diff --git a/pylib/anki/importing/anki2.py b/pylib/anki/importing/anki2.py
index ba829c412..098265c3f 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/importing/anki2.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/importing/anki2.py
@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@
 # License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
 
 # pylint: disable=invalid-name
+from __future__ import annotations
 
 import os
 import unicodedata
-from typing import Any, Optional
+from typing import Any
 
 from anki.cards import CardId
 from anki.collection import Collection
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ class MediaMapInvalid(Exception):
 
 class Anki2Importer(Importer):
     needMapper = False
-    deckPrefix: Optional[str] = None
+    deckPrefix: str | None = None
     allowUpdate = True
     src: Collection
     dst: Collection
@@ -409,7 +410,7 @@ insert or ignore into revlog values (?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?)""",
             if fname.startswith("_") and not self.dst.media.have(fname):
                 self._writeDstMedia(fname, self._srcMediaData(fname))
 
-    def _mediaData(self, fname: str, dir: Optional[str] = None) -> bytes:
+    def _mediaData(self, fname: str, dir: str | None = None) -> bytes:
         if not dir:
             dir = self.src.media.dir()
         path = os.path.join(dir, fname)
diff --git a/pylib/anki/importing/apkg.py b/pylib/anki/importing/apkg.py
index 31d1cc4fd..ea2325960 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/importing/apkg.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/importing/apkg.py
@@ -2,12 +2,13 @@
 # License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
 
 # pylint: disable=invalid-name
+from __future__ import annotations
 
 import json
 import os
 import unicodedata
 import zipfile
-from typing import Any, Optional
+from typing import Any
 
 from anki.importing.anki2 import Anki2Importer, MediaMapInvalid
 from anki.utils import tmpfile
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ from anki.utils import tmpfile
 
 class AnkiPackageImporter(Anki2Importer):
     nameToNum: dict[str, str]
-    zip: Optional[zipfile.ZipFile]
+    zip: zipfile.ZipFile | None
 
     def run(self) -> None:  # type: ignore
         # extract the deck from the zip file
diff --git a/pylib/anki/importing/base.py b/pylib/anki/importing/base.py
index 4834181cd..2ddcaaebf 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/importing/base.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/importing/base.py
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 # License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
 
 # pylint: disable=invalid-name
+from __future__ import annotations
 
-from typing import Any, Optional
+from typing import Any
 
 from anki.collection import Collection
 from anki.utils import max_id
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ from anki.utils import max_id
 class Importer:
     needMapper = False
     needDelimiter = False
-    dst: Optional[Collection]
+    dst: Collection | None
 
     def __init__(self, col: Collection, file: str) -> None:
         self.file = file
diff --git a/pylib/anki/importing/supermemo_xml.py b/pylib/anki/importing/supermemo_xml.py
index 3e9127877..202592c2e 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/importing/supermemo_xml.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/importing/supermemo_xml.py
@@ -3,13 +3,13 @@
 # pytype: disable=attribute-error
 # type: ignore
 # pylint: disable=C
+from __future__ import annotations
 
 import re
 import sys
 import time
 import unicodedata
 from string import capwords
-from typing import Optional, Union
 from xml.dom import minidom
 from xml.dom.minidom import Element, Text
 
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ class SupermemoXmlImporter(NoteImporter):
         self.logger("Load done.")
 
     # PARSE
-    def parse(self, node: Optional[Union[Text, Element]] = None) -> None:
+    def parse(self, node: Text | Element | None = None) -> None:
         "Parse method - parses document elements"
 
         if node is None and self.xmldoc is not None:
diff --git a/pylib/tools/hookslib.py b/pylib/tools/hookslib.py
index 6361c633e..8325124ad 100644
--- a/pylib/tools/hookslib.py
+++ b/pylib/tools/hookslib.py
@@ -5,12 +5,13 @@
 Code for generating hooks.
 """
 
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 import os
 import subprocess
 import sys
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from operator import attrgetter
-from typing import Optional
 
 sys.path.append("pylib/anki/_vendor")
 
@@ -23,19 +24,19 @@ class Hook:
     name: str
     # string of the typed arguments passed to the callback, eg
     # ["kind: str", "val: int"]
-    args: list[str] = None
+    args: list[str] | None = None
     # string of the return type. if set, hook is a filter.
-    return_type: Optional[str] = None
+    return_type: str | None = None
     # if add-ons may be relying on the legacy hook name, add it here
-    legacy_hook: Optional[str] = None
+    legacy_hook: str | None = None
     # if legacy hook takes no arguments but the new hook does, set this
     legacy_no_args: bool = False
     # if the hook replaces a deprecated one, add its name here
-    replaces: Optional[str] = None
+    replaces: str | None = None
     # arguments that the hook being replaced took
-    replaced_hook_args: Optional[list[str]] = None
+    replaced_hook_args: list[str] | None = None
     # docstring to add to hook class
-    doc: Optional[str] = None
+    doc: str | None = None
 
     def callable(self) -> str:
         "Convert args into a Callable."
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ class Hook:
         types_str = ", ".join(types)
         return f"Callable[[{types_str}], {self.return_type or 'None'}]"
 
-    def arg_names(self, args: Optional[list[str]]) -> list[str]:
+    def arg_names(self, args: list[str] | None) -> list[str]:
         names = []
         for arg in args or []:
             if not arg:
diff --git a/qt/aqt/editcurrent.py b/qt/aqt/editcurrent.py
index e3e8ab517..744bce949 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/editcurrent.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/editcurrent.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 # Copyright: Ankitects Pty Ltd and contributors
 # License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 from collections.abc import Callable
-from typing import Optional
 
 import aqt.editor
 from anki.collection import OpChanges
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ class EditCurrent(QMainWindow):
         self.show()
 
     def on_operation_did_execute(
-        self, changes: OpChanges, handler: Optional[object]
+        self, changes: OpChanges, handler: object | None
     ) -> None:
         if changes.note_text and handler is not self.editor:
             # reload note
diff --git a/qt/aqt/importing.py b/qt/aqt/importing.py
index a78e4a8d2..89a4218bf 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/importing.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/importing.py
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 # Copyright: Ankitects Pty Ltd and contributors
 # License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 import os
 import re
 import traceback
 import zipfile
 from collections.abc import Callable
 from concurrent.futures import Future
-from typing import Any, Optional
+from typing import Any
 
 import anki.importing as importing
 import aqt.deckchooser
@@ -55,7 +57,7 @@ class ChangeMap(QDialog):
                 self.frm.fields.setCurrentRow(n)
             else:
                 self.frm.fields.setCurrentRow(n + 1)
-        self.field: Optional[str] = None
+        self.field: str | None = None
 
     def getField(self) -> str:
         self.exec()
@@ -231,13 +233,13 @@ class ImportDialog(QDialog):
         self.frm.mappingArea.setWidget(self.frame)
         self.mapbox = QVBoxLayout(self.frame)
         self.mapbox.setContentsMargins(0, 0, 0, 0)
-        self.mapwidget: Optional[QWidget] = None
+        self.mapwidget: QWidget | None = None
 
     def hideMapping(self) -> None:
         self.frm.mappingGroup.hide()
 
     def showMapping(
-        self, keepMapping: bool = False, hook: Optional[Callable] = None
+        self, keepMapping: bool = False, hook: Callable | None = None
     ) -> None:
         if hook:
             hook()
diff --git a/qt/aqt/modelchooser.py b/qt/aqt/modelchooser.py
index f2fceccc2..cdc75cd06 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/modelchooser.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/modelchooser.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # Copyright: Ankitects Pty Ltd and contributors
 # License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
+from __future__ import annotations
 
 from collections.abc import Callable
-from typing import Optional
 
 from aqt import AnkiQt, gui_hooks
 from aqt.qt import *
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class ModelChooser(QHBoxLayout):
         mw: AnkiQt,
         widget: QWidget,
         label: bool = True,
-        on_activated: Optional[Callable[[], None]] = None,
+        on_activated: Callable[[], None] | None = None,
     ) -> None:
         """If provided, on_activated() will be called when the button is clicked,
         and the caller can call .onModelChange() to pull up the dialog when they
diff --git a/qt/aqt/mpv.py b/qt/aqt/mpv.py
index e3def463b..a3156fa79 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/mpv.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/mpv.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 # pylint: disable=raise-missing-from
+from __future__ import annotations
 
 import inspect
 import json
@@ -38,7 +39,6 @@ import threading
 import time
 from queue import Empty, Full, Queue
 from shutil import which
-from typing import Optional
 
 from anki.utils import is_win
 
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ class MPVBase:
     """
 
     executable = which("mpv")
-    popenEnv: Optional[dict[str, str]] = None
+    popenEnv: dict[str, str] | None = None
 
     default_argv = [
         "--idle",
diff --git a/qt/aqt/qt/__init__.py b/qt/aqt/qt/__init__.py
index 2db1ad40d..ffbdb2dda 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/qt/__init__.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/qt/__init__.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 # make sure not to optimize imports on this file
 # pylint: disable=unused-import
+from __future__ import annotations
 
 import os
 import sys
@@ -55,9 +56,7 @@ if qtmajor < 5 or (qtmajor == 5 and qtminor < 14):
     raise Exception("Anki does not support your Qt version.")
 
 
-def qconnect(
-    signal: Union[Callable, pyqtSignal, pyqtBoundSignal], func: Callable
-) -> None:
+def qconnect(signal: Callable | pyqtSignal | pyqtBoundSignal, func: Callable) -> None:
     """Helper to work around type checking not working with signal.connect(func)."""
     signal.connect(func)  # type: ignore