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Import Any Flashcards into Anki: Complete Guide (2026)

How to get flashcards into Anki from AI generators, Quizlet, PDFs, and your own notes — with screenshots and troubleshooting for desktop and mobile

Last updated March 2026

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Export from StudyCards AI to Anki

This is the workflow most medical and university students recommend: use StudyCards AI to generate flashcards from your notes automatically, then export to Anki for its best-in-class spaced repetition scheduling. You get the time savings of AI generation plus the algorithmic precision of Anki's FSRS scheduler.

  1. 1

    Create your deck in StudyCards AI

    Log in to StudyCards AI, create a new deck, and upload your notes or paste your text. The AI generates flashcards automatically. Review and edit as needed.

  2. 2

    Open the deck and click "Download"

    From your deck view, click the Download button. StudyCards AI exports the deck as an .apkg file — Anki's native format. This file contains all your cards ready to import.

  3. 3

    Open Anki and import the file

    Open Anki on desktop (download free from apps.ankiweb.net if needed). Go to File → Import, locate your downloaded .apkg file, and click Open. The deck imports in seconds.

  4. 4

    Start studying with spaced repetition

    Your deck appears in Anki's main screen. Click Study Now. Anki schedules reviews using its algorithm — cards you find hard come back sooner, easy ones are pushed out. Daily study of your review queue is all that's needed.

Want a visual walkthrough?

See our full illustrated tutorial with screenshots for every step.

Desktop Import Tutorial → Mobile Import Tutorial →

Export from Quizlet to Anki

Quizlet doesn't provide a direct Anki export, but you can transfer sets manually using a two-step process.

Important caveat

Quizlet's terms of service technically restrict bulk export. The methods below use Quizlet's export feature (which Quizlet supports) to move your own content. Don't use third-party scraper tools for other users' content.

  1. 1

    Export from Quizlet as text

    Open your Quizlet set. Click the three-dot menu → Export. Choose tab-separated format. Copy the exported text.

  2. 2

    Import text into Anki

    In Anki desktop, go to File → Import. Paste the text into a .txt file first, then import. Set the field separator to Tab. Map fields to Front/Back. Click Import.

  3. 3

    Review and assign to a deck

    After import, the cards appear in your Default deck unless you specify otherwise. Move them to the appropriate deck via the Card Browser.

Better alternative: regenerate with AI

If you have source material for your Quizlet set (your own notes, a textbook), using StudyCards AI to regenerate the cards often produces higher-quality results than importing Quizlet's version. Pre-made Quizlet sets frequently contain errors, and AI can create application-style questions that Quizlet's manual cards often lack.

How to Import an .apkg File into Anki

The .apkg (Anki Package) format is the standard way to share and import Anki decks. Here's how to import one:

Desktop (Windows/Mac/Linux)

  1. 1. Open Anki
  2. 2. Go to File → Import
  3. 3. Locate your .apkg file
  4. 4. Click Open
  5. 5. Anki imports the deck (a few seconds)
  6. 6. Click OK on the import confirmation

Alternatively: double-click the .apkg file — Anki opens automatically and imports.

Mobile (AnkiDroid / AnkiMobile)

  1. 1. Download the .apkg file to your phone
  2. 2. Open the file in your file manager
  3. 3. Choose "Open with AnkiDroid/AnkiMobile"
  4. 4. Anki imports automatically

Or: use AnkiWeb sync (see below) — import on desktop, sync to mobile.

Syncing Anki Across Desktop and Mobile

Anki's free AnkiWeb service syncs your decks across all devices. This means you can import on desktop and immediately study on your phone.

  1. 1. Create a free AnkiWeb account at ankiweb.net
  2. 2. In Anki desktop, click Sync and log in with your AnkiWeb account
  3. 3. On AnkiDroid (Android, free) or AnkiMobile (iOS, $24.99), log in to AnkiWeb
  4. 4. Tap Sync on mobile — your decks appear within seconds
  5. 5. Study progress syncs bidirectionally — reviews done on mobile update your desktop schedule

Troubleshooting Common Import Errors

"File type not supported" error

Make sure the file is a true .apkg file, not a .zip or .txt that's been renamed. Download the file again from StudyCards AI and try double-clicking it to open with Anki directly.

Cards imported but not appearing in any deck

Check the "Default" deck — Anki sometimes places imported cards there if the deck name wasn't specified. Open the Card Browser (B key) and search for recent cards to locate them.

Duplicate cards after importing

Anki checks for duplicates by note ID. If you import the same .apkg twice, it updates existing cards rather than creating duplicates. Check the import summary — it reports how many cards were added vs. updated.

Sync conflict between desktop and mobile

If you've studied on two devices without syncing, Anki will ask which version to keep. Usually: keep the version with the most recent study data. Sync before and after every study session to avoid this.

Get Anki-Ready Flashcards from Your Notes

Skip the manual card creation. StudyCards AI generates your entire Anki deck from your notes automatically — properly formatted and ready to import.

Try Free → See Import Tutorial

Generate Anki flashcards free

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