high stress time, and do 3 7-11 breaths I return to the place of calm.  I adore this app!  🙏

### 4/5 — Morning ritual

*2017-07-20, version 1.0.0*

I've been using this app each
morning as I wake to set the tone of the day and it has helped me show more kindness, compassion and empathy for others. A lovely little app!!

### 5/5 — Wonderful!

*2017-07-13*

I love the book and the cards and I really love the app. So handy to have with everything in one place and it is very well made and easy to use. I'm very grateful!

### 5/5 — Moments of calm

*2017-06-30, version 1.0.0*

I love the 16 Guidelines app and have used it almost every day since I first downloaded it. It offers me a moment of calm during everyday life, time to check in to focus on what is important in life. I really like the random pick option and exploring each of the guidelines always brings me  fresh inspiration. Thank you for creating this beautiful insightful app.

### 5/5 — Generous and helpful app

*2017-05-04, version 1.0.0*

I am really enjoying the 16G app. It lets you choose a guideline for the day and then you get some thoughts on the guideline and then you reflect on it. I haven't been to a workshop yet but I find that this app is really helpful in supporting me to practice qualities like respect.

### 5/5 — Fantastic

*2017-05-04, version 1.0.0*

I have done the facilitator course some time ago and this is a billiant way to keep in touch and live the 16 Guidlines.

### 5/5 — Brilliant!

*2017-04-24, version 1.0.0*

If you are looking to improve your healthy mental habits this is great!

### 5/5 — Brilliant app

*2017-04-05, version 1.0.0*

I've used the 16G cards and read the book and it's great to see the app.
I thing the option of picking a card yourself and letting to app pick one for you is awesome.
I even used it at work for our team meetings and had the app randomly pick a card to underpin our team meeting.
So impressed it's free as well-that's generosity, I also like there's a donate button so we can pay it forward if we want.

## Frequently asked questions about 16 Guidelines for a Happy Life

### What is the 16 Guidelines app?

The 16 Guidelines app offers practical tools for personal growth, inspired by ethical precepts. It provides guided audio reflections, daily challenges, and breathing exercises to help users cultivate empathy, compassion, and resilience.

### What are the main features of the 16 Guidelines app?

Key features include a guided 7-11 breathing technique, daily Guideline selections, stimulating quotes, 16 three-minute guided reflections for inspiration and calm, and practical challenges to encourage action.

### Is the 16 Guidelines app free to use?

Yes, the 16 Guidelines app is completely free to download and use. It does not require any payment or subscription.

### What devices is the 16 Guidelines app available on?

The 16 Guidelines app is available for iPhone and iPod devices. It is designed for iOS users.

### How often is the 16 Guidelines app updated?

The app was last updated on December 4, 2025, with version 1.0.3. While specific update frequency isn't detailed, this indicates ongoing support and potential for future improvements.

### What is the age rating for the 16 Guidelines app?

The 16 Guidelines app has an age rating of 4+. This suggests it is suitable for a wide range of users, including children, due to its positive and educational content.

### Does the 16 Guidelines app have ads?

No, the 16 Guidelines app is ad-free. Users can enjoy the content without any interruptions from advertisements.

### What is the user feedback on the 16 Guidelines app?

The app has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with a perfect 5.0-star rating from 2 reviews. This indicates high user satisfaction with its content and functionality.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.1.0 — 2026-07-28

We've made some improvements to keep the app running smoothly:

• Receive helpful notifications and in-app messages.
• Improved reliability and behind-the-scenes performance.
• Fixed an issue that could show the update prompt twice.

Thank you for using 16 Guidelines for a Happy Life.

### 1.0.3 — 2025-12-04

Minor enhancement and user experience improved.

### 1.0.2 — 2025-07-24

Minor improvements

### 1.0.1 — 2021-09-30

Design updates for the whole app. 
The new logo of the app.

### 1.0.0 — 2017-03-20

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-01.*
