Free tool
Flashcards From a PDF, Free
Upload the PDF. Get a review-ready deck. It's the simplest way to turn hundreds of pages of reading into flashcards you'll actually review.
The single most-copied study workflow is: read a chapter, write flashcards by hand, review them for weeks. It works — the writing itself encodes the material — but it takes hours. Generating flashcards from the PDF cuts the writing time to zero. The tradeoff is the writing effect; the fix is reviewing thoughtfully rather than passively.
Ellie takes a PDF (lecture slides, textbook chapter, or your own notes), extracts the key claims and questions, and outputs an editable deck. You then spend 10 minutes editing (rewording, tightening, dropping fluff) and end up with a review-ready deck in about 15 minutes total.
What kinds of PDFs work best
The extractor works from real text (not scanned images). Text-based PDFs are usually fine; scanned PDFs need OCR first, which adds noise. Aim for clean, text-selectable documents.
- Lecture slide decks exported from Keynote, PowerPoint, or Google Slides
- Textbook chapters purchased as PDFs (respect fair use)
- Your own study notes exported to PDF
- Journal articles for question-forward summaries
- USMLE First Aid, Robbins Pathology sections
The 15-minute workflow
Upload → generate → edit → export. Then review daily.
Editing matters more than generation. Read every card once, tighten wording, remove any card you would not want on a real exam.
Fair use and copyright
Personal-use conversions of your own textbooks are generally fine. Do not upload copyrighted PDFs you do not own, and do not redistribute the generated decks.
Frequently asked questions
How long does generation take?
About a minute for a 20-page chapter. Longer PDFs are split into sections.
Do I have to sign up?
First deck is free without signup. Signup unlocks unlimited decks and cross-device sync.
Can I edit the cards after generation?
Yes — every card is editable. Editing is the review-enhancing step.
Does it handle scanned PDFs?
OCR works for cleanly-scanned pages. Handwritten notes are less reliable.
Are my PDFs stored?
Extracted text is stored to build your deck. You can delete decks (and their sources) at any time.
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