GoodNotes Study Flashcards: 7 Powerful Tips To Learn Faster (And A Smarter Alternative Most Students Miss) – If you’re using GoodNotes to study, this guide will show you how to turn your notes into real memory-boosting flashcards (and when an app like Flashrecall is just way better).

So, What Are GoodNotes Study Flashcards Really Good For?

Alright, let’s talk about how goodnotes study flashcards actually work. Basically, you’re taking your handwritten or typed notes in GoodNotes and turning them into question–answer style cards so you can quiz yourself. It’s great if you like writing things out and keeping everything in one notebook-style app. The catch is, GoodNotes isn’t really built around spaced repetition or active recall the way a dedicated flashcard app is. That’s where something like Flashrecall comes in – it handles all the smart review stuff for you while still letting you make cards from your notes in seconds:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

GoodNotes vs A Flashcard App: What’s The Actual Difference?

So yeah, you can use GoodNotes for flashcards, but here’s the honest breakdown:

What GoodNotes Is Great At

• Handwritten notes, diagrams, and PDFs
• Organizing notebooks by subject
• Highlighting, annotating, and scribbling ideas

You can:

• Draw a line down the page and write Q on the left, A on the right
• Cover one side with your hand or lasso tool and quiz yourself
• Or use separate pages as “cards” and swipe through them

It works… but:

Where It Starts To Fall Apart For Flashcards

• No built-in spaced repetition (you have to remember when to review)
• No automatic scheduling based on how well you know something
• No stats on what you keep forgetting
• Reviewing is just “flip through pages again and again”

That’s fine for casual review, but if you’re studying for exams, languages, medicine, or anything heavy, you’ll feel the limits fast.

Where Flashrecall Feels Way Smarter

Flashrecall is built specifically for flashcards and memory, not just note-taking. It:

• Automatically uses spaced repetition – it decides when you should see each card again
• Has built-in active recall – always shows you the question first, then you reveal the answer
• Sends study reminders so you don’t forget to review
• Lets you instantly create flashcards from:
• Images (screenshots from GoodNotes, textbooks, slides)
• Text
• PDFs
• YouTube links
• Audio
• Or just typed prompts

And yeah, it’s free to start, works on iPhone and iPad, works offline, and is super fast and modern:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

So the real move for a lot of people is:

How To Use GoodNotes For Flashcards (If You Want To Keep Everything There)

If you like handwriting and want to stick with GoodNotes, here’s how to make it work as a flashcard-style system.

1. Use The Split Page Method

Create a page and draw a line down the middle:

• Left side: Questions / prompts
• Right side: Answers / explanations

Examples:

• “Define osmosis” → full definition on the right
• “Spanish: dog” → “el perro” on the right
• “Formula for kinetic energy” → KE = ½mv² and a quick example

When you review:

• Cover the right side with your hand or a rectangle shape
• Try to answer from memory
• Then reveal and check yourself

It’s basically manual active recall.

2. Make One Flashcard Per Page

Another way:

• Each page = one flashcard
• Top: the question
• Bottom: the answer (or on the next page)

You can then:

• Swipe through pages like a deck
• Use presentation mode to focus on one at a time

Still, there’s no spaced repetition built in, so you’re just flipping through.

3. Turn Your Notes Into Question Prompts

The biggest mistake people make is copying notes instead of turning them into questions.

Instead of:

> “Photosynthesis: process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy…”

Write:

• “What is photosynthesis?”
• “Where does photosynthesis happen?”
• “What are the inputs and outputs of photosynthesis?”

This is exactly how Flashrecall thinks: everything is built around question → answer to force your brain to work.

Why Spaced Repetition Matters More Than Pretty Notes

You can have the cleanest GoodNotes pages in the world, but if you’re just re-reading them, your brain is mostly on autopilot.

Two things actually move the needle:

1. Active recall – trying to remember something before you see the answer

2. Spaced repetition – reviewing it again right before you’re about to forget

GoodNotes can help with #1 in a manual way (if you cover answers and quiz yourself).

But #2? That’s where it struggles.

Flashrecall handles both:

• Shows you the question first → you recall
• You rate how hard it was
• The app automatically schedules the next review
• Easy cards appear less often, hard cards appear more often

You don’t have to think about “when should I review this again?”

The app just pings you with study reminders when it’s time.

How To Use GoodNotes + Flashrecall Together (Best Of Both Worlds)

Honestly, the sweet spot is using them together instead of forcing GoodNotes to be a full flashcard system.

Step 1: Take Notes In GoodNotes Like Normal

• Lecture notes
• Diagrams
• Math steps
• Annotated PDFs

Highlight or mark the key points you know you’ll need to memorize.

Step 2: Turn Those Key Points Into Flashcards In Flashrecall

You don’t have to retype everything. Flashrecall makes this stupidly easy:

• Take a screenshot of your GoodNotes page
• Import the image into Flashrecall
• Let Flashrecall auto-generate flashcards from the text and content
• Or crop the important part and make a manual Q/A card

You can also:

• Import PDFs
• Paste text
• Or just type quick prompts

Now your GoodNotes content becomes a smart flashcard deck that:

• Uses spaced repetition
• Works offline
• Syncs across iPhone and iPad
• Sends reminders

Download it here if you want to try that workflow:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

GoodNotes Study Flashcards vs Flashrecall: When To Use Which

Use Mostly GoodNotes When:

• You’re in class taking messy notes
• You’re brainstorming, drawing, or doing math by hand
• You’re not yet sure what’s important enough to memorize

Use Mostly Flashrecall When:

• You already know what you need to remember long-term
• You’re prepping for:
• Exams (SAT, MCAT, bar, finals, etc.)
• Languages (vocab, grammar patterns)
• Medicine or nursing (drugs, conditions, protocols)
• Business or certifications (terms, frameworks)
• You want the app to handle when you should review

Think of it like this:

• GoodNotes = your notebook / brain dump
• Flashrecall = your memory trainer / exam prep weapon

7 Tips To Make Your GoodNotes Study Flashcards Actually Work

Whether you stay fully in GoodNotes or move your cards into Flashrecall, these tips help a ton.

1. One Concept Per Card

Don’t cram 10 facts on one “card.”

Example:

• Bad: “Causes, symptoms, and treatment of asthma” all on one
• Better:
• “What are the causes of asthma?”
• “What are the main symptoms of asthma?”
• “How is asthma treated?”

Shorter cards = easier to review + better spaced repetition.

2. Use Your Own Words

Rewrite definitions in the way you would explain them to a friend.

You’ll understand and remember them way better than textbook wording.

3. Add Images When It Helps

For stuff like:

• Anatomy
• Chemistry
• Maps
• Diagrams

Use screenshots from GoodNotes or your textbook.

In Flashrecall, you can drop the image on the card and still use active recall by hiding labels or asking, “What is this structure?”

4. Turn Mistakes Into New Cards

Every time you get something wrong:

• Don’t just move on
• Make a new, clearer card about that specific confusion

Flashrecall makes this easy: you can quickly add a new card from inside a deck, then spaced repetition will show it more often until you nail it.

5. Mix Old And New Cards

Don’t only review the latest chapter.

Spaced repetition (which Flashrecall handles automatically) constantly mixes older stuff back in so you don’t forget it two weeks later.

6. Study In Short, Focused Sessions

Flashcards work best in:

• 10–25 minute chunks
• A few times per day

Flashrecall’s study reminders are perfect for this—just follow the notifications instead of planning everything yourself.

7. Don’t Wait Until The Night Before

Cramming with GoodNotes pages the night before an exam is… painful.

If you build flashcards as you go and let spaced repetition handle the timing, you’ll walk into the exam already familiar with everything.

Why Flashrecall Beats Pure GoodNotes Flashcards For Serious Studying

If you’re just casually reviewing vocab, GoodNotes study flashcards can be fine.

But if you actually care about remembering things long-term, Flashrecall just does more of the heavy lifting for you:

• Automatic spaced repetition – no manual scheduling
• Active recall built in – always question first, then answer
• Instant card creation from images, PDFs, YouTube, text, audio
• Chat with your flashcards if you’re unsure and want a deeper explanation
• Works offline so you can study on the bus, train, or in bad Wi‑Fi
• Fast, modern, and free to start
• Great for languages, exams, school, university, medicine, business – literally anything you need to remember

If you already love GoodNotes, you don’t have to ditch it.

Just let GoodNotes be your notebook, and let Flashrecall be your memory coach.

You can grab Flashrecall here and try turning a few of your GoodNotes pages into real, smart flashcards:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

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.

How can I study more effectively for this test?

Effective exam prep combines active recall, spaced repetition, and regular practice. Flashrecall helps by automatically generating flashcards from your study materials and using spaced repetition to ensure you remember everything when exam day arrives.

Related Articles

• Study Flashcards GoodNotes: The Powerful Shortcut Most Students Miss (And What To Use Instead) – Before you spend hours turning notes into flashcards in GoodNotes, read this and save yourself a ton of time.
• Create Flashcards GoodNotes: 7 Powerful Tips To Study Smarter (And A Faster Shortcut Most People Miss) – Learn how to turn your notes into effective flashcards and a smarter system that actually reminds you to study.
• Flashcard GoodNotes 5: The Best Way To Turn Your Notes Into Powerful Study Cards (And A Smarter Alternative Most People Miss) – Learn how to use GoodNotes for flashcards and when a dedicated app like Flashrecall will help you remember way more in less time.