How to Import Your Anki Decks (.apkg) onto iPhone

What's actually inside an .apkg

An .apkg is a zipped package that contains your notes, the cards generated from them, their note types/templates, any media (images, audio), and — crucially — the scheduling state (due dates, intervals, ease, review history for that deck). A .colpkg is the same idea but for your entire collection rather than one deck.

That last part is why "importing" matters: done right, you don't restart your decks from zero — your streak of progress travels with the cards.

Step 1: Get the file onto your iPhone

You first need the .apkg file accessible on the phone. Any of these work:

• Files app / iCloud Drive — drop the .apkg into iCloud Drive on your computer; it appears in Files on the phone.
• AirDrop — from a Mac, AirDrop the file straight to the iPhone.
• Email or messaging — send it to yourself and tap the attachment.
• Direct download — shared decks (AnKing, etc.) often download straight to Files in Safari.

Step 2: Import it (keeping scheduling intact)

In Guru, open the deck list and choose import, then pick the .apkg from Files. Because the import runs on Anki's own engine, the cards, media, and scheduling come in exactly as they were — no re-learning, no lost history.

The same file imports into AnkiMobile too, if that's the app you're using — tap the .apkg in Files and choose "Copy to AnkiMobile." (Not sure which app to use? See how to use Anki on iPhone & iPad.)

Step 3: Verify it came over correctly

After import, do a quick sanity check:

• The deck's due count looks right (not "all cards new").
• A card with an image or audio renders its media.
• Cloze cards show their blanks correctly.

If due counts reset to "new," you probably imported a deck that was shared with scheduling stripped — that's a property of how the deck was exported, not the import. Re-export from the source with scheduling included if you control it.

Will my streak and review history survive?

Your scheduling state (intervals, ease, due dates) travels inside the .apkg, so your reviews pick up where they left off. A global daily streak counter is app-specific and starts fresh in a new app — but the actual spaced-repetition schedule, which is what matters for retention, is preserved.

You're never locked in

This is the part worth repeating: a good Anki app lets you export back out. With Guru you can export any deck to a standard .apkg at any time and take it to desktop Anki, AnkiMobile, or anywhere else. Importing onto your phone is a move, not a one-way trapdoor.

FAQ

What's the difference between .apkg and .colpkg? .apkg is one or more decks; .colpkg is your whole collection (all decks + settings). Both import the same way.

Can I import a huge deck like AnKing? Yes — large media-heavy decks import fine; just give big files a moment to unpack.

Do AI features change my imported cards? No. Importing never sends your cards anywhere. AI card generation in Guru only runs when you explicitly start it on new material — your imported decks are untouched.

Can I review the imported deck hands-free? Yes — once it's on your phone you can review with a controller, or use the phone as a wireless remote for desktop Anki. See hands-free Anki review.

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