LINE Keep Memo vs Simple Memo
Differences & How to Switch
Keep Memo — your private chat room — still works. What ended on August 28, 2024 was LINE Keep, the storage feature. This page compares the still-active Keep Memo with Simple Memo: memos kept in your own email inbox, no LINE dependency, offline support, on-device AES-GCM encryption. For the full shutdown story and alternatives, see our LINE Keep alternatives guide.
Keep Memo — your private chat room — still works inside the LINE app. However, data stored in LINE Keep was deleted and cannot be recovered, and Keep Memo's backup depends on LINE's chat-history backup.
What Is LINE Keep Memo? (Still Available)
LINE Keep Memo is a feature that lets you jot notes into a private chat room with yourself inside the LINE app. It's quick — like messaging yourself text or images — and widely used in Japan where LINE is a daily habit. It still works today. What ended on August 28, 2024 was LINE Keep, the storage feature that handled long-term saving; data stored there was deleted. Keep Memo itself also has constraints: search stays inside LINE, and backups depend on LINE's chat-history backup.
Comparison Table: Simple Memo vs LINE Keep Memo
| Feature | Simple Memo | LINE Keep Memo |
|---|---|---|
| Service Status | Active | Active (LINE Keep ended Aug 2024) |
| LINE Account | Not required | Mandatory |
| Launch Speed (warm launch, iPhone 16e) | 0.4s | Not measured |
| Data Storage | Your email inbox | Private LINE chat room |
| Email Send | One-tap | None |
| Offline Support | Outbox auto-resend | Not stated publicly |
| Encryption | AES-GCM (on device) | Not stated publicly |
| Platform Dependency | No LINE needed (sent through the developer's relay and a delivery provider) | LINE-dependent |
| Free Plan | 3 sends/day | Free (built into LINE) |
| Export / Backup | Arrives in your email each time you send | Depends on LINE's chat-history backup |
6 Differences from LINE Keep Memo
-
1
LINE-Dependent vs Independent App
LINE Keep Memo is a feature inside the LINE app, requiring a LINE account. Simple Memo is a fully independent app that works with just an email address. No LINE account changes or policy shifts can affect it. -
2
Beyond-Text Support
Keep Memo handles text and images. But LINE Keep — the storage feature that handled long-term saving — ended in August 2024, and data stored there was deleted. Simple Memo focuses on text; sent memos stay in your email inbox (how long they are kept follows your email provider's policy). -
3
Searchability
LINE Keep Memo's search is limited to within the LINE app. Memos sent via Simple Memo are searchable through Gmail, Outlook, or any email client's powerful search engine — even memos from years ago can be found. -
4
Backup Reliability
Keep Memo's backup depends on LINE's chat-history backup. Every memo you send with Simple Memo arrives in your email inbox, so sending is the only step needed to keep it. -
5
What the LINE Keep Shutdown Showed
LINE Keep's shutdown and data deletion highlighted the risks of platform dependency. Keep Memo continues, but it shares the same LINE-dependent structure. Memos you send with Simple Memo arrive as email — a universal protocol — so once sent, they do not depend on any single app's service continuing. -
6
Launch Steps
LINE Keep Memo requires opening the LINE app and navigating to the Keep Memo chat room (2+ steps). Simple Memo launches in 0.4 seconds (warm launch, iPhone 16e) with a single tap on the app icon (1 step).
Switching from LINE Keep Memo
- Download from App Store — Search "Simple Memo" or use the button below.
- Set your email address — Enter any email address as your destination. Works with Gmail, iCloud, Outlook, or any provider.
- Start capturing immediately — No need to open LINE. Launch Simple Memo and start typing in 0.4 seconds (warm launch, iPhone 16e). One tap to send.
Why Email Storage Beats Chat App Storage
Data Preservation Strategy After LINE Keep's Shutdown
On August 28, 2024, LINE Keep (the storage feature) shut down as announced, deleting all stored data. Data that wasn't saved before the deadline was deleted with the service. This event showed the weakness of platform-dependent data storage. Even on a massive platform like LINE, a feature shutdown erases data permanently. Keep Memo continues, but the same structural risk remains — as it does for memo features embedded within other apps.
Simple Memo's email-based approach is one way to prepare for this problem. Memos are sent as emails and stored in your own inbox. Whether you use Gmail, iCloud Mail, or Outlook, your memos stay in your email account (for as long as your mailbox keeps them). Even if Simple Memo as an app were to shut down, your sent memos remain completely unaffected. Keeping sent memos in the user's own email account is a design informed by the LINE Keep lesson.
Our advice for those seeking a LINE Keep Memo replacement: choose a data destination that does not depend on any single app. Services that lock data inside their own ecosystem carry shutdown risk. Simple Memo sends memos using an open standard (email), so the memos you send stay in your inbox through device upgrades or app switches (changing email providers means moving your mail). It is one simple way to prepare for a loss like LINE Keep's.
FAQ
Can Simple Memo save images and videos like LINE Keep Memo did?
Simple Memo specializes in instant text capture. It does not support image or video storage, but text memos arrive in your email inbox, so they don't disappear if an app-side service shuts down the way LINE Keep did (how long email is kept follows your email provider's policy).
Does Simple Memo feel the same as LINE Keep Memo?
The experience differs. LINE Keep Memo used a chat-style interface, while Simple Memo uses a simple input-and-send flow. The goal of "quickly jotting down a note" is the same, but the storage destination shifts from a LINE chat to your own email inbox.
Is there any way to recover data stored in LINE Keep?
Unfortunately, recovery is impossible. Data stored in LINE Keep was permanently deleted when the storage feature ended on August 28, 2024. Your Keep Memo chat content is still viewable in LINE. Going forward, an email-based tool like Simple Memo helps reduce the risk of platform-dependent data loss.
Can I use Simple Memo alongside LINE?
Yes. Simple Memo is fully independent from LINE, so you can use both simultaneously. Use LINE for communication and Simple Memo for instant personal memo capture — they complement each other naturally.
Can I set my LINE email address as Simple Memo's destination?
Yes. Any email address works, including the one registered with LINE. Gmail, iCloud, Outlook, work email — all supported as destinations.
