Beacon 1.0.10

Beacon 1.0.10 — the fast, private macOS search that replaces Spotlight
and fixes Finder's blind spots.

Install

1. Download Beacon-1.0.10.dmg below and open it.
2. Double-click Beacon. It installs itself into Applications and
   relaunches from there. (Dragging to Applications works too.)
3. Press Option + S anywhere to search. Beacon lives in the menu bar.

Signed with a Developer ID and notarized by Apple — no security warnings.

What's new in 1.0.10

• Free for now — no paywall. Download Beacon and start searching
  immediately. No account, no license key, no trial gate.
• AI mode. Describe what you're looking for in plain language and
  Beacon returns the actual files, messages, and emails — not a chat reply.
  Includes vision (find images by description) and relative-date parsing
  ("photos from months ago"). Bring your own OpenAI, Claude, or Gemini key.
• Photo Library. Search your Apple Photos library as a first-class
  source alongside Recents and file search.
• Developer filter. Opt-in source-code search for project files, with
  code-repo junk pruned from Recents and other everyday file views.
• Cleaner Recents / file browsing. Project folders and repository
  internals no longer drown out the downloads, screenshots, and docs you
  actually want.
• Automatic updates. Beacon updates itself via Sparkle after install.
• Launch at login. Survives reboots; toggle it from the menu-bar menu.

Full Disk Access (optional)

Messages, Notes, Mail, and Safari history need macOS Full Disk Access:
open a protected filter in Beacon, click Open Settings, flip the
toggle, then Quit & Reopen. File search needs no permissions at all.

Beacon 1.0.9

Beacon 1.0.9 — the fast, private macOS search that replaces Spotlight
and fixes Finder's blind spots.

Install

1. Download Beacon-1.0.9.dmg below and open it.
2. Double-click Beacon. It installs itself into Applications and
   relaunches from there. (Dragging to Applications works too.)
3. Press Option + S anywhere to search. Beacon lives in the menu bar.

Signed with a Developer ID and notarized by Apple — no security warnings.

What's new in 1.0.9

• Automatic updates. Beacon now updates itself (Sparkle). This is the
  last version you'll ever need to download by hand.
• Launch at login. Beacon survives reboots; toggle it from the
  menu-bar menu.
• AI mode (new). Describe what you're looking for in plain language and
  Beacon returns the actual files, messages, and emails — not a chat reply.
  Bring your own OpenAI, Claude, or Gemini key. Off by default; opt in from
  the AI toggle.
• Full-disk file search. Find files from any time, not just recent ones.
• Free for now. Beacon is currently free while we move payments to a new
  processor. The source stays public and free to build yourself.
• Search you can trust. Folder results refresh mid-session and deleted
  folders stop haunting results; videos found by type are no longer
  dropped (and TypeScript files no longer masquerade as videos); Docs,
  Photos, and Videos browsing skips repo junk instead of burying real
  files; the Screenshots filter honors your custom screenshot folder;
  Calendar finally shows recent and upcoming events.
• Ranking that respects your query. Exact-name matches rank first —
  across every source in the All view too.
• Fresher data. New texts, notes, browser history, and mail are
  findable mid-session without relaunching; contact-name search works the
  moment Contacts loads.
• Much faster media browsing. Scrolling Photos/Videos no longer
  restarts the search per page; thumbnails load in view order.
• Fixes. Quick Look no longer dismisses the panel; Cmd+C copies
  selected search text; fast typing can't open the wrong result; stores
  report real errors instead of wrongly demanding Full Disk Access.

Full Disk Access (optional)

Messages, Notes, Mail, and Safari history need macOS Full Disk Access:
open a protected filter in Beacon, click Open Settings, flip the
toggle, then Quit & Reopen. File search needs no permissions at all.

Beacon 1.0.8

Beacon 1.0.8 — the fast, private macOS search that replaces Spotlight
and fixes Finder's blind spots.

Install

1. Download Beacon-1.0.8.dmg below and open it.
2. Double-click Beacon. It installs itself into Applications and
   relaunches from there. (Dragging to Applications works too.)
3. Press Option + S anywhere to search. Beacon lives in the menu bar.

Signed with a Developer ID and notarized by Apple — no security warnings.

What's new in 1.0.8

• Automatic updates. Beacon now updates itself (Sparkle). This is the
  last version you'll ever need to download by hand.
• Launch at login. Beacon survives reboots; toggle it from the
  menu-bar menu.
• Licensing. Beacon is $15/year at https://beaconmac.com — enter your
  key via the menu-bar icon → Enter License. The source stays public and
  free to build yourself.
• Search you can trust. Folder results refresh mid-session and deleted
  folders stop haunting results; videos found by type are no longer
  dropped (and TypeScript files no longer masquerade as videos); Docs,
  Photos, and Videos browsing skips repo junk instead of burying real
  files; the Screenshots filter honors your custom screenshot folder;
  Calendar finally shows recent and upcoming events.
• Ranking that respects your query. Exact-name matches rank first —
  across every source in the All view too.
• Fresher data. New texts, notes, browser history, and mail are
  findable mid-session without relaunching; contact-name search works the
  moment Contacts loads.
• Much faster media browsing. Scrolling Photos/Videos no longer
  restarts the search per page; thumbnails load in view order.
• Fixes. Quick Look no longer dismisses the panel; Cmd+C copies
  selected search text; fast typing can't open the wrong result; stores
  report real errors instead of wrongly demanding Full Disk Access.

Full Disk Access (optional)

Messages, Notes, Mail, and Safari history need macOS Full Disk Access:
open a protected filter in Beacon, click Open Settings, flip the
toggle, then Quit & Reopen. File search needs no permissions at all.

Beacon 1.0.6

Beacon 1.0.6 - a fast, native macOS search launcher.

Install

1. Download Beacon-1.0.6.dmg below and open it.
2. Double-click Beacon. That's it - it installs itself into Applications,
   relaunches from there, and opens the search bar with a quick hotkey tip.
   (Dragging to the Applications folder still works too, if you prefer.)
3. Press Option + S anywhere to open the search bar. Press Esc to dismiss.
   Beacon lives in the menu bar (its beacon icon) - no Dock icon or main window.

This build is signed with a Developer ID and notarized by Apple, so it opens
without security warnings.

Search your text messages (optional)

Beacon can search your iMessage & SMS history. macOS protects the Messages
database, so this needs Full Disk Access (a one-time, manual toggle that
Apple requires for any app reading Messages):

1. In Beacon, press Option + S and click the Messages filter.
2. Click Open Settings - this jumps straight to
   System Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Full Disk Access.
3. Find Beacon in the list and turn its switch on.
   (Beacon adds itself to this list automatically - no need for the "+" button.)
4. Choose Quit & Reopen when prompted.

Now select the Messages filter and search by word, phrase, or contact.
Return opens the conversation in Messages; Cmd + C copies the text.

The same Full Disk Access toggle also unlocks Notes and Safari
history. (Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Arc history work without it.)

File search needs no permissions and works the moment you launch Beacon.
Full Disk Access only unlocks Messages, Notes, Safari history, and a few
protected folders.

Highlights

• Unified "All" search - the All tab blends files & apps, messages, and
  notes into one grouped, ranked list. Chips included in All show a small dot;
  Clipboard and History are opt-in via their own chips.
• Recents that actually works - the Recents filter shows files you've
  opened, saved, or added recently, including fresh images/videos/downloads,
  while filtering out app internals, caches, folders, and other Finder noise.
  Type to narrow within the recent-files timeline.
• Clipboard history - everything you copy is captured locally and
  searchable under the Clipboard filter. Return copies it back, ready
  to paste. Private/transient copies (password managers) are skipped.
• Browser history - the History filter searches every page you've
  visited across Safari, Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Arc (all profiles).
  Return opens it; Cmd + C copies the link.
• System Settings shortcuts - the Settings filter jumps straight to
  Wi-Fi, Displays, Privacy, Full Disk Access, Keyboard, Battery, and more.
• Notes search - search across all your Apple Notes; Return opens the
  exact note.

What's new in 1.0.6

• More reliable app search. Beacon now handles stale app results better,
  improves app ranking, and keeps downloaded/third-party apps easier to find.
• Search reliability tests. New automated tests cover app matching, ranking,
  and fallback search behavior so launcher regressions are easier to catch.
• Sharper Beacon branding. The app icon, menu-bar mark, favicon, and website
  navigation have been refreshed for a cleaner product presentation.
• Connected-source search. Beacon now includes first-pass local Mail and
  Calendar sources, with permission-aware previews and results alongside your
  existing files, messages, notes, history, and settings.
• Customizable filters. You can edit which source chips appear in Beacon,
  with cleaner controls and a saved layout so the launcher matches how you work.
• More reliable protected-source handling. Database-backed sources now have
  clearer access requirements and preview behavior when macOS permissions are
  needed.
• A new glass interface. Beacon now uses a clearer, more modern macOS
  material with continuous 24-point corners, subtle specular highlights,
  floating glass filter controls, and improved spacing throughout.
• Clearer result selection. The active result uses a restrained light-blue
  tint so names, paths, metadata, and icons remain easy to read.
• Cleaner thumbnails. File previews and app icons no longer sit inside
  redundant outlined image holders.
• Fresh screenshot/download fast lane. Recents now checks Desktop,
  Downloads, configured screenshot folders, and iCloud equivalents before the
  deeper crawl, so brand-new screenshots show up immediately even on Macs with
  huge folders.
• Better intent ranking. Beacon now favors exact phrase and standalone-word
  matches across Messages, Notes, History, Clipboard, Apps, Recents, Settings,
  and file names, so main beats maintain and IG beats random
  substrings.
• Expanded Settings shortcuts. The Settings filter now includes direct
  matches for Storage, Network, Login Items, Passwords, Touch ID & Password,
  Software Update, Date & Time, and more relevant keyword ranking.
• Recents is now filesystem-backed. Fresh Safari saves, screenshots, and
  downloads show up immediately without relying on Spotlight/Finder Recents.
• File thumbnails. Images, PDFs, videos, and many docs now show Quick Look
  previews in file rows instead of generic icons.
• History favicons. Browser-history rows load site icons directly from the
  visited site (no third-party favicon service), with better fallbacks for
  sites that don't expose their standard favicon.
• Downloaded apps show up. Apps are scanned directly from application
  folders, so third-party/external installs like Chrome, Claude, Cursor, and
  Discord show in Apps and All.
• System Settings filter. A new last filter jumps directly to common
  System Settings panes like Wi-Fi, Privacy, Full Disk Access, Displays,
  Keyboard, Battery, and more.
• Custom menu-bar icon. Beacon now uses a small template Beacon lens mark
  in the menu bar instead of Apple's generic search glyph.
• Expanded GitHub docs. The README now explains what Beacon can do, why it
  avoids Spotlight/Finder's common failure modes, and how the local scanners
  work.

Upgrading from an earlier version? Just replace the app in Applications -
your Full Disk Access setting carries over. Clipboard history starts recording
as soon as you launch this build.

Beacon 1.0.5

Beacon 1.0.5 - a fast, native macOS search launcher.

Install

1. Download Beacon-1.0.5.dmg below and open it.
2. Double-click Beacon. That's it - it installs itself into Applications,
   relaunches from there, and opens the search bar with a quick hotkey tip.
   (Dragging to the Applications folder still works too, if you prefer.)
3. Press Option + S anywhere to open the search bar. Press Esc to dismiss.
   Beacon lives in the menu bar (its beacon icon) - no Dock icon or main window.

This build is signed with a Developer ID and notarized by Apple, so it opens
without security warnings.

Search your text messages (optional)

Beacon can search your iMessage & SMS history. macOS protects the Messages
database, so this needs Full Disk Access (a one-time, manual toggle that
Apple requires for any app reading Messages):

1. In Beacon, press Option + S and click the Messages filter.
2. Click Open Settings - this jumps straight to
   System Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Full Disk Access.
3. Find Beacon in the list and turn its switch on.
   (Beacon adds itself to this list automatically - no need for the "+" button.)
4. Choose Quit & Reopen when prompted.

Now select the Messages filter and search by word, phrase, or contact.
Return opens the conversation in Messages; Cmd + C copies the text.

The same Full Disk Access toggle also unlocks Notes and Safari
history. (Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Arc history work without it.)

File search needs no permissions and works the moment you launch Beacon.
Full Disk Access only unlocks Messages, Notes, Safari history, and a few
protected folders.

Highlights

• Unified "All" search - the All tab blends files & apps, messages, and
  notes into one grouped, ranked list. Chips included in All show a small dot;
  Clipboard and History are opt-in via their own chips.
• Recents that actually works - the Recents filter shows files you've
  opened, saved, or added recently, including fresh images/videos/downloads,
  while filtering out app internals, caches, folders, and other Finder noise.
  Type to narrow within the recent-files timeline.
• Clipboard history - everything you copy is captured locally and
  searchable under the Clipboard filter. Return copies it back, ready
  to paste. Private/transient copies (password managers) are skipped.
• Browser history - the History filter searches every page you've
  visited across Safari, Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Arc (all profiles).
  Return opens it; Cmd + C copies the link.
• System Settings shortcuts - the Settings filter jumps straight to
  Wi-Fi, Displays, Privacy, Full Disk Access, Keyboard, Battery, and more.
• Notes search - search across all your Apple Notes; Return opens the
  exact note.

What's new in 1.0.5

• Connected-source search. Beacon now includes first-pass local Mail and
  Calendar sources, with permission-aware previews and results alongside your
  existing files, messages, notes, history, and settings.
• Customizable filters. You can edit which source chips appear in Beacon,
  with cleaner controls and a saved layout so the launcher matches how you work.
• More reliable protected-source handling. Database-backed sources now have
  clearer access requirements and preview behavior when macOS permissions are
  needed.
• A new glass interface. Beacon now uses a clearer, more modern macOS
  material with continuous 24-point corners, subtle specular highlights,
  floating glass filter controls, and improved spacing throughout.
• Clearer result selection. The active result uses a restrained light-blue
  tint so names, paths, metadata, and icons remain easy to read.
• Cleaner thumbnails. File previews and app icons no longer sit inside
  redundant outlined image holders.
• Fresh screenshot/download fast lane. Recents now checks Desktop,
  Downloads, configured screenshot folders, and iCloud equivalents before the
  deeper crawl, so brand-new screenshots show up immediately even on Macs with
  huge folders.
• Better intent ranking. Beacon now favors exact phrase and standalone-word
  matches across Messages, Notes, History, Clipboard, Apps, Recents, Settings,
  and file names, so main beats maintain and IG beats random
  substrings.
• Expanded Settings shortcuts. The Settings filter now includes direct
  matches for Storage, Network, Login Items, Passwords, Touch ID & Password,
  Software Update, Date & Time, and more relevant keyword ranking.
• Recents is now filesystem-backed. Fresh Safari saves, screenshots, and
  downloads show up immediately without relying on Spotlight/Finder Recents.
• File thumbnails. Images, PDFs, videos, and many docs now show Quick Look
  previews in file rows instead of generic icons.
• History favicons. Browser-history rows load site icons directly from the
  visited site (no third-party favicon service), with better fallbacks for
  sites that don't expose their standard favicon.
• Downloaded apps show up. Apps are scanned directly from application
  folders, so third-party/external installs like Chrome, Claude, Cursor, and
  Discord show in Apps and All.
• System Settings filter. A new last filter jumps directly to common
  System Settings panes like Wi-Fi, Privacy, Full Disk Access, Displays,
  Keyboard, Battery, and more.
• Custom menu-bar icon. Beacon now uses a small template Beacon lens mark
  in the menu bar instead of Apple's generic search glyph.
• Expanded GitHub docs. The README now explains what Beacon can do, why it
  avoids Spotlight/Finder's common failure modes, and how the local scanners
  work.

Upgrading from an earlier version? Just replace the app in Applications -
your Full Disk Access setting carries over. Clipboard history starts recording
as soon as you launch this build.

Beacon 1.0.4

Beacon 1.0.4 - a fast, native macOS search launcher.

Install

1. Download Beacon-1.0.4.dmg below and open it.
2. Double-click Beacon. That's it - it installs itself into Applications,
   relaunches from there, and opens the search bar with a quick hotkey tip.
   (Dragging to the Applications folder still works too, if you prefer.)
3. Press Option + S anywhere to open the search bar. Press Esc to dismiss.
   Beacon lives in the menu bar (its beacon icon) - no Dock icon or main window.

This build is signed with a Developer ID and notarized by Apple, so it opens
without security warnings.

Search your text messages (optional)

Beacon can search your iMessage & SMS history. macOS protects the Messages
database, so this needs Full Disk Access (a one-time, manual toggle that
Apple requires for any app reading Messages):

1. In Beacon, press Option + S and click the Messages filter.
2. Click Open Settings - this jumps straight to
   System Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Full Disk Access.
3. Find Beacon in the list and turn its switch on.
   (Beacon adds itself to this list automatically - no need for the "+" button.)
4. Choose Quit & Reopen when prompted.

Now select the Messages filter and search by word, phrase, or contact.
Return opens the conversation in Messages; Cmd + C copies the text.

The same Full Disk Access toggle also unlocks Notes and Safari
history. (Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Arc history work without it.)

File search needs no permissions and works the moment you launch Beacon.
Full Disk Access only unlocks Messages, Notes, Safari history, and a few
protected folders.

Highlights

• Unified "All" search - the All tab blends files & apps, messages, and
  notes into one grouped, ranked list. Chips included in All show a small dot;
  Clipboard and History are opt-in via their own chips.
• Recents that actually works - the Recents filter shows files you've
  opened, saved, or added recently, including fresh images/videos/downloads,
  while filtering out app internals, caches, folders, and other Finder noise.
  Type to narrow within the recent-files timeline.
• Clipboard history - everything you copy is captured locally and
  searchable under the Clipboard filter. Return copies it back, ready
  to paste. Private/transient copies (password managers) are skipped.
• Browser history - the History filter searches every page you've
  visited across Safari, Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Arc (all profiles).
  Return opens it; Cmd + C copies the link.
• System Settings shortcuts - the Settings filter jumps straight to
  Wi-Fi, Displays, Privacy, Full Disk Access, Keyboard, Battery, and more.
• Notes search - search across all your Apple Notes; Return opens the
  exact note.

What's new in 1.0.4

• A new glass interface. Beacon now uses a clearer, more modern macOS
  material with continuous 24-point corners, subtle specular highlights,
  floating glass filter controls, and improved spacing throughout.
• Clearer result selection. The active result uses a restrained light-blue
  tint so names, paths, metadata, and icons remain easy to read.
• Cleaner thumbnails. File previews and app icons no longer sit inside
  redundant outlined image holders.
• Fresh screenshot/download fast lane. Recents now checks Desktop,
  Downloads, configured screenshot folders, and iCloud equivalents before the
  deeper crawl, so brand-new screenshots show up immediately even on Macs with
  huge folders.
• Better intent ranking. Beacon now favors exact phrase and standalone-word
  matches across Messages, Notes, History, Clipboard, Apps, Recents, Settings,
  and file names, so main beats maintain and IG beats random
  substrings.
• Expanded Settings shortcuts. The Settings filter now includes direct
  matches for Storage, Network, Login Items, Passwords, Touch ID & Password,
  Software Update, Date & Time, and more relevant keyword ranking.
• Recents is now filesystem-backed. Fresh Safari saves, screenshots, and
  downloads show up immediately without relying on Spotlight/Finder Recents.
• File thumbnails. Images, PDFs, videos, and many docs now show Quick Look
  previews in file rows instead of generic icons.
• History favicons. Browser-history rows load site icons directly from the
  visited site (no third-party favicon service), with better fallbacks for
  sites that don't expose their standard favicon.
• Downloaded apps show up. Apps are scanned directly from application
  folders, so third-party/external installs like Chrome, Claude, Cursor, and
  Discord show in Apps and All.
• System Settings filter. A new last filter jumps directly to common
  System Settings panes like Wi-Fi, Privacy, Full Disk Access, Displays,
  Keyboard, Battery, and more.
• Custom menu-bar icon. Beacon now uses a small template Beacon lens mark
  in the menu bar instead of Apple's generic search glyph.
• Expanded GitHub docs. The README now explains what Beacon can do, why it
  avoids Spotlight/Finder's common failure modes, and how the local scanners
  work.

Upgrading from an earlier version? Just replace the app in Applications -
your Full Disk Access setting carries over. Clipboard history starts recording
as soon as you launch this build.

Beacon 1.0.3

Beacon 1.0.3 - a fast, native macOS search launcher.

Install

1. Download Beacon-1.0.3.dmg below and open it.
2. Double-click Beacon. That's it - it installs itself into Applications,
   relaunches from there, and opens the search bar with a quick hotkey tip.
   (Dragging to the Applications folder still works too, if you prefer.)
3. Press Option + S anywhere to open the search bar. Press Esc to dismiss.
   Beacon lives in the menu bar (its beacon icon) - no Dock icon or main window.

This build is signed with a Developer ID and notarized by Apple, so it opens
without security warnings.

Search your text messages (optional)

Beacon can search your iMessage & SMS history. macOS protects the Messages
database, so this needs Full Disk Access (a one-time, manual toggle that
Apple requires for any app reading Messages):

1. In Beacon, press Option + S and click the Messages filter.
2. Click Open Settings - this jumps straight to
   System Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Full Disk Access.
3. Find Beacon in the list and turn its switch on.
   (Beacon adds itself to this list automatically - no need for the "+" button.)
4. Choose Quit & Reopen when prompted.

Now select the Messages filter and search by word, phrase, or contact.
Return opens the conversation in Messages; Cmd + C copies the text.

The same Full Disk Access toggle also unlocks Notes and Safari
history. (Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Arc history work without it.)

File search needs no permissions and works the moment you launch Beacon.
Full Disk Access only unlocks Messages, Notes, Safari history, and a few
protected folders.

Highlights

• Unified "All" search - the All tab blends files & apps, messages, and
  notes into one grouped, ranked list. Chips included in All show a small dot;
  Clipboard and History are opt-in via their own chips.
• Recents that actually works - the Recents filter shows files you've
  opened, saved, or added recently, including fresh images/videos/downloads,
  while filtering out app internals, caches, folders, and other Finder noise.
  Type to narrow within the recent-files timeline.
• Clipboard history - everything you copy is captured locally and
  searchable under the Clipboard filter. Return copies it back, ready
  to paste. Private/transient copies (password managers) are skipped.
• Browser history - the History filter searches every page you've
  visited across Safari, Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Arc (all profiles).
  Return opens it; Cmd + C copies the link.
• System Settings shortcuts - the Settings filter jumps straight to
  Wi-Fi, Displays, Privacy, Full Disk Access, Keyboard, Battery, and more.
• Notes search - search across all your Apple Notes; Return opens the
  exact note.

What's new in 1.0.3

• Fresh screenshot/download fast lane. Recents now checks Desktop,
  Downloads, configured screenshot folders, and iCloud equivalents before the
  deeper crawl, so brand-new screenshots show up immediately even on Macs with
  huge folders.
• Better intent ranking. Beacon now favors exact phrase and standalone-word
  matches across Messages, Notes, History, Clipboard, Apps, Recents, Settings,
  and file names, so main beats maintain and IG beats random
  substrings.
• Expanded Settings shortcuts. The Settings filter now includes direct
  matches for Storage, Network, Login Items, Passwords, Touch ID & Password,
  Software Update, Date & Time, and more relevant keyword ranking.
• Recents is now filesystem-backed. Fresh Safari saves, screenshots, and
  downloads show up immediately without relying on Spotlight/Finder Recents.
• File thumbnails. Images, PDFs, videos, and many docs now show Quick Look
  previews in file rows instead of generic icons.
• History favicons. Browser-history rows load site icons directly from the
  visited site (no third-party favicon service), with better fallbacks for
  sites that don't expose their standard favicon.
• Downloaded apps show up. Apps are scanned directly from application
  folders, so third-party/external installs like Chrome, Claude, Cursor, and
  Discord show in Apps and All.
• System Settings filter. A new last filter jumps directly to common
  System Settings panes like Wi-Fi, Privacy, Full Disk Access, Displays,
  Keyboard, Battery, and more.
• Custom menu-bar icon. Beacon now uses a small template Beacon lens mark
  in the menu bar instead of Apple's generic search glyph.
• Expanded GitHub docs. The README now explains what Beacon can do, why it
  avoids Spotlight/Finder's common failure modes, and how the local scanners
  work.

Upgrading from an earlier version? Just replace the app in Applications -
your Full Disk Access setting carries over. Clipboard history starts recording
as soon as you launch this build.

Beacon 1.0.2

Beacon 1.0.2 - a fast, native macOS search launcher.

Install

1. Download Beacon-1.0.2.dmg below and open it.
2. Double-click Beacon. That's it - it installs itself into Applications,
   relaunches from there, and opens the search bar with a quick hotkey tip.
   (Dragging to the Applications folder still works too, if you prefer.)
3. Press Option + S anywhere to open the search bar. Press Esc to dismiss.
   Beacon lives in the menu bar (its beacon icon) - no Dock icon or main window.

This build is signed with a Developer ID and notarized by Apple, so it opens
without security warnings.

Search your text messages (optional)

Beacon can search your iMessage & SMS history. macOS protects the Messages
database, so this needs Full Disk Access (a one-time, manual toggle that
Apple requires for any app reading Messages):

1. In Beacon, press Option + S and click the Messages filter.
2. Click Open Settings - this jumps straight to
   System Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Full Disk Access.
3. Find Beacon in the list and turn its switch on.
   (Beacon adds itself to this list automatically - no need for the "+" button.)
4. Choose Quit & Reopen when prompted.

Now select the Messages filter and search by word, phrase, or contact.
Return opens the conversation in Messages; Cmd + C copies the text.

The same Full Disk Access toggle also unlocks Notes and Safari
history. (Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Arc history work without it.)

File search needs no permissions and works the moment you launch Beacon.
Full Disk Access only unlocks Messages, Notes, Safari history, and a few
protected folders.

Highlights

• Unified "All" search - the All tab blends files & apps, messages, and
  notes into one grouped, ranked list. Chips included in All show a small dot;
  Clipboard and History are opt-in via their own chips.
• Recents that actually works - the Recents filter shows files you've
  opened, saved, or added recently, including fresh images/videos/downloads,
  while filtering out app internals, caches, folders, and other Finder noise.
  Type to narrow within the recent-files timeline.
• Clipboard history - everything you copy is captured locally and
  searchable under the Clipboard filter. Return copies it back, ready
  to paste. Private/transient copies (password managers) are skipped.
• Browser history - the History filter searches every page you've
  visited across Safari, Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Arc (all profiles).
  Return opens it; Cmd + C copies the link.
• System Settings shortcuts - the Settings filter jumps straight to
  Wi-Fi, Displays, Privacy, Full Disk Access, Keyboard, Battery, and more.
• Notes search - search across all your Apple Notes; Return opens the
  exact note.

What's new in 1.0.2

• Better intent ranking. Beacon now favors exact phrase and standalone-word
  matches across Messages, Notes, History, Clipboard, Apps, Recents, Settings,
  and file names, so main beats maintain and IG beats random
  substrings.
• Expanded Settings shortcuts. The Settings filter now includes direct
  matches for Storage, Network, Login Items, Passwords, Touch ID & Password,
  Software Update, Date & Time, and more relevant keyword ranking.
• Recents is now filesystem-backed. Fresh Safari saves, screenshots, and
  downloads show up immediately without relying on Spotlight/Finder Recents.
• File thumbnails. Images, PDFs, videos, and many docs now show Quick Look
  previews in file rows instead of generic icons.
• History favicons. Browser-history rows load site icons directly from the
  visited site (no third-party favicon service), with better fallbacks for
  sites that don't expose their standard favicon.
• Downloaded apps show up. Apps are scanned directly from application
  folders, so third-party/external installs like Chrome, Claude, Cursor, and
  Discord show in Apps and All.
• System Settings filter. A new last filter jumps directly to common
  System Settings panes like Wi-Fi, Privacy, Full Disk Access, Displays,
  Keyboard, Battery, and more.
• Custom menu-bar icon. Beacon now uses a small template Beacon lens mark
  in the menu bar instead of Apple's generic search glyph.
• Expanded GitHub docs. The README now explains what Beacon can do, why it
  avoids Spotlight/Finder's common failure modes, and how the local scanners
  work.

Upgrading from an earlier version? Just replace the app in Applications -
your Full Disk Access setting carries over. Clipboard history starts recording
as soon as you launch this build.

Beacon 1.0.1

Beacon 1.0.1 - a fast, native macOS search launcher.

Install

1. Download Beacon-1.0.1.dmg below and open it.
2. Double-click Beacon. That's it - it installs itself into Applications,
   relaunches from there, and opens the search bar with a quick hotkey tip.
   (Dragging to the Applications folder still works too, if you prefer.)
3. Press Option + S anywhere to open the search bar. Press Esc to dismiss.
   Beacon lives in the menu bar (its beacon icon) - no Dock icon or main window.

This build is signed with a Developer ID and notarized by Apple, so it opens
without security warnings.

Search your text messages (optional)

Beacon can search your iMessage & SMS history. macOS protects the Messages
database, so this needs Full Disk Access (a one-time, manual toggle that
Apple requires for any app reading Messages):

1. In Beacon, press Option + S and click the Messages filter.
2. Click Open Settings - this jumps straight to
   System Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Full Disk Access.
3. Find Beacon in the list and turn its switch on.
   (Beacon adds itself to this list automatically - no need for the "+" button.)
4. Choose Quit & Reopen when prompted.

Now select the Messages filter and search by word, phrase, or contact.
Return opens the conversation in Messages; Cmd + C copies the text.

The same Full Disk Access toggle also unlocks Notes and Safari
history. (Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Arc history work without it.)

File search needs no permissions and works the moment you launch Beacon.
Full Disk Access only unlocks Messages, Notes, Safari history, and a few
protected folders.

Highlights

• Unified "All" search - the All tab blends files & apps, messages, and
  notes into one grouped, ranked list. Chips included in All show a small dot;
  Clipboard and History are opt-in via their own chips.
• Recents that actually works - the Recents filter shows files you've
  opened, saved, or added recently, including fresh images/videos/downloads,
  while filtering out app internals, caches, folders, and other Finder noise.
  Type to narrow within the recent-files timeline.
• Clipboard history - everything you copy is captured locally and
  searchable under the Clipboard filter. Return copies it back, ready
  to paste. Private/transient copies (password managers) are skipped.
• Browser history - the History filter searches every page you've
  visited across Safari, Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Arc (all profiles).
  Return opens it; Cmd + C copies the link.
• System Settings shortcuts - the Settings filter jumps straight to
  Wi-Fi, Displays, Privacy, Full Disk Access, Keyboard, Battery, and more.
• Notes search - search across all your Apple Notes; Return opens the
  exact note.

What's new in 1.0.1

• Recents is now filesystem-backed. Fresh Safari saves, screenshots, and
  downloads show up immediately without relying on Spotlight/Finder Recents.
• File thumbnails. Images, PDFs, videos, and many docs now show Quick Look
  previews in file rows instead of generic icons.
• History favicons. Browser-history rows load site icons directly from the
  visited site (no third-party favicon service), with better fallbacks for
  sites that don't expose their standard favicon.
• Downloaded apps show up. Apps are scanned directly from application
  folders, so third-party/external installs like Chrome, Claude, Cursor, and
  Discord show in Apps and All.
• System Settings filter. A new last filter jumps directly to common
  System Settings panes like Wi-Fi, Privacy, Full Disk Access, Displays,
  Keyboard, Battery, and more.

Upgrading from an earlier version? Just replace the app in Applications -
your Full Disk Access setting carries over. Clipboard history starts recording
as soon as you launch this build.

Beacon 1.0.0

Beacon 1.0.0 - a fast, native macOS search launcher.

Install

1. Download Beacon-1.0.0.dmg below and open it.
2. Double-click Beacon. That's it - it installs itself into Applications,
   relaunches from there, and opens the search bar with a quick hotkey tip.
   (Dragging to the Applications folder still works too, if you prefer.)
3. Press Option + S anywhere to open the search bar. Press Esc to dismiss.
   Beacon lives in the menu bar (its beacon icon) - no Dock icon or main window.

This build is signed with a Developer ID and notarized by Apple, so it opens
without security warnings.

Search your text messages (optional)

Beacon can search your iMessage & SMS history. macOS protects the Messages
database, so this needs Full Disk Access (a one-time, manual toggle that
Apple requires for any app reading Messages):

1. In Beacon, press Option + S and click the Messages filter.
2. Click Open Settings - this jumps straight to
   System Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Full Disk Access.
3. Find Beacon in the list and turn its switch on.
   (Beacon adds itself to this list automatically - no need for the "+" button.)
4. Choose Quit & Reopen when prompted.

Now select the Messages filter and search by word, phrase, or contact.
Return opens the conversation in Messages; Cmd + C copies the text.

The same Full Disk Access toggle also unlocks Notes and Safari
history. (Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Arc history work without it.)

File search needs no permissions and works the moment you launch Beacon.
Full Disk Access only unlocks Messages, Notes, Safari history, and a few
protected folders.

Highlights

• Unified "All" search - the All tab blends files & apps, messages, and
  notes into one grouped, ranked list. Chips included in All show a small dot;
  Clipboard and History are opt-in via their own chips.
• Recents that actually works - the Recents filter shows files you've
  opened, saved, or added recently, including fresh images/videos/downloads,
  while filtering out app internals, caches, folders, and other Finder noise.
  Type to narrow within the recent-files timeline.
• Clipboard history - everything you copy is captured locally and
  searchable under the Clipboard filter. Return copies it back, ready
  to paste. Private/transient copies (password managers) are skipped.
• Browser history - the History filter searches every page you've
  visited across Safari, Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Arc (all profiles).
  Return opens it; Cmd + C copies the link.
• Notes search - search across all your Apple Notes; Return opens the
  exact note.

What's new in 1.0.0

• Search no longer wedges on stale results. Messages, Notes, and History
  now cancel superseded scans mid-loop, so typing a rare word like "contract"
  cannot leave the list stuck on results from the first keystroke.
• Faster Messages filtering. Message text/handle matches use the
  precomputed search haystack first and only fall back to contact-name lookup
  when needed, making full-history scans much cheaper.
• Recents catches fresh saves and downloads. Recents is scoped to real user
  folders at the Spotlight-query level and reads deeper, so a newly saved image
  from Safari or downloaded PDF is not buried under ~/Library cache churn.
• Panel reopen self-heals. Summoning Beacon re-runs the active query, so
  the list reflects fresh files/messages and does not require relaunching.

Upgrading from an earlier version? Just replace the app in Applications -
your Full Disk Access setting carries over. Clipboard history starts recording
as soon as you launch this build.