Guide to Anki Intervals and Learning Steps

Learn how Anki calculates intervals and how you can modify settings to optimize your learning! NOTE: There is a mistake towards the end of the video when I was talking about ideal retention rates of 80-90% and said what I would do if I had a retention rate of 96%, I should have INCREASED the interval modifier (to see cards less frequently) not decreased it. 00:00 Introduction 00:15 Why learn about Anki’s algorithm 00:52 Type of cards 01:23 How intervals are calculated 03:18 Ease vs Interval modifier 05:50 How answers modify ease factor 06:49 How answers modify interval 11:05 Don’t get stuck in “Ease Hell“ 12:34 Learning phase 18:41 Longer learning steps are better 22:23 Aim for 80-90% success rate 25:26 How to achieve ideal retention rate 28:14 Summary For medical students: If you’re aiming for very long term retention I would continue to recommend a 1d 6d 15d learning interval. For a somewhat shorter term goal such as Step 1, you may want to aim for higher than 80-90% retention. I personally would recom