How to set up an Anki remote on a Mac
InputConfig is completely free on the Mac App Store. You don't have to make an account, there are no subscriptions, and nothing is locked. Optimized for Apple silicon.
Pair the remote in a controller mode, not keyboard mode, then use the free Contanki add-on inside Anki or a free system-wide mapper such as InputConfig, which I make. Most Anki remotes are a small 8BitDo pad, the Micro or the Zero 2, sometimes sold under another name, and on a Mac Anki does nothing with it until something turns its buttons into Anki's keys. Keyboard mode with Karabiner-Elements is the third route and the fiddliest.
On this page
Pick the mode before you pair
The Micro has a mode switch: D and S are controller modes, K is keyboard mode. For InputConfig, D is the mode the app reads directly. The Zero 2 chooses its mode by the button you hold while turning it on, and 8BitDo's manual lists each combination.
- Controller mode. The Mac sees a game controller. Use it with Contanki or InputConfig.
- Keyboard mode. The remote types fixed keys. Use it with Karabiner-Elements, or only if its keys already happen to be Anki's.
A remote often appears as a different Bluetooth device in each mode, so after changing modes, remove it in System Settings, Bluetooth, and pair it again.
Pair it
- You: Turn the remote on in the mode you chose and put it into pairing mode (8BitDo's manual shows the button. The light flashes quickly). On the Mac, open System Settings, Bluetooth.
- macOS: Lists the remote with a Connect button.
- Check: Click Connect and the remote shows as connected. Keep it close to the Mac the first time, and if it paired before in another mode, remove the old entry first.
Choose how it talks to Anki
| Route | Pair in | Works in | Setup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contanki add-on | Controller mode | Anki only | Install it from AnkiWeb, then map buttons from Anki's Tools menu |
| InputConfig | Controller mode | Anki and every other app | Install from the Mac App Store, turn on the built-in Anki preset |
| Karabiner-Elements | Keyboard mode | Every app | Grant Input Monitoring, write rules that turn the remote's keys into Space and 1 to 4 |
All three are free. If Contanki already works for you, keep it. I would use a system-wide mapper, because the same remote then runs the deck list, the browser for AnkiWeb, and the rest of the Mac, and because a PS5 or Xbox controller works exactly the same way when the remote is not charged.
Set it up with InputConfig
- Install InputConfig from the Mac App Store (free, no account) and allow Accessibility access when it asks.
- Pair the remote in a controller mode. It appears in the app's device list.
- Choose the built-in Anki preset and activate it. To have it turn on by itself whenever Anki is in front, switch on automatic switching in Settings, Advanced. Anki is already on the preset's list.
- You: Open a deck and press the bottom face button.
- InputConfig: Shows the answer, and on a second press rates Good. Left is Again, right is Hard, top is Easy. The left shoulder undoes, the right replays audio.
- Check: If a button rates the wrong answer, open the row, press Scan, and press the button you want.
The Zero 2 has no sticks or triggers, so the pointer and click rows simply go unused. The Anki controller guide explains the whole layout.
If the remote types letters or does nothing
- It types letters or scrolls the page. It is in keyboard mode, sending its own keys. Either write Karabiner-Elements rules for those keys, or switch it to a controller mode. InputConfig can hear a keyboard-mode remote but cannot stop its keys reaching Anki, because it listens alongside the keyboard rather than replacing keys, so with InputConfig use a controller mode.
- Bluetooth says connected, Anki ignores it. In a controller mode, Anki on a Mac does nothing with a controller on its own. It needs Contanki or a mapper.
- It works on the iPad but not the Mac. AnkiMobile on the iPad has its own controller support. Anki on the Mac does not. Use one of the three routes above.
- It will not connect, or drops out. Remove it in System Settings, Bluetooth, charge it, and pair again in the mode you want. If it still fails, update its firmware with 8BitDo's tool. The 8BitDo page has more.
- Some buttons do the wrong thing. If you changed Anki's answer keys, or turned off the setting that lets Space answer a card, Scan those rows and press your keys.
If you have no remote, use a controller you own
A PS5, PS4, Xbox or Switch Pro controller, or a single Joy-Con, runs the same preset. On a PlayStation pad Cross shows the answer and rates Good, Square is Again, Circle is Hard, Triangle is Easy, and the touchpad press edits the card.
The short version
- Controller mode. D on the Micro. Pair again after any mode change.
- One mapper. Use Contanki inside Anki or InputConfig everywhere, but not both.
- The built-in Anki preset. Bottom button to show and rate Good, the others for Again, Hard and Easy.
The mode decides everything, so set it before you pair.
Questions
Do I need Karabiner-Elements for an Anki remote on a Mac?
Only if you pair the remote in keyboard mode. In a controller mode, the Contanki add-on or InputConfig does the mapping and Karabiner is not involved.
Contanki or InputConfig?
Both are free. Contanki works inside Anki only. InputConfig works in every app, so the same remote also runs the deck list, a browser and the rest of the Mac. Use one, not both, or each press is answered twice.
Why does my Anki remote not show up as a keyboard on the Mac?
It is paired in a controller mode, which is the right mode for Contanki and InputConfig. If you want keyboard mode for Karabiner-Elements, remove it in Bluetooth settings and pair it again in keyboard mode.
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