Always prompting to upload/download to Anki web on first sync after startup

Anki Help
1

Hi,

Hoping someone can help. I’ve used anki for years (and I love it) and never really had any issues syncing. But recently (triggered by the last update) I see the following behaviour.

  1. Open Anki Desktop
  2. Click sync, get the “upload to ankiweb, download from ankiweb” prompt
  3. Click “download from anki web”
  4. Close Anki Desktop
  5. Reopen and click sync, get the prompt again.

I do use Ankidroid but for the duration of the above process, Ankidroid was closed.

If I perform further syncs between steps 3 and 4, then Anki does not prompt. Either after doing nothing, reviewing a card or adding/editing a card. But, as soon as Anki is closed and reopened, the first sync will prompt.

I’ve been living with it but I’ve accidentally wiped my new cards a few times.

I’m not sure it is related to the latest version because although it only started happening after the latest version, I have downgraded all the way to 24.11 and the issue persists. So maybe the latest version did something to my database, or maybe just coincidence?

Anyone got any ideas? I’ve tried check database. Also tried “upload to Ankiweb” from Anki desktop.

Thanks

2

That suggests to me that either (A) you have automatic-sync-on-open/close disabled [Tools > Preferences > Syncing], or (B) that the auto-sync completes just fine and then your manual sync prompts for a one-way sync. If it’s (B) – it sounds like you have an add-on that is making changes to your database in the background.

Things to try –

  1. Run Tools > Check Database, force a one-way sync to upload that to AnkiWeb (in Preferences), and then go through your restart process again. [I know you said you did those things, but this particular sequence might change things.]

  2. Restart in safe mode – Troubleshooting Checklist #2 – so none of your add-ons run anything, and see if that stops it.

You didn’t post here with the same address you use for your AnkiWeb account, so I don’t know which “latest version” you’re using. But if you are using the “launcher” process to downgrade to older versions [Tools > Upgrade/Downgrade], you’re still using the launcher.

I can’t imagine how that could be connected to what you’re seeing (since the launcher doesn’t directly touch your data), but if you want a clear test of an older version, you’ll have to uninstall and do a fresh install of that older version.