How does AnkiMobile handle audio/video playback?

AnkiMobile (iPhone/iPad) Help
1

How does AnkiMobile handle audio/video playback?

Hello,

I’m trying to understand how AnkiMobile currently handles media playback.

Could someone who uses AnkiMobile please test the following scenarios?

Audio playing + start another audio. Video playing + start another video. Video playing + start an audio. Audio playing + start a video.

In each case, what happens?

Does the first media stop completely? Does it pause? Do both continue playing at the same time?

If possible, please also mention your AnkiMobile version and device.

I’m asking because there is an open AnkiDroid issue about multiple media files playing simultaneously, and understanding AnkiMobile’s behavior may help determine the expected behavior across platforms.

Here is the link to the issue:

The media formats tested were MP3 and MP4, although other formats could also be taken into account.

I’d also like to clarify that I’m referring to the default way Anki handles media in notes and cards (using Anki’s standard [sound:…] playback system), not media played through HTML

Thank you.

2

  1. Consider linking to the issue – especially if it has a simple reproduction case you’re trying to match.

  2. Does it matter for your purposes what filetypes the files are? Or how they are referenced in the note/card (e.g. Anki [sound tags, HTML <audio or <video tags)

3
  • Audio playing, start another audio:
    • First audio stops fully.
    • Second audio plays.
  • Audio playing, start a video:
    • Audio continues playing.
    • Video plays simultaneously. (Audio and video plays simultaneously.)
  • Video playing, start an audio:
    • Video continues playing.
    • Audio plays. (Audio and video plays simultaneously.)
  • Video playing, start another video:
    • First video pauses.
    • Second video plays.

iPhone 13, iOS 26.5, AnkiMobile 25.09
Audio: .mp3 file, local media file in collection.
Video: .mp4 file with H.264 video and AAC audio, local media file in collection.

4

Thanks for clarifying that, Danika. I’ve updated the post. I’m referring to the default way Anki handles media in notes and cards (using Anki’s standard [sound:…] playback system), not media played through HTML

The media formats tested were MP3 and MP4, although other formats could also be taken into account.

5

Thank you for testing, BenJamesBen.

According to your test results, AnkiMobile behaves very similarly to AnkiDroid when handling media playback, with one notable difference: Video → Video.

On AnkiMobile:

Video → Video: the previous video pauses.

On AnkiDroid:

Video → Video: the previous video continues playing, so both videos play at the same time.

As for Anki Desktop, starting any media (audio or video) generally stops any other media that is already playing.

This suggests there is a real difference between platforms. The remaining question is whether these differences are intentional and, if so, which behavior should be considered the reference.

I will share these results, and hopefully they will help move the discussion forward.

Thank you again for taking the time to test this.

6

My understanding is that:

  • The various Anki apps have been designed to rely on the underlying OS to play media files.
  • As a result, Anki apps on different platforms have different capabilities when it comes to playing media. This is expected and acceptable behavior. (For example, some .opus files don’t play on some iOS and Android devices while they might play on other devices or on desktop Anki.)
  • Similarly, it is to be expected that there might be different behaviors when playing media using different apps/platforms/devices.
  • I don’t think there is any expectation that any one of the current behaviors is considered “correct”, “incorrect”, or “the standard”.