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Download Anki decks on Mac, or make your own from class notes

DeckOwl builds flashcards from your own PDFs, slides, notes or photos, and the Plus plan exports them as files you can open in Anki on your Mac.

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

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What a downloaded deck can and cannot do for you

Shared Anki decks usually arrive as .apkg files, and once one is on your Mac, opening it in the Anki desktop app imports the cards. If you are learning how to download Anki decks on Mac, that import step is the one most guides skip. A deck you build from your own lectures and readings works the same way, and it matches your course more closely than a generic one.

Choose a deck you made from your own course material over a generic shared one when accuracy matters.
Check imported cards in Anki on your Mac before relying on them for an exam.
Keep one card per fact so spaced repetition can schedule each item on its own.
Review a little every day, and rewrite any card you keep getting wrong.

Example cell biology flashcards

What organelle produces most of a cell's ATP?The mitochondrion, through cellular respiration.

What does the phospholipid bilayer of the cell membrane do?It forms a selectively permeable barrier that controls what enters and leaves the cell.

What is the function of ribosomes?They synthesize proteins by translating mRNA into a polypeptide chain.

How does osmosis differ from diffusion?Osmosis is the movement of water across a semipermeable membrane, while diffusion is the movement of any solute down its concentration gradient.

Which phase of mitosis separates sister chromatids?Anaphase, when spindle fibers pull sister chromatids toward opposite poles.

Generate the full set

Flashcards from your material

Upload a PDF, DOCX, PPTX, text file or photo of a page, and get flashcards built from what you actually need to learn.

Spaced repetition built in

Cards come back at spacing intervals that adjust to how well you recall them, so review time goes to the material you are likely to forget.

Export to Anki on Plus

The Plus plan exports to Anki, along with PDF, DOCX and CSV, so your cards can live in the app you already use on your Mac.

How it works

Upload your course material

Add a PDF, slide deck, set of notes or a photo of a textbook page. Text recognition reads images as well as documents.

Generate and review your flashcards

Create flashcards, then study them in the browser with spaced repetition. Edit any card that is too broad or unclear.

Export to Anki on your Mac

On the Plus plan, export the deck and open it in the Anki desktop app on your Mac to import the cards.

DeckOwl takes PDFs, DOCX and PPTX files, plain notes, or photos of pages, and generates flashcards with spaced repetition. The free plan includes 3 generations per month and lets you study in the browser, but exports are part of Plus at $99.90/year or $9.99/month, which also gives you unlimited generations.

A deck is only useful if you review it. Short daily sessions tend to work better than one long cram, and cards you keep missing are worth rewriting into simpler questions.

Explore related topics

Download Anki decks or make your own

Download Anki decks from AnkiWeb, or generate custom flashcards from your own PDFs and notes.

How to download Anki decks on Android

Step-by-step import for .apkg decks in AnkiDroid, plus making your own flashcards from your notes.

Download Anki Decks on iPhone

Import Anki decks on iPhone, or generate custom flashcards from your own notes.

Anki Cards for Mac: Make Your Own

Skip ready-made decks. Generate Anki-ready flashcards from your own notes and PDFs.

Make Anki decks from your own notes

Build a Mac-ready Anki deck from your own PDFs and slides, not a generic download.

Anki flashcards for Mac, made from notes

Generate Anki-ready flashcards on Mac from your PDFs, slides and notes, with spaced repetition.

Add Decks to Anki App: Step by Step

Set up Anki decks, import shared files, or make your own flashcards from notes.

Make Your Own Anki Deck

Turn your notes or slides into an Anki-ready deck, with a free plan to start.

Frequently asked questions

What file type are Anki decks saved as?

Anki decks are usually saved as .apkg files. You open one by importing it into the Anki desktop app on your Mac.

How many flashcards should I make for a cell biology unit?

Aim for one fact per card, and split long lists into several cards so each can be recalled on its own. Start with the terms your instructor emphasized, then add cards as new material comes in.

Can I export my flashcards to Anki on a Mac?

Yes, Anki export is part of the Plus plan, which costs $99.90/year or $9.99/month. The free plan has 3 generations per month and lets you study in the browser without exports.

Do I need a credit card to start?

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

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Keep exploring the topic

Review the main ideas visually or practice recalling them.