Create Flashcards In Word: Step-By-Step Guide + A Faster Way Most Students Don’t Know About – Learn the Word method, then see how Flashrecall makes the whole thing way easier and way faster.

So, You Want To Create Flashcards In Word?

Alright, let’s talk about how to create flashcards in Word in the simplest way: you basically set up a table or custom page layout where one side is the question and the other is the answer, then print and cut them out or use them on-screen. It’s a handy option if you already use Word a lot and just want basic cards. But it can get pretty slow and clunky once you have more than a few dozen flashcards, especially when you need to review or edit them. That’s where a dedicated app like Flashrecall comes in – it does all the spaced repetition and flashcard stuff for you, without the manual formatting drama. You can still start in Word if you like, then move everything into Flashrecall to actually study smarter.

Before we jump into the app side, let’s walk through the Word method properly so you know exactly what you’re doing.

Method 1: Create Flashcards In Word Using A Simple Table

This is the easiest way for most people.

Step 1: Start A New Document

1. Open Microsoft Word

2. Create a Blank Document

You can do this on Windows, Mac, or even Word Online (though printing is easier on desktop).

Step 2: Insert A Table For Your Flashcards

1. Go to Insert → Table

2. Choose 2 columns and maybe 6–10 rows to start

• Left column = Question / Front
• Right column = Answer / Back

You now basically have a flashcard spreadsheet inside Word.

Step 3: Type Your Questions And Answers

In each row:

• Left cell:
• “What is the capital of France?”
• Right cell:
• “Paris”

Or for language learning:

• Left: “Dog (English)”
• Right: “Perro (Spanish)”

Keep each row as one flashcard.

Step 4: Make It Look More Like Real Flashcards

You can format the table so it doesn’t look like a boring grid:

1. Select the whole table

2. Go to Table Design / Layout

3. Increase Row Height (so each card is bigger)

4. Increase Font Size (e.g., 16–20pt so it’s readable when printed)

5. Center the text: Home → Center Align

If you want clean cards:

• Right-click the table → Table Properties → Borders and Shading
• Change border style or thickness to make each card stand out

Step 5: Print And Cut

If you want physical cards:

1. Go to File → Print

2. Choose Landscape orientation if you want wider cards

3. Print on cardstock if you have it (normal paper works too)

4. Cut along the borders with scissors or a paper cutter

You now have physical flashcards created in Word.

The downside?

• Editing is annoying
• You can’t easily shuffle them
• No automatic reminders or spaced repetition
• You have to test yourself manually

That’s exactly the kind of thing Flashrecall solves.

Method 2: Create Flashcards In Word Using “Two-Sided” Cards

If you want front and back printing (double-sided flashcards), this is a bit more advanced.

Step 1: Set Up The Page

1. Layout → Orientation → Landscape

2. Layout → Margins → Narrow (or custom small margins)

3. Insert a 2x4 or 2x5 table so you get 8–10 cards per sheet

Step 2: Front Side Of The Cards

On Page 1, type only the questions:

• Each cell = front of one card
• Keep the order consistent (top-left is card 1, top-right is card 2, etc.)

Step 3: Duplicate For The Back Side

1. Insert a Page Break

2. Copy the entire table from Page 1

3. Paste it on Page 2

Now you have two identical tables on two pages.

Step 4: Add The Answers

On Page 2, replace each question with its matching answer in the same cell position:

• Page 1, top-left: “What is 2 + 2?”
• Page 2, top-left: “4”

So when printed double-sided, each question lines up with its answer on the back.

Step 5: Print Double-Sided

1. File → Print

2. Choose Print on Both Sides (Flip on long edge)

3. Test with one sheet first to make sure front and back line up

Then cut your cards, and you’ve got classic front–back flashcards made in Word.

Again: it works. But it’s a bit of a pain to maintain if you’re constantly adding new content.

Why Using Only Word For Flashcards Gets Old Fast

Creating flashcards in Word is fine for:

• A small vocab list
• One exam
• A quick revision sheet

But once you go beyond that, you’ll hit a few problems:

• No spaced repetition – Word doesn’t know when you should review each card
• No tracking – You can’t mark which cards are “hard” or “easy”
• No reminders – If you forget to revise, that’s it
• Editing is clunky – Add one new term? You’re shifting tables, reprinting, recutting
• No search/filter – Good luck finding one specific card in a stack of paper

That’s where a dedicated flashcard app makes life way easier.

A Faster Alternative: Move Your Word Flashcards Into Flashrecall

If you like the idea of flashcards but hate the manual work, Flashrecall basically does the boring parts for you.

You can grab it here:

👉 Flashrecall on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

Here’s how Flashrecall makes your “Word flashcards” life better:

1. Turn Existing Content Into Flashcards Instantly

Instead of manually formatting tables in Word, Flashrecall lets you:

• Paste text directly and auto-generate cards
• Import from PDFs, images, YouTube links, audio, or typed prompts
• Or just type cards manually if you like full control

So if you already made a list in Word (like Q: / A: pairs), you can just copy-paste that into Flashrecall and turn it into real flashcards in seconds.

2. Built-In Active Recall (No More Flipping Paper)

With paper or Word printouts, you have to physically cover the answer and flip cards.

Flashrecall handles this automatically:

• Shows you the question side first
• You try to recall the answer
• Then you tap to reveal and rate how well you knew it

That rating feeds into spaced repetition automatically.

3. Automatic Spaced Repetition And Study Reminders

This is the big thing Word can’t do.

Flashrecall uses spaced repetition:

• Hard cards come back more often
• Easy cards are shown less often
• You review right before you forget, which is the sweet spot for memory

Plus, you get study reminders, so you don’t have to remember when to review – your phone nudges you.

No printing. No manual scheduling. No “I’ll do it later” and then forgetting.

4. You Can Chat With Your Flashcards

One super cool thing: in Flashrecall you can chat with the flashcard content.

Stuck on a concept?

• Ask follow-up questions
• Get explanations in simple language
• Clarify definitions or examples right inside the app

You definitely can’t do that with a Word table.

5. Works Offline, On iPhone And iPad

• Study on the bus, in bed, on campus – even without internet
• Works on iPhone and iPad
• Fast, modern, and easy to use – no clunky menus like old-school software

And it’s free to start, so you can test it without committing to anything.

When It Still Makes Sense To Use Word

To be fair, there are times when creating flashcards in Word is totally fine:

• You just need a one-time cheat sheet or quick revision deck
• You’re making handouts for a class or workshop
• You like writing things out and physically cutting cards (some people really do)

If that’s you, go for it. Use the table method above, print, and you’re done.

But if you:

• Have more than ~30–50 cards
• Are studying for exams, languages, medicine, law, business, or uni courses
• Need to actually remember stuff long term

Then moving into an app like Flashrecall will save you a lot of time and frustration.

How To Go From Word To Flashrecall In A Few Minutes

Here’s a simple workflow:

Step 1: Clean Up Your Word File

• Put each question and answer pair on one line, like:
• `What is the capital of France? – Paris`
• Or separate them with a tab or line break

Step 2: Copy Your Content

• Select your list in Word
• Copy it

Step 3: Paste Into Flashrecall

In Flashrecall:

1. Create a new deck

2. Use the import / paste option (or just paste into the card creator)

3. Let the app generate cards from your text

Now all your “Word flashcards” are real, interactive flashcards with spaced repetition and active recall built in.

Word vs Flashrecall: Quick Comparison

Final Thoughts

So yeah, you can absolutely create flashcards in Word using tables and double-sided printing, and for small, simple sets it works totally fine. But once you start building bigger decks or studying seriously, Word turns into a bit of a hassle.

If you want to actually remember stuff without fighting with formatting, try moving your cards into Flashrecall instead:

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

You get automatic spaced repetition, active recall, reminders, offline study, and even the ability to chat with your cards when you’re confused. Start in Word if you like, but don’t feel stuck there – your brain (and your printer) will be much happier with a proper flashcard app.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Anki good for studying?

Anki is powerful but requires manual card creation and has a steep learning curve. Flashrecall offers AI-powered card generation from your notes, images, PDFs, and videos, making it faster and easier to create effective flashcards.

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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