Best Way To Make Flashcards On Computer: 7 Powerful Tricks Most Students Don’t Know For Learning Faster
Best way to make flashcards on computer without wasting hours: drop in notes, PDFs or screenshots and let Flashrecall auto‑create spaced repetition cards.
How Flashrecall app helps you remember faster. It's free
- If you’re still typing basic cards in Word or Google Docs, you’re working way harder than you need to—here’s how to do it the smart way.
The Best Way To Make Flashcards On Computer (Without Wasting Hours)
So, you’re trying to figure out the best way to make flashcards on computer and not spend your whole evening formatting boxes and copy‑pasting questions. Honestly, the best setup right now is using an app like Flashrecall because it creates flashcards for you from text, PDFs, images, YouTube links, and more, then automatically schedules reviews so you actually remember stuff. Instead of manually building every single card, you just drop in your notes or a screenshot and Flashrecall turns it into smart flashcards with built‑in spaced repetition and active recall. It’s free to start, works on iPhone and iPad, and even reminds you when to study so you don’t fall behind. You can grab it here:
👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
Why Making Flashcards On Your Computer Beats Paper (By A Lot)
Let’s be real: paper flashcards are fine… until you have 300 of them and lose the stack the night before the exam.
Making flashcards on your computer is just better because:
- You can create way faster – copy‑paste from notes, PDFs, slides, etc.
- Everything stays synced and searchable – no more “where did I put chapter 3 cards?”
- You can use spaced repetition – the key to actually remembering long term.
- You can mix media – images, audio, screenshots, diagrams, not just text.
The trick isn’t whether to use your computer, it’s how you do it so you’re not wasting time.
The Smart Way vs The Slow Way
Most people do this the slow way:
- Open Word/Google Docs
- Create a table
- Type “front” and “back” manually
- Scroll forever when they want to review
That’s not really flashcards, that’s just a document with extra steps.
The best way to make flashcards on computer is to use an app that’s built for learning, not just typing. That means:
- Easy creation (ideally AI‑assisted)
- Proper flashcard review mode (one side at a time)
- Spaced repetition built in
- Study reminders
- Sync across devices
This is exactly the gap Flashrecall fills.
Why Flashrecall Is So Good For Computer‑Made Flashcards
You know what’s cool about Flashrecall? It fixes the annoying parts of flashcards for you.
Here’s what makes it stand out:
1. Instant Card Creation From Almost Anything
Instead of typing every card by hand, you can:
- Paste text and let it auto‑generate flashcards
- Upload PDFs (lecture slides, notes, ebooks)
- Use images (screenshots of slides, textbook pages, diagrams)
- Add audio or YouTube links
- Or just type a prompt like “make flashcards for these biology notes”
Flashrecall then builds question‑answer cards automatically. You can tweak anything, but the heavy lifting is done.
This is huge if you’re dealing with:
- Lecture slides
- Med school notes
- Language vocab lists
- Business/finance concepts
2. Built‑In Spaced Repetition (So You Don’t Have To Think About It)
Making flashcards is step one. Reviewing them at the right time is where the memory magic happens.
Flashrecall has:
- Spaced repetition built in
- Auto reminders when it’s time to review
- Cards that come back right before you’re about to forget them
You don’t have to manage decks manually. You just open the app, and it tells you, “Here’s what you need to review today.”
3. Active Recall Done Properly
Good flashcards force your brain to pull the answer out, not just recognize it.
Flashrecall:
- Shows you the front first
- Lets you try to recall
- Then reveals the back
- You rate how hard it was (easy / medium / hard), and the app schedules the next review based on that
That’s active recall + spaced repetition in one smooth loop.
4. Works Offline & Syncs Across Devices
Even though you build and organize everything on your computer or iPad, Flashrecall:
- Works offline (perfect for flights, commutes, dead Wi‑Fi zones)
- Syncs across iPhone and iPad
- Lets you start studying on one device and continue on another
Download link again if you need it:
👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
Step‑By‑Step: Best Way To Make Flashcards On Computer (Using Flashrecall)
Let’s make this super practical. Here’s a simple workflow you can copy.
Step 1: Collect Your Material
On your computer, grab:
- Lecture slides (PDF or PowerPoint exported as PDF)
- Class notes (Word, Notion, Google Docs, etc.)
- Textbook screenshots or images
- Any YouTube video you’re learning from
Step 2: Import Into Flashrecall
On your iPhone or iPad with Flashrecall:
- For PDFs: Import the file, let Flashrecall scan it, and generate cards
- For text notes: Copy‑paste into the app and ask it to “make flashcards from this”
- For images/screenshots: Upload the image—Flashrecall reads the text and builds cards
- For YouTube: Paste the link, and it can generate flashcards from the content
You can always edit cards, but this saves you hours vs typing everything manually.
Step 3: Clean Up & Customize
Spend a few minutes:
- Deleting cards you don’t need
- Rephrasing questions to be clearer
- Splitting long answers into multiple smaller cards
Flashrecall automatically keeps track and reminds you of the cards you don't remember well so you remember faster. Like this :
Tip:
If a card feels like “too much info,” break it into 2–3 smaller cards. Shorter questions = easier to review and remember.
Step 4: Start Reviewing With Spaced Repetition
Now just:
- Open Flashrecall daily
- Do your “Due Today” cards (the app tells you how many)
- Mark each card as easy, okay, or hard
Flashrecall handles the scheduling. You just show up.
Manual vs AI‑Assisted Flashcards: Which Is Better?
You can still make cards manually in Flashrecall if you like full control:
- Tap to create a new card
- Type front and back
- Add images if needed
Manual is nice for:
- Very specific exam questions
- Personal mnemonics
- Niche topics where auto‑generation might miss context
AI‑assisted is better for:
- Big lecture sets
- Long chapters
- Dense PDFs
Honestly, the best combo is:
Use AI to generate 80% of your cards, then manually add or tweak the 20% that really matter.
What About Other Flashcard Tools?
Since you searched for the best way to make flashcards on computer, you’ve probably heard of:
- Anki – Super powerful, but kind of clunky and ugly, with a steep learning curve. Great if you like tweaking settings forever.
- Quizlet – Easy to use, but a lot of features are paywalled now and spaced repetition isn’t as strong as it used to be.
- Notion/Docs/Sheets – Fine for storing info, not actually great for flashcard‑style active recall.
Where Flashrecall stands out:
- Way more modern and fast than Anki
- Better AI‑powered card creation than most apps
- Built‑in spaced repetition and reminders, no extra setup
- Makes cards from PDFs, images, audio, YouTube, and text in seconds
- Lets you chat with your flashcards if you’re confused about something
If you want something that just works without a huge setup phase, Flashrecall is the easier option.
How To Make Your Computer‑Made Flashcards Actually Work
Tools help, but how you make the cards matters too. A few quick tips:
1. One Fact Per Card
Bad card:
> What are the causes, symptoms, and treatments of hypertension?
Good cards:
- “What are the main causes of hypertension?”
- “What are common symptoms of hypertension?”
- “What are typical treatments for hypertension?”
Flashrecall makes it easy to edit and split these up.
2. Turn Notes Into Questions
Instead of copying your notes word‑for‑word, flip them into questions.
Note:
> Photosynthesis occurs in the chloroplast and converts light energy into chemical energy.
Flashcard:
- Front: “Where does photosynthesis occur, and what does it convert?”
- Back: “It occurs in the chloroplast and converts light energy into chemical energy.”
You can even paste your notes into Flashrecall and tell it:
> “Turn this into clear Q&A flashcards.”
3. Use Images When It Helps
For subjects like:
- Anatomy
- Chemistry structures
- Math/physics diagrams
- Geography
Screenshots + Flashrecall = instant visual flashcards.
You can upload the image and ask questions about it, or just use it as the back of a card.
4. Review Little And Often
The magic combo:
- 10–20 minutes per day
- Let spaced repetition do its thing
- Don’t cram everything in one night
Flashrecall’s study reminders help here—you’ll get nudges so you don’t forget to review.
Great Use Cases For Computer‑Made Flashcards With Flashrecall
Flashrecall works well for pretty much anything:
- Languages – vocab, phrases, verb conjugations
- Medicine & nursing – drugs, diseases, anatomy, protocols
- Law – cases, articles, definitions
- School & university – history dates, formulas, theories
- Business & careers – frameworks, interview prep, certifications
If you can write it, screenshot it, or save it as a PDF, you can probably turn it into flashcards in a few taps.
Quick Recap: The Actual Best Way To Make Flashcards On Computer
If you only remember one thing from this:
> Stop manually typing every single card into a document. Use a flashcard app that does the heavy lifting for you and schedules your reviews.
The most efficient setup looks like this:
1. Gather your notes, PDFs, screenshots, or links on your computer.
2. Import them into Flashrecall on your iPhone or iPad.
3. Let the app generate flashcards automatically.
4. Clean them up a bit (split long ones, delete junk).
5. Review daily with spaced repetition and active recall.
You’ll end up learning faster, remembering more, and spending way less time building cards.
If you want to try it out, you can download Flashrecall here (free to start):
👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
That’s honestly the best way to make flashcards on your computer right now without burning out on busywork.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the fastest way to create flashcards?
Manually typing cards works but takes time. Many students now use AI generators that turn notes into flashcards instantly. Flashrecall does this automatically from text, images, or PDFs.
Is there a free flashcard app?
Yes. Flashrecall is free and lets you create flashcards from images, text, prompts, audio, PDFs, and YouTube videos.
How do I start spaced repetition?
You can manually schedule your reviews, but most people use apps that automate this. Flashrecall uses built-in spaced repetition so you review cards at the perfect time.
What is active recall and how does it work?
Active recall is the process of actively retrieving information from memory rather than passively reviewing it. Flashrecall forces proper active recall by making you think before revealing answers, then uses spaced repetition to optimize your review schedule.
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- Best Way To Create Flashcards: 7 Powerful Tricks To Learn Faster (Most Students Don’t Do These) – If you’re still making flashcards the slow, old-school way, this will change how you study forever.
- Big Small Flashcards: 7 Powerful Ways To Teach Opposites And Boost Memory Fast – Most People Waste Paper, Try This Smarter Digital Trick Instead
Research References
The information in this article is based on peer-reviewed research and established studies in cognitive psychology and learning science.
Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354-380
Meta-analysis showing spaced repetition significantly improves long-term retention compared to massed practice
Carpenter, S. K., Cepeda, N. J., Rohrer, D., Kang, S. H., & Pashler, H. (2012). Using spacing to enhance diverse forms of learning: Review of recent research and implications for instruction. Educational Psychology Review, 24(3), 369-378
Review showing spacing effects work across different types of learning materials and contexts
Kang, S. H. (2016). Spaced repetition promotes efficient and effective learning: Policy implications for instruction. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 3(1), 12-19
Policy review advocating for spaced repetition in educational settings based on extensive research evidence
Karpicke, J. D., & Roediger, H. L. (2008). The critical importance of retrieval for learning. Science, 319(5865), 966-968
Research demonstrating that active recall (retrieval practice) is more effective than re-reading for long-term learning
Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1), 20-27
Review of research showing retrieval practice (active recall) as one of the most effective learning strategies
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4-58
Comprehensive review ranking learning techniques, with practice testing and distributed practice rated as highly effective

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