Exporting
Exporting allows you to save part of your collection as a text file or packaged Anki deck. To export, click the File menu and choose Export.
Text Files
If you choose “Notes in Plain Text”, Anki will write the contents of the notes into a text file. Each field is separated by a tab. If you edit the resulting file and don’t modify the first field, you can later import that file back into Anki and Anki will update your notes based on your edits, provided you import back into the same note type.
If you find yourself needing to edit the first field as well, you’ll need to change the format of your note type so that the first field is an ID number rather than actual text. (You can install the Add note id add-on to make this easier.)
In order for formatting to be preserved when you import text back in, the text is exported with all the HTML formatting embedded in it.
Packaged Decks
A “packaged deck” consists of cards, notes, note types, and any sounds or images bundled up into a file ending with .apkg or .colpkg. You can use packaged decks to transfer cards between people, or for backing up parts of your collection.
There are two different kinds of packaged decks.
Collection (.colpkg)
.colpkg stands for “Anki Collection Package”. Exporting it will export your
entire collection. The collection contains all decks with scheduling included.
You can use the collection package to back up your collection, or copy it to
another device.
What Happens on Import?
If you import a .colpkg file, then all of your current cards in Anki will be
deleted and replaced by the cards from the .colpkg file. This is useful for
copying your collection back and forth between devices.
Existing media in your collection is not deleted when you import a collection package. To delete unused media, use Tools > Check Media.
Export Options
Include Media
If true, local media will be included.
If false, the .colpkg will not contain any audio, images or other media.
Support older Anki versions (slower/larger files)
If true, a legacy version of the file is created. Turn this on if you need to support older clients. If false, a modern version of the file is created. Imports and exports will be faster, and media files will be compressed, but the resulting file will not be readable by older Anki clients.
Deck (.apkg)
.apkg stands for “Anki Deck Package”. You can use it to export a single deck
(and any child decks it may have).
If the filename is collection.apkg, then it is a collection package instead.
All other filenames ending with .apkg are deck packages.
What Happens on Import?
When you import a deck package, Anki will add the contents into your collection, rather than overwriting your collection.
If some notes in the deck package have previously been imported, Anki will keep the version with the most recent modification time.
You have a deck with the name Biology and use it in Anki. You now download an updated version of that same deck. If you import the updated deck, then Anki will incorporate all the edits into your own Anki collection.
If you re-import an unchanged .apkg after making changes in your own
collection (e.g. editing cards), then Anki will keep the changes in your
collection instead of overwriting them.
Export Options
Include Scheduling Information
If true, scheduling information such as your review history will be exported. If false, Anki will assume that you are sharing the deck with other people, and will remove the entire scheduling information, including marked and leech tags. That way users will have a clean copy of your deck.
Include Deck Presets
If true, deck presets will be included.
Include Media
If true, local media will be included.
If false, the .apkg will not contain any audio, images or other media.
Support older Anki versions (slower/larger files)
If true, a legacy version of the file is created. Turn this on if you need to support older clients. If false, a modern version of the file is created. Imports and exports will be faster, and media files will be compressed, but the resulting file will not be readable by older Anki clients.