How to Use an Anki Remote With Cloze Cards

Use an Anki remote with cloze cards by giving your thumb three dependable jobs: reveal the hidden text, choose Again through Easy after judging recall, and keep Undo within easy reach for accidental presses. With MODI, those jobs can come from preset Keyboard Mode controls on desktop Anki or configurable gamepad-style controls in AnkiMobile and AnkiDroid. The point is not a special cloze trick; it is a simple layout that matches how cloze reviews actually flow.

For a first setup, pair MODI in the mode that fits the device, then confirm the basic review actions before changing anything else. Desktop Keyboard Mode can work without the MODI add-on because it sends preset inputs, while Switch Mode is the usual mobile route because the apps expose configurable controller actions. If you need the full pairing path before assigning buttons, use the complete MODI setup tutorial first, then return to the cloze layout choices below.

Map Reveal First

Cloze cards start with a missing word, phrase, or formula, so the reveal action deserves the most natural button position. In desktop Anki, common keyboard controls include Space or Enter to reveal the answer and continue with Good when appropriate. MODI Keyboard Mode includes Spacebar and Good/Next among its preset inputs, so many desktop users can test cloze reviews immediately before deciding whether any custom remapping is needed.

On mobile, treat reveal as an app setting rather than a MODI-only feature. In AnkiMobile, use Switch Mode, open the Gamepads settings under Review, and assign the desired action there. In AnkiDroid, use Switch Mode and configure controls under Set Key Binds. If reveal works in the app’s configuration screen but not during review, check the specific deck, card type, or screen focus before assuming the Bluetooth connection failed.

Place Ratings Nearby

After revealing a cloze answer, the next decision is the rating: Again, Hard, Good, or Easy when those buttons are available. A practical remote layout keeps these choices close enough that you do not need to look down repeatedly. MODI Keyboard Mode includes preset inputs for Again, Hard, Good/Next, and Easy, and desktop Anki also supports number keys 1 through 4 for answer buttons when the current review screen offers them.

Avoid treating those four buttons as a promise about every cloze card or every app screen. Anki, AnkiMobile, and AnkiDroid control the available study actions, while MODI sends the keyboard or gamepad input you paired it to send. If a rating is missing, verify the card has been revealed, the app is on the review screen, and the app’s own keybind or gamepad configuration points to the action you expected.

Reserve Undo

Undo matters with cloze cards because accidental ratings are easy when several similar omissions appear in a session. Put Undo somewhere reachable but not directly beside your most-used rating button. MODI Keyboard Mode includes Undo among its preset desktop review inputs, and Switch Mode defaults include Undo as well. The goal is a forgiving layout: one deliberate press should reverse a mistaken answer choice without making Undo the button you hit by accident.

Use Undo for input mistakes, not as a substitute for deciding recall honestly. Anki and the mobile apps determine what Undo can reverse in the current context, so behavior can depend on where you are in the review flow. If Undo does not respond, first confirm the remote is active, then check whether the app is focused on the review screen and whether your configured control still maps to Undo.

Account For Media

Cloze decks often include deck-specific media: audio prompts, images, diagrams, screenshots, or extra fields that only appear after reveal. Keep your button plan flexible enough for those cards. MODI Switch Mode defaults include Replay Audio, and desktop Anki has its own keyboard behavior and add-on options, but media behavior belongs to the deck and app. A language deck with audio may need different priorities from an anatomy deck built around image occlusion-like clues.

Before remapping every button, review several representative cards from the actual deck. Check whether you need Replay Audio, direction-key navigation, Escape, or Spacebar more often than a rarely used rating shortcut. MODI Keyboard Mode includes direction-key navigation, Escape, Spacebar, Suspend, and rating actions, while the optional desktop add-on can support custom button configuration. Choose the layout around the cards you study, not around a generic list of possible commands.

Choose A Mode

For desktop cloze reviews, start with Keyboard Mode if the preset controls match your workflow. It is intended for macOS, Windows, and Linux desktop use with preset keybindings, and it does not require an Anki add-on for the default Keyboard Mode workflow. That makes it useful for quickly testing reveal, rating, Undo, and navigation on ordinary desktop Anki reviews before adding another layer of custom configuration.

Choose Switch Mode when you want custom remapping through the MODI desktop add-on, or when you are using AnkiMobile or AnkiDroid. On iPhone and iPad, AnkiMobile can assign gamepad actions when iOS recognizes the controller profile. On Android, AnkiDroid exposes Set Key Binds, although X-Y-B-A inputs can appear visually as Y-X-A-B in the menu. That label mismatch does not necessarily mean the assigned commands will fail.

Troubleshoot Calmly

If cloze controls stop responding, separate connection problems from app configuration problems. Press Home to wake and reconnect in the last-used mode. If you changed modes or moved MODI to another device, forget every saved MODI or Anki remote Bluetooth entry, then pair again in the desired mode. A stale Bluetooth profile can leave the remote connected in appearance while the expected keyboard or gamepad inputs are not reaching the app.

If a fresh pairing connects but review controls still do nothing, restart the host phone, tablet, or computer and try again. Also check battery state: a quickly flashing red LED indicates low battery, while charging flashes green and the charging LED turns off when complete. Decorative lighting can affect practical battery life, so turn it off when it is not needed. MODI is an independent accessory; Anki and each mobile app still govern review behavior.