anki releases
People open the releases page when they need the exact filename for a desk install. For anki that means a current non-prerelease tag on the upstream repository, not a beta line and not a random mirror that renamed the setup.
The live stable tag this guide maps is 26.09.2 (version 26.09.2). Prefer anki-*-win-x64.msi on Windows as the primary stranger-safe path. The same tag also publishes macOS dmgs and Linux tar.zsts, including optional Windows ARM64 MSI and Linux aarch64 tarballs on the same tag.
Primary Windows asset
Take anki-26.09.2-win-x64.msi when you want the default Windows x64 installer. That file is what most strangers should run after a SmartScreen prompt. Winget id Anki.Anki pulls the same project through microsoft/winget-pkgs when App Installer is present.
Do not confuse the default setup with the arm64 setup on the same tag. The ARM64 Windows asset is named anki-*-win-arm64.msi. Take the win-arm64 MSI only on ARM Windows hardware.
Related: Windows install, download safely, home.
macOS and Linux on the same tag
macOS users can take anki-26.09.2-mac-apple.dmg or run brew install --cask anki when Homebrew is installed. The Homebrew cask is verified for this review. An Intel dmg also ships on the same tag for Intel Macs.
Linux desks can take anki-26.09.2-linux-x86_64.tar.zst, extract it and run install.sh. An arm64 tar.zst sits beside it. Distro packages may lag the GitHub tag; the tar.zst keeps you on the same release door as Windows and macOS.
| OS | Primary asset | Package manager |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | anki-*-win-x64.msi | winget … Anki.Anki |
| macOS | anki-*-mac-apple.dmg | brew install --cask anki |
| Linux | anki-*-linux-x86_64.tar.zst | tar.zst from Releases |
What to ignore on the tag
Source tarballs and .asc signature files are for builders and verification, not for everyday Start Menu installs. Skip them unless you are compiling or checking signatures on purpose.
Prerelease tags such as beta builds can appear above the stable line on GitHub. This guide stays on non-prerelease non-prerelease tags that publish the Windows x64 setup. If a newer non-prerelease tag appears later, prefer that current stable over older pins.
Advertising download portals often mirror the project name with a different filename. Match the GitHub asset name character for character before you run anything. Safe-path notes: download safely.
How the panel picks files
The install panel on the home page reads live release JSON and matches regexes against asset names. Windows matches the default x64 setup. macOS matches the default dmg. Linux matches the default x86_64 tar.zst. Alternate arm64 assets appear as supporting choices when the tag publishes them.
Stars, dates, and filenames on the home stats strip come from the same fetch. They are not typed into the page by hand. That keeps the guide honest when the project ships a newer stable tag.
For this computer chooser: set up on this computer. Repo layout: GitHub overview.
Update habit
When you update, use the same door you used to install. Winget upgrade for the package id, brew upgrade --cask for the cask, or a newer setup/dmg/tar.zst from the latest non-prerelease tag. Mixing doors mid-flight is how labs end up with two copies and two config folders.
Write the filename you installed beside the machine name. After imaging season, prove one card or deck add before you call the desk ready. Update guide: update and uninstall.
Back to the pillar: anki home.
Operational detail for shared desks
Shared desks drift when every volunteer picks a different mirror. Print the GitHub Releases URL, the winget id Anki.Anki, and the Homebrew cask anki on the same lab card. After each reimage, prove one card or deck add before you hand the machine back.
Travel laptops should carry the filename you installed and the update door you trust.
Prefer returning to the documented door even when search ads shout louder than the official project name.
Helpdesk tickets move faster when they include the OS build, the asset name or package id, and whether a VPN changed during the incident.
Vague deck-is-broken notes waste mornings. Ask for a screenshot of the Decks list and the Downloads path in Options.
Classroom images should freeze only after a reboot test. Antivirus first scans and login scripts hide problems that a same-session demo misses. Keep a second spaced repetition flashcard program only if your policy truly needs it.
When you retire a machine, uninstall Anki and remove extra media folders that still hold private packs. Document retention rules separately from the install guide.
Back to the pillar for the live install panel: anki home. Guides hub: guides.
Quiet checklist for the next image
- Pin the Releases URL and package ids on the lab card.
- Prove one card or deck add after every reimage.
- Keep adware mirrors off the bookmark bar.
- Record whether winget, brew, or a manual asset was used.
- Reboot once before you call the desk ready.
- Trainers rehearse the prove step on a small trusted deck.
- Helpdesks ask for the filename and the Downloads path before they escalate.
- Travel kits carry the same notes on paper when Store access is flaky.
When a machine retires, uninstall Anki and clear media folders that still hold private packs according to your retention rules. Keep signature verification optional for threat models that require it, using the detached asc files on the same tag.
Prefer the newest non-prerelease release tag that publishes the Windows x64 setup. Beta lines stay out of golden images.