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Get a custom Anki deck from your own notes, free to start

Ready-made decks cover someone else's course. Upload your own lecture slides, textbook chapters or photos of notes and get flashcards built for what you actually have to learn.

Create flashcards nowFree · No credit card required

Free · First set needs no signup · Creates flashcards in seconds

Why a custom deck beats a generic download

Ready-made decks are a quick start, but a free Anki deck download rarely matches the exact wording, order and emphasis of your own lectures and readings.

  • Cards come from your own PDFs, slides, notes or photos, so they match your course.
  • Spaced repetition schedules reviews at increasing intervals.
  • The free plan lets you study in the browser, with 3 generations per month.
  • Anki, PDF, DOCX and CSV export are included with the Plus plan.
Example introductory biology flashcards
What organelle produces most of a cell's ATP?The mitochondrion, through cellular respiration, because its inner membrane hosts the electron transport chain.
What is the function of ribosomes?They synthesize proteins by translating mRNA into a polypeptide chain.
What is osmosis?The diffusion of water across a semipermeable membrane from lower solute concentration to higher solute concentration.
How do mitosis and meiosis differ?Mitosis produces two genetically identical diploid cells, while meiosis produces four genetically distinct haploid gametes.
What does one turn of the Krebs cycle yield per acetyl-CoA?3 NADH, 1 FADH2, 1 ATP or GTP and 2 CO2.
Generate the full set

Built from your material

Upload PDFs, PPTX slides, DOCX files, plain notes or photos of pages. The flashcards reflect your course, not a generic topic list.

Spaced repetition included

Cards are scheduled for review at increasing intervals, so you spend time on what you are about to forget.

Quizzes and mind maps too

Turn the same material into multiple choice, true/false or short answer quizzes with explanations, or a mind map of main branches.

How it works

Upload your material

Add a PDF, slide deck, document, text notes or a photo of a page. Scanned pages are read with text recognition.

Generate your flashcards

Get a set of flashcards in the browser. The free plan includes 3 generations each month, with no credit card needed to start.

Export when you need Anki

Export to Anki, PDF, DOCX or CSV on the Plus plan, which is $39/year or $7.99/month and includes unlimited generations.

Building cards by hand takes hours, and most of that time goes into rewriting what you already have. Generating from your own files keeps the facts tied to your course and makes it easier to review the parts your instructor stresses.

Start with one chapter or a single set of slides. Review the cards, delete the weak ones, and then study on a schedule so the deck does the reminding for you.

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Frequently asked questions

Is there a free Anki deck download I can use instead?

Some public decks exist, but they are written for someone else's course. DeckOwl creates flashcards from your own material, and the free plan includes 3 generations each month.

How many flashcards should I make for an introductory biology unit?

Aim for one card per distinct fact, term or process, which often means 20 to 40 cards per chapter. Fewer, clearer cards tend to be easier to keep up with than long lists.

Can I export my flashcards to Anki for free?

Anki export is part of the Plus plan, which is $39/year or $7.99/month. The free plan lets you study the flashcards in your browser.

How often should I review an Anki deck?

Review daily in short sessions, even if only 10 to 15 minutes. Spaced repetition works best when you stick to a steady schedule rather than cramming before an exam.

Generate free flashcards

Keep exploring the topic

Review the main ideas visually or practice recalling them.