Whether you’re a seasoned user of Bear or just starting out, there are always things to discover. We strive to keep your workspace clean and clutter-free, revealing features only when you need them. This design philosophy ensures that you can focus on your writing without distractions.
In this blog, we’ll share 5 hidden features that you may or may not have found yet. These features are exclusively in Bear on Mac, but don’t worry, we will share part 2 with iOS hidden features soon! Now let’s dive in!
Instant Search
Bear automatically triggers the search function when you focus on the note list and start typing. This means you don’t need to click on the search bar or navigate away from the note list. Simply begin typing, and Bear will start filtering your notes.
This feature is designed to make finding notes faster and more intuitive. Whether you have a few notes or hundreds, this instant search capability helps you quickly locate the information you need without disrupting your writing process.
Detach Info Panel
A flexible way to keep important details at your fingertips is by detaching the info panel. You can easily do this by dragging the info panel to the side of your screen. Once detached, the panel remains visible even as you switch between different notes.
As you navigate through your notes, the information in the panel updates automatically to reflect the details of the current note you’re viewing. This feature is especially useful for keeping track of word counts and other metadata without repeatedly opening and closing the info panel.
Our info panel holds many more features you may be interested in learning about, check out this FAQ page.
Quick Open (⌘ O)
Our Quick Open feature is designed to make navigating your notes faster and easier. Using a simple keyboard shortcut, the Quick Open box appears, regardless of what you’re doing in the app. This lets you quickly access any note, tag, or section without interrupting your workflow.
Just type the first few letters of a note,#tag, or @section into the Quick Open box, and Bear will instantly display matching results. Select the desired item, and you’ll jump right to it.
Want to know more about Quick Open? Check out this blog post for a deep dive!
Add links to a local file
You can simplify referencing local documents by adding links to a local file in Bear. This feature is particularly useful for keeping all relevant information connected without uploading documents located on your devices. It’s easy to add a link to a local file:
- Open the Edit Link Panel (⌘ K)
- Type
file://in the URL section - Drag the file from its location on your Mac into the URL section
- The path to the file is now added
- Press Done
Note: This doesn’t upload the actual file to your Bear notes; clicking the link will merely navigate you to the file on your Mac. The link will not work anymore if the file path changes.
Whether you need to quickly access a document for a project or keep track of important local resources, adding links to local files ensures that everything you need is just a click away.
Double Click a Note to Open in a New Window
Enhance your productivity by working on multiple notes simultaneously. Simply double-click on a note to open it in a new window. This feature is ideal for multitasking or referencing different notes side by side.
To further streamline your workflow, you can use the “Window > Float on Top” option. This keeps your Bear notes always visible on top of other windows, ensuring you don’t lose track of important information while working with other applications.
New Abilities Unlocked
This is only the tip of the iceberg! We have so many secrets to share, from instant search and detached info panels to quick open options and linking local documents, Bear empowers you to work smarter and more efficiently.
Reach out to us on Reddit, Twitter, Facebook, our new Community Forum, or directly at bear@shinyfrog.net ❤️