Popular note-taking platform Bear received an update on Wednesday across Mac and iOS that adds a number of community-requested features to the Apple Notes rival.

Top of the feature list in version 1.2.2 is the ability to highlight parts of notes in a neon color to indicate importance, by bracketing text in "::" tags.

Bear Notes MacOver on the Mac, it's now possible to break out Bear notes into separate windows for easy reference between multiple entries, simply by double-clicking them in the notes list.

To simplify organization, Bear 1.2.2 also has a new option to edit note tags right from the sidebar and notes list. To do this on Mac, click a tag in the sidebar to view all notes with that tag, and then right-click any note and select "Remove tag (X)". The same option can be accessed on iPhone and iPad by tapping a tag in the sidebar, swiping left on a note, and tapping More.

In addition, the app has gained some new advanced search options or "Special Search" triggers. It's now possible to add "@today" or "@yesterday" to searches to find notes with those creation dates. The new functions join existing triggers such as "@untagged" to find all untagged notes, "@tasks" for all notes that contain tasks, and "@files" for notes that have attachments.

Elsewhere, there's new shortcuts for quickly inputting the current date/time in various formats, a new Print Note option and note counter at the top of the notes list, while an AirDrop option has been added over on iOS Share Sheets. It's also now possible to share notes as rich text.

Bear is available to download on the App Store for iPad and iPhone [Direct Link], as well as on the Mac App Store [Direct Link].

Top Rated Comments

heretiq Avatar
96 months ago
i'm still not going to periodically pay $15 for a sync feature. they need to fix their business model. would GLADLY pay $20-$30 one time for a great notes app.
There is nothing to fix in their business model. This is simply the model they've chosen to make their business sustainable. I'm happy to pay $15 a year for Bear. This price is a bargain for a professional, high-quality, multi-device app that I use every day -- from a team of talented professionals who pour their life energies into creating and regularly maintaining a useful, usable and beautiful tool.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ignatius345 Avatar
96 months ago
Why would you pay for this, let alone something like Ulysses? I fail to see the point, entirely. Unless the point is "choice", in which case I suppose it is...
The beauty of there being thousands of Mac developers out there is that there are apps being built and sold which meet the needs and desires of different people, so people are free to pay for things you yourself might not want or need.

Let me break it down for you.

For example, let's say someone (you, maybe) has no need for Ulysses' organizing, syncing and editing features, and doesn't want to pay for Ulysses. Hmm. Thorny problem. Why should you pay for this app you have no use for? Seems very unfair, right? The great news is, as it turns out, you don't have to! In fact, you can find and download whatever app meets your needs, maybe a free one like Notes or TextEdit, maybe something else.

Alright, now you're asking, "Yeah, but what about Ulysses? It makes me mad that someone would pay for that when I don't need its features."

Great question. Turns out other people have different needs than you. Crazy, right? So let's say some nutjob actually wants to blow their hard-earned money on an app like Ulysses because they want all these extra features, like iCloud sync, and all these output options, and organizing features. Maybe they "write a lot" or whatever. Get this: they can still pay for Ulysses, get use out of it and support the developers who make it, and, crazily, it doesn't actually obligate you to buy Ulysses at all! Is your head exploding right now, or what? I know mine is.

Anyway, turns out your using whatever you use and someone using Ulysses (or whatever) are not mutually exclusive. Both can happen at the same time.

What a crazy world we live in!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleInLVX Avatar
96 months ago
The beauty of there being thousands of Mac developers out there is that there are apps being built and sold which meet the needs and desires of different people, so people are free to pay for things you yourself might not want or need.

Let me break it down for you.

For example, let's say someone (you, maybe) has no need for Ulysses' organizing, syncing and editing features, and doesn't want to pay for Ulysses. Hmm. Thorny problem. Why should you pay for this app you have no use for? Seems very unfair, right? The great news is, as it turns out, you don't have to! In fact, you can find and download whatever app meets your needs, maybe a free one like Notes or TextEdit, maybe something else.

Alright, now you're asking, "Yeah, but what about Ulysses? It makes me mad that someone would pay for that when I don't need its features."

Great question. Turns out other people have different needs than you. Crazy, right? So let's say some nutjob actually wants to blow their hard-earned money on an app like Ulysses because they want all these extra features, like iCloud sync, and all these output options, and organizing features. Maybe they "write a lot" or whatever. Get this: they can still pay for Ulysses, get use out of it and support the developers who make it, and, crazily, it doesn't actually obligate you to buy Ulysses at all! Is your head exploding right now, or what? I know mine is.

Anyway, turns out your using whatever you use and someone using Ulysses (or whatever) are not mutually exclusive. Both can happen at the same time.

What a crazy world we live in!
Feeling punchy? :D Thank you for the great read. Can always use a laugh. I was going to outline the reasons why I, as resident nutjob, use Ulysses, but this is a far better response.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ignatius345 Avatar
96 months ago
Feeling punchy? :D Thank you for the great read. Can always use a laugh. I was going to outline the reasons why I, as resident nutjob, use Ulysses, but this is a far better response.
Thanks, and if 20 minutes spent responding on a web forum lets me procrastinate actually writing, it's time well spent.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleInLVX Avatar
96 months ago
Anyone who doesn't like the business model, do what I do and just use Ulysses. It's served me well for years, and no bloody SaaS.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ikir Avatar
96 months ago
Yes I agree, Bear is awesome, super fast on iOS and macOS, they implement many new features constantly, paying 15$/year it is well deserved for their work
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
airtag purple

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development. Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag. Timing Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
Magic Mouse Next to Keyboard

No, Apple CEO Tim Cook Didn't Say He Prefers Logitech's MX Master 3 Over the Magic Mouse

Sunday November 17, 2024 3:03 pm PST by
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false. The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Surpass iPhone 6 as Thinnest iPhone Ever

Monday November 18, 2024 1:07 pm PST by
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick. "We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote. If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Make Sure to Update: iOS 18.1.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:52 am PST by
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices. With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...
apple card feature2

Apple Card 3% Daily Cash Back Now Available From Two More Apple Partners

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:36 am PST by
Apple has partnered with select merchants to offer Apple Card users three percent Daily Cash back on their purchases, and two new companies were added to the partner list today. When purchasing goods and services from Booking.com and ChargePoint, Apple Card users will now get more cash back. Booking.com is a site for reserving flights, cars, cruises, and hotels, while ChargePoint sells...