How to Import an APKG File Into Anki

An .apkg file is an Anki deck package. Importing it adds the packaged deck, notes, card templates, and any included media to your existing Anki collection. On desktop, you can double-click the file or use File > Import. On iPhone, iPad, or Android, open the file with AnkiMobile or AnkiDroid.

The import itself is quick. The important part is checking what the package contains, choosing the right scheduling option, and previewing a few cards before you begin a large review queue.

Check the package first: The free Anki Import Checker inspects an APKG in your browser for fields, templates, empty values, missing media, broken references, and compatibility warnings. Your file is never uploaded.

Before you import an APKG file

First, confirm that the filename ends in .apkg and that you trust its source. Anki deck packages can contain notes, note types, card templates, and media such as images and audio. A package from VidToAnki can therefore keep the sentence, translation, audio clip, screenshot, and card layout together when you move the generated deck into Anki.

An .apkg deck package is different from a collection package:

• deck-name.apkg: A deck package used to add or update deck content in your collection.
• collection.colpkg: A collection package used to transfer or restore a full collection; existing collection content can be replaced.
• collection.apkg: A legacy filename for a collection package, so treat it as a full-collection transfer rather than an ordinary deck.

This distinction matters. The official Anki exporting guide explains that a normal deck package is merged into your collection, while a collection package is intended to move or restore the collection as a whole.

Before importing a file from another person or a generator, make a normal Anki sync or backup if your collection is important. You should also update Anki when practical; newer versions provide clearer controls for how existing notes and learning progress are handled.

How to import an APKG file on Windows, macOS, or Linux

Use the desktop version of Anki when you want the clearest import summary and the easiest way to inspect note fields, card templates, and media.

1. Save the .apkg file somewhere you can find it, such as Downloads.
2. Open Anki and select the profile that should receive the deck.
3. Choose File > Import, then select the .apkg file. You can also double-click the package to open it in Anki.
4. Review the import options. For a newly generated or shared deck, leave Import any learning progress unselected unless you deliberately want the scheduling history stored in the package.
5. Start the import and read Anki's summary of added, updated, or skipped notes.
6. Return to the deck list and open the imported deck.

Anki's importing overview documents File > Import, while its packaged-deck guide explains scheduling and update behavior.

Should you import learning progress?

Usually not when the deck was generated for you or shared by somebody else. Their review history is not your learning history. In Anki 23.10 and later, leaving Import any learning progress off removes scheduling information during import, including marked and leech tags stored with that progress.

Include progress only when you understand why it is present—for example, when you exported your own deck to transfer its review state between profiles. If new cards appear with unexpectedly long intervals, scheduling data may have been included.

How to import an APKG file on iPhone, iPad, or Android

iPhone and iPad with AnkiMobile

1. Save the .apkg file in Files, Mail, AirDrop, or another app that can share the file.
2. Tap the file and choose to open or share it with AnkiMobile.
3. Confirm the import.
4. Open the deck list and check that the new deck appears.

The official AnkiMobile deck-list guide says a saved .apkg can be opened from the file manager in AnkiMobile. AnkiMobile is the official iOS client; similarly named apps may use different formats or import steps.

Android with AnkiDroid

1. Save the .apkg file on the device.
2. Open the file with AnkiDroid and confirm the import.
3. If Android does not offer AnkiDroid, open AnkiDroid's deck list, choose Import, and select the file manually.
4. Check the imported deck from the deck list.

The official AnkiDroid manual documents both opening an .apkg through Android and selecting it from AnkiDroid's Import command.

Can you import an APKG directly into AnkiWeb?

No. Anki's official guide says AnkiWeb does not import deck packages directly. Import the file into Anki desktop, AnkiMobile, or AnkiDroid first, then sync that client with AnkiWeb. This also gives you a chance to inspect the cards before they reach every synced device.

Check the deck after importing

Do not begin studying hundreds of cards immediately. Open the card browser and preview a small sample—especially when the package was created from video or another automated source.

For a video-based language deck, check at least these items:

1. Deck size: Is the number of imported cards close to what you expected?
2. Prompt: Does the front test one clear skill, such as listening or phrase recognition?
3. Transcript: Does the sentence match the audio rather than merely a rough subtitle?
4. Translation: Does it fit this scene and use of the expression?
5. Audio: Does the clip start and end naturally, and does it play on the intended side?
6. Image: Does the screenshot provide context without exposing the answer too early?
7. Source: Can you identify the original video and timestamp if a correction is needed?

If the card feels crowded, fix the note fields or template before you start reviewing. Our guide to the best Anki card format for language learning shows a practical field structure, while Anki cards with audio and images explains where media helps and where it becomes an accidental hint.

For decks generated from your own permitted video, follow the complete video-to-Anki workflow: make focused cards from selected moments, export the .apkg, import it, preview a sample, and only then decide how many new cards to introduce.

Common APKG import problems

The file opens as a ZIP or another app handles it

Do not extract the package. Save it with the .apkg extension, then use Anki's own Import command or your device's Open with action. If a download renamed the file, restore the extension only when you are confident it is actually an Anki package from a trusted source.

Audio or images are missing

First, wait for the import to finish; media-heavy packages can take longer. Then preview several cards and run Anki's media check. Missing media can mean the package was exported without media, the import was interrupted, or the card template points to a field that is empty. You can also inspect the APKG before importing it to compare referenced filenames with the files actually bundled in the package. Re-exporting cannot recover media that was never included in the original package.

When audio alone is silent, use the focused Anki audio troubleshooting guide to check replay settings, sound references, templates, package contents, and device sync in order.

Anki reports that notes were skipped or updated

Anki identifies notes that were imported previously. Re-importing an updated package can add missing notes or update existing ones, depending on modification times, note-type compatibility, and the import choices available in your Anki version. Changing a note type's fields or templates can make automatic updates more complicated. Read the import summary before assuming that a second import created a separate copy.

The imported cards already have review intervals

The package probably contains scheduling information. On Anki 23.10 and later, import it again with Import any learning progress unselected when you want a clean study history. If you have already studied or edited the cards, back up first and review Anki's packaged-deck guidance before resetting due dates.

The deck does not appear where you expected

Search for one of the imported notes in the card browser and inspect its deck. Packages can preserve deck and subdeck names, so the cards may be nested below a parent deck. Anki represents subdecks with names separated by double colons, such as Spanish::Video sentences.

The package imports, but the cards are poor

Import success only proves that the file is structurally readable. It does not verify transcript accuracy, translation quality, media timing, or card design. For AI-assisted decks, keep the useful automation but reject weak candidates. The comparison in AI Anki generators vs manual sentence mining explains why a human review step still matters.

APKG import FAQ

Will importing an APKG delete my existing decks?

A normal deck package adds its content to your collection rather than replacing the collection. A collection package such as collection.colpkg is different and can replace collection content, which is why checking the filename and making a backup matters.

Can I import the same APKG twice?

Yes, but it does not necessarily create duplicates. Anki can recognize previously imported notes and may skip or update them. The result depends on the note identifiers, modification times, note types, and import settings.

Does an APKG include audio and images?

It can. Media is present only if the package was exported with media included. After importing, preview representative cards instead of assuming every referenced file arrived.

What should I do after importing a VidToAnki deck?

Preview a sample, verify the transcript and translation against the source moment, test the audio and screenshot, and keep only cards you genuinely want to review. VidToAnki reduces the mechanical work of building the package; the final learning decision remains yours.

Once those checks pass, sync Anki and introduce the deck at a pace your daily reviews can support. A successful import is the handoff point—not the finish line.