Image Occlusion Flashcards for Diagrams: A Student Guide
Image occlusion flashcards are diagram cards: you take a labeled image, cover one label with a box, and try to name what's under it. Then the next card covers a different label. It's the go-to method for anatomy, maps, cell diagrams and anything where where a thing sits is half of what you need to know.
If you keep staring at the same heart diagram and still blank on the tricuspid valve in the test, FlashDeck turns your diagram notes into cards and brings back only the labels you're about to forget: Build my study plan.
What image occlusion is
"Occlusion" just means blocking. Image occlusion means blocking part of an image. The image occlusion study method goes like this:
- Start with a labeled diagram.
- Draw boxes over the labels.
- Each card shows the diagram with one box highlighted: "what's this?"
- You say the answer, then reveal.
It's active recall, but visual. Instead of rereading a labeled diagram (which feels productive and mostly isn't), you're forced to pull each label out of your own memory.
Image occlusion benefits
- Location is baked in. You learn the femur and where it is.
- One diagram becomes many cards. A 12-label diagram = 12 small recall checks.
- Faster than writing cards. You're boxing labels, not typing questions.
- It matches the test. Lots of bio and anatomy exams hand you an unlabeled diagram. You're practicing that exact move.
Which diagrams it works for
Image occlusion examples that go hard:
| Subject | Diagram | What you hide |
|---|---|---|
| Anatomy / A&P | Skeleton, skull, heart, brain | Bone names, chambers, lobes |
| Biology | Animal and plant cells, the nephron, the flower | Organelles, parts |
| Geography | Maps of the US, Europe, Canadian provinces | Country, state or capital names |
| Chemistry | Periodic table, lab equipment | Element symbols, equipment names |
| Physics | Circuit diagrams | Component names |
| Languages | Chinese characters with radicals marked | The radical's meaning |
When it's the wrong tool
- Processes and "why" questions. "Why does blood go to the lungs?" isn't a label.
- Diagrams with 40 tiny labels crammed together. Crop it into zones first.
- Pure text. If there's no picture, you're better off with cloze deletion flashcards or basic cards.
Hide one vs hide all
This is the setting that confuses everyone the first time. In Anki's image occlusion it's called Hide All, Guess One vs Hide One, Guess One.
Hide One, Guess One
Only the tested label is covered. Every other label stays visible.
- Easier.
- Good for your first pass on a diagram.
- Risk: you use the neighboring labels as clues ("it's between the aorta and the left atrium, so...").
Hide All, Guess One
Every label is covered, and one is highlighted as the target.
- Harder, closer to a blank test diagram.
- Better for exam prep.
- No cheating off neighbors.
The move: start with hide one while you're learning a diagram, switch to hide all in the week before the test.
How to make image occlusion cards
Image occlusion in Anki (tutorial)
Newer versions of Anki (23.10 and later) have image occlusion built in, so you no longer need the old add-on.
- Click Add and pick the Image Occlusion note type.
- Choose your image (a screenshot of a textbook diagram works).
- Use the rectangle tool to draw a box over each label.
- Pick Hide All, Guess One or Hide One, Guess One.
- Add a header like "Heart: internal structures" so you know the context.
- Click Add. Anki makes one card per box.
Tips for cleaner diagram cards
- Crop tight. Only the part you need.
- Box the whole label, including any leader line hints.
- Group labels that always go together (like "left and right atria") into one box.
- Use unlabeled diagrams when you can. Draw boxes where the labels would be, and write the answer in the back extra field.
Other apps
RemNote and several flashcard apps have their own image occlusion. Quizlet lets you add images to cards and has diagram sets. The method matters more than the app.
The pain point with diagram cards isn't making them. It's tracking which labels you've really got and which you keep guessing. FlashDeck writes one card per label or definition from your pasted notes (for example, "Which chamber pumps blood to the body?"), and each day shows only the ones you're about to forget. Misses come back tomorrow. Build my study plan
No app? Paper version
Image occlusion without Anki is completely doable. Old school, but it slaps.
The sticky note method
- Print or draw the diagram with labels.
- Cover every label with small sticky notes or washi tape.
- Point to one, say the answer, lift to check.
- Put a tiny dot on the sticky for every miss. Dots = what to review first.
The two-copy method
- Print two copies: one labeled, one blank.
- Fill in the blank copy from memory.
- Check against the labeled one and circle what you missed in red.
- Tomorrow, only drill the red ones.
Want those printed diagrams to look clean? The steps in how to print flashcards double sided work for diagram sheets too.
Review schedule for diagram cards
Diagram cards follow the same spacing rules as any flashcard. Review right before you forget, not every day forever.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Make the cards, one pass with hide one |
| Day 2 | Review, redo misses |
| Day 4 or so | Review again, try hide all |
| About a week later | Full diagram from memory on paper |
| Before the test | Blank diagram, label everything, time yourself |
Missed a label? It comes back sooner. Nailed it three times in a row? Space it out. That's spaced repetition, and it's why ten minutes a day beats a two-hour cram with the textbook open.
See only the labels you're about to lose
Paste your diagram notes, lecture slide text or a PDF of up to 20 pages into FlashDeck and it writes one question-and-answer card per structure or definition. Each day it shows only what you're about to forget, so your image occlusion flashcards and your text cards cover the diagram from both sides.
FAQ
What is image occlusion in studying?
Image occlusion is a flashcard method where you cover labels on a diagram and try to recall each one. Every hidden label becomes its own card. It's popular for anatomy, biology and geography.
How do I use image occlusion in Anki?
In current Anki versions, choose the Image Occlusion note type when adding a card, load your image, draw boxes over the labels and choose a hide mode. Anki creates one card per box. Older versions needed an add-on, but it's now built in.
Is hide one or hide all better for image occlusion?
Hide one is easier and good for first learning. Hide all is harder and closer to a real test, since you can't use nearby labels as clues. Many students start with hide one and switch to hide all before exams.
Can I make image occlusion flashcards without an app?
Yes. Cover the labels on a printed diagram with sticky notes, or fill in a blank copy from memory and check it against the labeled one. Track your misses and review those first.
Do flashcards with images help you remember better?
For content that's visual, like structures and maps, recalling a label in its place on a diagram usually matches how you'll be tested. The key is still recall: you have to produce the answer before you look.