PDF study guides
Make editable flashcards from PDF lecture notes
Turn PDF lecture notes into focused flashcards. Compare an original worked example, split topics into clear questions, review AI drafts and export your deck.
Make editable flashcards from PDF lecture notes
A useful lecture deck asks one answerable question at a time. Start with a short section of notes, identify the concepts you need to recall, and review the draft against the source before exporting.
An original lecture-note example
This short biology passage was written for this guide and is available as a one-page PDF. It is original sample content, not a third-party lecture excerpt.
Diffusion is the net movement of particles from higher to lower concentration. It does not require cellular energy. Active transport moves substances against a concentration gradient and requires energy. A selectively permeable membrane allows some substances to pass more readily than others.
The following four cards are an editorial worked example, not a live AI conversion. They show how definitions, processes and comparisons can become separate questions.
- In which direction does net diffusion move particles?
- From higher to lower concentration.
- Does diffusion require cellular energy?
- No. Diffusion does not require cellular energy.
- How does active transport differ from diffusion?
- Active transport moves substances against a concentration gradient and requires energy.
- What does selectively permeable mean?
- Some substances pass through the membrane more readily than others.
Download the worked-example cards as CSV. Your generated deck may use different wording or omit concepts; compare it with the source.
Turn a paragraph into recall prompts
Definition: ask what a term means, including the condition that distinguishes it from similar terms. Process: ask for a direction, cause or next step. Comparison: name the two things and the dimension you want compared, such as energy use.
Avoid a front that just says “Explain this topic.” If an answer contains several unrelated facts, split it into smaller cards. Keep units, exceptions and qualifying words from the lecture; shortening a definition should not change its meaning.
Work in sections and verify coverage
Choose a text PDF with a useful topic near the beginning. The free plan reads only the first five pages, so a long cover sheet or table of contents can use part of that window. For longer lectures, prepare a topic-sized PDF excerpt before converting.
Review every question and answer. Check names, dates, formulas, missing exceptions and unsupported conclusions. Delete weak cards or edit them before using Study now, downloading an Anki .apkg deck or copying import text for Quizlet.
See the existing Anki export guide and Quizlet import guide for destination-specific instructions. The homepage’s prebuilt sample deck lets you inspect cards without using a conversion.
Free generation and text processing
Free generation includes 3 conversions per day, the first 5 PDF pages per conversion and up to 20 cards. Review the generated questions and answers before studying. The result is a draft, not a guarantee of complete coverage or factual accuracy.
Your browser reads the PDF. Clear English scans use on-device OCR. Extracted text is sent to the PDFtoDeck server and DeepSeek to generate cards. Use material you have permission to process, avoid sensitive documents and read the privacy policy before converting.
How to use the tool
- Choose lecture material you have permission to process and prepare a short PDF section.
- Open the converter and choose the PDF, or inspect the prebuilt sample first.
- Generate the draft within the page and card limits.
- Compare the draft with the notes; edit, split or remove cards that are unclear or wrong.
- Study in this browser or export reviewed cards to your preferred study app.
Questions about this workflow
Will this cover every point in my lecture?
No. Generated cards are a draft and the free conversion reads only the first five pages, with up to twenty cards. Check coverage against your notes.
Are the worked-example cards a real AI result?
They are an editorial example written for this guide. The downloadable source is original sample material; live generation may produce different cards.
Can I review the cards before exporting?
Yes. Edit questions and answers or remove cards before downloading or copying them.