Anki Basic TXT Import - Extra and Tags - CardForge AI

Anki can import a plain text file when each row contains the fields for one note. For Basic cards, the most useful fields are Front, Back, Extra, and Tags.

This is the format CardForge AI focuses on because it is simple, portable, and easy to inspect before import.

The four useful fields

Front is the prompt you answer during review.

Back is the answer you want to recall.

Extra is optional context, such as a study note, memory cue, license note, or explanation you choose to keep.

Tags help organize imported notes.

Extra is useful when you want a little context without making the answer itself longer.

Example row

| Front | Back | Extra | Tags | | ------------------------ | -------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- | ---------------- | | What does afferent mean? | Conducting toward a central structure. | Anatomy foundations · reviewed source | anatomy concepts |

In Anki, map each column to the matching Basic note field. If your deck has a custom note type, choose the equivalent fields.

Why TXT is still useful

TXT export is not glamorous, but it is reliable. You can open it, inspect it, version it, and import it into Anki without depending on a custom plugin.

Use the Deck Library to download a free native APKG deck and check the import flow. Use AI Card Maker when you want to create cards from your own source material. Pro members can additionally use the TXT compatibility export described in this guide.

Before importing

Review the generated cards first:

• Remove vague prompts
• Shorten long answers
• Add or check any study note in Extra
• Make sure tags are useful
• Import Basic and Cloze notes separately

That small review step saves a lot of cleanup later.

When Basic TXT is the right format

Anki Basic TXT import is best when the learning task is direct recall. One side asks a question, shows a word, or presents a short prompt. The other side gives the answer you want to retrieve. This simple shape is why Basic cards remain useful for vocabulary, professional definitions, exam facts, short rules, and concept review checked against the learner’s own material.

The format is also easy to audit. Before you import anything into Anki, you can open the exported TXT file and see every note as a row. That matters when a deck was created from a PDF, a Word document, a spreadsheet, or an AI-assisted workflow. You are not trusting a hidden package. You can inspect the exact Front, Back, Extra, and Tags fields that will become notes.

Use Basic TXT when the answer can be concise. A good card may ask “What does afferent mean?” or “Which field can hold an optional study note?” It should not ask the learner to summarize a full chapter. If the answer needs several unrelated points, split it into several Basic notes or use a different card type.

A practical field model

A reliable import file needs stable columns. CardForge AI uses four fields because they map cleanly to Anki and stay understandable across different decks.

Front should contain the retrieval cue. It can be a term, a question, a sentence with one missing idea, or a short prompt such as “Define active recall.” The important rule is that the learner should know what kind of answer is expected.

Back should contain the answer. Keep it short enough to review quickly. If the back side becomes a paragraph, ask whether the card is testing one fact or several. Long backs feel productive during creation, but they usually slow review later.

Extra should contain context that supports the answer without becoming the answer itself. It may include a learner-written reminder, a license note, or a short explanation of why the card is useful. CardForge AI does not automatically save or export uploaded source files, page numbers, or extracted quotes.

Tags should make the imported deck searchable. Tags can describe subject, language direction, source, level, or workflow. A vocabulary card might use vocabulary english zh-cn academic. A medical concept card might use medicine anatomy definition.

How separators affect import

TXT import depends on a separator. The safest separator is usually a tab because ordinary study text rarely contains tab characters. Commas can work for CSV, but definitions and longer notes often contain commas, which makes rows harder to inspect. Semicolons have the same problem in some languages and academic notes.

When you import into Anki, choose the separator that matches the file. If the preview table looks shifted, stop before importing. A shifted table means Anki is reading part of the Back field as Extra, or part of Extra as Tags. Fix the file or change the separator before you continue.

If your content contains line breaks, keep them inside a field only when HTML is enabled and you understand how Anki will render them. For most first imports, short plain text fields are safer. They reduce surprises and make it easier to compare the imported notes against the original source.

Optional Extra fields

The Extra field is optional in Anki, but it is valuable for serious study. When a card comes from a textbook, official guideline, lecture note, or professional document, you may want to preserve a short learner-written reminder alongside it.

A useful Extra field might include:

• A short clarification
• A memory cue
• A course or topic label
• License or provenance note that you provide
• Brief reason the card was kept

Do not use Extra as a dumping ground for a whole PDF page. The purpose is context, not rereading. If the Extra field becomes longer than the answer, shorten it to the smallest reminder that helps you study.

Import settings to check in Anki

Before clicking import, check the Anki preview. The first row should show the expected Front, Back, Extra, and Tags. Make sure the note type is Basic or the matching custom note type. Make sure the destination deck is correct. If HTML is enabled, confirm that any line breaks, bold text, or source formatting render as expected.

For a new deck, importing a small sample first is sensible. Import five to ten notes, open the Browse window, and review the fields. If the sample looks correct, import the rest. If something is wrong, it is much easier to delete a small sample than to repair hundreds of notes.

When updating an existing deck, be careful with duplicate handling. Anki can update notes, add new notes, or skip duplicates depending on the import settings. If you are testing a new export workflow, create a separate deck first so you do not accidentally overwrite study material you already trust.

Example mistakes to avoid

The most common mistake is creating a Front that is too vague. “Describe inflammation” is not a good Basic prompt because the expected answer is unclear. “What are the cardinal signs of acute inflammation?” is better because it names the exact retrieval task.

Another mistake is putting multiple facts into one Back field. If the answer contains a definition, a cause, a threshold, and an exception, create separate notes. Review speed matters. A card that takes thirty seconds to judge is harder to keep in a daily study routine.

A third mistake is leaving tags empty. Tags are not required, but they are useful when a deck grows. Good tags let you review only a source, a topic, a language pair, or an exam section. They also help you find and repair imported cards later.

Finally, do not skip the review step when accuracy matters. A vocabulary starter deck may not need much context, but professional and medical cards should be checked against the learner’s original material before import.

How CardForge AI uses this format

CardForge AI exports a native APKG package by default because it imports directly into Anki. Pro members can additionally export Anki Basic TXT files when they need a transparent, editable compatibility format. The app creates editable cards, lets you keep or reject them, and the visible preview matches the final import fields: Front, Back, Extra, and Tags.

This workflow is intentionally conservative. It avoids hiding card data inside a custom package and gives the learner control before the deck reaches Anki. For AI-generated cards, that review step matters. The model can draft useful prompts, but the learner should still verify wording, accuracy, and study value against their source material.

If you want to inspect finished examples, start with the Anki Deck Library. If you want to create your own notes, use the AI Anki Card Maker and export only the cards you would actually review.