Anki Study: 7 Powerful Tricks To Learn Faster (And A Better Alternative Most Students Don’t Know)

Anki Study Is Great… But Let’s Be Honest, It’s A Lot

If you’ve ever thought, “I should use Anki, everyone says it’s amazing,” and then bounced off because it felt confusing, you’re not alone.

Anki is powerful, but it can be:

• Ugly and outdated
• Hard to set up
• Annoying to sync across devices
• Overwhelming with all the settings and add-ons

That’s exactly why apps like Flashrecall exist — to keep all the good parts of Anki-style study (spaced repetition, active recall) but make it actually fun and easy to use.

You can grab Flashrecall here (free to start):

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

Let’s break down how to study like an Anki pro, and why Flashrecall might be a better fit for you.

What Makes “Anki Study” So Effective?

Whether you’re using Anki or another app, there are two big ideas that make this type of studying insanely effective:

1. Active Recall

Instead of rereading notes, you force your brain to pull the answer out from memory.

• Question: “What is the capital of Japan?”
• You think: “Tokyo.”
• Then you flip the card and check.

This “mental struggle” is exactly what strengthens memory. Both Anki and Flashrecall are built around this.

2. Spaced Repetition

Instead of cramming, you review at increasing intervals:

• Today
• Tomorrow
• In 3 days
• In a week
• In a month

Anki does this with its algorithm and settings. Flashrecall does the same automatically — but without you needing to touch a single setting if you don’t want to.

The Problem With Traditional Anki Study

Anki is legendary, but it also has some real pain points:

• Steep learning curve – Decks, note types, cloze deletions, add-ons… it’s a lot.
• Clunky interface – Especially on mobile. It works, but it doesn’t feel modern.
• Manual setup – You often have to build everything from scratch or import decks.
• Sync and platform issues – Desktop vs mobile vs web, plus paid mobile apps.

If you love tweaking and customizing, Anki is amazing.

If you just want to start learning fast with minimal friction, something like Flashrecall usually feels way better.

Flashrecall vs Anki: Same Study Power, Less Headache

Here’s how Flashrecall stacks up against traditional Anki study:

1. Making Cards Is Way Faster

With Anki, you usually:

• Type everything manually
• Or import decks and then clean them up

With Flashrecall, you can make cards instantly from:

• Images (e.g., a photo of your textbook or notes)
• Text
• Audio
• PDFs
• YouTube links
• Or just typed prompts

You can still make cards manually if you like, but the whole point is you don’t have to. That alone saves a ridiculous amount of time.

👉 That means less “admin work,” more actual learning.

2. Built-In Active Recall (No Setup Required)

Anki is built around active recall, but you often have to:

• Choose the right card type
• Decide how to structure your notes
• Maybe install add-ons for cloze deletions or nicer formatting

With Flashrecall, active recall is just… there.

• You create your cards
• You get simple front/back or Q&A style prompts
• You answer from memory, then flip and rate how well you knew it

No complicated configuration. It just works.

3. Automatic Spaced Repetition With Reminders

Anki has very powerful spaced repetition, but you have to:

• Understand intervals, ease factors, lapses, etc.
• Remember to open Anki and review every day

With Flashrecall:

• Spaced repetition is built-in and automatic
• You get study reminders so you don’t forget to review
• You don’t need to understand the algorithm — it just surfaces the right cards at the right time

So you get the benefit of Anki-style spaced repetition without needing a PhD in Anki settings.

4. Chat With Your Flashcards When You’re Stuck

This is something Anki just doesn’t have.

In Flashrecall, if you’re unsure about a card or concept, you can literally:

• Chat with the flashcard
• Ask follow-up questions
• Get things explained in simpler terms

Example:

You’re studying medicine and have a card about “beta blockers.”

You can ask:

> “Explain beta blockers like I’m 15.”

Or

> “How do beta blockers lower blood pressure?”

That turns your flashcards from static Q&A into an interactive tutor.

5. Works Offline, Works Everywhere (iPhone & iPad)

Anki mobile works, but it can feel… dated.

• Fast
• Modern
• Easy to use
• Designed for iPhone and iPad
• Works offline, so you can study on the train, plane, or in that one classroom with terrible Wi-Fi

Perfect for quick review sessions between classes or during a commute.

6. Great For Any Subject, Not Just Med School

Anki is huge in medicine, but it’s useful for everything. Same with Flashrecall — but with a smoother experience.

Use Flashrecall for:

• Languages (vocab, phrases, grammar)
• Exams (SAT, MCAT, USMLE, bar exam, etc.)
• School subjects (history, biology, math formulas)
• University courses
• Medicine & nursing
• Business topics, frameworks, interview prep
• Even hobbies (music theory, coding concepts, geography)

If it can be turned into a question and answer, you can put it into Flashrecall.

7 Powerful Anki-Style Study Tips (That Work Even Better In Flashrecall)

Whether you stick with Anki or switch to Flashrecall, these habits will make your study sessions way more effective.

Tip 1: Keep Cards Simple

One idea per card.

• Bad: “What are the causes, symptoms, and treatments of asthma?”
• Better:
• “What are the causes of asthma?”
• “What are the symptoms of asthma?”
• “What are the treatments for asthma?”

Flashrecall makes it easy to split and refine cards as you go. Short, clear cards = faster reviews and better memory.

Tip 2: Use Your Own Words

Don’t just copy textbook sentences.

• Instead of: “Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants…”
• Use: “What is photosynthesis in simple terms?”

And answer in your own language.

You can even use Flashrecall’s chat to help rewrite complicated explanations into simpler, more memorable ones.

Tip 3: Add Context (Not Just Bare Facts)

Instead of only memorizing:

• “Berlin is the capital of Germany.”

Add a bit of context:

• “Berlin is the capital of Germany and was divided during the Cold War.”

In Flashrecall, you can put the key fact in the answer, and keep extra context there too. Your brain loves stories and connections.

Tip 4: Review Every Day (Even 5–10 Minutes)

Spaced repetition only works if you actually show up.

• Anki: you have to remember to open it.
• Flashrecall: sends study reminders, so your phone basically taps you on the shoulder and says, “Hey, time to lock this in.”

Even a quick 5–10 minute review session daily beats a 2-hour cram once a week.

Tip 5: Use Images And Screenshots

Some things are just easier with visuals:

• Anatomy diagrams
• Maps
• Graphs
• UI layouts (for coding or software tools)

With Flashrecall, you can literally snap a photo of your notes, slides, or textbook page and turn it into flashcards. Way faster than typing everything into Anki one by one.

Tip 6: Turn YouTube Videos And PDFs Into Cards

If you study from online lectures or PDFs, this is huge.

In Flashrecall, you can:

• Paste a YouTube link
• Import a PDF
• Then generate flashcards from that content

So instead of passively watching a 1-hour lecture, you end up with active recall cards you can review in minutes.

Tip 7: Use “I Don’t Know” As Your Superpower

Don’t be afraid to mark a card as “hard” or “again.”

• In Anki, that feeds the algorithm.
• In Flashrecall, it does the same — and you can also chat with the card to get a better explanation.

If a card keeps coming up, ask Flashrecall’s chat:

> “Explain this more simply.”

> “Give me an analogy for this concept.”

> “Test me with a slightly different question.”

That’s how you turn weak spots into strengths.

So… Should You Use Anki Or Flashrecall?

If you:

• Love tweaking settings
• Want maximum control
• Don’t mind an older interface

Then Anki is still an amazing tool.

But if you:

• Want something fast, modern, and easy to use
• Want automatic spaced repetition and study reminders
• Like the idea of chatting with your flashcards
• Want to create cards instantly from images, text, audio, PDFs, or YouTube
• Study on iPhone or iPad and want it to just work

Then Flashrecall will probably feel like the smoother, more enjoyable version of “Anki-style” study.

You can try it free here:

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

Build your decks, let spaced repetition do its thing, and actually remember what you study — without wrestling with complicated settings every time you open the app.

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.

What is active recall and how does it work?

Active recall is the process of actively retrieving information from memory rather than passively reviewing it. Flashrecall forces proper active recall by making you think before revealing answers, then uses spaced repetition to optimize your review schedule.

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• Anki Cards: 7 Powerful Tricks To Upgrade Your Flashcards (And A Smarter Alternative Most Students Don’t Know)
• Anki Study: 7 Powerful Tricks To Learn Faster (And a Simpler App Most Students Prefer) – If you love Anki’s results but hate the friction, this guide (and a better alternative) is for you.
• Quizlet Create: 7 Powerful Tricks To Make Better Flashcards (And A Smarter Alternative Most Students Don’t Know) – Stop wasting time on clunky card creation and learn a faster, smarter way to study.