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Shuffle your Anki cards so you learn the content, not the card order

Anki can show new cards in random order. Once that is set, DeckOwl can turn your own PDFs, slides, notes or photos into flashcards to load into your deck.

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Why shuffling helps and how to set it up

Learning how to shuffle cards in Anki takes about a minute once you know where the setting lives. Shuffling matters because a fixed order lets you remember that card three comes after card two, which tells you nothing about the material itself.

Shuffle new cards so recall depends on content rather than position.
Mix topics within a session to practice telling similar ideas apart.
Let spaced repetition decide when known cards return.
Export to Anki on the Plus plan if you already keep your decks there.

Example flashcards on why shuffling helps recall

Why does shuffling flashcards help memory?It stops you from relying on card position, so you have to recall the content itself.

What is the difference between Random and Ascending position in Anki's New card display order?Random mixes new cards each session, while Ascending position shows them in the order they were added.

What is interleaving in flashcard study?Mixing cards from different topics in one session instead of finishing one topic before starting the next.

Why might shuffled cards feel harder at first?Without the sequence cue, recall takes more effort, which usually means the practice is working.

What does spaced repetition change about card order?It schedules when each card is due, so cards you miss come back sooner than cards you know.

Generate the full set

Random new-card order

Set New card display order to Random in Anki so cards come up in a different sequence each session.

Cards from your own material

Upload a PDF, DOCX, PPTX, text file or photo of a page and get flashcards built from that exact content.

Spaced repetition scheduling

DeckOwl flashcards use spaced repetition, so cards you miss return sooner while the ones you know come back less often.

How it works

Open deck options

In Anki desktop, click the gear icon beside your deck and choose Options.

Set display order to Random

Go to Display Order and change New card display order to Random, then save.

Study the shuffled deck

Start a review session and Anki will draw new cards in random order instead of the order you added them.

Shuffling works best when the deck holds real content worth mixing. DeckOwl can build that deck from your lecture slides, textbook chapters or handwritten notes, and you can study the cards in your browser on the free plan.

If you want the shuffled cards in Anki, the Plus plan adds Anki export. Shuffling is a setting you control, so you can switch it back to sequential any time you want to review in order.

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Frequently asked questions

Does shuffling flashcards actually improve memory?

Shuffling mainly keeps you from memorizing the order of cards instead of their content. Research on mixing topics, called interleaving, suggests it can help with telling similar ideas apart, though results vary by subject.

Should I shuffle cards I already know well?

Spaced repetition controls when reviewed cards come back, so the order of known cards matters less. Shuffling is most useful for new cards, where the sequence is easiest to memorize by accident.

Can I export DeckOwl flashcards to Anki?

Yes, Anki export is included in the Plus plan at $99.90/year or $9.99/month. The free plan lets you study in the browser but does not include exports.

Do I need a credit card to try DeckOwl?

No, you can start on the free plan with 3 generations per month and no credit card. Students get 40% off with a school email.

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Review the main ideas visually or practice recalling them.