Anki - Part 1: The basics

Anki is a powerful flash cards app. While it may seem intimidating at first, you will learn to love it if you give it a chance.

How to install the desktop/laptop app

Anki is free on Windows and Mac:

• Download the Qt6 version of Anki from https://apps.ankiweb.net.

• On Windows: Double-click on the installer which you downloaded. Once Anki is installed, double-click on the new star icon on your desktop to start Anki.

• On MacOS: Drag Anki to your Applications folder or desktop. Double-click on Anki in the place where you put it.

Synchronizing with AnkiWeb

If you want to study your cards in your browser or synchronize your cards with a second device, create a free account for AnkiWeb: https://ankiweb.net/account/signup

To synchronize the Anki app with AnkiWeb, click the sync button in the app. If you do this for the first time, the app will then ask you to enter your login details for AnkiWeb.

Detailed help: https://docs.ankiweb.net/syncing.html

Anki on your mobile

You can always use AnkiWeb in the browser on your mobile. If you want to use an app instead, I recommend you first set up the app on your PC and synchronize with AnkiWeb. The desktop/laptop app gives you the greatest control over your flash cards.

For Android, there is the free app AnkiDroid, which is not developed by the author of Anki but which you can synchronize with AnkiWeb.

For the iPhone and iPad, there is an app by the author or Anki: AnkiMobile. It costs $24.99. As I said above, you can always use AnkiWebb in the browser instead.

Create your first flash cards

Before you create a flash card, you should create a deck.

1. Click on Decks at the top of the main screen to get to the decks menu.

2. Click on Create Deck at the bottom and choose a name for your deck, for example the name of your class (e.g. E11 or PP12).

3. Click on the newly created deck to move into the deck.

Anki distinguishes between notes (what you enter, when you want to create new cards) and cards. One note may have more than one card. For example, the note type Basic (and reversed card) creates two cards: front > back and back > front.

1. Click on Add at the top to create a note. If you click on the field next to Type at the top, you can chose a note type. For now choose Cloze.

2. Enter in the Text field:

   “Let me give you an example.

   something such as an object, a fact or a situation that shows, explains or supports what you say”

   Then, enter the translation in the Back Extra field: “Beispiel”

3. Select the word “example” in the Text field and press the button with the […] on it in the row of buttons above the Text field. The first line of your Text should now read “Let me give you an {{c1::example}}.”

4. In the field Tags enter a tag which will help you filter your notes later. For example, you could enter the name of the textbook chapter. For now, enter “introduction_to_anki”.

5. Click Add at the bottom.

6. If you do not want to enter new cards, click close.

Tip: Play around with some of the note types to get to know what cards can look like. As you get more advanced, you may want to create your own note types.

Detailed help: https://docs.ankiweb.net/getting-started.html

Studying a deck

1. Click on the deck you want to study in the Decks menu.

2. Click on Study Now.

3. Write down your answer on a sheet of paper (or type in the answer if the card prompts you to).

4. Click Show answer.

5. Select how soon you want to study the card again. You can choose between Again, Hard, Good, Easy. Be honest to yourself in your choice!