Anki 26.05 Beta 1

[Attilio]

[Beta 26.05b1] Anki UI freezes after clicking “Help” button on certain modal dialogs (macOS)

Description

When clicking the “Help” button inside specific modal alert dialogs, the default web browser opens correctly. However, upon returning to Anki, the main application window becomes completely unresponsive to clicks.

The application does not crash, nor does macOS label it as “Not Responding”. It allows a clean exit via Cmd+Q (triggering a normal sync and closure), and the top menu bar remains active. You can even open the “switch profile” window, but any subsequent window (including the one for switching the profile) opened also becomes frozen.

I have tested this without any add-ons (by holding shift while opening Anki)

Environment

• Anki Version: 26.05b1 (7a9ef323)

• Python: 3.13.11 | Qt: 6.11.0 | Chromium: 140

• OS: macOS 26.3.1 (Tahoe)

• Hardware: MacBook Pro 16" (Late 2023, Apple M3 Pro, 36 GB RAM)

Steps to Reproduce

Method 1: Creating an empty filtered deck

1. Go to Tools > Create Filtered Deck (or press F).

2. Input a search query that yields 0 results (e.g., combining mutually exclusive criteria like "deck:YourDeck" is:new is:learn).

3. Click Build.

4. A modal popup appears stating: “No cards match the criteria provided…”

5. Click the Help button on this popup.

Method 2: Rebuilding a regular deck

1. Select a standard (non-filtered) deck from the deck list.

2. Press the shortcut R to rebuild.

3. A modal popup appears stating: “This action can only be used on a filtered deck.”

4. Click the Help button on this popup.

Expected Behavior

The web browser opens the documentation page, and the modal dialog in Anki either stays active or closes gracefully, allowing the user to resume interacting with the Anki UI upon focus return.

Actual Behavior

The browser opens the link, but when switching back to Anki, the entire UI is soft-locked.

• Buttons, fields, and close window widgets do not register any click events.

• Cmd+Q still works perfectly, executing a standard profile sync and a clean exit without force-closing.

• The top macOS menu bar functions, but trying to open other dialogs (like “Switch Profile”) results in those new windows being frozen as well.

Here are some screenshots (italian UI)