Normally I download the new version, drag the icon, copy over (replacing old app), and we’re good to go. It was always an easy and nice experience (I don’t think I’ve ever used the updater in the menu).
I’m guessing something has changed in the way you’re updating Anki (also mentioned here)? Or maybe I’m seeing this for the first time … but I’d suggest you change the user experience. It looks like what I’d see in a CLI, and was pretty disconcerting. To the beginner it looks like it’s taking over your machine!
Shutting down the app (terminating whatever it was doing) and reopening looked “normal” but really, Python packages shouldn’t be shown as a regular end-user, don’t you think? Otherwise Anki is always nice to use and update.
Ouch. Yeah I just tried the menu “Upgrade/Downgrade” and understand a bit better how you’re doing things. I feel this is for programmers, not regular end-users. Please try and release a better UI for beginners! I’ll continue to upgrade manually. Just my opinion, but I think users would thank you for it
The release method for Anki has changed because the packaging tool Anki was using has become obsolete and can no longer be used, so the latest version of Anki uses a tool called UV to package Anki.
UV is a convenient and high performance tool that was recently developed, according to a survey on a website frequently used by developers UV has become the most praised tool in 2025 (so it will likely become the standard in the future). This likely makes Anki’s installation 10 to 100 times faster, built-in programs that had been stagnant until now have been upgraded to the latest version, and this enables advanced development of add-ons so it is likely that more convenient add-ons will be released in the future. (I’m trying some of them.)
The disadvantage is that the user interface is still under development as you say, and that some users are prone to bugs. Probably the reason for this is that UV is a new project so there is relatively little information available for developers so I guess it will be resolved over time. (also it seems that UV developers are supporting Anki development on GitHub.)
@Shigeyuki Thanks for the detailed response — I totally understand the need for a decent framework for builds, and that migration takes time. If it helps, I’m still using macOS Monterey 12.7.6 (managing Silicon and x86 must be a bit of a headache) and it’s good to know this is already in progress.
Out of interest, what in particular has changed about Anki add-ons with UV? I’ve used it locally and it’s definitely an improvement to Python’s old setup which was a bit messy.
@Shigeyuki Also FYI I’m intending to release some flashcards for kids and it’d be nice if they (or their parents) had minimal download and setup to get started. It’d be nice if desktop → mobile (with web account) has a helpful onboarding process (including upgrading the app), perhaps signup from within the desktop app? Is there a way to go straight to mobile (skipping desktop) with a downloadable deck?
Importing modules has become relatively easy and it’s possible to execute Python using UV from add-on. there is a discussion about this in this thread: AnkiForums [Wiki] Bundling Python modules with add-ons
Maybe there are no useful features or resources for that yet, Anki is optimized for learners such as language learners and medical students to use on their own, so there are very few systems for schools and parents to distribute.
AnkiDroid(Android) and AnkiMobile(iOS) already work without Anki for desktop. So far there is no way to download decks using only AnkiWeb in a browser.
I just came back to the forum for the same reason. I was very surprised to see Terminal launch just to launch what is ostensibly a standard macOS app. I think I have never seen any standard macOS app do that. I have some experience with Homebrew and similar, but I really hate command-line stuff. It is always a frustration. Fortunately, for me this time, this ran and then got out of the way, launching the regular GUI app. But it makes me very hesitant going forward about updating, because if this is no longer just a standalone app that works on its own, then I’m not excited to update again, because managing installed dependencies has always been a nightmare for me.
It also makes me wonder, what happens the next time I need to change something with Homebrew, and it updates a dependency that Anki also depends on, and then breaks Anki? Or is it that this installer is just running some curious script to update its user files, but that everything regarding the usage of the app is kept internal in Anki.app package so that it has no external dependencies?
The new installer (UV) creates a virtual environment for Anki and runs Anki from there. In short all of Anki’s dependencies are safely isolated inside this box so there is very little concern that changes to the laptop will affect Anki, this mechanism works almost the same way as a standalone app. (it’s similar to how developers isolate and run programs for safety.)
When users update Anki the installer rebuilds the virtual environment for Anki, at this time the installer reuses cached Anki dependencies, by this Anki upgrades and downgrades complete very quickly.
The installer is an advanced tool specialized for creating such virtual environments and managing dependencies, so I think it’s become more convenient for avoiding problems with Anki upgrades and dependencies. (e.g. you can customize the versions of dependencies installed with Anki, and can change the Python version, which wasn’t possible before.)
Thanks all for the responses … I haven’t got time to read all the intricacies and nuances of why this installer decision has been made, but it’s a very poor one for end users. I’ve just tried to recently download Anki on a public wifi network and 10 minutes later it’s STILL installing the .venv and all the packages it needs.
Let me be clearer … for the average Joe this will almost definitely lose you users and you’re thinking like programmers not consumers. I’d advise you to revise the decision to install in this way to a simple .dmg installer.
As an end user I shouldn’t have to do anything more than drag and drop then done.
I’ll caveat this whole rant by saying I understand a fix is on the roadmap for a more graceful GUI but question why you didn’t stick with the original installer, and definitely question @Shigeyuki claim that UV “likely makes Anki’s installation 10 to 100 times faster”. Not on a public network in my (current) experience.
I’m bumping this and the other issue I raised a while ago as after downloading the MacOS Anki .dmg and doing the regular drag/drop/launch application it’s 20 minutes (and counting) and the damn thing is still installing.
Let me be clearer than the last post on this topic: this is going to lose you users. It’s a terrible experience for the average joe who knows nothing about programming. You’re thinking like a programmer, not a consumer. Please change it to a simpler drag/drop/open setup. I don’t have time to read all the intricacies and nuances of why this installer decision has been made, but it’s a very poor one.
I’m a long time user and have spent quite a lot of my time developing a tool for programmers to use with Anki and my hunch with that repo is that the longer the README.md, the fewer visitors star or download the tool. So I can’t imagine how people are going to feel when their fresh install of Anki takes > 20 minutes to install and launches a terminal, bearing in mind nobody outside of programming will know what to do with.
The iPhone app is great, but will not work particularly well unless you’ve got the desktop app and my current suspicion is a good number of people will simply give up. At worst they’ll leave with a poor user experience. Perhaps other wifi connections and other OS will be a more pleasant experience, but downloading 40 some packages and a .venv environment is not really what I signed up for when starting to use Anki (which I really love by the way).
Sorry for the negativity but please do something for Monterey and up to make the process less painful. Thanks.
Well I think so too but I think they aren’t interested in whether the number of users increases or decreases because most Anki contributors are volunteers and don’t profit from user growth like commercial apps do.
If you prefer not to use the launcher you can use an older version of Anki. Anki25.02 is the last version that does not use the launcher. Release 25.02.7 · ankitects/anki · GitHub
I think these issues will be resolved in the long term (e.g. recently they’ve been developing a UI for the launcher and adding new download methods) so if it’s unstable I think using the older version for a while and then updating to the latest version later should make it work properly.
I’m just an Anki geek so I’m not related to the official Anki developers. (the official Anki in this forum is Dae.)
As far as I know Anki users have continued to increase steadily even after the launcher was introduced, so I don’t think the user base will decrease.
So far the launcher has been working well for most users, but it seems issues can occur in some countries, regions, or devices. So it’s probably beneficial for the majority of users but disadvantageous for some users.
In such cases I think it’s common practice in Anki to stick with the older version, Anki updates often break compatibility with add-ons and external tools.
So it’s probably beneficial for the majority of users but disadvantageous for some users.
I don’t know how someone could ever come to this conclusion. Nearly every application installs on a system in a fairly uniform way[1], except Anki. What makes anki so special that it needs its own bespoke install system that actually just confuses users? Anyone who isn’t brain damaged from prolonged exposure to linux looks at a terminal with horror, not “oh wow cool this is so much faster and more convenient!“
While a gui launcher will alleviate some of these problems, there is a real expectation from users for applications to behave like every other application on their system, which anki is currently failing to do. I understand the whole pyoxidizer situation and why it ended up this way. but also why not briefcase or just copypaste the resulting uv files into a folder and packaging that in an installer of some sort? As it stands anki sticks out in a bad way in terms of user experience and I don’t understand how someone can defend it as a good thing.
[1] on windows and mac at least, aka 95% of desktop/laptop computers.
dear sir I use gentoo, I have peak linux brain damage. but I am also capable of understanding that my lifestyle choices are not for everyone and pushing them onto people who would really prefer not to live that way is not a good thing!
I think that current UX problems could be mitigated by better managing customer expectations. Possible improvements:
In the current Anki Launcher terminal menu, change the text from:
1) Latest Anki (press Enter) to:
1) Install latest version of Anki (press Enter)
In the current Anki Launcher terminal menu, add an instruction line at the bottom, after all the options:
(If you are installing Anki for the first time, just press Enter. This will install the latest version of Anki.)
Change the Anki Launcher to check whether Anki is installed. If it isn’t (and we therefore suspect this is a new user installing Anki for the first time) have a dialog appear with information telling customers to expect to see the terminal window menu. Perhaps something like:
To continue with Anki installation, press the button below to open a terminal window and and then use the text-based menu to install Anki. It may take 1-2 minutes for the menu to appear in the terminal window. Please be patient.
(To learn more about why Anki uses this multiple-step installation process, please see: [link to documentation])
The dialog has 2 buttons:
Cancel and Exit
Continue and Open Terminal
So, new users are warned to expect the terminal window and hopefully won’t get scared when they see it.
To the Anki Launcher terminal window (or perhaps the dialog?), add text:
(Installing Anki for the first time involves downloading and installing many individual components and can take up to 15-25 minutes to complete. Please be patient.)
To the Anki Launcher terminal window immediately after it is launched, before displaying the menu, print a message:
It may take 1-2 minutes for the menu to appear below. Please be patient...
This is so new users aren’t confused when they see a blank terminal window that doesn’t seem to be doing anything for a relatively long period of time.
Other possible improvements to the terminal menu:
Change from:
2) Choose a version to:
2) Choose a version to install
Add an option to quit:
8) Quit
Add a link to documentation about the launcher:
For more information about how to use this Anki Launcher menu, please see: [link to documentation].
