What it does
Anki review flow is four keys: Space to show the answer, 1-4 to rate it. The remote maps those to inputs your phone already has. Four input modes, all on-device:
- Motion: shake the phone to show the answer, tilt left for Again, tilt right for Good, double-tap the back for Easy, wave over the top to pause. Small leans, single jolts, and single taps are rejected on purpose.
- Face: eyebrow raises, double blinks, long blinks, and big smiles, read from the front camera by an on-device face model.
- Sounds: whistle a steady note, whistle sliding up or down, plus desk taps, heard by the mic.
- Wave: a hand waved over the top of the phone pauses the remote. iOS does not expose the true proximity sensor to web pages, so the app detects the wave as a dip in front-camera brightness while the camera is on. It needs light.
Every mapping is remappable. Four presets cover the common setups (motion, whistle + face, face only, everything at once), or build your own mapping gesture by gesture.
How it connects to your Anki
The remote does not touch Anki files. It talks to Anki desktop through AnkiConnect, the free, widely used add-on, at http://<desktop-ip>:8765 on your home network. One-time setup: install AnkiConnect from inside Anki (Tools → Add-ons → Get Add-ons, code 2055492159), set webBindAddress to 0.0.0.0 in AnkiConnect config so it listens on your home network, type your computer IP into the phone, press Connect + test, and allow it once in Anki popup. The remote can show answers, rate cards, and undo; it cannot edit your cards, decks, or scheduling settings.
Same WiFi only, stated plainly: the phone and the computer must be on the same home network. AnkiConnect is a desktop add-on, so the remote drives Anki on Windows, Mac, or Linux. The Anki phone apps do not run add-ons.
Test mode turns practice into a game
Test mode prompts one gesture at a time: get it right for +10 points and a longer streak. Levels run Novice, Steady, Pro, Master, with badges for the first correct rep, 10 in a row, 100 points, and a 7-day streak. Every wrong answer shows the named hint for the gesture you were asked for, never just a score. A built-in practice deck lets you try every mapping with no Anki install at all.
Your video and audio never leave your house
Camera frames, mic audio, and motion data are analyzed on your phone and discarded. The page security policy blocks connections to every outside server; the only exception is Anki on the desktop IP you typed in. There is no account, no analytics, no recording, and no cookie. The built-in Offline proof panel shows a live log of every network request the page makes, lets you simulate a fully offline session, shows exactly what is stored on your phone, and deletes it all with one button.
Start reviewing from your phone
If you review at your desk instead, the Hands-Free Anki Clicker does the same job from your computer camera and mic, with hand gestures, face gestures, desk taps, and whistles.
This is a home practice tool, not a teacher, therapist or safety device. Everything runs on your device and your home network: no video, audio or images are sent anywhere. Feedback is automatic and can be wrong. This is an independent home tool, not made by or affiliated with Anki or Ankitects.