Where to find and change Anki hotkeys

Anki stores hotkey settings in the Preferences window, which you reach through the menu bar. On Windows and Linux, click Tools > Preferences. On Mac, click Anki > Preferences. The hotkey settings live on the Shortcuts tab.

The Shortcuts tab shows every action Anki can perform and the key combination currently assigned to it. The list is long — it includes card review actions, deck navigation, note editing, and window controls. You can scroll through the entire list or search for a specific action using the search box at the top.

To change a hotkey, click on the action you want to modify. A text field will appear where you can type the new key combination. Anki will record whatever keys you press, so if you want Ctrl+Shift+R, you press those keys together and Anki captures that combination. Click OK to save all your changes at once.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Preferences from the Tools menu (Windows/Linux) or Anki menu (Mac), then click the Shortcuts tab to see all available hotkeys.
  • Click any action in the list and type the key combination you want to use — Anki records whatever keys you press.
  • Some hotkeys are built into Anki's core and cannot be changed, while others can be customized freely.
  • If you assign a hotkey that conflicts with another action, Anki will warn you but let you proceed; the new assignment takes priority.
  • Your custom hotkeys are saved in Anki's configuration files and will persist across updates unless you reset preferences.

Common hotkeys people change first

The most frequently customized hotkeys are the review actions: marking a card as again, hard, good, or easy. By default these are 1, 2, 3, and 4 on your keyboard. If you prefer arrow keys or letters, you can reassign them here. Many users also change the hotkey for Show Answer (default spacebar) to something else if they use the spacebar for other purposes.

Deck switching hotkeys are another common change. The default is Alt+number, which some users find awkward. You can reassign these to single keys or different modifier combinations. The Add hotkey (Ctrl+N on Windows/Linux, Cmd+N on Mac) is also frequently changed by users who want a different combination for their workflow.

What happens when hotkeys conflict

If you assign a hotkey that is already in use, Anki will show you a warning message listing the action that currently owns that combination. You can choose to proceed anyway, which will remove the hotkey from the old action and assign it to the new one. This means you will lose the old shortcut unless you manually reassign it to something else.

To avoid losing shortcuts by accident, check what a key combination does before you reassign it. Scroll through the list or use the search box to find the current owner of any hotkey you are considering. If you make a mistake, you can always reopen Preferences and fix it.

Hotkeys that cannot be changed

Some hotkeys are hardcoded into Anki and do not appear in the Shortcuts tab. These include basic window controls like Alt+F4 (close window on Windows) and some system-level shortcuts that your operating system reserves. You cannot override these in Anki's preferences.

Additionally, if you use an Anki add-on, that add-on may define its own hotkeys that appear in the Shortcuts list. You can change add-on hotkeys the same way you change built-in ones, but if you disable or uninstall the add-on, those hotkeys will disappear from the list.

Saving and testing your changes

After you finish changing hotkeys, click OK at the bottom of the Preferences window. Anki saves your changes immediately and applies them right away — you do not need to restart the program. The next time you open Anki, your custom hotkeys will be there.

Test your new hotkeys while reviewing cards to make sure they feel natural and do not conflict with your typing habits. If a hotkey does not work as expected, return to Preferences and double-check that you entered it correctly. Anki is sensitive to modifier key order — Ctrl+Shift+R is different from Shift+Ctrl+R on some systems, though most modern keyboards treat them the same.

Resetting hotkeys to defaults

If you want to undo all your custom hotkey changes and return to Anki's defaults, you can reset the Preferences window. However, Anki does not have a single "reset hotkeys" button. Instead, you must reset your entire Preferences file, which will also reset other settings like card colors, review order, and window size.

To reset preferences, close Anki completely. Then locate your Anki data folder (the location varies by operating system — check Anki's documentation for your system). Inside that folder, find the file named prefs.db and delete it. When you restart Anki, it will create a new preferences file with all defaults. This is a drastic step, so only do it if you want to reset everything, not just hotkeys.

Syncing hotkeys across devices

Anki's sync feature (which keeps your cards synchronized across devices) does not sync your hotkey settings. If you use Anki on a laptop and a desktop, you will need to set up hotkeys separately on each machine. Your custom hotkeys are stored locally in your Anki data folder and are not sent to AnkiWeb or any other device.

If you want the same hotkeys on multiple computers, you can manually copy your preferences file from one machine to another, but this is not officially supported and may cause problems if the machines are running different versions of Anki. The safest approach is to spend a few minutes setting up your preferred hotkeys on each device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same hotkey for two different actions?

No. Each hotkey can only be assigned to one action. If you try to assign a hotkey that is already in use, Anki will remove it from the old action and give it to the new one. You will need to reassign the old action to a different key.

What if my hotkey is not working during reviews?

Make sure the Anki window is in focus — hotkeys only work when Anki is the active application. Also check that you did not accidentally assign the same hotkey to two actions. If the hotkey still does not work, close and reopen Anki to make sure the change was saved properly.

Can I use special keys like function keys or media buttons?

Yes. Anki accepts F1 through F12, arrow keys, Enter, Tab, and other special keys. You can also combine them with Ctrl, Shift, and Alt. Media buttons (play, pause, volume) depend on your keyboard and operating system — some will work, others will not.

Do my hotkey changes survive Anki updates?

Yes. Your custom hotkeys are stored separately from Anki's program files, so they will remain after you update Anki. However, if a new version of Anki adds a new action and assigns it a hotkey you are already using, you may see a conflict warning the first time you open Preferences after updating.

Can I export my hotkey settings to share with someone else?

Not directly through Anki's interface. Your hotkeys are stored in the prefs.db file in your Anki data folder. You can copy this file to another computer, but it will also copy all your other preferences. There is no built-in way to export just the hotkey settings.