How to Set Up an Anki Remote on iPhone

To set up a MODI Anki remote on iPhone, pair the remote in Switch Mode, then map its gamepad inputs inside AnkiMobile. Start in iPhone Bluetooth settings, hold Y plus Home for one second, select the MODI connection, and confirm the center LED becomes solid blue. After pairing, open AnkiMobile, go to Settings, then Review, then Gamepads, and assign the buttons you want to use during reviews.

MODI is an independent Bluetooth accessory, not an official Anki or AnkiMobile product. The remote provides the controller input; AnkiMobile decides which gamepad actions are available and how those actions behave on the study screen. If you also need desktop, Android, or mode-switching instructions, the complete MODI setup tutorial covers the broader setup path. The rest of this guide stays focused on iPhone pairing, mapping, and a quick review test.

Use Switch Mode

For iPhone setup, use Switch Mode rather than desktop Keyboard Mode. Switch Mode exposes gamepad-style inputs, which is the standard MODI mobile setup for AnkiMobile on iPhone and iPad. Before pairing, wake the remote if needed by pressing Home. If the remote was previously paired to another phone, tablet, or computer, remove the saved MODI or Anki remote entry from that device’s Bluetooth settings so the new iPhone pairing starts cleanly.

Switch Mode is activated with Y plus Home. Hold Y and Home together for one second, then watch for the iPhone to detect the remote in Bluetooth settings. A successful Switch Mode connection is indicated by the center LED becoming solid blue. If you see the wrong saved entry or the remote reconnects in a previous mode, forget the saved Bluetooth entry on the iPhone and repeat the full Switch Mode pairing process from the beginning.

Pair Bluetooth

Open the iPhone Settings app and go to Bluetooth. Keep that screen open while you hold Y plus Home on MODI for one second. When the remote appears in the available Bluetooth device list, tap it to connect. Stay near the iPhone during this step and give Bluetooth a moment to finish pairing before opening AnkiMobile. The practical sign you are looking for is the remote connected in Switch Mode with the center LED solid blue.

If the iPhone shows more than one old MODI or Anki remote listing, remove those saved entries before trying again. Changing modes or moving the remote between devices is handled by forgetting every saved entry first, because the host device may otherwise reconnect to an older profile. After forgetting entries, repeat the Y plus Home Switch Mode sequence and select the fresh Bluetooth connection. If pairing succeeds but inputs do nothing, restart the iPhone and retest.

Open Gamepads

Once Bluetooth pairing is complete, open AnkiMobile on the iPhone. Go to Settings, then Review, then Gamepads. This is the AnkiMobile area for configuring controller actions when iOS recognizes the controller profile. MODI does not replace AnkiMobile’s own settings; it sends inputs that AnkiMobile can assign. If the Gamepads screen is not responding as expected, confirm the remote is still connected in iPhone Bluetooth settings before changing your card settings.

Keep the setup simple during the first pass. Assign only the answer and review actions you want to test immediately, then add more mappings later if needed. AnkiMobile provides its own configurable gamepad action list, so choose from the actions shown in that app rather than assuming every desktop shortcut exists on iPhone. This distinction matters: MODI supplies the Switch Mode controller input, while AnkiMobile controls the available study actions and their exact names.

Map Buttons

In the Gamepads menu, select an action and press the MODI button you want to use for it. Common review choices include actions such as showing the answer, choosing Good, choosing Easy, choosing Again, replaying audio, choosing Hard, or undoing, depending on the options AnkiMobile presents. You do not need the desktop MODI add-on for this iPhone workflow. The add-on is for desktop Anki customization, while iPhone setup is handled through AnkiMobile’s Gamepads settings.

Map only the buttons you can remember during review. A practical starting layout is to put your main answer action on a button that is easy to reach, then add secondary answers once the first mapping works. The recommended MODI orientation is vertical with the D-pad facing down, but your mapping should make the chosen actions clear. Treat reduced reaching or one-handed control as workflow preferences, not promised outcomes.

Test Answers

After mapping, open a deck and start a normal AnkiMobile review session. Test the answer actions on a card where mistakes are easy to notice. Press the button assigned to reveal the answer or choose Good, then test the other answer buttons you configured. The goal is not to review many cards during setup; it is to confirm that the iPhone, Bluetooth connection, Switch Mode profile, and AnkiMobile Gamepads assignments all agree with each other.

If one button performs the wrong action, return to Settings, Review, Gamepads, and remap that specific input. If no buttons work, check iPhone Bluetooth first and confirm the remote is connected. If Bluetooth looks connected but AnkiMobile still does not respond, forget the saved remote entry, pair again with Y plus Home, and recheck the Gamepads menu. When a fresh pairing still connects but remains unresponsive, restart the iPhone and try the same test again.

Manage Power

During setup, keep an eye on the remote’s basic status lights without reading more into them than the manual defines. A quickly flashing red LED means low battery. While charging, the LED flashes green, and when charging is complete, the charging LED turns off. Decorative lighting is separate from connection status. Double-click the Light button to turn decorative lighting on or off, especially if you do not need it during reviews.

MODI automatically sleeps after about two and a half minutes without a Bluetooth connection or five minutes of inactivity. To manually sleep or turn off the remote, hold Home for three seconds. When you come back, press Home to wake and reconnect in the last-used mode. If you later pair to another device or switch modes, use the forget-and-repair process again so the iPhone is not competing with an older saved connection.