Issue with Tab Key Indentation in Anki 25.02

Anki Help
1

I’m experiencing an issue with tab indentation in Anki (version 25.02 038d85b1).

Problem Description:

  1. The tab key indentation currently only works within lists
  2. When editing regular text, pressing tab switches to the next input field instead of creating an indent
  3. The system displays the message “Indent/unindent currently only works with lists”

Solutions Attempted:

  1. Customizing keyboard shortcuts - unsuccessful
  2. Attempting to modify behavior through JavaScript code - unsuccessful
  3. Searching for relevant editor plugins - no suitable solutions found

Environment Details:

  • Anki Version: 25.02 (038d85b1)
  • Operating System: macOS
  • Use Case: Exporting notes from MarginNote3 to Anki

Desired Functionality: I would like to be able to use the tab key for indentation when editing regular text, rather than having it switch between fields.

Questions:

  1. Is there a way to modify the default tab key behavior in this version of Anki?
  2. Are there alternative keyboard shortcuts or tools that can achieve similar indentation functionality?
  3. If direct modification isn’t possible, what are some recommended workarounds?

I appreciate any assistance or guidance the community can provide. Thank you in advance for your help!

The primary focus of this post is specifically about the tab indentation functionality, and I’ve included the software version and all attempted solutions for clarity. Please let me know if any other details would be helpful in resolving this issue.

2

This has been asked quite a few times (most unanswered), e.g.

In short: There seems to be an addon that could help but I don’t know which one it is. Click through those links to see some workarounds, e.g. the one I mentioned here: Error "indent / unindent currently only works with list" - #2 by Anon_0000.

Edit: Maybe it’s this addon by @glutanimate?
https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/295889520

3

Thank you for your response and suggestions. I followed the links you provided and installed the plugin developed by glutanimate (https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/295889520). However, I’ve encountered some additional issues:

  1. While the plugin does provide indentation functionality, it only works through button clicks
  2. The keyboard shortcuts mentioned in the plugin documentation aren’t working on my system (macOS)
  3. I still cannot achieve direct indentation using the Tab key

I believe that Anki, as a mature editor, should provide more flexible user customization options, such as allowing users to configure the behavior of the Tab key (switching between fields vs. text indentation). This would enable users to choose the most suitable method based on their personal preferences and workflows.

Are there any other plugins or solutions available that might achieve this functionality?

4

Check if Customize Keyboard Shortcuts plugin helps.

5

It doesn’t only work with button clicks. You should read Configuration from the addon website I provided above. E.g. you can change it to ctrl+l and it will work.

Regarding Tab: I’m not sure if this is possible without modifying ankis code. I’m surprised this even works for you:

It shouldn’t work – the default is Ctrl+Shift+.. If you managed to change it with something like the addon that @Hossein provided, then the same config should work for the addon I mentioned too.

6

I’ve created a small add-on that enables indentation with the Tab and outdentation with Shift + Tab. I’ve uploaded it to a GitHub Gist—you can download it by clicking the Download ZIP button. Inside the archive, you’ll find the indent_with_tab.ankiaddon file, which you can install to try it out. Hope this helps!

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7

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