Making Index Cards In Word: 7 Easy Steps (And A Faster Way Most Students Miss) – Learn the classic method in Word, then see how apps like Flashrecall make it way quicker.

So, You’re Trying To Figure Out Making Index Cards In Word…

So, you’re trying to figure out making index cards in Word, and yeah, it’s totally possible—you just set up a custom page size, add text boxes, and print on card stock. It basically means you’re turning Word into a mini card-layout tool so you can type questions on one side, answers on the other, and cut them out. It works fine if you like physical cards, but it’s a bit fiddly and slow, especially if you’re doing hundreds. That’s why a lot of people start in Word, then switch to a flashcard app like Flashrecall that does the boring stuff for you and adds spaced repetition on top:

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

Let’s walk through both: the “old-school” Word way and the “I value my time” Flashrecall way.

Option 1: How To Make Index Cards In Word (Step-By-Step)

Step 1: Set Up The Page Size To Match Real Index Cards

Alright, first thing: Word doesn’t have a big “Index Card” button, so you fake it with custom page sizes.

Common index card sizes:

• 3 x 5 inches
• 4 x 6 inches
• 5 x 8 inches

1. Go to Layout (or Page Layout) tab.

2. Click Size → More Paper Sizes.

3. In Paper tab, set:

• Width: `5"` and Height: `3"` (for 3x5 cards, swap for other sizes).

4. Click OK.

1. Go to Layout.

2. Click Size → Manage Custom Sizes.

3. Add a new custom size and set Width/Height to your card size.

4. Save and select it.

Now your page is literally one index card.

Step 2: Decide: One Card Per Page Or Multiple Cards Per Sheet?

You’ve got two main approaches:

Super simple:

• Each page = one card.
• Type the question on one page, answer on the next page.
• Print on card stock, then cut if needed.

Pros:

• Very straightforward.
• Easy to format.

Cons:

• Wastes paper if you don’t optimize printing.
• Not great for hundreds of cards.

This is trickier but saves paper.

You:

1. Keep normal paper size (like A4 or Letter).

2. Use Table or Text Boxes to create card-sized blocks.

3. Each cell = one card.

Example for 3x5 cards on Letter paper:

• Insert a Table with 2 columns, 2–3 rows.
• Set each cell to 5" wide and 3" high.
• Turn off borders if you want clean cut lines.

You’ll then print and cut along the edges.

Step 3: Add Your Flashcard Content

Now the actual learning content.

Typical structure:

• Front: Question, term, or prompt
• Back: Answer, definition, explanation

In Word:

• Type your front on one page (or one cell).
• Type your back on the next page (or matching cell on another page).

Tips:

• Use bold for key terms.
• Use bullet points for multi-step answers.
• Keep it short—index cards work best when they’re not walls of text.

Step 4: Format For Readability

You don’t want to squint at tiny text.

• Font size: usually 16–24 pt works well on 3x5 cards.
• Fonts: Calibri, Arial, or any clean, simple font.
• Alignment: center for vocab, left-aligned for longer answers.
• Use line breaks to separate ideas.

If you’re doing language vocab:

• Front: “Haus (German)”
• Back: “House (English) + sample sentence”

If you’re doing medicine:

• Front: “Beta-blockers – mechanism”
• Back: “Block β-adrenergic receptors → ↓ HR, ↓ contractility, ↓ BP…”

Step 5: Set Up Double-Sided (Duplex) Printing

This is where people usually get annoyed.

You want:

• Front of card on one side
• Back of card perfectly aligned on the other

On your printer:

1. In Print settings, choose Print on Both Sides / Duplex.

2. If your printer doesn’t support automatic duplex:

• Print odd pages first (fronts).
• Flip stack as instructed by printer.
• Print even pages (backs).

You might need a test run to see:

• Does “flip on long edge” or “flip on short edge” work better?
• Are the backs upside down or misaligned?

This trial-and-error is exactly why a lot of people eventually ditch Word for digital cards.

Step 6: Print On Card Stock And Cut

Use thicker paper:

• Card stock (like 200–300 gsm) so they feel like real index cards.

After printing:

• Use a paper cutter for clean lines (scissors work, but it’s slower).
• Stack and organize by topic.

Congrats, you now have physical index cards made in Word. It works, but it’s not exactly fast if you’re doing 200+ cards.

The Big Problem With Making Index Cards In Word

Making index cards in Word is fine for:

• A small vocab list
• A quick exam topic
• A one-off project

But it falls apart when:

• You keep adding new cards
• You need to update answers
• You want to study on your phone
• You need spaced repetition (reviewing at the right time so you don’t forget)

Word is basically:

• Good for creating static cards
• Bad for actually studying them over time

That’s where a dedicated flashcard app completely changes the game.

Option 2: A Faster Way Than Word – Using Flashrecall

Instead of wrestling with margins and printer settings, you can just throw your content into an app and start studying instantly.

Flashrecall) is made exactly for this—flashcards first, not documents first.

Here’s why it beats making index cards in Word for most people:

1. You Can Make Flashcards From Almost Anything

With Flashrecall, you’re not stuck typing everything manually like in Word. You can:

• Create cards manually (front/back, like classic index cards)
• Generate cards from:
• Images (e.g., textbook pages, lecture slides)
• Text you paste in
• Audio
• PDFs
• YouTube links
• Typed prompts (like “make flashcards about photosynthesis”)

So instead of:

• Typing a definition into Word
• Formatting it
• Aligning it
• Printing it

You can literally snap a photo of a page and let Flashrecall turn it into cards.

2. Built-In Spaced Repetition (No Manual Scheduling)

With physical index cards from Word, you have to:

• Manually sort them into piles
• Remember what to review and when

Flashrecall just does it for you:

• It has spaced repetition built in.
• It automatically schedules reviews based on how well you remember each card.
• You get study reminders, so you don’t forget to review.

So instead of a shoebox full of cards, you get a system that:

• Shows you the right card at the right time
• Helps you remember long-term without extra effort

3. Active Recall Built-In

Index cards are already good for active recall—question on front, answer on back.

Flashrecall keeps that same idea, but:

• Shows you the prompt
• Makes you think of the answer
• Then you reveal it and rate how hard it was

That rating tells the app when to show it again. Word can’t do that. Physical cards can’t track that automatically either.

4. Study Anywhere (No Printer, No Card Stock, No Desk)

Physical cards:

• Easy to forget at home
• Annoying to carry if you have 300+
• Useless if you’re on the bus and they’re in your room

Flashrecall:

• Works on iPhone and iPad
• Works offline (perfect for flights, commutes, or bad Wi-Fi)
• Syncs your progress so you’re always up to date

You can turn random free minutes into study sessions without a backpack full of paper.

5. You Can Even Chat With Your Flashcards

This is something Word 100% cannot do.

In Flashrecall, if you don’t understand a card fully, you can:

• Chat with the flashcard to get more explanation
• Ask follow-up questions like “explain this like I’m 12” or “give me another example”

That’s like having a mini tutor built into your deck.

6. Works For Literally Any Subject

Making index cards in Word is usually fine for vocab or simple Q&A. But Flashrecall scales to:

• Languages – vocab, grammar rules, example sentences
• Medicine – drugs, mechanisms, side effects, pathways
• School subjects – history dates, physics formulas, bio concepts
• University – lecture notes, exam prep, definitions
• Business – frameworks, sales scripts, terminology

You can toss everything into one place instead of having different Word files and printed stacks all over the place.

7. Easy, Modern, And Free To Start

Word was never designed for flashcards—it’s a document editor you’re bending into a study tool.

Flashrecall is:

• Fast
• Modern
• Actually made for flashcards

And you can start for free here:

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

When Word Still Makes Sense (And When To Switch)

If you’re:

• Making a tiny set of cards (like 10–20)
• Need them physically for a specific activity
• Don’t mind a bit of formatting and printing

Then making index cards in Word is totally fine. Follow the steps above, print, cut, done.

But if you’re:

• Studying for big exams (SAT, MCAT, USMLE, finals, etc.)
• Learning a language long-term
• Constantly adding and editing cards
• Wanting to actually remember stuff months later

Then you’re going to outgrow Word really fast.

At that point, it makes way more sense to:

1. Stop fighting with page sizes and printer margins.

2. Move your content into Flashrecall.

3. Let the app handle spaced repetition, reminders, and card organization.

Quick Recap

• Making index cards in Word = set custom page size, add content, maybe use tables, print double-sided, cut.
• It works, but it’s slow and manual, and it doesn’t help you decide when to review.
• Flashrecall lets you:
• Create cards from text, images, PDFs, YouTube, audio, or manually
• Use built-in active recall and spaced repetition
• Get auto study reminders
• Study offline on iPhone and iPad
• Even chat with your cards when you’re stuck

If you just need a few physical cards, Word is okay.

If you actually want to learn faster and remember more with less effort, grab Flashrecall here and start building decks in minutes:

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Quizlet good for studying?

Quizlet helps with basic reviewing, but its active recall tools are limited. If you want proper spacing and strong recall practice, tools like Flashrecall automate the memory science for you so you don't forget your notes.

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.

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.

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