Creating and Managing Sets

Building a great flashcard set is the foundation of effective study. Flashcards World makes it easy to create, edit, and organize your sets on any device. This guide walks you through everything from creating your first set to advanced organization tips.

Creating a New Set

On Mobile (iOS and Android)

1. Open Flashcards World and navigate to your home screen or "My Sets" view.
2. Tap the "+" (Plus) button, typically located in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
3. Enter a title for your set. Choose something descriptive that you will recognize later (e.g., "Biology Chapter 5 - Cell Division" rather than just "Biology").
4. Optionally, set the language for the front and back of your cards. This ensures the text-to-speech feature pronounces words correctly.
5. Tap Create or Save to finalize your new set.

On the Web

1. Open the web app. An account is not required for local use; sign in if you want account syncing.
2. Choose CREATE SET in your set list.
3. Enter a descriptive Set name in Name your deck….
4. Open Add description, category & languages and choose Front Language and Back Language if needed.
5. Add complete cards, then select Save cards.

See the first web deck walkthrough for the current editor views and save behavior.

Once your set is created, you can immediately start adding cards.

Adding Cards to a Set

Adding Cards Manually

1. Open the set you just created (or any existing set).
2. Tap or click the Add Card button.
3. Enter the Front text. This is the prompt, question, or term that you will see during study.
4. Enter the Back text. This is the answer, definition, or translation.
5. For multiple-choice study, you can add additional answer options. These appear as distractors in Multiple Choice mode.
6. Save the card (or tap Save & Add Another in the top bar or keyboard toolbar to keep adding cards without leaving the screen).

Fill-in-the-Blank (Cloze Deletion […])

Fill-in-the-blank cards are one of the fastest ways to memorize sentences, definitions, and steps:

1. Type a sentence on the card (for example: The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell).
2. Highlight the word or phrase you want to hide (mitochondria) and tap the […] Cloze button.
3. If your sentence has multiple […] blanks, tap Create separate card for each […] to automatically generate an independent card for every blank.

Smart Image Occlusion (Hide Diagram Labels)

Studying anatomy, geography maps, charts, or engineering diagrams? Turn any image into interactive visual flashcards:

1. Attach a picture to your card and tap Image Occlusion (Mask Labels).
2. Tap Auto-Detect Text Labels to let built-in OCR find and cover text labels on the diagram automatically, or drag with your finger/mouse to draw custom boxes over any region.
3. Choose how you want to study the diagram:
   • Hide All, Guess One (1 card per mask): Creates a separate card for each box—highlighting the active question box in red while keeping the other labels hidden.
   • Single Card (Hide All, Reveal All): Keeps all masks on one card so you can tap boxes to reveal them during review.

Instant Capture, Smart Split & 1-Tap Auto-Cloze

• Smart Term - Definition Split: Paste a line like Photosynthesis - The process by which plants convert light into energy (using -, :, or a tab) into the front field and tap Smart Split to automatically separate the term onto the Front and the definition onto the Back.
• 1-Tap Auto-Cloze: Paste a sentence or definition and tap Auto-Cloze to automatically wrap the key term in […] blanks.
• Highlight Text Anywhere: On Android, highlight text in any browser or PDF app and choose Flashcards from the selection menu; on iOS, use the Share Sheet or Scan Slide / Document to Cloze (doc.text.viewfinder) to turn textbook pages into fill-in-the-blank cards in seconds.

Create Reverse Card (⇄) & Swap Sides

Need to know a vocabulary word or formula in both directions (for example, Spanish → English and English → Spanish)? Turn on Also create reverse card (⇄) when adding a card to save both Front → Back and Back → Front in one step, or tap Swap to flip the current fields.

Voice & Audio Recording (🎤)

Tap the Microphone (🎤) button on either the Front or Back of a card to record your own voice, a native speaker's pronunciation, or a musical phrase. Your recording is saved with the card and plays back during study alongside text-to-speech.

Math & Science Formulas (LaTeX)

Write clean math, physics, and chemistry formulas by wrapping expressions in $...$ for inline math or $$...$$ for display equations (for example, $\frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}$ or $\sum_{i=1}^{n} x_i$). Flashcards World renders crisp mathematical symbols, fractions, superscripts, subscripts, and Greek letters offline across web, iOS, and Android.

Tips for Writing Good Cards

The quality of your flashcards directly affects how well you learn. Here are proven tips for creating effective cards:

• One concept per card. Do not cram multiple facts into a single card. "What is the capital of France?" is better than "Name the capitals of France, Germany, and Spain."
• Keep it concise. Short, clear prompts are easier to recall than long paragraphs. Aim for one sentence or less on each side.
• Use your own words. Paraphrasing information (rather than copying it verbatim from a textbook) forces you to process the material, which improves retention even before you start studying.
• Include context when needed. If a term is ambiguous, add a brief context clue. For example, "Mercury (element)" vs. "Mercury (planet)."
• Be specific. Vague questions lead to vague answers. "Describe photosynthesis" is too broad for a flashcard. "What gas do plants absorb during photosynthesis?" is testable and specific.

Bulk Card Creation

If you have a large number of cards to add, consider using the Import and Export feature. You can create cards in a spreadsheet application (Excel, Google Sheets, or any CSV editor) and import them all at once, saving significant time compared to manual entry.

Editing Cards

Mistakes happen, and information changes. Editing your cards is straightforward.

On Mobile

1. Open the set containing the card you want to edit.
2. Tap on the card in the card list.
3. Modify the front text, back text, or answer options as needed.
4. Tap Save to apply your changes.

On the Web

1. Open the set's Add/Edit Cards action.
2. Find the card in List, Grid, or Spreadsheet view.
3. Edit its Term, Definition, or optional example, then select Save cards. Existing card edits also save in the background; check the save-status indicator for errors.

When to Edit a Card

• After getting it wrong repeatedly (Struggling / "Leech" Cards). When a card trips you up multiple times, Flashcards World automatically flags it with a ⚠️ Hard Card (Leech) badge during study and in your card list. Tap Add Mnemonic (💡) right from the study screen to jot down a quick memory trick or association without losing your place.
• When information is outdated. Update facts, dates, or definitions as needed.
• To improve formatting. If a card is too wordy, trim it down. Concise cards are more effective for spaced repetition.

Deleting Cards

On Mobile

• Swipe to delete: In the card list view, swipe left on a card to reveal the delete option.
• From the edit screen: Open a card for editing, then look for the trash or delete icon.

On the Web

• In the Edit Set view, click the delete icon next to the card you want to remove.

Deleted cards are removed permanently and cannot be recovered. If you are unsure, consider exporting your set as a backup before deleting cards.

Deleting a Set

If you no longer need an entire set, you can delete it.

1. Navigate to your set list (home screen or "My Sets").
2. On mobile, long-press the set or look for a menu icon. On the web, look for the options or delete button.
3. Confirm the deletion when prompted.

Deleting a set removes all cards within it. If your data is synced to the cloud, the deletion will propagate to your other devices. As with cards, consider exporting the set first if you might need it later.

Organizing Your Sets

As your collection grows, good organization saves time and keeps your study sessions focused.

Naming Conventions

Use a consistent naming pattern so you can find sets quickly:

• Subject - Topic format: "Spanish - Food Vocabulary", "History - World War II Dates"
• Course number format: "BIO 201 - Chapter 3", "BIO 201 - Chapter 4"
• Exam name format: "GRE Vocabulary Set 1", "GRE Vocabulary Set 2"

Set Size Recommendations

• 15 to 50 cards per set is ideal for effective spaced repetition. This keeps daily review sessions manageable.
• If a topic requires more than 50 cards, split it into multiple focused sets.
• Very small sets (under 10 cards) may not provide enough variety for Multiple Choice or Match List modes to work well.

Language Settings

If you are studying a foreign language, make sure to set the correct language for each side of your cards. This affects:

• Text-to-speech pronunciation -- On the web, the selected engine uses downloaded MOSS voices for supported languages or installed device voices. Set the correct language for each side; see voice setup.
• Translation defaults -- Front and back languages supply starting choices in the web editor's Translate dialog. Confirm From and To before generating a draft; see local translation.
• Keyboard suggestions -- On mobile, the correct language setting can help your keyboard offer relevant autocomplete suggestions in Writing mode.

Using AI-Generated Cards

Flashcards World offers AI-powered card generation to help you create study material faster. Instead of writing every card by hand, you can provide a topic or paste text and let the AI generate relevant question-answer pairs for you.

• Review AI-generated cards before studying. While the AI produces high-quality cards, you may want to tweak wording or remove cards that do not match your curriculum.
• AI generation is a great starting point that you can refine with manual edits.

Exploring Premade Sets

If you do not want to build a set from scratch, browse the Content Library for over 100,000 premade sets covering languages, standardized tests, professional certifications, and more. You can add a premade set to your collection and customize it by adding, editing, or removing cards.

Syncing Your Sets

When you create or edit sets while signed in, your changes automatically sync to the cloud. This means:

• Your sets are available on every device where you are signed in (web, iOS, Android).
• If you create a set on your phone, it appears on the web within moments.
• Edits and deletions sync across devices as well.

For more details, see our guide on Sharing and Syncing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a limit on how many sets or cards I can create?

You can create as many sets and cards as you need. There is no hard limit on the number of sets or cards in your collection.

Can I create sets offline?

The mobile apps support offline card creation and study. On the web, installed local speech and translation engines can restart offline from their caches, but this does not guarantee that the website and decks will open offline. App runtime updates may need a connection on first use. See offline troubleshooting.

Can I duplicate a set?

You can effectively duplicate a set by exporting it to CSV and then importing it as a new set. This gives you a copy that you can modify independently.

How do I move cards between sets?

Currently, the easiest way to move cards between sets is to export one set, edit the CSV to include only the cards you want to move, and import that CSV into the target set. You can also manually re-create the cards in the new set if there are only a few.

How do I create a Fill-in-the-Blank (Cloze) card?

Highlight the word or phrase you want to hide while creating or editing a card and tap the […] Cloze button (or wrap the word in {{c1::word}} / [word]). If a sentence has several blanks, tap Split into separate cards so each blank is tested on its own card.

How does Image Occlusion work for diagrams?

Add an image to a card and open Image Occlusion. You can either tap Auto-Detect Labels to automatically cover text on the image or drag to draw your own boxes. Choose Hide All, Guess One to generate one flashcard per label, or Single Card to keep all masks on a single card.

What is a "Hard Card (Leech)" and how do I fix it?

A card is marked as a Hard Card (⚠️) when you have missed it repeatedly or its spaced repetition difficulty is very high. When the badge appears during study, tap Add Mnemonic (💡) to attach a memorable hint, analogy, or story to the back of the card.