Anki How To Use: Step‑By‑Step Guide Plus a Faster Alternative Most Students Miss – Learn Smarter Today

Flashcards are insanely powerful, but if Anki feels confusing or clunky, this guide (and a better option) will save you a ton of time and frustration.

Anki Basics (And Why People Get Stuck So Fast)

Anki is a spaced repetition flashcard app. In theory, it’s awesome:

you make cards → Anki schedules reviews → you remember stuff longer.

In practice?

The interface can feel… ancient. Lots of buttons, weird menus, add‑ons, syncing issues. Most people install it, poke around for 10 minutes, and never touch it again.

If that’s you, you’re not alone.

That’s why a lot of learners end up switching to something simpler like Flashrecall – it keeps all the powerful stuff (active recall, spaced repetition) but in a way that’s actually fast and pleasant to use.

You can grab it here:

👉 Flashrecall on iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

I’ll walk you through:

• How Anki works (in plain English)
• How to actually use it without getting lost
• When Anki is great – and when something like Flashrecall is just easier

How Anki Works (Without the Nerdy Jargon)

Strip away all the menus and Anki is just:

1. Decks – folders of cards (e.g. “Spanish”, “Anatomy”, “Exam Prep”)

2. Cards – front (question) + back (answer)

3. Spaced Repetition – if you remember a card, you see it less often; if you forget it, you see it more often

Every day Anki gives you:

• New cards – stuff you’ve never seen
• Review cards – stuff you’re due to review

You answer, then rate how hard it was (“Again”, “Hard”, “Good”, “Easy”).

Anki uses that to decide when to show the card again.

That’s it. Everything else is just extra.

Step 1: Setting Up Anki (The Simple Way)

1. Download and Install

• Desktop (Windows/Mac/Linux): go to Anki’s official website and download
• Mobile:
• iOS: paid app (AnkiMobile)
• Android: free (AnkiDroid)

If you’re on iPhone and don’t want to pay just to try spaced repetition, that’s where Flashrecall is way nicer: free to start, fast, and made for iOS/iPadOS.

👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

2. Create Your First Deck

In Anki:

1. Click “Create Deck”

2. Name it something clear like “Biology Exam” or “Spanish A2”

Don’t overthink this. One deck per subject is totally fine to start.

Step 2: How To Make Good Anki Cards

This is where most people mess up. They dump entire paragraphs on one card and then wonder why reviews feel impossible.

Keep Cards Small and Clear

Use this rule: one question, one idea.

> Front: “Explain the Krebs cycle.”

> Back: a full textbook page

• “Where does the Krebs cycle take place in the cell?” → “Mitochondrial matrix”
• “What is the main purpose of the Krebs cycle?” → “Produce NADH, FADH2, and ATP”

Use Question Formats That Force Thinking

• Basic Q&A:
• Front: “Capital of Japan?”
• Back: “Tokyo”
• Fill‑in‑the‑blank:
• Front: “Water boils at ___ °C at sea level.”
• Back: “100”
• Image‑based:
• Front: picture of anatomy diagram with arrow
• Back: “Femoral artery”

In Anki, you’ll click “Add”, choose the card type (usually “Basic” is enough at first), then type front and back.

Step 3: Actually Studying With Anki

Once you’ve added a few cards:

1. Click your deck

2. Hit “Study Now”

You’ll see the front of a card.

Try to answer from memory (no peeking at notes).

Then click “Show Answer” and rate yourself:

• Again – you didn’t know it at all
• Hard – you kind of knew it
• Good – you knew it
• Easy – it was obvious

Anki uses this to space your reviews. The better you know it, the further it pushes the card into the future.

How Many Cards Per Day?

For most people:

• 10–30 new cards per day is manageable
• Reviews will grow over time, so don’t start with 100 new cards on day one

Where Anki Starts To Feel Annoying

After a few days, you might notice:

• Syncing across devices can be clunky
• Interface feels dated
• Adding images, screenshots, or YouTube content is slow
• No built‑in “chat about this card” style helper
• You have to manually manage decks, settings, add‑ons for nicer features

If you love tweaking settings and customizing everything, Anki is heaven.

If you just want to learn fast without fighting the app, it can get old quickly.

That’s where Flashrecall comes in as a smoother, modern alternative.

A Simpler Way: Using Flashrecall Instead Of Anki

Flashrecall basically gives you the benefits of Anki (active recall + spaced repetition) but removes a lot of the friction.

👉 Download it here on iPhone/iPad:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

Here’s how it compares in practice.

1. Making Cards Is Way Faster

With Anki, you’re usually typing everything manually or fiddling with add‑ons.

With Flashrecall, you can create flashcards from:

• Images – snap a photo of your textbook or notes → Flashrecall turns it into cards
• Text – paste in lecture notes or articles → auto‑generated cards
• Audio – perfect for language learning or lectures
• PDFs – upload slides or documents → get cards out of them
• YouTube links – turn video content into cards
• Typed prompts – tell it what you’re learning and let it help build a set
• Or manual cards if you like full control

So instead of spending an hour entering 30 cards into Anki, you can have Flashrecall build a starter deck for you in minutes, then tweak it.

2. Built‑In Spaced Repetition (No Config Headaches)

Flashrecall has spaced repetition baked in:

• It automatically schedules reviews
• Sends study reminders so you don’t forget
• You don’t have to touch any algorithm settings

You just open the app, and your due cards are ready.

Same science as Anki, way less setup.

3. Active Recall, But Friendlier

Both Anki and Flashrecall use active recall: you see a prompt, you try to remember, then reveal the answer.

Flashrecall adds:

• A clean, modern interface that doesn’t feel like 2005
• Works offline, so you can study anywhere
• Smooth on both iPhone and iPad

You still get the same “brain workout” effect, just in a nicer environment.

4. Stuck On a Card? You Can Actually Ask Questions

This is a big one.

In Anki, if you don’t understand a card, you have to go back to Google, textbooks, or notes.

In Flashrecall, you can literally chat with the flashcard:

• Ask, “Explain this concept more simply.”
• Or, “Give me another example.”
• Or, “Compare this to X.”

It’s like having a mini tutor built into your deck. Super useful for tricky topics like medicine, law, or complex theory.

When To Use Anki vs When To Use Flashrecall

Anki Might Be Better If…

• You love tweaking settings, plugins, and custom card templates
• You’re mainly on desktop and don’t mind a dated UI
• You want something super customizable and don’t care about setup time

Flashrecall Is Probably Better If…

• You’re on iPhone or iPad and want something that just works
• You don’t want to pay upfront just to try flashcards
• You want to create cards from images, PDFs, YouTube, audio, or text without fighting with add‑ons
• You like getting reminders so you don’t forget to study
• You want to chat with your cards when you’re confused
• You’re learning languages, exam content, medicine, business, or school subjects and need speed

Again, here’s the link so you don’t have to scroll back up:

👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

Example: Turning a Lecture Into Flashcards (Anki vs Flashrecall)

Let’s say you’ve got a 40‑slide PDF lecture on “Cardiovascular Physiology”.

1. Open PDF

2. Read and pick out key points

3. Manually type each question and answer

4. Add images separately if needed

5. Set up deck options, sync, etc.

1. Import the PDF into Flashrecall

2. Let it generate flashcards from the content

3. Quickly skim, edit, and add your own if you want

4. Start reviewing – spaced repetition + reminders are already on

Same goal, but one takes an hour and the other takes like 10 minutes.

Tips To Get The Most Out Of Any Flashcard App (Anki Or Flashrecall)

No matter what you use, these rules will make your studying way more effective:

1. Use your own words

Don’t just copy the textbook. Rephrase the idea how you would explain it to a friend.

2. Make short, focused cards

One fact or concept per card. If a card feels heavy, split it.

3. Review every day

Spaced repetition only works if you actually show up. This is where Flashrecall’s auto reminders are a lifesaver.

4. Mix concepts

Don’t keep all vocab in one session and all formulas in another. Mixing topics strengthens memory.

5. Delete or edit bad cards

If a card keeps annoying you, fix or remove it. Your deck should help you, not torture you.

So… How Should You Start?

If you’re determined to use Anki:

• Start with one simple deck
• Keep cards short and clear
• Don’t touch advanced settings for now
• Aim for 10–20 new cards per day

If you just want the easiest way to get the benefits of Anki without the hassle:

1. Install Flashrecall:

👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

2. Import something you’re already studying (images, notes, PDF, YouTube link)

3. Let it auto‑create cards, then clean them up a bit

4. Turn on study reminders and do a quick session every day

You’ll still be using spaced repetition and active recall – just in a faster, more modern way that fits how you actually study.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Anki good for studying?

Anki is powerful but requires manual card creation and has a steep learning curve. Flashrecall offers AI-powered card generation from your notes, images, PDFs, and videos, making it faster and easier to create effective flashcards.

What's the fastest way to create flashcards?

Manually typing cards works but takes time. Many students now use AI generators that turn notes into flashcards instantly. Flashrecall does this automatically from text, images, or PDFs.

How do I start spaced repetition?

You can manually schedule your reviews, but most people use apps that automate this. Flashrecall uses built-in spaced repetition so you review cards at the perfect time.

Related Articles

• Anki How To: 7 Essential Tricks To Study Smarter (And The Faster Alternative Most People Miss) – Learn the key Anki habits, then see how apps like Flashrecall make it all way easier.
• Flash Cards Create: 7 Powerful Ways To Make Better Cards And Actually Remember Stuff Fast – Stop Wasting Time And Start Building Flashcards That Work Today
• Anki Docs: The Complete Beginner-Friendly Guide (And a Simpler Alternative Most People Miss) – Confused by Anki documentation? Here’s the easy version, plus a faster way to start using flashcards today.