How to convert Google Docs to Anki flashcards
Google Docs doesn't connect to 2anki directly, but you don't have to retype anything. Download your doc as Word (.docx) or Markdown, upload the file, and download a .apkg deck that opens in Anki. Headings, images, and formatting come across.
Download your Google Doc
In Google Docs, open File → Download and pick Microsoft Word (.docx) or Markdown (.md). Word keeps images and tables, so it is the better choice for a doc with diagrams or two-column notes. Markdown is lighter and works well for plain text-and-heading notes.
What carries over
2anki reads the structure of a .docx export. Each heading becomes a card front, and the text under it becomes the back. A list under a heading, or 4 or more short paragraphs, becomes one card per item instead, with the heading on each front and the item and its nested bullets on the back. The whole doc becomes one deck. Images in a .docx file embed directly in the cards. Bold, italics, and lists keep their formatting. Strikethrough text on a card becomes a tag on that card.
Format your doc for clean cards
Put each question or term in a heading and its answer under it. Use a bulleted list under a heading when each point should be its own card. A two-column table — term on the left, definition on the right — converts cleanly, one card per row, in a document with no headings. Short prompts make better cards than paragraphs, and you can edit every card in Anki afterward.
Convert your file
Go to 2anki.net, drag your .docx or .md file onto the upload area, and click Convert. Download the .apkg file and open it in Anki with a double-click. Your cards appear as a new deck. The free plan covers your first 100 cards a month.
Markdown or Word — which export
Both upload the same way. Choose Word if your doc has images, tables, or heavy formatting you want preserved. Choose Markdown if your notes are plain headings and text and you want the smallest, cleanest file. When in doubt, Word carries the most across.
Common questions
Can I connect Google Docs to 2anki directly?
No. Download the doc as Word (.docx) or Markdown first — File → Download in Google Docs — then upload the file. It converts the same way as any Word or Markdown upload.
Do images from my Google Doc come across?
Yes, when you export as Word (.docx). Images embed directly in the cards. For an image-heavy doc, use the Word export rather than Markdown.
Will a two-column table become cards?
Yes, in a document with no headings. A term-and-definition table converts one card per row. Export as Word to keep the table structure intact.
Do I need to install anything in Anki?
No. 2anki produces a standard .apkg file. Double-click it in Anki and the deck imports — no add-on required.