How to Export and Format Bear App Notes into PDFs

Bear App is a beloved Markdown-based note-taking application for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, celebrated for its gorgeous typography, smooth animations, and clean design. However, turning your beautiful Bear notes into standard, readable PDFs for non-Bear users can present challenges.

This guide covers the native options for exporting Bear App notes to PDF, features of Bear Pro, and how to use browser-based tools for custom exports.

Exporting PDFs from Bear App (Built-in)

Bear allows you to export notes in multiple formats, including PDF, but there is a catch: PDF export is a Bear Pro feature. If you have a Bear Pro subscription, you can export notes using these steps:

On macOS:

1. Open Bear and select the note you want to export.
2. Click File > Export Note… in the top menu bar, or click the info icon (i) in the top right of the note and select PDF.
3. Select PDF as the export format.
4. Choose whether to include the creation date, tags, or a table of contents.
5. Click Save and select a directory.

On iOS / iPadOS:

1. Open the note you want to export.
2. Tap the three dots (...) in the top-right corner.
3. Tap Export.
4. Select PDF from the list of options.
5. Select a destination in your Files app or share it via email or messaging.

How Themes Affect Your Exported PDF

When you export a PDF directly from Bear, the design of the PDF matches the theme you currently have active in the Bear app. For instance, if you use the “Dracula” or “Charcoal” dark theme, your exported PDF will render with a dark background.

If you want a traditional black-and-white printout, you must manually change your Bear app theme to “Red Graphite”, “Sepia”, or another light theme before exporting.

Limitations of Bear’s Native Exporter

While Bear Pro provides excellent, high-quality rendering, users face a few notable limitations:

• Subscription Paywall: PDF export requires Bear Pro, which is a paid subscription.
• Platform Locked: Bear is exclusively available on Apple devices (macOS and iOS). If you need to access or export your notes on Windows, Android, or Linux, you cannot use the app.
• Limited Theme Customization: You are limited to Bear’s predefined theme choices. You cannot adjust page margins, header spacing, or add manual page breaks without resorting to CSS overrides.

Exporting Bear Notes to PDF on Non-Apple Devices

If you do not have Bear Pro, or if you need to convert Bear notes on Windows or Linux, you can leverage Bear’s free export formats. Bear allows all users to export notes in raw Markdown (.md) format.

Once you export your note as a Markdown file, you can convert it to a beautiful, customized PDF using MarkdownToFile.com:

1. Export your Bear note as Markdown (.md).
2. Open the file and copy the text.
3. Go to MarkdownToFile.com and paste the Markdown into the editor.
4. Customize your PDF: choose from professional themes (like Clean or Academic), select your page size (A4, Letter), adjust margins, and set up your page breaks.
5. Click Download PDF to generate your document instantly.

Feature	Bear Pro Native Export	MarkdownToFile.com
Cost	Paid (Bear Pro subscription)	100% Free
Availability	macOS & iOS only	Works on any device (Web)
Document Customization	Predefined theme styles	Margin scale, font sizes, custom page breaks
Page-Break Preview	No	Live WYSIWYG pagination preview
No-Install Option	Must download Bear app	Access instantly via web browser

By using a browser-based converter, you keep your note-taking environment simple and lightweight while retaining the flexibility to generate print-ready PDFs at any time.

Ready to format your Bear App notes? Open the editor, paste your Markdown text, and create your custom PDF.