Turn study PDFs into flashcards you actually review.
Neurako extracts cards from PDFs, photos, and notes with AI, lets you edit them, then schedules reviews with FSRS — so generation and spaced repetition stay in one workflow.
How PDF to flashcards works
Three steps from source material to a review habit.
Upload PDF, photo, or notes
In Neurako, upload a PDF or image (or paste notes). On the free tools site, drop a PDF, Markdown, or text file and keep extraction in your browser.
AI drafts cards you can edit
AI proposes question–answer cards from the useful parts of your source. Review fronts and backs, delete weak cards, and tighten wording before you trust the deck.
Study with FSRS spaced repetition
Save the deck in Neurako and rate cards as you study. FSRS schedules the next review so hard items return sooner and stable ones drift out.
What it handles — and honest limits
Built for real study files, with clear constraints so you know what to expect.
File types
Neurako deck generation accepts PDF, images (PNG/JPEG/WebP/HEIC), Markdown, plain text, CSV, and DOCX — up to 5 files and 10 MB each per upload. The free browser tool accepts PDF, Markdown, and text up to 50 MB.
Scanned pages & OCR
In the app, PDFs and images are sent to the AI model for extraction (quality depends on scan clarity). The free browser tool extracts selectable text only with pdf.js — image-only scans need OCR elsewhere first, then paste the text.
Card count & AI limits
Each deck generation targets up to 50 cards. The free plan includes 25 monthly AI units; Pro includes 500. Extra AI tokens are available as packs. Always edit AI-generated cards before relying on them.
AI is a first draft
Generated cards can miss nuance, invent detail, or phrase prompts poorly. Treat every deck as editable material — especially for exams, medicine, or high-stakes facts.
Manual typing vs generic AI vs Neurako
Same goal — durable recall — different trade-offs.
Manual typing
Highest control and often the best learning while you write, but slow for long lecture PDFs. Easy to skip making cards when time is tight.
Generic AI chat
Fast first drafts from pasted text, but you still copy cards elsewhere, lose editing context, and usually lack a real spaced-repetition schedule tied to ratings.
Neurako
Generate from PDF/photo/notes, edit in-product, then review with FSRS on iOS, Android, and web. Optional free BYOK tool when you want browser-only generation and .apkg export without an account.
PDF to Anki workflows
Need an .apkg for Anki Desktop, AnkiDroid, or AnkiMobile? Use the free tool. Prefer studying in Neurako? Import Anki decks or hand off from tools.
- The free PDF to flashcards tool can export Anki .apkg, CSV, or JSON after you review generated cards.
- Neurako can import .apkg decks (card text; scheduling history and most media are not preserved).
- Open in Neurako from the tools site hands a deck into the app import flow so you can start FSRS reviews.
Generate the deck. Keep the review habit.
Create a free Neurako account to upload sources, edit cards, and study with FSRS — or open the browser tool with your own API key.
PDF to flashcards FAQ
Is PDF to flashcards free?
Yes in two ways. Neurako's free plan includes FSRS study and 25 monthly AI units (Pro has 500; token packs add more). The free browser tool needs no Neurako account — you bring your own LLM API key (BYOK) and generation runs against that provider.
Which file types can I use?
In Neurako: PDF, common images, Markdown, TXT, CSV, and DOCX (up to 5 files, 10 MB each). In the free tool: PDF, Markdown, and plain text up to 50 MB. Photos of notes and slides work best when text is readable.
Can I export to Anki (.apkg)?
Yes from the free tools.neurako.com/pdf-to-flashcards flow — download .apkg after editing cards. Neurako itself imports .apkg decks; use that path when you want FSRS reviews in the Neurako apps.
Is my PDF stored or used for training?
On the free browser tool, PDF text extraction stays in your browser; only text chunks you send go to your BYOK provider. In Neurako, uploads needed for a request may be stored to process the feature and may be sent to AI providers (such as Google Gemini or models routed via OpenRouter) solely to generate cards. We do not sell your study content. See the Privacy Policy for processors and retention details.
Which languages are supported?
You can set a language for generated cards using standard language codes in Neurako’s deck wizard and in the free tool. Marketing and app UIs are localized for multiple locales; generation quality still depends on the model and how clear your source is.
What are the size and card limits?
Neurako uploads: 10 MB per file, up to 5 files, up to 50 target cards per generation, plus monthly AI units (25 free / 500 Pro). Free tool: 50 MB file cap, no hard page-count limit — long PDFs are split into sections. Scanned image-only PDFs fail in the free tool without prior OCR.
How does this differ from the free PDF tool?
The free tool is BYOK and browser-local for extraction/export (.apkg included) with no Neurako signup. Neurako accounts add FSRS scheduling, mobile apps, deck editing in one place, photo capture, and metered AI without managing your own key — at the cost of uploading sources for processing.
Do scanned lecture PDFs work?
In Neurako, yes when the model can read the page (clear scans help). In the free tool, only selectable text is extracted — run OCR first for image-only scans, or paste the text.
Other ways to build and study decks
Start your atelier of knowledge today.
Download on iOS or Android, or keep studying in the browser—the same decks, FSRS reviews, and quiz practice, with clear Free vs Pro limits.