Beacon 0.8.0

Beacon 0.8.0 - a fast, native macOS search launcher.

Install

1. Download Beacon-0.8.0.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.
• 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 0.8.0

• One-click install. Open the DMG and double-click Beacon - it moves
  itself into Applications and relaunches, ready to use. A first-run banner
  teaches the Option + S hotkey.
• A real app icon. Beacon now has its own icon in Finder, the Full Disk
  Access list, and everywhere else.
• Smarter results. Exact-name matches now win even with a file extension
  ("report" puts report.pdf on top), multi-word queries match at word
  boundaries ("chase stat" finds "Chase Statement.pdf"), and apps rank first
  when you type their name - launcher style.
• Search Messages by contact. Typing "Mom" surfaces Mom's conversation,
  not just texts containing the word "mom".
• Accent-insensitive everywhere. "jose" finds "José" across files,
  messages, notes, clipboard, and history.
• Better browser-history ranking. Frequently-visited pages now outrank
  one-off visits (match quality + frecency instead of pure recency).
• Faster keystroke-to-result time on large Messages/Notes libraries.

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.