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iCloud Sync

On iPhone, iPad and Mac, your library can live in iCloud Drive so every device signed in to the same Apple ID sees the same cards, sessions, and progress. It is on by default when you are signed in to iCloud.

iCloud sync is Apple-only. On Android, use backups or .share files to move cards between devices.

Turn iCloud storage on or off​

The switch is Settings > iCloud > Enable iCloud Storage.

Audio Flashcards keeps two separate libraries: one in iCloud, and one stored only on this device. The switch chooses which one the app uses. It does not copy or move cards between them. Each library has its own cards and review history, and its own sessions, voices, and flags and tags.

So if you turn iCloud off, you will see the on-device library — which is empty unless you used it before — and your iCloud cards are still safely in iCloud for when you turn it back on.

To move your cards from one library to the other:

  1. Settings > Backup & Restore > Backup in the library you are leaving, and save the file.
  2. Flip Enable iCloud Storage.
  3. Settings > Backup & Restore > Restore From Backup and choose that file.

See Backup & Storage. Sessions, voices, and flags and tags are not part of a backup, so set those up again in the new library.

Downloading to this device​

iCloud may keep some files only in the cloud to save space. A card whose files are not on this device shows a download badge and Download to view in the Library.

  • Automatically Download Items (on by default) fetches cards and audio in the background so they are ready when you review — the right choice if you ever study without a signal. Turn it off on a device that is short of space; files then download as you need them.
  • The cloud button beside the ⋯ menu shows a tick when every file is on this device, or a download arrow when some are not. Tap it for progress and Download All.
  • Long press a folder and choose Download, or a card and choose Download Card, to fetch just that.

A review session downloads the audio it needs before it plays. To free space, Settings > Manage Storage > Remove Local Downloads removes downloaded copies while leaving everything in iCloud.

iCloud Status​

Settings > iCloud > iCloud Status shows how sync is doing:

  • Account — whether iCloud is Available, Unavailable, or Restricted on this device.
  • Current Library — iCloud or On This Device.
  • Cloud Data — how many files your iCloud library holds, and their size.
  • Sync Activity — files Waiting to Download and Waiting to Upload, and any Transfer Errors.
  • Conflicts — files edited on two devices in ways iCloud could not merge.

Status updates as iCloud works through changes. Pull down to refresh.

Resolve conflicts​

A conflict happens when the same file changed on two devices before they could sync — for example, grading the same card on your iPhone and iPad while one was offline.

Tap a conflict to compare its versions. Each shows when it was modified, which device saved it, its size, and a preview of its contents: text, or a playable waveform for audio. Choose the right one and tap Keep This Version. The others are removed from iCloud.

If there are many and the newest version is always the one you want, Resolve All Using Newest… settles them in one go. Check individual conflicts first if a modification time alone might not pick the right content.

If sync is not working​

  1. Check iCloud Status > Account says Available. If not, sign in to iCloud in the Settings app, and make sure iCloud Drive is on.
  2. Confirm every device uses the same Apple ID and has Enable iCloud Storage on.
  3. Look for Transfer Errors and Conflicts in iCloud Status.
  4. Give it a connection and a little time. Large libraries take a while to upload the first time.