Anki Quran: The Best Way To Memorize Surahs Faster (And A Better App Most People Miss)
Anki quran works, but this guide shows why many memorizers switch to a smoother iOS app, with easier Quran card creation, spaced repetition and clean reviews.
How Flashrecall app helps you remember faster. It's free
What Is “Anki Quran” And Why Do So Many People Use It?
Alright, let’s talk about anki quran because it’s actually pretty simple: it just means using the Anki flashcard app to memorize Quran ayat with spaced repetition. Instead of only repeating from Mushaf or audio, you turn verses into flashcards and review them on a schedule so they stick in your long‑term memory. People like it because it helps with consistency and catching weak spots, especially when you’re juggling school, work, or family. The idea is solid – but the way you implement it (which app you use, how you make cards, how easy it is to review) makes a huge difference, and that’s where something like Flashrecall can make your life way easier than classic Anki.
By the way, if you want a smoother Quran flashcard setup on iPhone or iPad, check out Flashrecall here:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
Why People Use Flashcards For Quran In The First Place
So, quick recap of the logic behind “Anki Quran”:
- Memorizing Quran = long‑term retention, not just short bursts
- Your brain forgets stuff fast if you don’t review it at the right times
- Spaced repetition means you review verses right before you’re about to forget them
- Flashcards force active recall – you try to remember first, then check
- This combo is perfect for:
- Hifz students
- People revising old surahs
- Tajweed + translation learners
- Busy adults trying to keep their memorization alive
The method is great. The only problem? Anki itself on mobile can feel… old, clunky, and annoying to set up.
That’s why a lot of people start with “anki quran” and then quietly switch to a more modern app that does the same thing but with less friction.
Anki vs Flashrecall For Quran Memorization
Let’s be honest for a second: Anki is powerful, but on iOS it’s:
- Paid
- Kind of ugly
- Not exactly beginner‑friendly
- Awkward to make cards on mobile
Flashrecall does the same spaced repetition magic, but it’s built to be fast and simple on your phone.
What Anki Does Well For Quran
To be fair, Anki does have some strengths:
- Highly customizable card types
- Tons of shared decks (some Quran ones exist)
- Very powerful if you like tweaking settings and add‑ons (on desktop)
But for a lot of people memorizing Quran, they don’t need 100 settings – they just want:
- Easy card creation
- Clean review flow
- Automatic reminders
- Smooth audio and Arabic support
That’s where Flashrecall shines.
Why Flashrecall Is A Better “Anki Quran” Alternative On iPhone
Flashrecall basically takes the same spaced repetition idea and makes it painless on mobile – which is where most people are actually reviewing their Quran.
You can grab it here:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
Here’s why it works so well for Quran:
1. Super Fast Card Creation (Perfect For Quran Verses)
With Anki, adding ayat on mobile can feel like a chore. With Flashrecall, you can create Quran cards in multiple ways:
- From images – Snap a photo of a Mushaf page, crop an ayah, and turn it into a flashcard
- From text – Paste Arabic from a Quran website or app into the card
- From PDFs – If you have a Quran PDF or tajweed book, you can pull cards from it
- From audio – Attach recitation to cards so you can test listening + reciting
- Manually – Type Arabic, English translation, tafsir notes, tajweed rules, whatever you like
That means you can build a custom “Surah Al‑Baqarah revision deck” or “Juz Amma for kids” in minutes instead of hours.
2. Built‑In Spaced Repetition (No Need To Tweak Settings)
Instead of messing with Anki’s intervals and confusing options, Flashrecall just:
- Schedules reviews automatically
- Shows you cards right when you’re likely to forget
- Lets you quickly rate how hard/easy each ayah felt
You don’t have to think about algorithms – you just open the app, review what’s due, close it. Done.
3. Active Recall Done Right
For Quran, active recall is everything. You want to:
- See the first few words and recite the rest
- Hear audio and recall the ayah
- See translation and recall the Arabic (or vice versa)
With Flashrecall, you can:
- Put Arabic on the front, translation on the back
- Or first word on the front, full ayah on the back
- Or tajweed rule on front, example ayah on back
The app is built around this “question → think → reveal” flow, which is exactly what you want for hifz.
4. Study Reminders So You Don’t Drift
Flashrecall automatically keeps track and reminds you of the cards you don't remember well so you remember faster. Like this :
A big problem with any “anki quran” setup is consistency. You miss a few days, the reviews pile up, and you feel guilty.
Flashrecall has:
- Study reminders you can set for specific times
- Gentle nudges so you remember to review your surahs
- Offline support, so you can review in the masjid, on the bus, wherever
No need for internet, no excuses.
5. Works Offline, On iPhone And iPad
A lot of people like to review:
- In the masjid before/after salah
- While commuting
- During breaks at work or school
Flashrecall works offline and runs smoothly on both iPhone and iPad, so your Quran deck is always with you.
How To Set Up A Simple “Anki Quran” Style System In Flashrecall
Let’s turn this into something practical. Here’s a simple way to use Flashrecall for Quran memorization or revision.
Step 1: Install Flashrecall
Download it here (free to start):
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
Open it up, create an account, and you’re ready to build your first Quran deck.
Step 2: Create A Deck For Your Current Goal
Examples:
- “Juz 30 Hifz”
- “Surah Yaseen Revision”
- “Quran Vocabulary – Arabic to English”
- “Tajweed Rules With Examples”
Give it a clear name so you know exactly what that deck is for.
Step 3: Add Your First Cards
Some easy structures:
- Front: First 2–3 words of the ayah (Arabic)
- Back: Full ayah (Arabic) + optional translation
You see the start, try to recite the whole thing, then flip.
- Front: Arabic ayah
- Back: Translation + short tafsir note
Perfect if you want to understand what you’re reciting.
- Front: Tajweed rule name (e.g., Ikhfa, Idgham, Qalqalah)
- Back: Example ayah highlighted + explanation
You can add images or screenshots from a tajweed book using Flashrecall’s image → card feature.
Step 4: Add Audio For Better Recitation
If you want to copy a specific qari’s style:
- Attach a short audio clip of the ayah to the card
- On review, listen first, then recite along, then check the text
This helps with pronunciation, rhythm, and tajweed.
Step 5: Review A Little Every Day
The key isn’t “massive sessions”, it’s small consistent reviews:
- 5–15 minutes a day is enough to keep verses fresh
- Flashrecall will show you what’s due each day
- You just open the app, do your reviews, and go back to life
Over time, this builds a seriously strong memory of your surahs.
Using Flashrecall’s Chat Feature To Go Deeper
One cool thing Flashrecall has that classic Anki doesn’t: you can chat with your flashcard.
So if you’re unsure about:
- The meaning of a word
- How a tajweed rule works
- Why a certain phrase repeats in different surahs
You can use the chat feature to dig a bit deeper while staying in the same app. It’s like having a tiny study buddy sitting inside your deck.
Anki Quran: When To Stick With Anki And When To Switch
To be fair, Anki might still make sense if:
- You already have a massive Anki Quran deck on desktop
- You love super advanced customization
- You don’t mind the older interface and paid iOS app
But if you’re:
- Mostly on iPhone or iPad
- Just starting your Quran flashcard journey
- Tired of clunky mobile card creation
- Want something that “just works” with spaced repetition and reminders
Then Flashrecall is honestly the easier, smoother choice.
Same method (spaced repetition + active recall).
Less friction.
More modern.
Final Thoughts: Make Quran Memorization As Easy As Possible
So yeah, “anki quran” is really just a fancy way of saying “use spaced repetition flashcards to memorize Quran.” The method is smart. The only question is: which app makes it simple enough that you’ll actually stick with it?
If you want:
- Automatic spaced repetition
- Easy card creation from images, text, PDFs, audio, YouTube, or manual input
- Study reminders so you don’t fall off
- Offline support
- A fast, modern, easy‑to‑use interface
- And a setup that works for Quran, school, languages, exams, medicine – literally anything you want to memorize
Then try Flashrecall:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
Set up one small Quran deck, review it for a week, and you’ll feel the difference in how solid your memorization becomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Anki good for studying?
Anki is powerful but requires manual card creation and has a steep learning curve. Flashrecall offers AI-powered card generation from your notes, images, PDFs, and videos, making it faster and easier to create effective flashcards.
What's the fastest way to create flashcards?
Manually typing cards works but takes time. Many students now use AI generators that turn notes into flashcards instantly. Flashrecall does this automatically from text, images, or PDFs.
How do I start spaced repetition?
You can manually schedule your reviews, but most people use apps that automate this. Flashrecall uses built-in spaced repetition so you review cards at the perfect time.
Related Articles
- Brainscape To Anki: The Complete Guide To Switching Flashcard Apps (And The Smarter Alternative Most People Miss) – Learn a faster way to move your decks and upgrade your whole study workflow.
- Anki Dropbox Sync: Why It’s So Clunky (And The Better Way To Back Up Your Flashcards) – Stop fighting with broken sync and learn the smarter, faster way to keep your cards safe and in sync on all your devices.
- Anki Flashcards: The Best Alternative Apps, Hidden Downsides, And A Faster Way To Learn With Your Phone – Most Students Don’t Know This Yet
Research References
The information in this article is based on peer-reviewed research and established studies in cognitive psychology and learning science.
Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354-380
Meta-analysis showing spaced repetition significantly improves long-term retention compared to massed practice
Carpenter, S. K., Cepeda, N. J., Rohrer, D., Kang, S. H., & Pashler, H. (2012). Using spacing to enhance diverse forms of learning: Review of recent research and implications for instruction. Educational Psychology Review, 24(3), 369-378
Review showing spacing effects work across different types of learning materials and contexts
Kang, S. H. (2016). Spaced repetition promotes efficient and effective learning: Policy implications for instruction. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 3(1), 12-19
Policy review advocating for spaced repetition in educational settings based on extensive research evidence
Karpicke, J. D., & Roediger, H. L. (2008). The critical importance of retrieval for learning. Science, 319(5865), 966-968
Research demonstrating that active recall (retrieval practice) is more effective than re-reading for long-term learning
Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1), 20-27
Review of research showing retrieval practice (active recall) as one of the most effective learning strategies
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4-58
Comprehensive review ranking learning techniques, with practice testing and distributed practice rated as highly effective

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