Turn a PDF into Anki flashcards you can study today
Upload a PDF, slides, notes or a photo of a page. DeckOwl writes the flashcards, schedules reviews with spaced repetition, and lets you export to Anki on a paid plan.
How the PDF to Anki conversion works
Upload a lecture PDF and this PDF to Anki flashcards converter reads the text, picks out terms and definitions, and writes question-and-answer cards you can review right away.
- Works with PDF, DOCX, PPTX, plain text and images of pages
- Cards are written from your own material, not a generic set
- Study in the browser on the free plan with 3 generations per month
- Export to Anki, CSV, PDF or DOCX on Plus at $99.90/year or $9.99/month
Reads the file you already have
Upload PDFs, DOCX, PPTX, plain text or images. Photos of pages are read with text recognition.
Spaced repetition built in
Cards come back at the right time, so you review what you are about to forget instead of rereading everything.
Export to Anki
Paid plans export to Anki, plus PDF, DOCX and CSV. The free plan keeps your cards in the browser.
How it works
Upload your PDF
Add a chapter, lecture deck or set of notes. No credit card is needed to start.
Review the generated cards
Check the questions and answers, edit anything that looks off, and keep the cards that match your course.
Study or export
Study in the browser on the free plan, or export to Anki on Plus to keep the same schedule in the app you already use.
Good cards are short. Each one should test a single fact, such as a term, a process step or a cause and effect. DeckOwl tries to keep cards that way, but you can edit any card before you study or export it.
Once the cards are in Anki-compatible form, the spaced repetition schedule decides when each one comes back. Cards you miss return sooner, and cards you know move further out.
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Frequently asked questions
How many flashcards should I make from one PDF?
Make as many as you need to cover the sections you will be tested on, keeping each card to one fact. A long PDF may need a few sessions of cards rather than one large deck.
Should I make cards from my notes or from the textbook PDF?
Use your lecture notes first, since they usually reflect what your instructor emphasized. Add textbook sections for details your notes skip.
Can I export to Anki for free?
No. Exporting to Anki is a paid feature on Plus, which costs $99.90/year or $9.99/month. The free plan lets you study in the browser with 3 generations per month.
Can I convert photos of printed pages?
Yes. Images of pages are read with text recognition, so you can upload a photo instead of a digital PDF.
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