# Reimagining the Examen — user reviews > 82 indexed App Store user reviews of Reimagining the Examen by Loyola Press, rated 4.34/5 from 164 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reimagining-the-examen/id1065042173/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reimagining-the-examen/id1065042173.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 112 · 4★ 20 · 3★ 19 · 2★ 1 · 1★ 12 ## What do users think of Reimagining the Examen? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 🙏 Excellent prayer guidance and prompts - 👍 User-friendly interface and elegant design - 🎯 Variety of examen options to choose from - 📱 Accessible and convenient for daily use - 🎵 Background music and ambient sounds - ✨ Helps deepen spiritual connection with God - ⭐ Free app with no paywalls - 🧘 Effective for meditation and reflection - 📚 Well-structured step-by-step guidance **Cons** - 🐛 Screen freezes and app locks up - 🔋 Significant battery drain - 📵 Audio/music functionality broken or missing - 🔄 App resets when phone locks or autolocks - 💔 Recent update removed beloved features - 🎨 Bright background difficult for nighttime use - 🔤 Font size too small despite settings - ⚙️ Unresponsive selection and navigation - 🔊 Sound control unintuitive and buggy - ⚠️ Male-only pronouns for God - 🎮 Streak counter feels like punishment **Commonly reported bugs** - App freezes and becomes unresponsive - Music/audio not playing despite settings enabled - App advances to new examen when phone locks - Cannot return to previous examen after interruption - Battery drains rapidly even when closed - Music plays continuously even after app closes - Sound control toggle doesn't work properly - Screen timeout too short during reflection - Text difficult to read on blue background - Selection buttons unresponsive to taps - Incompatible with certain iPhone models - App doesn't record completed examens **Most requested features** - Dark mode or night mode for evening use - Random examen selection feature restoration - Background music option restoration - App stays open during phone autolock - Timer for each section of examen - Lock-in preferred examen option - Narration/voiceover for hands-free experience - Mood or feelings tracking chart - Completion tracking without streak counter - Inclusive language for God pronouns - Ability to use personal music instead of preloaded - Categorization/sorting of examens by topic - Android version availability - Multiple language support - Ability to resume interrupted examen ## Newest reviews (15 of 82) ### 4/5 — Eminently useful content; slightly less useful after the update. *2026-01-19* Before the update (last year?) this was a very favorite prayer app and I recommended it to many people and used it often. It appreciated the elegant simplicity of design & clarity of communication with each page being different steps in examine. I *really* liked that it would randomly select a new examen each time I opened the app. I very much miss that functionality. I love having the contents available to me, but use the app less this year than I did before the update. ### 4/5 — What if *2025-12-20, version 2.0* I wondered if it would be helpful in the context of this as to include a mood or feelings tracking chart option. ### 3/5 — Turn off the counter *2025-10-23, version 2.0* It’s okay but why the counter? It’s like being punished if we miss a day. The exams don’t always apply but I can skip to another. ### 3/5 — Liked the old version *2025-08-26* It had been awhile since I had used the app and I am not a fan of the new version. The cosmic screen is distracting as well as the word selection. If someone is being so selective put it at the bottom of the screen. It just has seemed to of lost its depth maybe because they are trying to reach too many folks. Offering a new app to target the new users maybe would have been better. I don’t think I’ll continue with it in this new forum. At the minimum I wish you had options to change screens etc. ### 3/5 — Days done *2025-03-06, version 2.0* The app doesn’t seem to record when I have completed a day’s Examen. ### 3/5 — Love it - but it has changed *2024-12-01* Great resource and perfect for someone who is just starting with the Examen! I love this app and used to use it all the time. Recently though, the format has changed and the background music (which I loved), is no longer part of the app. Would love it if this feature was brought back! ### 4/5 — What happened to the music? *2024-11-09, version 2.0* Did the new update eliminate the music? Or am I just missing it? ### 3/5 — Many functions are gone now? *2024-07-07, version 2.0* I really love this app, but when I opened it today it has lost many of the visual features that the app had before. Pictures and background music. Can someone please explain. Thank you and God bless you! ### 3/5 — Turning off the music *2024-02-25, version 1.23* Love the app but the music is difficult to change despite touching my choice and it also plays continually, even when the app is closed. ### 4/5 — Really good app with 1 flaw *2024-01-25, version 1.23* Really enjoy this app for prayer and reflection on the day before bed. Really well done. The only issue is the app is a major drain on my phone battery unless I remember to close it. No idea why but it would be great if this was fixed. ### 3/5 — Locking up on both IPhone and IPad *2023-12-04, version 1.23* This was a great app however I am finding, both for iPhone and iPad that it simply locks up. The title shows, the music plays but nothing else happens. I am using the latest IOS and IPadOS. Help. Please ### 3/5 — Nice exercises but… *2023-10-17, version 1.23* There are some lovely variations on the examen here, but I find the exclusively male pronouns for God distracting and very much a barrier. ### 4/5 — Great, but for one thing *2023-08-11, version 1.23* I have really found this app to be very helpful to my prayer life (uh… when I remember to use it. You know how it is with spiritual practices.) However, one thing I used to love was the feature that allowed for a random Examen to pop up. For me, it was great to sit with whatever the app (the Spirit??) threw my way. When I have to choose a topic, I find that doing so is ME shaping my prayer in a way that is less helpful. Is there a way to access the random function anymore? Thanks… ### 3/5 — Great Concept. Frustrating App. *2022-11-14* The concept is great however, the app has several shortcomings. If your phone falls asleep, when you wake it up seconds later, you will be in a new lesson. It also seems that there is some sound associated with this app but I am unable to determine how to turn the sound on. When I click the speaker, it changes to a “muted” symbol. When I unmute it… no sound. Volume is up. Bluetooth is off. Not intuitive or simply buggy. I have an iPhone 13 Pro OS 16.0.3 **Developer response:** Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the app! We have just released an update that addresses some of your concerns. ### 4/5 — It is so helpful *2022-05-13* I have really had good reflections while reading these and contemplating my response. I love the variety of catagoties offered. The only problem with the app is that it turns off too soon. If I sit and reflect without touching the screen it turns off and sends me to the home page or a totally different examen. There is no picking up where you left off—and this is distracting—breaking the train of thought as I have to go and search for the title and page I was previously on. **Developer response:** Thank you for sharing your thoughts and concerns for the app. We have just released an update that addresses your concerns. We hope that you will continue to enjoy our app! ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Love it up and down! *2024-09-30, version 2.0* This app is yay! I feel Ignatius coming inside of me. Very spiritual ### 1/5 — New look and functionality? *2024-08-23, version 2.0* Missed on both. ### 1/5 — Incredibly poor update! *2024-07-28, version 2.0* How could this update possibly be an ‘improvement’ when the dark blue background makes it impossible to see clearly and the font size be so tiny even when you choose the biggest size? Why tear down something good and loved by users and replace it with something so inferior? ### 1/5 — Screen freeze *2023-06-26, version 1.23* Tried using tonight after mentioning to prayer team. Launched but could not move pages. ### 1/5 — No sound *2023-03-03, version 1.22* Sadly I have no sound on this app. I have tried deleting and reinstalling but the same issue remains. ### 1/5 — Confirmation *2019-03-25, version 1.22* I don’t like when I’m taught about God as much as other subjects so when I was forced to download this since I do confirmation. Now I don’t use it at all ### 1/5 — Type size is too small for ease-of-viewing on iPhone *2018-02-24, version 1.09* I’ve tried to make the typestyle larger or bolder; not meeting my needs. Sorry ### 1/5 — K *2016-09-16, version 1.09* K den dis app tho ### 2/5 — Previous version much better *2024-07-17, version 2.0* I just downloaded the new version of this app, and I’m very disappointed. The white text is difficult to read against the blue background. All of the backgrounds are the same. There’s no music anymore. And it now counts your activity in a day “streak” as if this were a game. I enjoyed using the previous version, but dislike the updated version so much I will likely be deleting this app I wish I had not downloaded the update. ### 2/5 — Needs work and editing *2016-03-24, version 1.04* Selection of new examen is unresponsive. I tap the selection, it momentarily highlights. Have to keep tapping the screen...not sure what actually gets the new examen to appear or if it is just very slow. One of two of the texts that I did get to have what I think are easily avoidable uses of male pronoun for God. Will check back in a few weeks to see if improvements made. Not something I'd bother with in its current state. (Tested in iPad mini and iPad both with 9.2) ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Absolutely Fantastic! *2025-07-04, version 2.0* This helps me so much prompt what helps discernment. On my own as a new learner it is hard to know what to do. This has great prompts and variety!! Absolutely Fantastic App!! Thank you! ### 5/5 — Simple but effective! *2025-06-09* Fulfils exactly what I was searching for: a simple daily examen based on Catholic teachings. The app guides you enough that you don’t have to worry about the structure of the examen, but not so much that it interrupts you from your reflection. I also love the variety and how you can choose an examen that suits whatever the Lord puts on your heart for that day. A good way to start if you have an Apple watch is sit in a favourite chair, use the 60 second breath mode on your watch to put you in the zone, then do the examen. Great job to the developer for providing this all for free! ### 5/5 — Excellent *2024-10-19, version 2.0* Only on day 3 but finding this exceptionally good to really see myself and to experience God’s healing. ### 5/5 — Good *2024-09-12, version 2.0* Content is helpful and useful structure for prayer. Redesign is excellent, more accessible and makes better use of space. Well done all! ### 5/5 — What happened to the music? *2024-06-27, version 2.0* Where did the option for music go? ### 5/5 — Deeply grateful *2024-03-06, version 1.23* My mind often skitters during prayerful reflection and this app has helped me greatly to focus. Even tempts me to try different options later to reconnect with Him. Thank you very much. ### 5/5 — It is the door into a deeper relationship with God *2023-09-22* I tried for years to make the EXAMEN part of my prayer life but could “never find the time”. This leads me through a prayer process I can do anywhere, any time. Waiting in line. Before lunch. It quickly guides me into self-reflection, gratitude, awareness of God’s movement in my life and a desire for a closer relationship. I now put a reminder on my phone and open myself up to grace. ### 5/5 — Delightful Examen Experience *2023-06-12* I’ve loved this app for quite some time as a little variety here and there is so helpful for my examen time. With the latest update, I don’t have to worry about losing my place when my phone autolocks so I can really focus on my time with God without paying so much attention to my phone. I can enter into long periods of prayer between pages without lugging around a book. Fantastic app and so grateful for the latest update! **Developer response:** Thank you for sharing your thoughts! We are glad to hear that the recent update has helped your time of uninterrupted time with God. ### 5/5 — Try it? *2022-08-17, version 1.22* This has been a great help to me. ### 5/5 — Love it but have suggestion *2021-02-05* This is a fabulous prayer tool. Just one suggestion could you please put in a setting so that we can ‘lock-in’ our preferred Examen rather than have it change each time. And for those who want it to change each time, another setting for that. Thanks you ! 👍😊. --- *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 2026-06-29.*