How do I turn a lecture PDF into flashcards for free?

Make a free account, upload the lecture PDF or Word file on the home page and the AI writes question-and-answer cards from its text. Your first import is free, up to 15 cards; edit any card, then study with spaced repetition or export to Anki (.apkg). Scanned PDFs have no selectable text, so copy the text out or paste your notes instead. Without an account, paste up to a page of notes for 1 deck a day.

Updated 2026-11-04. Try it below — no account needed.

Start with your own material

Use my chapter notes Choose my PDF or Word file

Notes: start without signup. PDF or Word: choose a file first, then create a free account for your first import.

Text & topics: no signup. 1 deck/day · first 10 cards of each deck free. Guest access includes 10 decks total.

What would you like to study?

Quick practiceBuild a chapter study set

Your notes or chapter text

Include facts or explanations you want to remember. For a subject name, choose Topic above.

Number of cards

Lecture PDF to flashcards: the checks that matter

Feature	FlashcardMaker.me	How to check any tool
File types	Text-based PDF and Word (.docx)	Upload your real lecture file, not a sample
Scanned or image-only PDFs	Not read; paste the text instead	Try a scanned page and see whether you get cards or an error
Free quota	First import free with a free account, up to 15 cards	Look for a stated number of pages or cards
Edit before studying	Every card editable	Check you can fix or delete cards before export
Export	Anki .apkg, CSV, TSV (first export free)	Check whether export is on the free plan

Our figures were checked against the live product on 2026-11-04. Free plans change often, so check the current free plan of any other tool on its own site before you commit.

FAQ

Why do I need an account for PDF import?

Imports are tied to an account so your one free import is not lost when you switch browsers. The account is free and keeps the deck synced.

How many cards will a 40-slide lecture PDF make?

The free import makes up to 15 cards from the most testable ideas. Pro makes up to 100 cards per deck, which covers a full lecture.

My PDF is scanned. What can I do?

A scanned PDF is a picture of text, so there is nothing to extract. Copy the text with your PDF reader's text recognition, or paste your own notes into the generator.

Can I export the cards to Anki?

Yes. Export the deck as an Anki package (.apkg) and open it in Anki. Your first export is free; Pro exports without limit.

Is the answer on each card taken from my PDF?

Yes. Cards are written from the text of your file, so the answers use your lecturer's terms. Skim them once before you study.

PDF to flashcards AI flashcard maker Exact free limits

Quick facts

Without an account: 1 deck per day, up to 10 cards per deck (10 decks in total). Paste notes or type a topic; no sign-up.
Free account: 3 free decks; the first 10 cards of each deck are free, plus cloud sync and spaced-repetition review.
Documents: Text-based PDF and Word import. Your first import is free with a free account (up to 15 cards).
Export: Anki (.apkg), CSV and TSV (imports into Quizlet and spreadsheets). The first export is free; Pro exports without limit.
Study modes: Flip cards, multiple-choice quiz, typed answers with smart answer checking, spaced repetition and printable cards.
Pro: $9.99/month or $95.88/year: unlimited decks, up to 100 cards per deck. 7-Day Pass: $4.99 one-time; Exam Pass: $19.99 one-time (3 months). Passes do not renew.
Languages: Cards in any language; site in English, French, German and Polish.

Updated 2026-10-28 by the FlashcardMaker.me team. All limits and prices: FlashcardMaker.me facts.