Last Updated: November 21, 2025
Essential Shortcuts - Review
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Show answer |
Space / Enter
|
| Again (fail) |
1
|
| Hard |
2
|
| Good |
3 / Space
|
| Easy |
4
|
| Undo |
Ctrl+Z (Cmd+Z on Mac)
|
| Mark card |
* (asterisk)
|
| Bury card |
- (minus)
|
| Suspend card |
@ (at sign)
|
| Edit current card |
E
|
| Replay audio |
R
|
| Record voice |
Shift+V
|
Navigation Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Add card |
A
|
| Browse cards |
B
|
| Statistics |
T
|
| Sync |
Y
|
| Study deck |
S
|
| Create deck |
C
|
| Import file |
I
|
| Export deck |
E
|
| Preferences |
Ctrl+P (Cmd+, on Mac)
|
| Switch profile |
Ctrl+Shift+P
|
Browser Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Find/Search |
Ctrl+F
|
| Find & Replace |
Ctrl+Alt+F
|
| Select all |
Ctrl+A
|
| Delete cards |
Ctrl+Delete
|
| Suspend/Unsuspend |
Ctrl+J
|
| Change deck |
Ctrl+D
|
| Add tags |
Ctrl+Shift+A
|
| Reschedule |
Ctrl+Shift+D
|
| Preview |
Ctrl+Shift+P
|
Card Types
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Basic |
Front → Back (one direction)
|
| Basic (reversed) |
Creates 2 cards: Front→Back and Back→Front
|
| Basic (optional reversed) |
Add text to "Add Reverse" field to create reverse card
|
| Cloze |
Text with {{c1::hidden}} {{c2::parts}}
|
| Image Occlusion |
Hide parts of images (requires add-on)
|
| Custom note types |
Create your own fields and templates
|
Cloze Deletion Syntax
| Syntax | Example |
|---|---|
| Basic cloze |
{{c1::Paris}} is the capital of France
|
| Multiple clozes |
{{c1::Paris}} is the capital of {{c2::France}}
|
| Same number (grouped) |
{{c1::Vitamin C}} prevents {{c1::scurvy}}
|
| With hint |
{{c1::Paris::city}} is the capital
|
| Multiple hints |
{{c1::mitochondria::cell organelle}} is the powerhouse
|
Scheduling Intervals
| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
| Learning (new) |
Cards you're currently learning (red)
|
| Young (review) |
Interval < 21 days (green)
|
| Mature (review) |
Interval ≥ 21 days (blue)
|
| Relearning |
Failed cards being re-learned (orange)
|
| Again penalty |
Resets card to learning, reduces ease factor
|
| Ease factor |
Multiplier for interval growth (starts at 250%)
|
Default Learning Steps
| Button | Effect |
|---|---|
| Again (1) |
1 minute later (step 1)
|
| Good (3) |
10 minutes later (step 2), then graduates
|
| Easy (4) |
4 days (skips learning steps)
|
| Graduating interval |
1 day (after completing learning steps)
|
| Easy interval |
4 days
|
Top 15 Essential Add-ons
| Add-on | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Image Occlusion Enhanced |
Hide/reveal parts of images for studying diagrams
|
| AnkiConnect |
API for external apps to connect to Anki
|
| Review Heatmap |
Visual calendar showing study streaks
|
| Advanced Browser |
Enhanced card browser with extra columns
|
| Batch Editing |
Edit multiple cards simultaneously
|
| Frozen Fields |
Keep field content when adding multiple cards
|
| Speed Focus Mode |
Auto-show/hide answer, countdown timer
|
| Night Mode |
Dark theme for reduced eye strain
|
| Hierarchical Tags |
Organize tags in tree structure
|
| AwesomeTTS |
Text-to-speech for language learning
|
| Pomodoro Timer |
Built-in Pomodoro technique timer
|
| True Retention |
More accurate retention statistics
|
| Customize Keyboard Shortcuts |
Remap all Anki shortcuts
|
| More Overview Stats |
Enhanced deck statistics on main screen
|
| Pop-up Dictionary |
Quick word definitions during review
|
Search Operators (Browser)
| Search | Example |
|---|---|
| Tag search |
tag:biology
|
| Deck search |
deck:Spanish
|
| Card state |
is:new is:due is:suspended is:buried
|
| Added date |
added:7 (last 7 days)
|
| Rated date |
rated:1 (reviewed in last day)
|
| Note type |
note:Basic
|
| Field content |
front:mitochondria
|
| AND operator |
tag:biology deck:Science
|
| OR operator |
tag:biology OR tag:chemistry
|
| NOT operator |
-tag:easy (exclude tag)
|
| Wildcard |
front:mito*
|
Optimal Study Workflow
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1. Morning review |
Study all due cards from all decks
|
| 2. Learn new cards |
Add 10-20 new cards (adjust to capacity)
|
| 3. Use Again sparingly |
Only for completely wrong answers
|
| 4. Use Hard when unsure |
Reduces interval but doesn't reset card
|
| 5. Evening review |
Clear any remaining due cards
|
| 6. Daily consistency |
Study every day to maintain retention
|
| 7. Sync regularly |
Sync before and after study sessions
|
Deck Options - Recommended Settings
| Setting | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| New cards/day |
10-20 (sustainable long-term)
|
| Learning steps |
1m 10m (or 15m 1d 3d for difficult material)
|
| Graduating interval |
1 day
|
| Easy interval |
4 days
|
| Starting ease |
250%
|
| Maximum interval |
365 days (or unlimited)
|
| Maximum reviews/day |
200-300 (set high to avoid backlog)
|
| New card order |
Random (or show in order added)
|
Card Creation Best Practices
| Principle | Example |
|---|---|
| One fact per card |
Don't ask "What are the 3 types of X?" - make 3 cards
|
| Use images |
Visual memory is stronger than text alone
|
| Use cloze for lists |
The {{c1::mitochondria}} is the {{c2::powerhouse}} of the cell
|
| Add context |
Include enough info to answer without guessing
|
| Use mnemonics |
Add memory aids in Extra field
|
| Keep it simple |
Avoid complex, multi-part questions
|
| Use tags liberally |
Makes filtering and studying easier
|
💡 Pro Tips:
- Never skip a day - consistency is more important than volume
- Use filtered decks to create custom study sessions
- Install AnkiDroid (Android) or AnkiMobile (iOS) for mobile studying
- Back up your collection regularly (File → Create Backup)
- Use sub-decks to organize related topics (e.g., Languages::Spanish::Verbs)
- Press "E" during review to quickly edit problematic cards
- Use "Set Due Date" to spread out cramming material over time
- Review statistics regularly to track your progress and adjust settings