PrimeNoteStudy tools
A flashcard creator that works from your own lectures
Making cards by hand takes longer than learning them. PrimeNote creates flashcards from each note, question on the front and answer on the back, so you can start testing yourself straight away.
Flashcards work because they make you retrieve an answer rather than recognise it. That effort, sometimes called active recall, is what strengthens memory. The catch is the time it takes to make good cards. Students who create flashcards by hand often spend more time writing them than reviewing them, and the deck is ready just as the exam arrives.
PrimeNote writes the deck from each note. The cards come from the content of that note: definitions, cause and effect, steps in a process, the distinctions a lecturer stressed. Each card has a question on the front and the answer on the back. Because the cards are built from your own lectures and readings, they use the terms and examples your course uses, not a generic textbook's.
Use the deck in short sessions. Look at the question, say or write the answer before you flip, then check. Keep a note of the cards you missed and go through those again before the session ends. Coming back to the deck on a few separate days works better than one long session, though planning when to return is up to you; PrimeNote doesn't schedule reviews.
The flashcards live in the PrimeNote app on iPhone and Android, next to the note they came from. When a card raises a question, AI chat on the same note can explain it, and the quiz offers a different kind of test on the same material.
If you've used a separate flashcard app before, the difference is where the cards come from. Here they come directly from your own course material, so there's no deck to build first.
How it works
Create a note from any source
Record a lecture, import a PDF, paste a link, add a photo or paste text.
Open Flashcards on the note
The deck is built from that note's content.
Answer before you flip
Say the answer aloud or in your head. If you can't, that's useful information, not failure.
Flip and check honestly
Compare your answer with the back. Partly right counts as a miss for revision purposes.
Repeat the misses
Go back through the cards you got wrong before you stop.
Return on another day
A second pass a few days later shows what has actually stuck.
Flashcards from a Spanish grammar class
Recorded class · Spanish 202 · Preterite and imperfect · 45 min (fictional example)
- Card
- Q: When do you use the preterite? A: For completed actions with a clear beginning or end.
- Card
- Q: When do you use the imperfect? A: For background, habits in the past, and ongoing states.
- Card
- Q: Which tense: 'Cuando era niño, jugaba al fútbol'? A: Imperfect, because it describes a past habit.
- Card
- Q: What signal words often point to the preterite? A: Ayer, anoche, el año pasado, de repente.
What it looks like
From the sample note on a cellular respiration lecture.
Where does glycolysis take place?
In the cytoplasm.
What is the net ATP gain from glycolysis?
2 ATP per glucose.
What is the final electron acceptor in the electron transport chain?
Oxygen, which forms water.
Why do cells ferment when oxygen runs out?
To regenerate NAD⁺ so glycolysis can keep going.
What you get
Question on the front
A prompt that asks you to retrieve one idea, term or step.
Answer on the back
A short answer taken from the note, so you can check yourself quickly.
Built from one note
The deck stays focused on a single lecture, chapter or video.
Size that fits the content
Longer, denser notes produce bigger decks.
Next to the note
If a card confuses you, the note and AI chat are one tap away.
When it helps
By hand vs. with PrimeNote
| What you're doing | By hand | With PrimeNote |
|---|---|---|
| Making a deck | Write cards one by one | A deck from each note |
| Card wording | Copied straight from slides | Questions built from the note's content |
| Context when stuck | Hunt through your notes | Note and AI chat on the same page |
| Keeping decks per course | Loose cards or scattered apps | Inside the course notebook |
Good to know
- PrimeNote doesn't schedule reviews or track which cards are due; decide your own review days.
- Flashcards can't be exported to other flashcard apps such as Anki.
- Cards reflect the note. If the source is thin or unclear, the deck will be too.
- Flashcards are in the iPhone and Android app; there's no web or desktop version.
Questions
How do I create flashcards from my notes?
Add your notes, a recording or a document to PrimeNote. A flashcard deck is built from each note automatically.
How many flashcards do I get?
It depends on how much content the note has; longer lectures give bigger decks.
Can I make flashcards from a PDF?
Yes. Any source you add gets a flashcard deck.
Can I export flashcards to Anki?
No. PrimeNote doesn't export flashcards. You study them in the app, next to the note they came from.
Are these online flashcards?
The flashcards are in the PrimeNote app for iPhone and Android rather than a website.
Does PrimeNote remind me when to review?
No. It doesn't schedule reviews. Plan a few short sessions on different days yourself.
Can I turn a lecture into flashcards?
Yes. Record the lecture or upload the audio, and the deck is built from the note PrimeNote writes.
Keep exploring
Try it on your next lecture
PrimeNote is free to start on iPhone and Android.