2025 - Getting timezone error and can’t open Anki Desktop at all

[Cal]

Hello. I’m having trouble syncing my Anki Desktop with my Android app (Android 14). When I try to open Anki Desktop I get two error messages pop up:

“Syncing failed:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File “aqt\sync.py”, line 348, in run
File “aqt\sync.py”, line 414, in _sync
AttributeError: ‘Syncer’ object has no attribute ‘hostNum’”

and “Your Anki client does not support the new timezone handling yet. Please ensure your Anki is up to date.”

When I close down the error messages, Anki is stuck on “not responding” and I can’t open it at all.

Here are the details of my setup:

• Desktop version: Anki 2.1.0 for Windows
• Operating system: Windows (64-bit)
• Attempted solutions: I tried using Anki 2.1.49 from the Alternate Download Site for Windows 7, as it’s the latest version supported for my setup, but it didn’t work either. My desktop is 64-bit.

I also tried going to Tools > Preferences to enable the legacy timezone handling option, but my version doesn’t have that option.

I’m not sure how to resolve this issue and would greatly appreciate any guidance or suggestions.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[NameLessGO]

There isn’t much we can do, Anki has dropped support for Windows 7

Please update your system to Windows 10 or 11, or consider using Linux mint if your device does not meet the requirement to upgrade

[Cal]

Thank you for the quick reply!

Is there a way to upload a .txt file directly to AnkiWeb? I couldn’t find an option for uploading a file—only for creating a deck and updating cards (front and back, etc.).

I’d like to upload a file to the web version of Anki and then sync it with the Android app. Is this possible?

Wishing you a sweet and happy New Year!

[Danika_Dakika]

@Cal

I tried using Anki 2.1.49 from the Alternate Download Site for Windows 7, as it’s the latest version supported for my setup, but it didn’t work either.

I don’t think you’re going to be able to get 2.1.0 working, but can you say more about what “didn’t work” with 2.1.49?

@Cal

I’d like to upload a file to the web version of Anki and then sync it with the Android app. Is this possible?

You can’t import into AnkiWeb. But you can manually export/import your collection back and forth between desktop Anki and AnkiDroid to keep your devices “in sync” via USB. You basically cut out AnkiWeb as the “middle-man.” If you can’t get 2.1.49 working, that may be your best option.

[Cal]

What “didn’t work” with Anki 2.1.49?

=> Failed to execute script pyi_rth_win32comgenpy

It supports Windows 32-bit, but my system is 64-bit. On the alternative download site, I didn’t see an option for 32-bit or 64-bit—it just says “Windows version.” Is there a hidden 64-bit version somewhere that I might have missed?

Kill the middleman

If the desktop version doesn’t work, I can still create a .txt file on my desktop, send it via email, download it on my phone, and import it to the Android app. This process involves more steps than my usual workflow. Before, I would simply create a .txt file, import it into Anki Desktop, sync it to the web version, and then choose the web sync on my phone.

My current issue only occurs when I choose the Android app’s content as the one to sync, rather than the web version while I’m in the app. Afterward, when I try to access Anki Desktop, I encounter the two sync errors mentioned earlier. This makes me think there might be some kind of conflict.

So, does uninstalling the app and deleting all the content (like my decks), then reinstalling, creating a new account to sync to the web, logging into that account on the app, and choosing “sync to web” work? If so, please tell me how to delete all the content. As I recall, when I reinstall, the login info might not be erased, and whenever I turn off Wi-Fi, I still see all my decks.

Thank you!

[Danika_Dakika]

@Cal

It supports Windows 32-bit, but my system is 64-bit. On the alternative download site, I didn’t see an option for 32-bit or 64-bit—it just says “Windows version.” Is there a hidden 64-bit version somewhere that I might have missed?

I feel pretty confident that 2.1.49 works on 64-bit Windows, because I’ve used it on Windows 10 (and possibly 11). Have you tried the version from GitHub? Release 2.1.49 · ankitects/anki · GitHub

@Cal

So, does uninstalling the app and deleting all the content (like my decks), then reinstalling, creating a new account to sync to the web, logging into that account on the app, and choosing “sync to web” work? If so, please tell me how to delete all the content.

That might be worth a shot – as long as you have your data safe somewhere else. The default program folder location is %LocalAppData%\Programs\Anki\ and for your data it is %AppData%\Anki2 (but yours might be at an older location – Managing Files - Anki Manual ).

[Cal]

Oh, are you sure it works for Windows 7? Mine is an aging operating system.

I trust your confidence, so let me give it a try ^^
I don’t think my luck is that bad!

[Danika_Dakika]

I can’t say I’m sure, and I’ve never tried it in Win 7. But seeing as how neither one of us has found anything that suggests 2.1.49 is supported for Win 7, but only if it’s 32-bit – and 32-bit apps usually work fine on a 64-bit OS – it seems likely that it should.

[Cal]

Hey, good news! I found a way to get everything back to normal.

Let me explain my process in detail so that anyone facing a similar issue can give it a try:

1. Turn off Wi-Fi: I turned off Wi-Fi to prevent syncing, which stopped the syncing errors from happening.

2. Deauthorize the account: I deauthorized the sync with my current account.

3. Create a new account: I created a new AnkiWeb account, logged into it, and synced my data to the web.

4. Reconfigure the phone app: On my phone, I uninstalled the old Anki app and logged into the new account after reinstalling. (Actually, uninstalling might not be necessary—you could try simply logging into the new account without uninstalling the app.) Then, I chose to sync from the web, and boom! Everything works now.

I didn’t need to install a new OS or a newer Anki version. This solution works perfectly for my current needs, and I’m happy to know what to do next time (using your suggested version),if the issue reappears.

Anw, uninstalling Anki: Why doesn’t it clear everything?

Even when I uninstalled the app, reinstalling it didn’t reset everything—it still appeared as if I’d never uninstalled it. The account was still logged in!

Is there a way to uninstall the app completely, clearing all data? I’m worried that if every uninstalled app leaves data behind, my phone’s memory might get overloaded. Isn’t it in a file folder or something?

Could you help explain how to ensure a full uninstall and clarify the rules behind this? This behavior is new to me, and I’d like to understand it better.

Thank you, Danika! You’re an angel… from Anki’s sky! If no one has said it yet, it’s my honor to say it out loud.

And isn’t it hard to code a simple flashcard version with Python? I just need a back-and-forth card system and a function to import a file.

[Danika_Dakika]

That’s great to hear, and thanks for sharing what worked. I’m glad you’re cooking again.

Answers to your other questions –

@Cal

Anw, uninstalling Anki: Why doesn’t it clear everything?

Uninstalling Anki does clear away the program from the program folder, but it doesn’t delete your collection database (which includes your notes, cards, note types, review history, etc.), your media, your backups, or your add-ons. As I said above, those are stored in a separate location on your system.

Why? I’d think the reasons would be self-evident. Your collection data doesn’t belong to Anki – it belongs to you! Anki is an offline-first app, so there’s no requirement that you use AnkiWeb syncing, or that your data ever leaves your system. It would be unusual for a desktop app to delete all of the data and documents you’ve created just because you uninstall the app. Heaven forbid, what if it was the only copy of your collection, and you didn’t have it safely backed up somewhere else?

Allowing you to manage your data yourself means it is (1) portable – you can easily move your collection from one computer to another, or run the app from a USB drive on a borrowed/shared computer, and (2) deletable – as soon as you’re ready, you can delete all of it. [It’s not tough to find. I gave you the locations, but if you search for anki on your computer, you’ll probably find it easily.]

@Cal

I’m worried that if every uninstalled app leaves data behind, my phone’s memory might get overloaded.

The mobile apps are a different story. Both iOS and Android are quite locked down in terms of where apps can store their data. When you uninstall the app, all of your data goes with it.

[The exceptions for AnkiDroid are pretty limited. Versions pre-2.16, installations on Android that is pre-11, and versions that are installed from somewhere other than the Play Store. Those versions aren’t restricted in where they can store your collection, so they aren’t forced to delete your data. But again, it’s all in one place, so if you have concerns about that, it should be easy to find.]

[Anon_0000]

@Danika_Dakika

But again, it’s all in one place, so if you have concerns about that, it should be easy to find.

It shouldn’t be all in one place on Android. AnkiDroid should create a folder in /sdcard/AnkiDroid/ which includes backups, databases and media. /sdcard/AnkiDroid/ might by a symlink to /storage/emulated/0/.

All actual app data is only accessable via root shell, which most phones locked down anyway. If you remove an android app, only the app data in that root directory (if I remember correctly it was in /data/data/<package_name> and /data/app/) is deleted, the sdcard is not touched.

As a sidenote: the paths /sdcard/AnkiDroid/ and /storage/emulated/0/ are the paths from root. A normal user wouldn’t see those paths, but it’s what the files app will show them.

[Danika_Dakika]

@Anon_0000

It shouldn’t be all in one place on Android.

Perhaps I should have been clearer – I was referring only to the user/collection data that OP was concerned about, not the app.

In those older versions, it’s at /storage/emulated/0/AnkiDroid by default and easily accessible. If you’re using 2.16+, Android 11+, and the Play Store version of the app, the user/collection data has migrated to /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.ichi2.anki/files/AnkiDroid (due to Play Store policies) and is inaccessible for most users.

The fastest way to see which location you are using is Settings > Advanced > AnkiDroid directory.

@Cal

I’m worried that if every uninstalled app leaves data behind, my phone’s memory might get overloaded. Isn’t it in a file folder or something?

If your storage migrated from the old location to the new location, you might want to check if there’s an outdated version of your collection at the old location. As you noted, that could be quite large, so you might want to delete it. You can tell the last time this collection was used by AnkiDroid from the last modified date on the collection.anki2 database file, or by checking the names of the files in the backup folder.

[Anon_0000]

@Danika_Dakika

If you’re using 2.16+, Android 11+, and the Play Store version of the app, the user/collection data has migrated to /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.ichi2.anki/files/AnkiDroid (due to Play Store policies) and is inaccessible for most users.

Why would they do that? Most people cannot view this Android folder and it gets deleted on uninstall too…

Anyways, that is off topic anyway. Thanks for the clarification!