Convert APKG to PDF

People convert Anki decks when they need printable cards, a file that recipients can open without Anki, or a fixed document for submission and archiving. The conversion renders Anki’s card templates as pages; it does not turn Anki’s review system into an editable PDF.

What the APKG format is

.apkg is Anki’s packaged deck format, used by Anki Desktop, AnkiMobile, and AnkiDroid. A package is typically a ZIP archive containing an Anki SQLite database, a media index, and attached files; it can include decks, notes, card templates, tags, scheduling data, review history, images, and audio.

An APKG is not a document containing finished pages. Anki generates each card from note fields, HTML, CSS, templates, and card-generation rules, so a usable conversion must open the package in Anki or another Anki-compatible renderer.

What the PDF format is

PDF stores a fixed page layout with text, fonts, images, and pagination that normally remains consistent across operating systems and printers. It is suitable for printing, sending to people without Anki, and archiving.

A PDF does not retain Anki scheduling, review history, editable note fields, card-generation logic, or normal interactive audio playback. It preserves the rendered appearance of selected cards, not the underlying study deck.

Convert with Anki Desktop and a printing add-on

Anki Desktop is the most reliable conversion point because it understands the database, templates, card types, and media references.

1. Install Anki Desktop from apps.ankiweb.net. Use File → Import to open the APKG, and import it into a temporary profile or separate deck if it must not mix with your collection.
2. Open Browse, select the required cards, and check their front and back sides, card types, images, and tags. Select cards rather than only notes when the output must contain specific card templates or a limited set of cards.
3. Install a card-printing add-on that explicitly supports the installed Anki release. The historically common Basic Printing Support add-on can expose printable card pages, but its compatibility and maintenance status must be checked before use.
4. Run the add-on’s print command, review the generated pages in the browser or print preview, and set paper size, margins, orientation, scale, and front/back layout.
5. Choose Microsoft Print to PDF on Windows, Save as PDF in macOS’s print dialog, or the equivalent PDF printer on Linux. Save the result as a file such as anki-cards.pdf.

Menu names and print settings depend on the add-on and Anki version. Print a small sample first, especially when cards use cloze deletions, custom CSS, or multiple card types.

Convert the note data without preserving card templates

When the goal is a simple document containing question-and-answer text rather than the original card appearance, use File → Export in Anki Desktop and choose Notes in Plain Text. Enable HTML or media-related options when the installed version provides them, then open the tab-separated file in a word processor, spreadsheet, or custom HTML template and print that document to PDF.

This method exports note fields, not necessarily the exact front and back generated by every card template. It may also require manual handling of images, cloze formatting, line breaks, and fields that were hidden or transformed by template code.

Online conversion options

There is no broadly reliable, dedicated online APKG-to-PDF service comparable to a normal document converter. Generic services such as CloudConvert or PDF24 should not be treated as APKG converters unless their current format list explicitly names .apkg; converting a ZIP archive or SQLite database will not render Anki cards.

Use an online service only after exporting the deck’s content from Anki into a supported format such as HTML, DOCX, or images. Do not upload an APKG containing private notes, study history, or licensed media unless the provider’s retention, processing, and deletion terms are acceptable.

Quality and compatibility limits

• Media: images can appear correctly only when the renderer resolves Anki’s media references. Audio normally becomes an omitted element, icon, or link; a conventional PDF does not provide Anki’s audio playback behavior.
• Templates: CSS, JavaScript, cloze logic, hidden elements, responsive layouts, and background images can produce incorrect page breaks, missing answers, unreadable colors, or oversized output. Check the print preview and the saved PDF.
• Card counts: one note can generate several cards through multiple card types. Selecting notes can therefore produce more pages than expected; select individual cards when only one card type is required.
• Print layout: browser print settings can scale cards, split a card across pages, or omit background colors and images. Set the intended paper size and inspect page boundaries before printing a large deck.
• Data preservation: keep the original APKG as the source copy. The PDF cannot be imported back into Anki with its scheduling, templates, fields, and media relationships intact.