How do I import a CSV into Anki?

File → Import, choose the .csv or .txt file, check the delimiter Anki detected, map the first field to Front and the second to Back, pick the deck and note type, then import. The preview shows how rows will split before you commit.

Why did my CSV import into Anki wrong?

Usually a delimiter or quoting problem: commas inside answers split fields unless the field is wrapped in quotes, and quotes inside fields must be escaped. Checking the import preview catches this before any cards are created.

Can I import from Quizlet into Anki?

If you can get the set as delimited text (term and definition per line), Anki imports it like any CSV — tab-separated works well. Quizlet's own export options apply to sets you have access to export.

Anki CSV Import: Format, Mapping & Fixes (2026)

Q: What file format does Anki import?

Anki desktop imports delimited text files — comma-, semicolon-, or tab-separated, saved as .csv or .txt — plus Anki's own package formats (.apkg/.colpkg). Each row becomes a note; fields are separated by the delimiter.

Anki's importer is powerful and picky. Here's the format it actually wants, the field-mapping step that trips people up, and the two classic ways a CSV goes wrong.

Updated August 2026 · applies to Anki desktop (Windows/Mac/Linux).

The format Anki accepts

Anki desktop imports delimited text files — comma-, semicolon-, or tab-separated, saved as .csv or .txt — alongside its own package formats (.apkg/.colpkg). One row = one note (a quoted field can even contain a line break); the delimiter splits the row into fields:

"What is spaced repetition?","Reviewing at increasing intervals timed to memory decay."
"What does CSV stand for?","Comma-separated values."

Quote fields that contain the delimiter. A comma inside an answer will split the field unless it's wrapped in quotes.
Escape quotes inside fields (double them: ""like this"").
Tab-separated avoids most of this — answers rarely contain tabs, which is why TSV is the sturdier choice for prose-heavy cards.

The import, step by step

File → Import and choose your .csv or .txt file.
Check the delimiter Anki detected (comma, tab, semicolon — adjustable in the import screen).
Map fields: field 1 → Front, field 2 → Back (or whatever your note type expects). This mapping step is where a "wrong" import usually happens — a mismatched note type scatters data into the wrong fields.
Pick the deck and note type — the note type determines which fields exist to map into — review the preview, and import.

When the import comes out wrong

Fields split in the wrong place → unquoted delimiter inside a field. Fix the quoting, or switch to tab-separated.
Everything lands in one field → wrong delimiter selected. Change it in the import screen.
Weird characters → save the file as UTF-8. Spreadsheet apps sometimes save CSV in a legacy encoding.
Duplicates → Anki matches notes by the first field, and the import options control whether existing notes are updated or duplicated — worth checking before re-importing a corrected file.

Quizlet and other directions

Anki doesn't care where the delimited text came from. If you can get a set out of Quizlet as text (term and definition per line — tab-separated works well), the import above applies unchanged. The reverse — taking cards into Quizlet — uses Quizlet's own import box, which accepts pasted text with a separator between term and definition.

Skip the CSV wrangling for AI chats

If your source material is a ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini study conversation, you don't need to prompt for CSV and hand-fix the quoting. AI Chat to Flashcards reads the open conversation and produces an Anki-compatible CSV (or Quizlet-ready tab text) in one click — quoting and escaping handled. Conversation content is processed in your browser and not uploaded by the extension. Full walkthrough: ChatGPT to Anki · Claude to Anki · Gemini to Anki.

Study chat → importable deck, one click.

Free · up to 20 cards per export · one-time $9 unlocks unlimited · ChatGPT, Claude & Gemini.

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FAQ

What file format does Anki import?

Delimited text (.csv/.txt — comma, semicolon, or tab) plus Anki's own .apkg/.colpkg packages. One row per note.

Why did my CSV import wrong?

The usual suspects: unquoted commas splitting fields, unescaped quotes breaking rows, the wrong delimiter selected — or a mismatched note type/field mapping and encoding issues. The import preview shows it before you commit.

Can I import from Quizlet?

If you have the set as delimited text, yes — Anki imports it like any CSV/TSV.