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How to Memorize With Anki Flashcards (Spaced Repetition)

If you keep forgetting things right after memorizing them, a spaced-repetition tool like Anki is built to fix exactly that. Here is how to get started.

  1. Create a new deck

    Open Anki and select "Create Deck" to make a dedicated deck for whatever words or concepts you want to memorize.

  2. Add cards

    Add a card by typing a question or word on the front and the answer or definition on the back.

  3. Review every day

    Look at each card and rate how well you remembered it β€” such as "Again" or "Easy" β€” and Anki automatically adjusts when you will see that card next.

  4. Build long-term memory with spaced repetition

    Cards you know well are shown less often, while cards you struggle with are shown more frequently β€” an algorithm designed to make memorization far more efficient than plain repetition.

  5. Why it actually works

    Instead of mindlessly repeating material over and over, a scientifically grounded spaced-repetition algorithm resurfaces each card right before you are likely to forget it, letting you retain far more with far less total study time.

The forgetting curve behind the algorithm

Anki's scheduling is built on research going back to 19th-century psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, who documented how quickly newly learned information fades from memory over time β€” the "forgetting curve." Reviewing information right before it would otherwise be forgotten resets that curve far more efficiently than cramming through repetition alone, which is the core idea spaced-repetition software is designed around.

You rarely have to start from a blank deck

Anki has an active community of users who share pre-made decks for everything from language vocabulary to medical terminology and exam prep, downloadable directly from shared-deck sites. Starting from a well-made shared deck and customizing it can save significant setup time compared to building every card from scratch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Anki free to use?

The desktop and Android versions are free, while the iPhone app is sold as a paid download.

Can I use decks that other people have made?

Yes β€” shared-deck sites let you download decks that other users have built and start using them right away.