How do I make Anki cards from a PDF?

Upload your PDF here and generate. The AI reads the whole document, pulls the terms, definitions, dates and key facts worth remembering, and writes a question on one side and the answer on the other for each card. You review and edit the deck, then copy the finished cards into a text file and import them to Anki. The slow part, reading the source and typing both sides of every card, is done before you open Anki.

Can AI generate Anki flashcards?

Yes. PDFQuiz uses AI to read the real text of your PDF and turn it into question and answer flashcards. It works on textbook chapters, lecture notes, slide decks saved as PDF and study guides, and the cards come from your material rather than a generic deck. You edit anything you want, then move the cards into Anki so they study with its spaced repetition scheduler like any other card.

How do I import the flashcards into Anki?

In Anki, choose File then Import and pick a text file with one card per line, the front and the back separated by a tab or a comma. Anki shows a mapping screen: set Field 1 to Front and Field 2 to Back, then import. Save the file as UTF-8 so accents and special characters display correctly. Your new cards appear in the deck you chose, ready for review.

Does this export a .apkg file?

No. PDFQuiz builds the flashcards and lets you review and edit them here, then you copy the finished question and answer pairs and import them to Anki as text (File then Import, fields split by tab or comma). You skip the part that actually takes time, reading the whole document and writing every card, and Anki handles the scheduling once the cards are in.

Why use an AI generator instead of typing Anki cards by hand?

The slow part of building an Anki deck is not the typing, it is rereading the source to decide what deserves a card and then writing both sides for every one. For a dense chapter that can be an hour. An AI generator reads the file and drafts the whole deck in seconds, then hands you cards to edit, so you spend your time studying rather than making cards.

Are the generated cards good for spaced repetition?

Yes, when you keep each card to one fact. The generator drafts atomic question and answer cards, which is exactly what Anki schedules best, because the algorithm tracks your recall of each card on its own. Review the draft and split any card that tests two things into two cards, then let Anki space the reviews. Editing your own deck is also part of learning it.

How many Anki cards can it make from a PDF?

You set the number. A short handout might become 10 to 15 cards, a chapter 25 to 40, and a full textbook PDF 50 or more. The AI samples across the whole document, so a long file is covered evenly instead of only the first pages. Choose how many cards you want before you generate, then trim or add after you see the deck and before you import to Anki.

Can I edit the cards before importing to Anki?

Yes, every card is editable here before you move it into Anki. Rewrite a question, fix an answer, tighten the wording, split a card that covers too much, or delete one you already know cold. The AI gives you a strong first draft and you decide the final deck, so the cards you import are the ones you actually want to review.

Anki flashcard generator

Anki Flashcard Generator: Make Anki Cards from a PDF

PDFQuiz reads a PDF and writes the question and answer flashcards for you, so you can spend your time reviewing in Anki instead of typing cards. Upload notes, a textbook chapter, lecture slides or a study guide, and the AI pulls the terms, definitions, dates and facts worth remembering and drafts a card for each one. You edit the deck here, then copy the finished cards into Anki and let its spaced repetition scheduler do the rest.

Your files are processed securely and deleted automatically after your cards are built.

Upload your PDF and turn it into flashcards for Anki

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Source files: PDF, Word, slides
Card format: Question and answer
Import to Anki: Copy, paste, done

Last updated July 2026

What an Anki flashcard generator does

An Anki flashcard generator reads your study material and writes question and answer cards you can move into Anki. You upload a PDF, the AI works through the whole file and pulls out the terms, definitions, dates and facts a card should test, and it drafts each card with a prompt on the front and the answer on the back. You review and edit the deck, then copy the finished cards into a text file and import them to Anki, which schedules the reviews with spaced repetition. The point is to skip the slow part, reading the source and typing both sides of every card, so your time goes into studying instead of building the deck.

Anki is the spaced repetition tool serious students trust, and its strength is scheduling reviews, not writing cards. That is where a generator helps: PDFQuiz builds the deck from your own material, so a chapter you actually have to learn becomes a full set of cards in seconds rather than an hour of typing. Once the cards are in Anki they behave like any other card, syncing across devices and moving through the algorithm as you rate your recall. If you want to test yourself with graded questions as well, the same upload can become a quiz from your PDF with an answer key.

How it works

From PDF to an Anki deck in four steps

Upload your PDF

Drag in a textbook chapter, lecture notes, a slide deck or a study guide. Word files, slides and text files work too, and you can upload more than one file at once.

AI drafts the cards

The AI reads the whole document, finds the terms, definitions, dates and key ideas, and writes an atomic question and answer card for each one worth remembering.

Review and edit

Read the deck, fix any card, split one that tests two facts, and cut anything you already know. You control the final set before it ever reaches Anki.

Import to Anki

Copy the cards into a text file, then in Anki choose File then Import, split the fields by tab or comma, and map them to Front and Back. Your deck is ready to review.

How to import the flashcards into Anki

Anki imports plain text, one card per line, with the front and the back separated by a tab or a comma. Once you have the finished cards, the import takes under a minute:

1Paste your question and answer pairs into a text file, one card per line, with the front and back separated by a tab. Save the file as UTF-8 so accents and symbols display correctly.
2Open Anki on your computer, choose File then Import, and select the text file you saved.
3On the mapping screen, set the field separator to Tab, then map Field 1 to Front and Field 2 to Back. Pick the deck you want the cards to land in.
4Click Import. The cards appear in your deck and start moving through Anki's spaced repetition schedule as you review them.

For a full walkthrough with screenshots, read how to make Anki cards from a PDF. If you would rather study without leaving your browser, the same upload also builds flashcards from your PDF you can review here right away.

Why generate Anki cards instead of typing them by hand

Anyone who has built a big Anki deck knows where the hours go. It is not clicking through reviews, it is reading the source to decide what deserves a card and then typing both sides for every one. A single dense chapter can eat an evening before you have studied a thing. An AI generator reads the file and drafts the whole deck in seconds, then gives you cards to edit, so the thinking that matters, checking the deck and reviewing it, is where your time goes. Two habits keep the deck strong for Anki: keep each card to one fact so the algorithm can schedule it cleanly, and phrase the front as a real question rather than a bare term.

Covers the whole file. The AI samples across every page, so a long PDF becomes a complete deck, not a few cards from the intro.
Cards match your material. Every prompt and answer comes from your document, so you study your course, not a stranger's shared deck.
Atomic by default. The draft tests one fact per card, which is exactly what Anki's scheduler works best with.
You stay in control. Edit, split or delete any card before it reaches Anki. The AI gives you a first draft; you decide the final deck, and you can also build a set of multiple choice questions from the same upload for exam practice.

Who uses it

Built for people who already study in Anki

Medical and grad students

Anki runs medical education because the volume of terminology is enormous. Turn lecture slides and textbook chapters into decks in minutes instead of spending hours typing cards for a single course.

Language learners

Turn a vocabulary list or a chapter in your target language into question and answer cards, then import them and drill with spaced repetition. Pairs well with a vocabulary quiz generator for extra practice.

Certification candidates

Turn a prep guide or manual into an Anki deck for review between shifts. Pairs well with a certification exam generator for full practice tests.

Building an Anki deck: by hand vs with AI

Either way Anki does the scheduling. The difference is how much of your time goes into making the cards before you can review them.

Step	By hand in Anki	With PDFQuiz
Read the source	You reread the whole PDF to decide what matters	The AI reads every page for you
Write the cards	Type both sides of every card in the editor	The whole deck is drafted in seconds
Coverage	Easy to miss later sections as you run out of time	Cards sampled across the entire file
Getting into Anki	Already there, one card at a time	Copy the finished cards and import as text
Time to first review	Often an hour or more for a chapter	A minute or two, then a quick import

Anki flashcard generator questions

How do I make Anki cards from a PDF?: Upload your PDF here and generate. The AI reads the whole document, pulls the terms, definitions, dates and key facts worth remembering, and writes a question on one side and the answer on the other for each card. You review and edit the deck, then copy the finished cards into a text file and import them to Anki. The slow part, reading the source and typing both sides of every card, is done before you open Anki.
Can AI generate Anki flashcards?: Yes. PDFQuiz uses AI to read the real text of your PDF and turn it into question and answer flashcards. It works on textbook chapters, lecture notes, slide decks saved as PDF and study guides, and the cards come from your material rather than a generic deck. You edit anything you want, then move the cards into Anki so they study with its spaced repetition scheduler like any other card.
How do I import the flashcards into Anki?: In Anki, choose File then Import and pick a text file with one card per line, the front and the back separated by a tab or a comma. Anki shows a mapping screen: set Field 1 to Front and Field 2 to Back, then import. Save the file as UTF-8 so accents and special characters display correctly. Your new cards appear in the deck you chose, ready for review.
Does this export a .apkg file?: No. PDFQuiz builds the flashcards and lets you review and edit them here, then you copy the finished question and answer pairs and import them to Anki as text (File then Import, fields split by tab or comma). You skip the part that actually takes time, reading the whole document and writing every card, and Anki handles the scheduling once the cards are in.
Why use an AI generator instead of typing Anki cards by hand?: The slow part of building an Anki deck is not the typing, it is rereading the source to decide what deserves a card and then writing both sides for every one. For a dense chapter that can be an hour. An AI generator reads the file and drafts the whole deck in seconds, then hands you cards to edit, so you spend your time studying rather than making cards.
Are the generated cards good for spaced repetition?: Yes, when you keep each card to one fact. The generator drafts atomic question and answer cards, which is exactly what Anki schedules best, because the algorithm tracks your recall of each card on its own. Review the draft and split any card that tests two things into two cards, then let Anki space the reviews. Editing your own deck is also part of learning it.
How many Anki cards can it make from a PDF?: You set the number. A short handout might become 10 to 15 cards, a chapter 25 to 40, and a full textbook PDF 50 or more. The AI samples across the whole document, so a long file is covered evenly instead of only the first pages. Choose how many cards you want before you generate, then trim or add after you see the deck and before you import to Anki.
Can I edit the cards before importing to Anki?: Yes, every card is editable here before you move it into Anki. Rewrite a question, fix an answer, tighten the wording, split a card that covers too much, or delete one you already know cold. The AI gives you a strong first draft and you decide the final deck, so the cards you import are the ones you actually want to review.

Keep going with your PDF

Built the deck? Study another way from the same file.

PDF to Flashcards Review question and answer cards from your PDF right in the browser, no import needed. PDF to Quiz Turn the same PDF into a graded quiz with an answer key. MCQ Maker Build multiple choice questions from your document for exam practice. Study Guide Generator Turn your notes into an organized study guide to review before the cards.

Make Anki cards from your PDF now

Upload a chapter, your notes or a slide deck, edit the drafted question and answer cards, and import them to Anki for spaced repetition.

Upload a PDF and make Anki cards