Anki Series: How To Actually Learn From Long Decks (And The Better iOS Alternative Most People Miss)

What Is An Anki Series And Why Do People Use It?

Alright, let’s talk about what people mean when they say anki series. Anki series usually refers to big, multi-part Anki decks (like “Biochem 1–5” or “Japanese N5 Series”) that break a huge topic into smaller, connected decks. The idea is you work through them in order so you can cover an entire subject step by step instead of dealing with one massive, chaotic deck. It’s super popular for things like med school, languages, and exam prep—but it can also get overwhelming fast. That’s exactly where a cleaner, more modern flashcard app like Flashrecall comes in and makes this whole “series” thing way easier to manage:

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

Why People Love Anki Series Decks (And Why They Burn Out)

So, you know how you start a big topic thinking, “I’ll just download a premade deck and I’m set”?

That’s basically the Anki series experience.

Why Anki Series Decks Are Popular

People use Anki series because:

• They cover a full subject (e.g. “Step 1 Anki series,” “JLPT N3 series”)
• They’re usually organised by topic or chapter
• You can feel like you have a complete roadmap instead of guessing what to study next

For example:

• A med student might use an Anki series of decks for each organ system
• A language learner might use a series of decks for grammar, vocab, kanji, etc.
• A law or exam student might use series decks for each module or subject

The Problem: Series Decks Can Be A Trap

The downside?

• You end up with thousands of cards and no idea where to start
• Reviews explode to hundreds per day
• Editing or customizing cards is painful
• Syncing across devices can be clunky, especially on mobile

That’s usually when people start looking for something smoother and more modern—like Flashrecall—that still gives you the benefits of a “series” but without the chaos.

Flashrecall vs Anki Series: Same Idea, Way Less Friction

If you like the concept of an Anki series but hate the friction, Flashrecall is honestly a nicer way to do it.

👉 Grab it here if you want to follow along:

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

How Flashrecall Handles “Series” Better

Instead of giant, intimidating decks, you can create collections or groups of decks in Flashrecall. Think:

• “Med School – Year 1”
• “Spanish – A2 Level”
• “CFA Level 1 – Quant, Ethics, FRA”

Inside each, you can have smaller decks (basically your “series”) like:

• “Cardio Physiology”
• “Spanish – Food & Restaurant Vocab”
• “Ethics – Standards I–VII”

Same idea as an Anki series, but:

• Cleaner layout
• Faster to make and edit cards
• Much nicer on iPhone and iPad

And you still get:

• Spaced repetition (with automatic scheduling)
• Active recall (you see the question, try to remember, then reveal the answer)
• Study reminders so you don’t forget to review

Building Your Own “Anki Series” In Flashrecall

Let’s say you like the structure of an Anki series but want to build it your way.

Step 1: Pick Your Big Topic

Example topics:

• USMLE Step 1
• French B1
• Business & Finance Basics
• High School Biology

Create a main collection in Flashrecall for that topic.

Step 2: Break It Into Mini Decks (Your “Series”)

Instead of one monster deck, split it by:

• Chapters (Chapter 1 – Cells, Chapter 2 – Genetics)
• Skills (Listening, Vocabulary, Phrases, Grammar)
• Modules (Accounting, Economics, Finance, Management)

This gives you that series feel: small, focused decks that together cover everything.

Step 3: Add Cards Fast (This Is Where Flashrecall Wins)

Flashrecall makes building your “series” super quick because you can create cards from almost anything:

• Images – snap a textbook page, diagram, or slide → instant flashcards
• Text – paste notes or bullet points → turn them into cards
• PDFs – import and pull cards from key sections
• YouTube links – make cards from videos you’re studying
• Audio – great for language listening practice
• Typed prompts – just type the question and answer manually if you want full control

You’re not stuck doing everything the slow manual way like classic Anki.

You can still add manual cards, but you’re not forced to.

How Spaced Repetition Works In A “Series” Setup

Anki series decks rely on spaced repetition, and Flashrecall does too—just with less setup and math.

What Spaced Repetition Actually Does

Quick version:

• You review a card
• You rate how hard it was
• The system decides when to show it again
• Easy cards show up less often, hard ones show up more

In Flashrecall:

• This is built in automatically
• You don’t have to tweak intervals or settings
• You just show up, review, and the app handles the schedule

Plus, you get auto reminders so your “series” doesn’t die after week two.

Active Recall: The Core Of Any Good Series Deck

No matter if you use an Anki series or Flashrecall, the real magic is active recall:

• You see a prompt (question, keyword, image, case, phrase)
• You try to remember the answer before flipping the card
• That mental effort is what makes the memory stick

Flashrecall is literally built around that:

• Clear question → tap to reveal answer
• Then you rate how well you remembered it
• Spaced repetition kicks in and schedules the next review

And if you’re stuck or confused?

You can chat with the flashcard in Flashrecall to get explanations or extra context. That’s something classic Anki series decks definitely don’t give you.

Using Flashrecall For Popular “Anki Series” Use Cases

Let’s go through some real-life examples where people usually search for Anki series decks.

1. Med School & Exams (USMLE, NCLEX, etc.)

Instead of hunting for a random “Anki series” someone made years ago, you can:

• Import images of lecture slides or PDF notes
• Turn high-yield tables and diagrams into cards instantly
• Create a deck per system: Cardio, Resp, Renal, Neuro, Heme/Onc, etc.

Benefits in Flashrecall:

• Works offline, so you can review on the bus, between lectures, wherever
• Auto reminders keep your review on track
• You can quickly tweak cards when guidelines change

2. Languages (Japanese, Spanish, French, etc.)

People love “Anki series” for JLPT or vocab decks. In Flashrecall, you can:

• Make separate decks for vocab, grammar, listening, phrases, kanji
• Add audio so you can train listening + speaking
• Pull cards from YouTube videos or dialogues you’re actually interested in

And because it’s on iPhone and iPad, you can sneak in 5–10 minute sessions all day long.

3. School & University (Any Subject)

For subjects like:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• History
• Economics

You can:

• Snap photos of textbook pages or teacher slides
• Highlight the key points as questions and answers
• Organize by chapter or unit so it feels like a clean “series” from start to finish

No need to rely on someone else’s messy Anki deck that may not match your syllabus.

Flashrecall vs Traditional Anki Series: Quick Comparison

Not saying Anki is bad—it’s powerful. But if you’re on iOS and want something smoother, here’s how it stacks up.

Where Anki Series Wins

• Huge library of shared decks (if you like premade content)
• Tons of customization options if you like tweaking every setting
• Cross-platform, including desktop

Where Flashrecall Feels Better (Especially On iOS)

• Modern, clean design – doesn’t feel like using software from 2008
• Fast card creation from images, PDFs, YouTube, text, audio
• Built-in spaced repetition with no confusing settings
• Chat with the flashcard when you’re stuck or need extra explanation
• Study reminders so you don’t forget your reviews
• Works offline on iPhone and iPad
• Free to start, so you can test it without committing

If you like the structure of a series but want something that actually fits into your daily life, Flashrecall honestly makes more sense.

Grab it here:

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

Tips To Make Any “Series” (Anki Or Flashrecall) Actually Work

No app can fix bad habits, so here are a few simple rules to make your series effective:

1. Keep Decks Focused

Don’t dump everything into one deck.

Use small, focused decks:

• “Cardio Physiology” instead of “All Physiology Ever”
• “Spanish Food Vocab” instead of “General Vocab”

2. Limit New Cards Per Day

It’s better to:

• Do 20–40 new cards a day consistently
• Than 200 in one day and then burn out

Flashrecall’s spaced repetition and reminders help keep this manageable.

3. Make Cards Simple

Good card:

• Front: “What does ‘tachycardia’ mean?”
• Back: “Abnormally fast heart rate”

Bad card:

• Front: “Explain all the causes, mechanisms, and treatments of tachycardia”

Short, clear cards = better memory.

4. Actually Review Daily

Series decks only work if you show up:

• Use Flashrecall’s study reminders
• Keep sessions short but consistent (10–20 minutes)
• Mix decks so you don’t get bored

So… Should You Still Use Anki Series?

If you already have an Anki series that’s working for you, cool—keep using it.

But if you:

• Feel overwhelmed by giant decks
• Hate clunky interfaces
• Mostly study on iPhone or iPad
• Want faster card creation and smarter help when you’re stuck

Then it’s worth trying the same “series” idea in a more modern app.

• Spaced repetition
• Active recall
• Deck “series” style organization
• Plus image/PDF/YouTube importing, chat-based help, reminders, and offline support

You can grab it for free here and start building your own series today:

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

Build your own version of an Anki series—but make it actually enjoyable to use.

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.

What's the best way to learn vocabulary?

Research shows that combining flashcards with spaced repetition and active recall is highly effective. Flashrecall automates this process, generating cards from your study materials and scheduling reviews at optimal intervals.

How can I study more effectively for this test?

Effective exam prep combines active recall, spaced repetition, and regular practice. Flashrecall helps by automatically generating flashcards from your study materials and using spaced repetition to ensure you remember everything when exam day arrives.

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