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Convert your PDF notes into Anki flashcards with AI

Upload a PDF, slides, notes or photos of pages. DeckOwl writes flashcards with spaced repetition, and Plus exports them to Anki so you can import the deck.

Create flashcards nowFree · No credit card required

Drop files here or browsePDF, DOCX, PPTX, text or photos of your notes · several files with Plus

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

Why convert PDF to Anki flashcards with AI instead of typing them

Knowing how to convert PDF to Anki flashcards saves hours of retyping lecture slides and textbook chapters. Manual card-making forces you to pick key terms, write answers, and format each one, and most people stop halfway through a long chapter.

Cards come from your own PDF, so the material matches your course.
Exporting to Anki requires a Plus plan, at $39/year or $7.99/month.
The free plan gives 3 generations per month for studying in the browser.
Students get 40% off with a school email, and no credit card is needed to start.

Example intro biology flashcards from a textbook chapter

What organelle produces most of a cell's ATP?The mitochondrion. It runs oxidative phosphorylation, which yields most of the cell's ATP.

What is the function of the Golgi apparatus?It modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and lipids for transport to their destinations.

How do the end products of mitosis and meiosis differ?Mitosis produces two identical diploid cells, while meiosis produces four genetically distinct haploid gametes.

What does the sodium-potassium pump do?It moves 3 Na+ out and 2 K+ in per ATP, maintaining the electrochemical gradient across the membrane.

What is osmosis?The net movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from lower to higher solute concentration.

Generate the full set

PDF and slide input

Upload PDF, DOCX, PPTX, plain text, or a photo of a page. Text recognition reads images.

Spaced repetition in the browser

Cards are scheduled for review at increasing intervals, and you can study them free without exports.

Anki export on Plus

Plus is $39/year or $7.99/month and exports your deck to Anki, along with PDF, DOCX and CSV.

How it works

Upload your PDF

Drop in the file or a photo of the pages. The free plan includes 3 generations a month.

Generate and check the cards

Review the flashcards and edit any that miss the point before you start studying.

Export to Anki

On Plus, export the deck, import it into Anki, and keep reviewing on the schedule.

An AI generator reads the text in the PDF, pulls out definitions and facts, and writes question-and-answer pairs you can check before studying. Scanned pages work too, since images are read with text recognition. Plain text notes and PowerPoint decks follow the same process.

Spaced repetition then handles the scheduling. Check each generated card against the source, because AI can misread a table or a dense formula.

Explore related topics

Convert PDF to Anki Flashcards

Why Anki can't read PDFs directly, and how to generate flashcards from yours to study.

Convert PDF to Anki Deck with AI

Turn your own PDF into an Anki-ready flashcard deck with spaced repetition.

PDF to Anki Flashcards with AI

Turn a PDF into Anki-ready flashcards with AI. Export to Anki on Plus.

Make Anki Cards from a PDF

Upload a PDF and get AI flashcards you can study or export to Anki.

Anki Cards to PDF, Made From Your Notes

Turn your own notes into flashcards, then export a printable PDF on the Plus plan.

PDF to Anki Deck: Step-by-Step

Turn a PDF into Anki flashcards, with steps and skeletal system examples.

Print Anki-Style Flashcards as a PDF

Turn your own notes or slides into a printable flashcard PDF, with no hand-typing cards.

How to Make Anki Flashcards from a PDF

Step-by-step: turn a PDF into flashcards with AI, then export them to Anki.

Frequently asked questions

How many flashcards should I make from a 30-page chapter?

Aim for one card per distinct fact, term, or cause-and-effect pair, which often lands between 40 and 80 cards for 30 pages. Cut any card that tests trivia you would not need on an exam.

What makes a good Anki flashcard?

Each card should test one idea, with a question that requires recall rather than recognition. Avoid putting two facts on one card, because you will only remember one half reliably.

Can I export to Anki on the free plan?

No, Anki export is a paid feature on Plus, which costs $39/year or $7.99/month. The free plan includes 3 generations per month and studying in the browser.

Do I need a credit card to try it?

No, you can start without a credit card. Students with a school email get 40% off paid plans.

Generate free flashcards

Keep exploring the topic

Review the main ideas visually or practice recalling them.