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Beacon 1.0.9

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@claytonwendelwon claytonwendelwon released this 29 Jul 04:45
· 20 commits to main since this release
v1.0.9
8c3126b

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.

Assets 3
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