# Native PDF Import & Live Sync for Image Occlusion **URL:** \ **Category:** Suggestions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2026, 10:01pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/native-pdf-import-live-sync-for-image-occlusion/69254 "2026-03-25T22:01:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dssodha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@dssodha](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/dssodha)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2026, 10:01pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/native-pdf-import-live-sync-for-image-occlusion/69254/1 "2026-03-25T22:01:37Z")
### **Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.** Working with large textbook PDFs is a major bottleneck. Currently, I have to manually screenshot or convert every single page into an image before importing it into Anki’s native Image Occlusion tool. This is extremely time-consuming and disrupts the flow of study. ### **Describe the solution you’d like** I would like a native way to import a PDF directly into the Image Occlusion workflow with the following features: 1. **Direct PDF Rendering:** Open a local PDF and render the current page as an image inside the occlusion editor. 2. **Live Local Sync:** Reference the local PDF file. If I add a mnemonic or annotation to the original PDF on my system, it should reflect under the existing masks in Anki. 3. **Fit to Width:** An option to automatically fit the PDF page to the screen width for easier scrolling and masking of long pages. **Potential Drawbacks:** Large PDF files might cause some initial loading lag if not optimized, but referencing the local file should keep the Anki collection size small. ### **Describe alternatives you’ve considered** I have tried manually taking screenshots (Win+Shift+S) and using external “PDF to Image” converters, but these are **cumbersome** (बोझिल) and do not allow for dynamic updates if the original PDF is edited. ---
**Author:** ![kaiu](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/forums.ankiweb.net/kaiu/32/32616_2.png) [@kaiu](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/kaiu)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 7:26pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/native-pdf-import-live-sync-for-image-occlusion/69254/2 "2026-03-26T19:26:51Z")
I want that too 🙂 But I understand it could be very complicated. I even considered embedding JS into the PDF and creating something like Anki. But for now, it’s just an idea. Another option: an add-on that converts PDFs to images. But you’re against it; you want to edit them. And that’s very complicated, since hiding is tied to a region, and that region will disappear when you change it. We can set a link to the PDF page number in HTML, but if you want to edit and delete some pages, that link will point to something else. I think you can set anchors, but I haven’t tried that. Some people recommend trying PDF.js and rendering. But loading the CPU every time isn’t practical, and file caching might not always display changes correctly. I think there’s nothing better than getting the full page image and not messing with the PDF at all. ---
**Author:** ![dssodha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@dssodha](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/dssodha)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2026, 3:03am UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/native-pdf-import-live-sync-for-image-occlusion/69254/3 "2026-03-27T03:03:54Z")
### “Just updating my original proposal to be more precise. To clarify for anyone concerned about CPU rendering or text reflow, here is the refined workflow:” \*\* Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.\*\* Working with large textbook PDFs is a major bottleneck. Currently, I have to manually screenshot or convert every single page into an image before importing it into Anki’s native Image Occlusion tool. This is extremely time-consuming and disrupts the flow of study. ### **Describe the solution you’d like** I would like a native way to link a local PDF directly to the Image Occlusion workflow, acting as a lightweight overlay rather than a heavy editor. The ideal features would be: 1. **Lightweight Viewer:** Integrate a minimalist, highly optimized PDF renderer (similar to Sumatra PDF) strictly for viewing. This ensures the workflow remains fast and doesn’t become laggy. 2. **Metadata Coordination:** When masks are drawn, Anki doesn’t alter or render a new static file. It simply saves the Page Number and the X, Y coordinates of the masks as metadata linked to that specific local PDF. 3. **Live Local Sync & Coordinate Stability:** The core idea is that if I externally add a handwritten mnemonic or highlight to the original PDF using my local PDF reader, Anki simply loads the updated visual state of the file. To address concerns about text reflow: adding external surface annotations (ink or floating text boxes) does **not** alter the underlying text structure of the PDF. Therefore, the X, Y coordinates of Anki’s existing occlusion masks will remain perfectly aligned and relevant to the content. 4. **Auto-Scroll & Overlay:** During reviews, Anki should load the lightweight PDF page, apply the masks using the saved metadata, and automatically scroll to the exact position of the active mask. 5. **Fit to Width:** Automatically fit long PDF pages to the screen width for seamless scrolling and masking during card creation. **Potential Drawbacks:** Minimal. By bypassing heavy CPU rendering and relying on coordinate metadata, the Anki collection size stays tiny and the performance remains fast. ### **Describe alternatives you’ve considered** I have tried manually taking screenshots (Win+Shift+S) and using external “PDF to Image” converters, but these are **cumbersome** (बोझिल / भारी) and break the dynamic link if I want to update my personal handwritten notes on the original PDF. ---
**Author:** ![eroscard](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/forums.ankiweb.net/eroscard/32/22632_2.png) [@eroscard](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/eroscard)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2026, 3:05pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/native-pdf-import-live-sync-for-image-occlusion/69254/4 "2026-03-27T15:05:35Z")
[https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/16097657](https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/16097657) ---
**Author:** ![dssodha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@dssodha](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/dssodha)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2026, 4:21pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/native-pdf-import-live-sync-for-image-occlusion/69254/5 "2026-03-27T16:21:38Z")
hello, i think there is some important points I missed to mention after reading your reply I realise my mistake and I have updated my post please check again ---
**Author:** ![kaiu](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/forums.ankiweb.net/kaiu/32/32616_2.png) [@kaiu](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/kaiu)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2026, 4:55pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/native-pdf-import-live-sync-for-image-occlusion/69254/6 "2026-03-27T16:55:09Z")
I read about this today. The addon above is recommended. I haven’t rated it or installed it, so I can’t say whether you’ll like it or not. Regarding the PDF: I read that JS can be dangerous and doesn’t work the same everywhere. So I decided there’s nothing better than simply receiving images. The addon is somewhere like this: [https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/1660513597](https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/1660513597) Although, in my opinion, you shouldn’t give students a ready-made solution. They should highlight what they need on the sheet, create a note, and choose the key elements to hide. Once you’ve done it yourself, you’re satisfied with the result; you’ve embedded the work in your head. Then the student will remember it with greater pleasure. ---
**Author:** ![cxnst13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90db22/32.png) [@cxnst13](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/cxnst13)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 3:52pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/native-pdf-import-live-sync-for-image-occlusion/69254/8 "2026-04-26T15:52:37Z")
Heyy, I just build an add-on for this! [https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/549882642?cb=1777218673392](https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/549882642?cb=1777218673392) **PDF Occlusion** turns any PDF into an image-occlusion deck — one note per page, masks grouped into cards, reviewed as proper cloze flashcards. Draw, group, and edit masks in a built-in editor with zoom, drag-to-move, and deck selection per PDF. While reviewing, navigate adjacent pages directly from the card via inline arrows and side-peek strips, so you never lose context. Ideal for textbook chapters, lecture slides, and anatomy/histology atlases. ---
**Author:** ![kaiu](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/forums.ankiweb.net/kaiu/32/32616_2.png) [@kaiu](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/kaiu)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 10:20pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/native-pdf-import-live-sync-for-image-occlusion/69254/9 "2026-04-26T22:20:06Z")
This is awesome. Thanks! I was changing the hiding settings somewhere, and then it got lost as “close,” but I know how to fix it. One more note: it should be shown at full transparency, not 0.15. And the border is 2, and it must be something eye-catching, like red. The visual analyzer works by running along the outline and concentrating inside… well, the “put everything in tables” principle is well-known, I think. Sorry, but I don’t have time to analyze it in depth. I’m swamped with work, and I haven’t finished my add-on yet; I’ve been dragging it out for a month. Maybe by the end of the week I’ll figure out the issues and dig deeper into yours. I hope users appreciate it, especially those who wanted to read forward or backward a few pages. It’s very well done here, and that’s precisely the purpose. Of course, it might be distracting for some, but that’s a user-specific issue. I really don’t like the PNG format. Even though it has accurate color reproduction, a JPG is 313,000 bytes, while a PNG is 2,071,000—more than six times larger. It’ll just clog up your server and your computer, my smartphone.