For deterministic ordering, create an ordered text file with one note per row, copy the referenced media into Anki’s collection.media folder, and import with Allow HTML enabled. Anki’s folder-based Bulk Media workflow is convenient, but its official documentation does not promise an alphabetical, numeric, or other stable file-sorting rule.
The reliable method: ordered text import
A text import gives you direct control over note order because you decide the order of the rows before Anki creates or updates notes. This is the best choice when image, audio, or video sequence matters.
1. Create the media files and an ordered source file
Prepare a delimited plain-text file, commonly tab-separated, with one note per row. Put the rows in the exact order in which you want the notes created or updated. Include the media reference in the field where it belongs.
For example, an image field can contain <img src="001_topic.jpg">. An audio field can contain [sound:002_example.mp3]. Keep the field delimiters consistent throughout the file.
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2. Copy media into collection.media
Before importing the text file, copy every referenced image or audio file into the collection’s collection.media folder. For this text-import workflow, do not place the files in subdirectories inside that folder.
Adding a file through Anki’s editor also copies it into collection.media; manually copied files need the media check described below.
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3. Import with HTML enabled
Open Anki’s text-file import dialog, select your delimited file and note type, map the columns to fields, and enable Allow HTML. Anki requires this option when imported fields contain HTML image references. The same import can carry Anki’s [sound:filename] markers for audio.
4. Make the sequence visible
Use names such as 001_topic.jpg, 002_topic.jpg, and 003_topic.jpg when a human-readable sequence helps prevent mistakes. Zero-padding keeps the names visually ordered, but it is not an Anki guarantee that every importer will sort filenames that way. The decisive ordering mechanism is the row order in your text file.
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5. Verify the resulting notes
Open the imported notes and review several points throughout the sequence, not only the first few. Confirm that each media reference resolves to the intended file and that fields appear on the intended card sides.
Bulk Media: convenient, but sorting is undocumented
Anki’s manual describes a Bulk Media add-on that creates notes from all files in a selected folder. By default, it places each filename without its extension on the front and the image or audio on the back; you can change the note type afterward if you need another arrangement.
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The official description does not specify how that folder is enumerated or sorted. Therefore, do not assume that files will be processed alphabetically, numerically, by creation date, or in the order shown by your operating system. If exact sequence is important, use the ordered text-file method or verify every imported note before studying.
What the community Sequence field tells you
The hssm/media-import repository describes an optional Sequence field containing the order in which files were imported. That field can preserve the add-on’s observed import sequence in note data, but the description does not define the rule used to enumerate files from a folder. It is not evidence of alphabetical or natural sorting, and the add-on’s compatibility or maintenance status is not established here.
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Choosing between the two workflows
| Workflow | Order control | What appears in notes | Setup | Sorting documentation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ordered text-file import | High: you set row order explicitly | Whatever fields and media references you put in the file | Requires preparing a delimited file and copying media | Row order is explicit; no folder-sort assumption is needed |
| Bulk Media folder import | Uncertain: the official manual does not state a file-order rule | Filename on the front and media on the back by default | Less preparation; select a folder and adjust the note type if needed | Stable alphabetical, numeric, or other sorting is not documented |
Check and fix media references
Run Check Media after manual copying
In Anki, choose Tools > Check Media. The report identifies files referenced by notes but missing from collection.media, as well as files in the folder that are not used by any note. It also helps Anki ensure that manually added filenames are encoded compatibly for syncing.
Use the filename on disk when names look different
Spaces and special characters can be displayed with encoding differences in Anki’s editor. When locating, renaming, or replacing a file, use the filename that actually exists on disk rather than relying only on how the reference is rendered in the editor.
Format and synchronization limits
Prefer widely supported media formats
Anki identifies MP3 audio and MP4 video as the most universally supported formats. A format that plays on desktop may still fail on AnkiWeb or a mobile client, so test the target clients you actually use before importing a large set.
Understand how media sync detects changes
Media synchronization follows files that are added, removed, or replaced. An edit made in place to an existing file may not be detected. To propagate an edited image or audio file, replace it, or remove and add it again, then sync.
If you are importing a packaged deck
A deck package (.apkg) can add notes and their media to an existing collection. A collection package (.colpkg) replaces the collection when imported. Choose .apkg when you intend to merge a deck into your current collection; treat .colpkg as a replacement operation and back up anything you need first.
Quick Recap
Troubleshooting order problems
- Rows appear in the wrong order: inspect the source text file and confirm the rows themselves are ordered correctly. Do not rely on filename sorting.
- Images or audio are blank: confirm the exact disk filename, that the file is directly in
collection.media, and that the field contains valid HTML or an Anki sound marker. - HTML appears as literal text: repeat the import with Allow HTML enabled.
- Only some clients play the files: convert to a broadly supported format such as MP3 for audio or MP4 for video, then replace the media file and sync.
- An updated file does not sync: replace the file or remove and re-add it so Anki detects a file change.
- Bulk import order is unpredictable: the add-on’s folder enumeration is undocumented; switch to an explicitly ordered text import when sequence is a requirement.
Recommended checklist
- Number or otherwise identify files so you can audit them easily.
- Put one note per row in the intended sequence.
- Copy all referenced media directly into
collection.media. - Use
<img src="filename">for images or[sound:filename]for audio. - Enable Allow HTML in the text-import dialog.
- Inspect the imported notes and run Tools > Check Media.
- Test playback and synchronization on each Anki client you use.
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