Trying to set up my anki and understand the new anking step deck

🙋 Support
17

That screen is from Anki’s own sync (AnkiWeb), and the choice matters a lot:

  • Upload to AnkiWeb = overwrite what’s on AnkiWeb with what’s on your phone
  • Download from AnkiWeb = overwrite what’s on your phone with what’s on AnkiWeb

To avoid losing your AnKing / Zanki / Ortho setup, do this:

1. Decide which device has the “correct” collection

From what you described, your computer is where you:

  • Installed the AnkiHub add‑on
  • Subscribed to AnKing Step, Ortho decks, etc.
  • Have been changing tags / suspending cards

If that’s true, then:

  • Your computer = “master copy”
  • Your phone should match the computer

2. Safe sequence to follow

  1. On your computer:

    • Open Anki.
    • Click the sync button.
    • If you get a similar warning on desktop, choose:
      • Upload to AnkiWeb (because this is the good, up‑to‑date collection).

  2. After the desktop sync finishes successfully, go to your iPhone:

    • Tap sync again.
    • When you see that popup, choose:
      • Download from AnkiWeb

This will:

  • Replace the phone’s collection with the one from AnkiWeb
  • Which now matches your computer + AnkiHub setup

From then on:

  • Make big structural changes (subscribing to decks, mass suspend/unsuspend) on the computer
  • Hit sync on computer, then Download from AnkiWeb (if prompted) on the phone so they stay in sync.

If you’re unsure which device has the version you want to keep, tell me:

  • What’s on your computer vs on your phone (which one has the AnKing Step + Ortho changes you care about),

and I’ll tell you exactly which option to pick on each device so you don’t lose anything important.