Guide

Exporting from Anki

How to export your decks with scheduling data to preserve your learning progress.

Why Scheduling Data Matters

When you export an Anki deck, you can choose whether to include your scheduling information (also called "review history" or "study data"). This data includes:

  • Card states — Which cards are new, learning, or mature
  • Review intervals — How long until each card is due again
  • Ease factors — How difficult each card is for you
  • Due dates — When each card should be reviewed next
  • Review counts — How many times you've reviewed each card

Keep Your Progress

If you've spent months or years building up your Anki deck, you don't want to start from scratch. Exporting with scheduling data ensures Anki Green knows exactly where you left off.

Exporting from Anki Desktop

Step 1: Open the Export Dialog

  1. Open Anki on your computer
  2. Go to File → Export (or use the keyboard shortcut)

Step 2: Choose Your Deck

  1. In the Deck dropdown, select the deck you want to export
  2. Or select "All Decks" to export your entire collection

Step 3: Configure Export Settings

This is the crucial part. Make sure you configure these options correctly:

Export Format

Anki Deck Package (*.apkg)
This is the format Anki Green accepts

Include Options

Include scheduling information
Required — This preserves your review progress
Include media
Include if your cards have images or audio

Important: Check the Box!

The option is labeled "Include scheduling information" or "Include scheduling data" depending on your Anki version. Make sure it's checked, or you'll lose all your progress.

Step 4: Export

  1. Click Export
  2. Choose where to save the .apkg file
  3. Transfer the file to your iOS device (via AirDrop, iCloud, email, etc.)

Exporting from AnkiMobile (iOS)

  1. Open AnkiMobile on your iPhone or iPad
  2. Tap the gear icon (Settings)
  3. Tap Export
  4. Select the deck you want to export (or "All Decks")
  5. Make sure "Include scheduling information" is ON
  6. Tap Export and choose how to share the file

AnkiDroid (Android)

If you're exporting from AnkiDroid: Menu → Export → Select deck → Check "Include scheduling information" → Export. Then transfer the .apkg file to your iOS device.

What Gets Preserved

When you export with scheduling data and import into Anki Green, here's what transfers:

DataPreserved?Notes
Card content (front/back)Converted to Flashdown format
Images & audioExtracted and linked
Card due datesCards appear when they're due
Review intervalsConverted to FSRS stability
Card states (new/learning/review)Mapped to FSRS states
Deck structureHierarchy preserved
Review history (individual reviews)PartialUsed for initial FSRS calculation
Anki-specific settingsNoFSRS uses its own parameters

Troubleshooting

All my cards show as "new"

This means the export didn't include scheduling data. Re-export from Anki and make sure "Include scheduling information" is checked.

My due dates seem off

Anki Green uses FSRS instead of SM-2. While we import your scheduling data, FSRS may calculate slightly different intervals. This is normal and generally results in more efficient scheduling.

Can I go back to Anki?

Currently, Anki Green is a one-way import. Your progress in Anki Green stays in Anki Green. We recommend keeping your original Anki deck as a backup.

New Anki Format (.anki21b)

Anki 2.1.50+ uses a new database format with Zstandard compression. Anki Green fully supports this format, so you can export from the latest Anki versions without any issues.

Quick Reference

The essential steps for a successful export:

  1. Open Anki → File → Export
  2. Select your deck (or "All Decks")
  3. Choose Anki Deck Package (*.apkg)
  4. Check "Include scheduling information"
  5. Check "Include media" if needed
  6. Export and transfer to your iOS device
  7. Open the .apkg file in Anki Green

That's it! Your cards, progress, and media will be imported and ready for review.