PDF to flashcards
Turn any PDF or set of lecture slides into flashcards
Add the PDF your lecturer uploaded and get flashcards that link back to the page they came from. Or write your own, with the PDF open beside the card.
Three ways to turn a PDF into flashcards
| By hand | Copy into a chatbot | FlashCardz | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time for a 60-slide lecture | Hours | Minutes, plus pasting | Minutes |
| Shows where each answer came from | If you add it | No | Yes, quote and page |
| Checked against your material | By you | No | Every card |
| Scheduled for review | In a separate app | No | Spaced repetition, built in |
Writing cards by hand is a good way to learn, and FlashCardz keeps that option. What it removes is the hours of copying, formatting and keeping track of where each card came from.
How it works
- Add a PDF, PowerPoint, Word file, EPUB, or photos of printed pages. Scanned pages are read too.
- Your first cards arrive within minutes, from the opening pages, while the rest of the file is read.
- Each card quotes its line, links to its page, and is checked against that line before you see it.
- Study them straight away. Spaced repetition brings each card back just before you'd forget it.
Slides that are mostly pictures
Lecture slides are often a diagram and three words. FlashCardz reads the picture, not just the text, and a card about a figure points to the part of the slide it's about. For labelled diagrams you can make image-occlusion cards: hide the labels and name each one from memory.
Make your own cards beside the PDF
The card maker is free on every plan. Your lecture is on one side, the card on the other, and every card keeps its file and page. You see the card as you write it, and ⌘ Enter saves it and starts the next one.
- Every card keeps its file and page, so its answer is one tap from where it came from.
- Crop a region of a page into an image card.
- Bring your existing Anki decks with you.
Tips for better cards from slides
- Add the slides and the textbook chapter they follow: the cards get the full explanation, and the page they quote is the one you'd check.
- Add past exams too. They show what your course actually asks.
- Delete cards you already know cold. A smaller deck you review is better than a big one you don't.
Questions
Which files can I turn into flashcards?
PDFs, PowerPoint slides, Word documents, EPUB books, plain text and photos of pages, scans included.
How long does it take?
The first cards are usually ready within a few minutes of the upload. The rest of a long file follows while you study.
Can I turn a scanned PDF into flashcards?
Yes. Scanned and photographed pages are read with text recognition before the cards are written.
Can I export the cards?
Yes, on every plan: as CSV or as a file Anki imports. Each card keeps its source and page.