If a MODI Anki remote is not controlling desktop Anki, check power, mode, Bluetooth pairing, LED color, Anki focus, and the action assigned to each button in that order. Most desktop problems come from a saved pairing in the wrong mode, a sleeping remote, Anki not being the active window, or a custom mapping that does not match the command you expect.
This checklist is for MODI on macOS, Windows, or Linux with desktop Anki. MODI is an independent Bluetooth accessory, not an official Anki product, so separate the remote connection from Anki’s own keyboard and add-on behavior. For a concrete example of these controls in one device, purpose-built Anki remote documents its supported platforms, connection modes, and setup paths.
Start With Power State
Wake the remote before changing software settings. Press Home once and watch whether the device responds, because MODI can automatically sleep after about 2.5 minutes without a Bluetooth connection or about 5 minutes of inactivity. Holding Home for 3 seconds manually sleeps or turns off the remote, so do not treat a quiet remote as a failed pairing until you have intentionally woken it.
Also check the battery signal. A quickly flashing red LED means low battery, while a flashing green charging LED means the remote is charging and the charging LED turns off when charging is complete. The manual does not define a battery percentage for those patterns, so use them only as state indicators. Decorative lights can reduce practical battery life, and double-clicking Light turns them on or off.
Confirm The Intended Mode
For the standard desktop Anki workflow, use Keyboard Mode. It is intended for macOS, Windows, and Linux with preset keybindings, and no Anki add-on is required for that default setup. Keyboard Mode is entered by opening the computer’s Bluetooth settings, then holding A + Home for one second before selecting the MODI connection shown by the operating system.
Switch Mode is different. It is used on desktop when you want custom remapping through the optional MODI Anki add-on, and it is entered with Y + Home for one second. The center LED helps confirm the connection: solid green means Keyboard Mode connected successfully, while solid blue means Switch Mode connected successfully. If the color does not match the workflow you expect, fix mode before editing Anki.
Clear Old Bluetooth Entries
If MODI was previously paired in another mode or with another computer, start by forgetting every saved MODI or Anki remote entry in Bluetooth settings. This matters because the host device may reconnect to an older profile even when you are trying to establish a new one. After removing saved entries, repeat the full connection steps for the mode you actually want to use.
Use the same forget-and-repair process when moving the remote between a phone, tablet, and desktop computer. Pressing Home wakes and reconnects in the last-used mode, which is convenient after a correct setup but confusing after a mode change. If the remote connects yet remains unresponsive after fresh pairing, restart the host computer and then try the pairing sequence again.
Reconnect And Read The LED
After clearing old entries, make the connection from Bluetooth settings instead of from inside Anki. For Keyboard Mode, hold A + Home for one second, choose the MODI device entry, and wait for the center LED to turn solid green. That LED state confirms the remote connected in the desktop keyboard profile; it does not prove that Anki is focused or that every button is mapped to the desired action.
For Switch Mode, hold Y + Home for one second and look for a solid blue center LED after connection. Use this only if your desktop plan involves custom remapping through the MODI Anki add-on. If the Bluetooth panel says connected but the LED color is unexpected, forget the device entry again. Then reconnect in the intended mode instead of troubleshooting Anki commands prematurely.
Test Anki Window Focus
Once Bluetooth and LED state look correct, open desktop Anki and click inside the review window before pressing remote buttons. Keyboard Mode sends preset keyboard-style inputs, so the active application decides what receives them. If another window, browser tab, menu, search field, or system dialog has focus, the remote can appear unresponsive even though the Bluetooth connection is working normally.
Use a simple Anki control as the first test. Desktop Anki supports common keyboard controls such as Space or Enter to reveal an answer or choose Good, and 1 through 4 for answer buttons when those buttons are available. If a physical keyboard can perform the same action in the same Anki screen, then the next question is whether MODI is sending the expected input.
Check Button Actions
In Keyboard Mode, compare the button you are pressing with the preset desktop actions. MODI includes inputs for Again, Hard, Good or Next, Easy, Undo, Suspend, Escape, Spacebar, and direction-key navigation. Some commands only make sense on certain Anki screens. For example, an answer button command will not behave the same way before and after a card’s answer is revealed.
If you chose Switch Mode for desktop customization, inspect the optional add-on instead. The MODI add-on code is 406900239, and after installation and an Anki restart it opens a MODI Anki Remote menu for configuring buttons. Add-ons extend desktop Anki and may need updates after Anki changes, so treat add-on mapping as a separate layer from the Bluetooth connection and LED mode.
Isolate The Failing Layer
A clean diagnosis names the failing layer instead of blaming every symptom on the remote. No wake response points first to power state. A wrong LED color points to mode. A repeated connection to an old device entry points to Bluetooth memory. A working keyboard shortcut but no remote action points to remote input or mapping. A remote command landing in another app points to focus.
When several things changed at once, reset only the connection path first: forget saved MODI entries, reconnect in Keyboard Mode for default desktop use, confirm a solid green center LED, click the Anki review window, and test Space or a documented answer key. Move to Switch Mode and the add-on only when the goal is custom remapping rather than the standard desktop workflow.
