Import an Anki deck (.apkg): a step-by-step guide

To import an Anki deck into Lumia AI, export the deck from desktop Anki as an .apkg file through File > Export, then use the import feature. Check a sample of questions and answers to see what transferred. Organize the reviewed cards into books before you begin studying.

An Anki package can contain notes, cards, note types, and media files. That describes the contents of the file, not what another application preserves when reading it. Decks can use different fields and templates. Keep your material in Anki and start with a small deck that represents the formats you rely on, rather than moving everything at once.

In desktop Anki, open File > Export, select the deck you want to transfer, and choose the .apkg deck package format. Check the selection before saving: the manual distinguishes a deck package from a .colpkg collection package, which contains the entire collection. Older collection packages were also named collection.apkg. Review the export type as well as the file extension.

Export options control which information goes into the package. The labels may differ with your Anki version or interface language, so consult the manual if an option is unfamiliar. Selecting an option does not guarantee that the destination application will interpret its contents in the same way. Pay particular attention to the following choices:

Include scheduling information if you want review history stored in the package. When sharing material with someone who will start fresh, you can exclude it to export a copy without that history. This changes the exported file; it does not mean the destination app will preserve or reproduce Anki's schedule. Exporting without scheduling does not itself erase the history in your original collection.

Before transferring anything, list what you need to check: questions, answers, images, extra fields, and review data. Compare the imported sample against that list. If local images are missing because you left media out of the package, export again with media included. Label the saved copy clearly so you can tell which deck and version you are checking during the transfer.

Choose a varied sample: a plain text card, a formatted card, an image card, and any special note type you use. Opening only the first few cards is not enough if they all share one template. Compare each example with Anki. Check whether the question makes sense on its own and whether the answer contains everything needed to assess your response.

Look for possible duplicates, especially if you have transferred similar material before. Do not assume how a second import is handled: behavior documented for Anki does not necessarily describe the destination app. If something is wrong, work out whether it affects one card or an entire format before importing more. Keep the source file available as a reference throughout the comparison.

Use your syllabus to decide how to organize the material into books. A course or unit can provide a clear starting point. Avoid sorting cards solely by file size. Group questions that support the same learning goal, then check whether you can study that topic without depending on an explanation that ended up somewhere else in the transfer.

Organization and review are separate decisions. You can keep material organized by topic and later practice questions from several topics when that combination makes sense. Mixing topics is not inherently a mistake. The problem is losing each card's source or combining questions with such different goals and difficulty levels that you cannot tell what a missed answer means.

Try to answer from memory before revealing the back of a card. Compare your response with the checked solution, then rate how well you recalled it. Use spaced repetition based on your ratings to revisit the material in later sessions. Do not assume an imported schedule remains intact; check how review works before relying on a particular due date.

Start with an amount of material you can review and correct. When you miss several questions, distinguish a forgotten answer from an idea you do not yet understand or a poorly worded prompt. You may need to study the explanation before trying again. End with a check beyond the deck: explain an idea without cards or solve a course exercise using it.

Confusing a deck with a collection changes the scope of the transfer. The manual warns that importing a .colpkg into Anki replaces the cards in its current collection; that warning describes Anki. For this workflow, prepare an .apkg deck package. Changing the name or extension of the wrong package does not turn it into the correct export.

Another mistake is assuming that imported material is ready to study. A complex template may need attention, an answer may depend on a field you cannot see, or a diagram may contain labels that reveal the solution. Fix problems in the sample before expanding the transfer. Having many cards available does not establish that the questions are accurate or that you understand their content.

Lumia AI supports importing Anki decks in .apkg format, creating or editing flashcards, and organizing them into books. You can continue reviewing with spaced repetition based on your ratings. A useful starting point is to import a sample, compare it with the original, and correct any problems before transferring the rest of the material.

You can also generate cards and quizzes with AI from notes or PDFs. Check every question and answer against the source before studying it; generating more material does not automatically fix an imported deck. Keep longer exercises and practical assignments alongside your cards. While you evaluate the transfer, retain the original file as your reference rather than relying only on the imported copy.