For a Windows laptop, set up MODI by pairing it in Windows Bluetooth settings with Keyboard Mode, then test it in desktop Anki with Space and the answer buttons. Open Bluetooth settings, hold A plus Home for one second, select the MODI connection, and wait for the center LED to turn solid green. That green light indicates the Keyboard Mode connection is active, which is the standard desktop path for preset Anki review inputs.
MODI is an independent Bluetooth accessory, not an official Anki product or a device certified by Microsoft or Anki. On Windows, its default desktop workflow does not require the MODI Anki add-on because Keyboard Mode sends preset keyboard inputs. Keep the setup simple first: pair, open Anki, test basic review controls, then decide whether optional customization is worth adding. Students evaluating this approach can check Anki remote for Windows for current mode, compatibility, and setup information before changing their review routine.
Bluetooth
Start with the Windows Bluetooth panel, not Anki. Wake the remote if needed, then put it into Keyboard Mode by holding A plus Home for one second. In the available Bluetooth devices list, choose the MODI entry that appears. After pairing succeeds, look at the center LED. A solid green center LED is the documented confirmation for Keyboard Mode, which is the mode intended for macOS, Windows, and Linux desktop review with preset keybindings.
If Windows shows more than one old MODI or Anki remote entry, remove the saved entries before pairing again. This matters most when the remote was previously used with another mode, phone, tablet, or computer. Bluetooth can keep stale profiles that appear connected but do not send the expected input. Forgetting the saved entries and repeating the full A plus Home pairing path gives Windows a clean Keyboard Mode profile to use.
Keyboard Mode
Keyboard Mode is the first setup to try on a Windows laptop because it is designed for desktop use with preset bindings. It can send common review inputs without installing an Anki add-on. That does not change how Anki itself works; it simply gives your hand a remote way to send supported keyboard-style actions. Open Anki only after Windows has completed pairing, because the operating system connection is the foundation for anything Anki receives.
The default Keyboard Mode workflow includes inputs for Again, Hard, Good or Next, Easy, Undo, Suspend, Escape, Spacebar, and direction-key navigation. Desktop Anki also supports common keyboard controls of its own, including Space or Enter to reveal an answer or choose Good, and 1 through 4 for answer buttons when those buttons are available. Treat MODI’s buttons as inputs to Anki, not as changes to your deck settings or scheduling behavior.
Anki Test
After pairing, open desktop Anki and enter a review session where answer buttons are visible. Press the MODI button mapped to Spacebar and confirm that Anki reveals the answer or advances as expected. Then test the answer inputs one at a time, especially Again, Hard, Good, and Easy. This practical check verifies three separate pieces at once: Windows recognizes the remote, Keyboard Mode is sending inputs, and Anki is responding to those inputs.
Do not start by changing every button. A short test in Anki is more useful when the default behavior remains intact. If Space works but one answer does not behave as expected, compare what is visible on the Anki study screen before assuming the remote failed. Some Anki controls depend on the current card state. Reveal the answer first, then test the numbered answer choices when the answer buttons are actually available.
Answer Keys
For most Windows laptop review sessions, the important question is whether the remote can cover the actions you actually use. Keyboard Mode already covers the core review path: reveal, choose an answer, undo a mistaken action, suspend when appropriate, exit with Escape, and move with direction keys. Keep the physical orientation consistent while testing; MODI’s recommended orientation is vertical with the D-pad facing down, which makes the documented layout easier to learn.
A Windows laptop may also receive the remote’s keyboard-style inputs outside Anki, depending on which window is active. If another app has focus, that app may receive Spacebar or direction-key input instead. Click back into Anki before diagnosing a missing response. This is normal desktop behavior, not a special Anki setting. The cleanest test is a visible Anki review card, active Anki window, paired MODI connection, and no remapping software intercepting keys.
Customization
If the preset Keyboard Mode layout fits your workflow, you can stop there. The optional MODI desktop add-on is for users who want custom button mapping through Anki. To install it, use desktop Anki’s add-on path: Tools, Add-ons, Get Add-ons, enter 406900239, restart Anki, then open MODI Anki Remote from the menu. This customization route is separate from the basic Keyboard Mode setup and should not be treated as required.
Switch Mode is the other optional path to understand. On desktop, it is used when a user wants custom remapping through the MODI Anki add-on. To enter Switch Mode, open Bluetooth settings, hold Y plus Home for one second, then select the MODI connection; the center LED becomes solid blue after a successful connection. When changing modes, forget saved MODI entries in Windows Bluetooth first, then pair again in the desired mode.
Recovery
If MODI connects in Windows but does not control Anki, check the simple causes before changing software. Confirm the center LED color matches the intended mode: solid green for Keyboard Mode, solid blue for Switch Mode. Confirm Anki has focus and that a review card is open. If you recently changed modes or devices, remove saved MODI entries from Bluetooth settings and repeat the full pairing process rather than relying on the previous saved connection.
Battery and sleep state can also affect troubleshooting. MODI automatically sleeps after about 2.5 minutes without a Bluetooth connection or 5 minutes of inactivity, and pressing Home wakes and reconnects in the last-used mode. A quickly flashing red LED means low battery. If a fresh pairing still connects but remains unresponsive, restart the Windows laptop and try again. That next step accounts for host Bluetooth state as well as the remote’s saved connection behavior.
