# Bear

How the Bear export works, from connecting to fixing problems.

## Connect

The Bear card shows when Bear is installed. Press "connect": the panel opens in Bear's Application Data folder, `~/Library/Group Containers/9K33E3U3T4.net.shinyfrog.bear/Application Data`. Press "Select this folder", then "select export folder".

## Where the files go

Each note lands in a folder named after its first tag in alphabetical order, and a `/` in that tag makes subfolders: a note tagged `#work/projects` goes to `work/projects/`. The file is named after the note. Two notes with the same title under the same first tag each get their own file, with a short id at the end of the name, like Apple Notes'. A folder right in your home folder, like `~/Documents`, gets a `bear-export` folder inside it; a deeper one is used as it is.

## What is exported

Selection is by tag: every tagged note, or only the tags you tick. Recent, Pinned, Archived and Files (notes with attachments) sit beside Tags as lists.

Left out: notes with no tag, encrypted notes and the trash.

## Attachments

Images and files are copied into `attachments/` next to the note, and the note's links are rewritten to point at the copies.

## Markdown and HTML

Markdown is Bear's own text, exactly as Bear stores it. "switch to html" on the `format` row writes the note's plain text inside a `<pre>`, with attachments copied but not linked: keep Markdown. One format at a time; switching leaves the other format's files behind.

## The file

Bear files carry no front matter: the file is the note as Bear stores it, #tags included.

## Free

Bear exports free, with no limit and no purchase.

## Sync and full resync

After the first "sync now", edits in Bear are written to the files while Exporter runs. When you delete, rename or retag a note, the next sync removes its old file.

"full resync" asks first, then removes only the files Exporter wrote and writes every ticked note again. Anything else in the export folder stays.

## Problems and fixes

- "database not found" or "invalid database": press "connect" again and select the folder the panel opens in
- "Nothing is ticked to export. Tick at least one tag.": tick a tag; "sync now" and "full resync" stay off until you do
- "Bear is not connected any more. Connect it again to export.": press "connect"
- a note is missing: give it a tag in Bear, and check it is not encrypted or in the trash

## Related

- [Bear](https://exporter.dev/bear): Bear notes in a folder, free, no limit
- [Bear guides](https://exporter.dev/guides/bear): Bear notes in Obsidian
- [Help](https://exporter.dev/docs/help): Problems and questions, with fixes

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human version: https://exporter.dev/docs/bear
every page: https://exporter.dev/llms.txt