Beautify Anki: 9 Easy Ways To Make Flashcards Look Amazing (And Actually Fun To Study) – Stop dreading ugly decks and learn how to turn your cards into something you *want* to open every day.
Quick ways to beautify Anki with better fonts, colors, and layouts—plus when it’s easier to just switch to a modern app like Flashrecall for pretty cards by...
How Flashrecall app helps you remember faster. It's free
So, How Do You Actually “Beautify Anki”?
Alright, let's talk about what it really means to beautify Anki: it basically means making your flashcards look cleaner, more aesthetic, and easier on the eyes so you actually want to study them. When people say “beautify Anki,” they’re usually talking about better fonts, colors, layouts, images, and overall card design that feels less like a 90s spreadsheet. A nicer-looking deck isn’t just about vibes either — good design makes info easier to read, reduces eye strain, and helps you focus on what matters. And if all the tweaking in Anki feels like a headache, you can get that modern, pretty look instantly with apps like Flashrecall, which gives you clean, beautiful cards out of the box:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
Why Making Your Flashcards Look Good Actually Matters
You know how you’re way more likely to open a nice-looking notebook than a crumpled one? Same thing with flashcards.
Beautiful cards help with:
- Motivation – You’re more likely to study something that doesn’t look like a tax form.
- Readability – Good fonts, spacing, and contrast make it easier to scan and remember.
- Focus – Clean layouts stop you from getting overwhelmed by walls of text.
- Memory – Visual cues (icons, colors, images) can help you recall faster.
The problem with trying to beautify Anki is that it often turns into:
- Hunting for card templates
- Copy-pasting CSS from random Reddit posts
- Breaking your deck layout and not knowing why
If that’s you, you’ve got two paths:
1. Tweak Anki step by step, or
2. Switch to something more modern like Flashrecall that already looks good and is easy to customize.
Let’s go through both.
Option 1: Simple Ways To Beautify Anki (Without Going Crazy)
1. Start With Fonts and Font Sizes
The fastest way to beautify Anki is to fix the fonts.
- Use a clean sans-serif font for most text (e.g., Inter, Roboto, Helvetica).
- Use bigger fonts than you think. Tiny 12px text is just pain.
- Make headings slightly larger than body text.
In Anki, you can:
- Go to Cards… → tweak the HTML/CSS in the editor
- Or use the Fields and style with ``, ``, etc. for basic changes
If this already sounds like too much, that’s exactly why people move to apps like Flashrecall, where the default design is already clean, readable, and modern — no CSS needed.
2. Use Color Intentionally (Not Like a Rainbow)
You don’t need 15 colors. You need 2–3 consistent ones.
For example:
- Main text: black or dark gray
- Accent color: blue or green for key terms
- Background: white or very light
In Anki’s card template CSS, you can set things like:
```css
.card {
font-family: "Inter", sans-serif;
font-size: 20px;
color: #222;
background-color: #f8fafc;
}
.highlight {
color: #2563eb;
font-weight: 600;
}
```
Then in your card content:
```html
Important keyword
```
Keep it simple. If your card looks like a highlighter exploded on it, it’s not “aesthetic,” it’s chaos.
3. Add Images and Icons (But Keep Them Clean)
Visuals = instant upgrade.
Flashrecall automatically keeps track and reminds you of the cards you don't remember well so you remember faster. Like this :
You can:
- Add diagrams for anatomy, physics, workflows
- Use icons for things like “definition”, “example”, “warning”
- Use screenshots for apps, UIs, or charts
In Anki you have to:
- Manually insert images
- Keep them resized so they don’t destroy the layout
In Flashrecall, you can actually generate flashcards straight from images, PDFs, or even YouTube links, which is insanely helpful when you’re studying from slides or lecture notes:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
You just upload, and it pulls out Q&A for you — already in a nice, clean layout.
4. Use Card Layouts That Breathe
A lot of ugly cards are just… cramped.
To beautify Anki, add:
- Line breaks between sections
- Bullet points for lists
- Consistent formatting for “Definition / Example / Note”
Example structure:
> What is [term]?
- Definition:
- Example:
- Extra note / trick to remember:
You can even style these with bold labels or small icons to make them easier to scan.
In Flashrecall, you can just type naturally or paste text, and the layout already respects spacing and readability — so you don’t have to fight the editor.
5. Use Tags and Deck Organization Like a Pro
Beauty isn’t just visual; it’s also how organized everything feels.
In Anki:
- Use tags for topics (e.g., `cardio`, `pharmacology`, `vocab-b2`)
- Split big mess decks into subdecks so reviews feel lighter
When things are neatly organized, your deck feels cleaner even if the design is basic.
Flashrecall also lets you keep decks organized by subject (languages, exams, medicine, business, etc.), and because it’s fast and modern, it doesn’t feel like digging through an old filing cabinet.
Option 2: When Beautifying Anki Is Just Too Much Work
You might realize at some point:
> “I just want my flashcards to look good and work well… I don’t want to mess with CSS.”
That’s where Flashrecall honestly shines.
Here’s how it compares if you’re trying to beautify Anki vs. just using something nicer out of the box.
Flashrecall vs Anki: Which Is Better If You Care About Aesthetic + Ease?
- Super powerful
- Very customizable (if you know what you’re doing)
- Tons of community templates and add-ons
- Old-school UI
- Card styling requires HTML/CSS
- Sync and mobile experience can feel clunky
- You can easily break your layout and not know why
- Modern, clean design by default – cards already look good without tweaking
- Fast and easy to use – no coding, no templates, just start making cards
- Instant flashcards from anything:
- Images
- Text
- PDFs
- YouTube links
- Typed prompts
- Or manual entry if you like full control
- Built-in spaced repetition with auto reminders — you don’t have to plan your review schedules
- Study reminders so you actually come back to your decks
- Works offline on iPhone and iPad
- You can chat with the flashcard if you’re unsure and want more explanation
- Great for languages, exams, school, uni, medicine, business — literally anything
- Free to start
You can grab it here:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
If your goal is “beautify Anki,” sometimes the better move is “use something that already looks beautiful.”
How To Make Your Cards Look Aesthetic And Effective
Pretty is nice, but your cards still need to help you remember stuff. Here’s how to balance both.
1. Keep One Concept Per Card
Ugly:
> “Explain the causes, symptoms, treatment, and complications of X.”
Beautiful and effective:
- Card 1: “Main causes of X”
- Card 2: “Key symptoms of X”
- Card 3: “First-line treatment of X”
Clean design + focused content = way easier to remember.
2. Use Formatting to Highlight What Matters
Use:
- Bold for the key part of the answer
- Italics for hints or side notes
- Bullet points for lists
Example back side:
- Answer: Beta-blockers
- Hint: Think of “-olol” drugs
- Side note: Avoid in asthma patients
In Flashrecall, you can format text easily and keep everything super readable without messing with code.
3. Add Simple Visual Mnemonics
You don’t need to be an artist. Even:
- A tiny icon
- A quick doodle
- A simple diagram
…can make a card 10x more memorable.
With Flashrecall, you can snap a picture of your notes or diagrams and turn them into flashcards instantly. That’s way faster than hand-typing everything.
Example: Turning a Boring Card Into a Beautiful One
Let’s say you have this boring Anki card:
> What is the definition of opportunity cost?
> The value of the next best alternative forgone when a decision is made.
Beautified version:
> 💸 What Is Opportunity Cost?
- Definition:
The value of the next best alternative you give up when you make a choice.
- Example:
If you study tonight instead of working, your opportunity cost is the money you could’ve earned.
- Tip to remember:
Think: “What am I sacrificing?”
Add a bit of spacing, a small icon, and clear structure — now it actually feels nice to review.
Flashrecall lets you build cards like this super quickly, and they already look clean on mobile without any tweaking.
When You Should Stick With Anki vs Switch to Flashrecall
Stick with Anki if:
- You love tweaking settings, templates, and CSS
- You already have massive decks that you don’t want to move
- You enjoy customizing every detail of the workflow
Try Flashrecall if:
- You’re tired of fighting the UI just to make cards look good
- You want a fast, modern app that just works on iPhone and iPad
- You like the idea of:
- Auto-generated cards from PDFs, images, and YouTube
- Built-in spaced repetition with reminders
- Being able to chat with your flashcards when you’re confused
- You want something that looks beautiful and is easy to maintain long-term
Again, here’s the link if you want to check it out:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
Final Thoughts: Beautify Anki… Or Just Use Something Better
So yeah, you can beautify Anki with:
- Better fonts and colors
- Clean layouts with spacing and bullets
- Images, icons, and simple structure
- Tags and organization
But if you’re mainly doing all that because you hate how your cards look and feel, it might be way easier to just use an app that’s already designed to look good and be easy to use.
Flashrecall gives you:
- Beautiful cards by default
- Spaced repetition and active recall built-in
- Automatic card creation from the stuff you’re already studying
- A smooth, modern experience on iPhone and iPad
So you spend less time styling and more time actually learning.
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 most effective study method?
Research consistently shows that active recall combined with spaced repetition is the most effective study method. Flashrecall automates both techniques, making it easy to study effectively without the manual work.
What should I know about Beautify?
Beautify Anki: 9 Easy Ways To Make Flashcards Look Amazing (And Actually Fun To Study) – Stop dreading ugly decks and learn how to turn your cards into something you want to open every day. covers essential information about Beautify. To master this topic, use Flashrecall to create flashcards from your notes and study them with spaced repetition.
Related Articles
- Anki Pro: The Powerful Alternative Most Students Miss (And the Smarter Way To Learn Faster) – Before you commit to an Anki Pro setup, see how newer apps like Flashrecall make flashcards faster, easier, and way less painful.
- Math Drills Flashcards: 7 Powerful Ways To Make Practice Actually Fun And Super Effective – Stop dreading math drills and turn them into a fast daily habit you actually stick with.
- Anki App Flashcards: 7 Powerful Reasons iPhone Users Are Switching To This Faster, Smarter Alternative – Stop Wasting Time Tweaking Decks And Actually Start Learning Faster
Research References
The information in this article is based on peer-reviewed research and established studies in cognitive psychology and learning science.
Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354-380
Meta-analysis showing spaced repetition significantly improves long-term retention compared to massed practice
Carpenter, S. K., Cepeda, N. J., Rohrer, D., Kang, S. H., & Pashler, H. (2012). Using spacing to enhance diverse forms of learning: Review of recent research and implications for instruction. Educational Psychology Review, 24(3), 369-378
Review showing spacing effects work across different types of learning materials and contexts
Kang, S. H. (2016). Spaced repetition promotes efficient and effective learning: Policy implications for instruction. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 3(1), 12-19
Policy review advocating for spaced repetition in educational settings based on extensive research evidence
Karpicke, J. D., & Roediger, H. L. (2008). The critical importance of retrieval for learning. Science, 319(5865), 966-968
Research demonstrating that active recall (retrieval practice) is more effective than re-reading for long-term learning
Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1), 20-27
Review of research showing retrieval practice (active recall) as one of the most effective learning strategies
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4-58
Comprehensive review ranking learning techniques, with practice testing and distributed practice rated as highly effective

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