Your first meditation with MindIsland: every button explained

MindIsland gives you one meditation to try. After that you need a subscription. So it is worth preparing this first session well. In this guide we explain every button you need for it. The app is in English. So we always give the English name and say what it means.

What you need

• MindIsland on your phone. We explain how to download the app in our guides for iPhone and Android.
• An internet connection. The app creates the meditation over the internet.
• About ten quiet minutes. Even if you only meditate for three minutes, you need a little time to settle in.
• A comfortable place. A chair, an armchair or the sofa will do.
• Headphones, if you like. They help when it is noisy around you.

What it costs

The first meditation is free. After that you need MindIsland Premium, a subscription (you pay regularly until you cancel). On 10 October 2026, “MindIsland Premium Monthly” cost 12.99 dollars a month in the US App Store. You will see the price in pounds in the store before you pay. For this guide you pay nothing.

Think first: what would you like to meditate on?

What makes MindIsland special: the app creates a meditation on your concern. Think of a short sentence beforehand. For example:

• “I am nervous about visiting my children.”
• “I cannot switch off in the evening.”
• “I would simply like to feel calmer.”

A simple, honest sentence is enough. Do not write names, addresses or other private details in it.

Step by step: every button

1. Open MindIsland. You see the home screen. At the top you will usually find a suggested meditation, and below it sections to browse.
2. Tap “Create meditation”. A new page opens.
3. Read the question at the top. It says “What would you like to meditate on?”
4. Tap in the field below it. A keyboard appears. Write your sentence. Next to the field you will also see a microphone symbol. You can use it to speak instead of typing.
5. Choose the length. You see three options: 3, 5 or 10 minutes. For the first session we recommend 3 or 5 minutes.
6. Choose a voice. The app offers several calm voices, for example “Luna – Female” (a female voice). The voices are computer voices, not recorded speakers.
7. Choose whether you want background sound. This is quiet music to match the mood. When the voice speaks, the music gets quieter. You can leave it out too.
8. Sit or lie down comfortably.
9. Tap “Start meditation”. The app only needs a few seconds.

What happens on the screen afterwards

Once it starts, you see the player (the page where the meditation runs). There are buttons to pause and to play on. You can close your eyes. You do not need to press anything else.

Every session begins with a breath: in for four seconds, a short pause, out for six seconds. Then the voice addresses your concern. After that it helps you see it a little more calmly. At the end it guides you to rest with breathing and silence.

After the meditation

• Rate it: you can rate the session or save it as a favourite. Then you can easily find it again.
• History: the app counts your sessions, your streak (days in a row) and your total time.
• Offline: the meditation is saved on your phone. You can listen to the last ten sessions without the internet.

The most important words on the screen

These are the words you will come across most often during your first meditation:

Word in the app	What it means for you
Create meditation	have a new, personal meditation created
What would you like to meditate on?	this is where you write your sentence
Minutes / min	the length of the meditation
Voice	the voice that reads it out
Start meditation	the meditation begins
Library	the collection of ready-made meditations
Settings	the app’s settings

When is the best moment?

Because the first meditation is free, it is worth picking a good time. Choose a moment when you do not have to rush off straight away. Put your phone on silent if calls would disturb you. Tell others in the household briefly. That way you are undisturbed for a few minutes and can really try out whether you like the app.

Good to know

• You are allowed to open your eyes, move or cough during the meditation. That is completely normal.
• If you fall asleep, that is not a mistake. It shows you were relaxed.
• MindIsland is not a medical device and not a substitute for medical advice. The app is meant for relaxation and reflection.
• The meditations are in English.

If something goes wrong

• Can’t find “Create meditation”? Go back to the home screen. Swipe slowly down and up.
• Nothing happens after you start? Check your internet connection. Wait a moment.
• You hear nothing? Check the volume on the side of your phone. Are headphones connected? Is the mute switch on your iPhone on?
• You cancelled by accident? Look in your history. You will find earlier meditations there.

You can read more about the app at mindisland.app. We explain words like “offline” or “subscription” in the glossary.