How to export Bear notes to Markdown files

You can export Bear notes to Markdown files for free. On a Mac, select the notes, choose File > Export notes… (⇧⌘S), and pick Markdown or TextBundle. On iPhone and iPad the same option is in the Export… menu. Plain Markdown and TextBundle don't need Bear Pro; PDF and Word do. Here are the exact steps, which format to choose, and what to expect when you open the files in another app.

Steps and formats are from Bear's export FAQ, checked in September 2026.

Why export Bear notes to Markdown?

Bear writes in Markdown, but it keeps your notes in its own library rather than as files in a folder. That is a deliberate design, and it's part of why Bear feels fast and tidy. Exporting gives you a copy you control:

• A backup in a format any text editor can open, now and years from now.
• Access on Windows, Linux or Android, where Bear's native apps don't run.
• A folder you can sync your own way, with iCloud Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Git or Syncthing.
• A way to use other tools on the same notes, from a code editor to a search tool or an AI assistant that reads files.

You don't have to leave Bear to do this. You can export once as a backup and keep writing in Bear.

How do you export notes from Bear on a Mac?

One note: open the note, click the … button in its upper right, and choose the export option you want.

Several notes:

1. Hold ⌘ and click the notes you want in the note list.
2. Go to File > Export notes… (⇧⌘S).
3. Choose a format and a destination folder.

All notes:

1. Click Notes in the sidebar.
2. Press ⌘A to select every note in the list.
3. Go to File > Export notes… (⇧⌘S).
4. Choose a format and a destination folder.

How do you export notes from Bear on iPhone or iPad?

One note: tap the … button in the upper right of the note and pick the export option.

Several notes:

1. Swipe right in the note list with two fingers to enter select mode.
2. Tap the notes you want.
3. Tap the more icon (⫶) at the bottom right.
4. Choose Export…

All notes:

1. Select Notes in the sidebar.
2. Tap Notes with the arrow at the top.
3. Choose Export…

Which export format should you pick?

Bear offers these formats for free:

Format	What you get	Pick it when
.md Markdown	One plain text file per note	Your notes are mostly text
.textbundle TextBundle	Markdown text plus the images it references, in one package	Your notes contain images and the app you move to reads TextBundle
.txt Plain text	Text without the Markdown file type	You only need the words
.rtf Rich Text	Formatted text for word processors	You want to paste into a document
.bearnote	Bear's own format	You're moving notes between Bear installs

The TextBundle format exists for this: it "bundles the Markdown text and all referenced images into a single file," according to textbundle.org. A TextBundle is a package rather than a single .md file, so check that the app you're moving to can open it. Editors that simply open a folder of .md files won't read it as a note. If your notes are mostly text, or you're moving to a folder-based editor, plain .md is the simpler choice.

PDF, Word (.docx), HTML, JPG and ePub export require Bear Pro, which was $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year in USD as of September 2026 (prices vary by region; check bear.app for current terms).

What carries over, and what changes?

Text and formatting come across as standard Markdown: headings, bold and italic, lists, links, code blocks and checklists.

Tags stay in the text. In Bear you create a tag by typing #tag in the note, and nested tags use slashes, like #recipes/italian. After export those are still there as text. Most other editors show them as plain text, and some (Obsidian, for example) treat them as tags again.

Some styling may look different. Bear's own FAQ notes that "exported Bear notes with nested styles might look different in other apps." Open a few notes you care about and check them before you rely on the export.

Sync and note links are app features. Bear Pro's iCloud sync and Bear's note-to-note links belong to Bear. In a plain folder, sync is whatever service you put the folder in, and links depend on the editor you open it with.

You can go back. Bear imports .md, .txt, .textbundle and other formats (Bear's import FAQ), so an export does not commit you to leaving.

Where should you keep the exported files?

Put them in one folder and treat that folder as the library:

1. Create a folder such as Notes in a place that syncs: iCloud Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, or a Git repository.
2. Export from Bear into that folder.
3. Open the folder in any Markdown editor. If you exported .md, the files are ordinary Markdown, so Obsidian, Typora, VS Code and others can all open them, and you can switch between them freely.

For how each sync option handles conflicts and your phone, see how to sync Markdown notes without a server.

What if you want an editor on Windows, Linux or Android?

Any Markdown editor that opens a folder will work. Noteline, which we make, is one option: it opens the folder as-is, renders Markdown in place as you type, and exports Word and PDF from its desktop app without extra setup. It runs on macOS, Windows and Linux, with free iPhone, iPad and Android apps. It is not a Bear replacement in every respect. It has no tag browser (your #tags stay as text) and no built-in sync, and its phone apps don't export Word or PDF. Details are on the pricing page.

Where is Bear still the better home?

Bear is actively developed and does several things a plain folder can't:

• Tags as navigation, with nested tags and a tag sidebar.
• Polished design on Apple devices, with themes and typography built for writing.
• Sync without setup across your Apple devices with Bear Pro.
• Per-note encryption and OCR search inside images and PDFs (Pro).

If you live on Apple devices and like how Bear works, export a backup and stay.