Your first day with MODI should be a simple sequence: check the charge, choose the right mode, pair once cleanly, test the review buttons, and know how to recover if the host device keeps an old connection. MODI is an independent Bluetooth accessory for Anki workflows, not an official Anki product or a device certified by Anki, AnkiMobile, AnkiDroid, Apple, Google, Microsoft, or Amazon.
The goal is not to memorize every button on day one. It is to make one reliable connection, confirm that your chosen Anki app sees the expected input, and save a short recovery path for later. Desktop and mobile setups differ because MODI can present itself as either keyboard-style input or gamepad-style input. For a concrete example of these controls in one device, MODI Anki Remote documents its supported platforms, connection modes, and setup paths.
Start With Power
Before pairing, give the remote enough charge for setup and testing. MODI uses a 3.7 V, 330 mAh battery, and the manual lists up to about 16 hours of continuous use under its stated conditions. Treat that as an approximate reference, not a guaranteed session length. If the LED flashes red quickly, charge before troubleshooting anything else, because low battery can make other symptoms harder to interpret.
During charging, the LED flashes green. When charging is complete, the charging LED turns off. Do not try to infer a percentage from other light patterns, because the manual does not define a detailed battery meter. Decorative lighting also affects practical battery life, so keep those LEDs off when you do not need them. Double-click the Light button to turn decorative lighting on or off.
Choose The Mode
Pick the mode before opening Bluetooth settings. Keyboard Mode is the standard desktop choice for macOS, Windows, and Linux when you want MODI’s preset keybindings and do not need custom remapping. In that workflow, no Anki add-on is required. Switch Mode is the better starting point for AnkiMobile on iPhone or iPad and AnkiDroid on Android because it exposes gamepad-style inputs those apps can configure.
Use Switch Mode on desktop only when you want custom remapping through the optional MODI Anki add-on. The add-on extends desktop Anki, but it is not required for the default Keyboard Mode workflow. This distinction matters on the first day: choosing the wrong mode can make the remote appear connected while the app is listening for a different kind of input. Decide based on the app and device you will review on first.
Pair Once Cleanly
For Keyboard Mode, open your computer’s Bluetooth settings, hold A + Home for one second, then select the MODI connection when it appears. A successful Keyboard Mode connection shows a solid green center LED. Keep Anki closed or in the background if you want, but do the Bluetooth pairing first so you can separate connection status from Anki’s review-screen behavior during testing.
For Switch Mode, open Bluetooth settings, hold Y + Home for one second, then select the MODI connection. A successful Switch Mode connection shows a solid blue center LED. On later sessions, pressing Home wakes the remote and reconnects in the last-used mode. If you are changing mode or moving to another device, forget every saved MODI or Anki remote entry first, then repeat the full pairing steps.
Configure The App
On desktop Anki in Keyboard Mode, start with the preset inputs before changing anything. Desktop Anki supports common keyboard controls such as Space or Enter to reveal an answer or choose Good, and 1-4 for answer buttons when those buttons are available. MODI’s Keyboard Mode includes preset inputs for Again, Hard, Good or Next, Easy, Undo, Suspend, Escape, Spacebar, and direction-key navigation.
On AnkiMobile, use Switch Mode, then open Settings, Review, and Gamepads to assign the actions you want. On AnkiDroid, use Switch Mode, then open Settings, Controls, and Set Key Binds. In AnkiDroid, X-Y-B-A inputs can appear as Y-X-A-B because of a third-party display mapping issue. Treat that as a visual label mismatch; assigned commands can still function normally after you test them.
Test One Card
Use a single review card as your first test, not a full study session. Reveal the answer, choose each answer button you plan to use, and confirm any extra actions such as undo or replay audio only if they are part of your setup. The purpose is to verify the path from remote input to app action. If one action is wrong, adjust the app mapping before assuming the Bluetooth pairing failed.
Keep the remote in the orientation you expect to use: vertical, with the D-pad facing down. That orientation makes the button layout easier to learn consistently, especially while you are still associating button positions with review actions. Describe this as a workflow preference, not a medical claim. If you later change mode, device, or app settings, repeat the same one-card test before relying on the setup.
Save A Recovery Path
If MODI connects but does not control the app, start with the least disruptive checks. Confirm the remote is in the intended mode by the center LED color, then verify the app’s input settings. If you recently changed from Keyboard Mode to Switch Mode, or moved from one phone, tablet, or computer to another, remove saved MODI or Anki remote entries from Bluetooth settings and pair again from the beginning.
If a fresh pairing succeeds but the remote remains unresponsive, restart the host device and try again. Bluetooth state, saved pairings, battery level, app configuration, and host-device behavior can all affect the first-day result, so keep the recovery steps narrow and repeatable. When you are done, press and hold Home for three seconds to manually sleep or turn off the remote; otherwise it sleeps automatically after inactivity.
