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Frequently Asked Questions

After you complete a deck, AnkiDroid Companion automatically checks for new cards every 8 hours.The background worker (PeriodicWorker) runs at this interval and:
  1. Checks if there are any scheduled cards in your selected deck
  2. If new cards are available, displays a notification immediately
  3. If no cards are available, waits another 8 hours before checking again
This 8-hour interval is currently fixed and cannot be customized. A settings option to change this interval is planned for future releases.
When you complete all available cards in your deck:
  1. The notification changes to show a congratulations message: “Congrats! You’ve finished the deck!”
  2. The notification becomes dismissible (not persistent)
  3. The message indicates: “New notifications will arrive when it’s time to study!”
  4. The app’s background worker will check every 8 hours for new scheduled cards
  5. When new cards become available, you’ll automatically receive a new notification
You can also manually refresh the deck from the app to check for new cards immediately.
No, not currently. AnkiDroid Companion only supports simple text-based cards.The app strips all HTML formatting from cards to display them as plain text in notifications. This means:
  • ✅ Simple text cards work perfectly
  • ✅ Basic HTML (bold, italic, etc.) is converted to plain text
  • ❌ Complex formatting is lost
  • ❌ Images and media are not displayed
  • ❌ Custom styling is not preserved
If your cards contain complex HTML, images, audio, or advanced formatting, you should use the main AnkiDroid app instead.
For technical details, see the Limitations page.
No. AnkiDroid Companion does not store any card data, deck information, or review history.The app works as a lightweight interface to AnkiDroid:
  • All card data is queried directly from AnkiDroid using the AnkiDroid API
  • Reviews are sent back to AnkiDroid for processing
  • Only the current deck ID and card position are stored locally for state management
  • All actual data storage and spaced repetition logic happens in AnkiDroid
This means you must have AnkiDroid installed for the Companion app to work. The Companion is an extension, not a replacement.
AnkiDroid Companion is an extension app, not a standalone flashcard app. It requires AnkiDroid to be installed because:
  1. Data Access: The Companion queries card data from AnkiDroid’s content provider
  2. Review Logic: All spaced repetition algorithms and scheduling are handled by AnkiDroid
  3. Deck Management: Your decks, cards, and study progress are stored in AnkiDroid
  4. No Duplication: This design keeps the Companion lightweight and ensures your study data stays in one place
The Companion simply provides a convenient notification-based interface to access AnkiDroid’s card practice feature without opening the main app.
Make sure to install AnkiDroid from the Google Play Store or F-Droid before using the Companion app.
Unfortunately, you cannot change the study interval at this time. The 8-hour check interval is hardcoded in the app.This is a known limitation and a frequently requested feature. Adding a customizable study interval setting is planned for a future release.Current behavior:
  • Fixed 8-hour interval between background checks
  • No settings option to modify this value
Workaround:
  • You can manually open the Companion app and tap “Refresh” to check for new cards immediately
  • Or open AnkiDroid directly to study at any time
See the Limitations page for more details.
No, there is currently no skip functionality in AnkiDroid Companion.When a card appears in the notification, you must choose one of the four answer options:
  • Again (1)
  • Hard (2)
  • Good (3)
  • Easy (4)
There’s no way to skip the card and move to the next one without answering.
This is a known limitation. Adding a skip button is being considered for future releases, but it requires careful design to fit in the notification interface.
See Limitations for more information.
If you’re not seeing notifications, check the following:
  1. Notification Permissions: Ensure AnkiDroid Companion has notification permissions enabled in Android Settings
  2. Notification Channel: Make sure notifications for the app aren’t disabled or set to silent
  3. Battery Optimization: Check if battery optimization is preventing background workers from running
  4. Deck Selection: Verify you’ve selected a deck and tapped “Refresh” in the app
  5. Available Cards: Confirm there are actually cards due for review in your selected deck
  6. AnkiDroid Installed: Make sure AnkiDroid is properly installed and has decks with cards
If the notification still doesn’t appear after checking these items, try:
  • Restarting the app
  • Checking AnkiDroid directly to ensure your deck has cards
  • Reviewing the app permissions in Android Settings
Yes! Widgets for the home screen and lock screen are planned for future updates.The goal is to provide even more convenient access to your flashcards without needing to interact with notifications. Stay tuned for announcements about widget support.

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Still Have Questions?

If your question isn’t answered here, you can:
  • Check the GitHub Issues to see if it’s already been discussed
  • Open a new issue to ask your question or request a feature
  • Review the Limitations page for known issues

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