How to Make Flashcards in Word (and a Faster Way)

6 min read · FlashDeck

To make flashcards in Word, the most reliable method is a two-column table: questions go in the left column, answers in the right, and you print on cardstock, then cut along the lines. If you want true front-and-back cards, set up two pages (one of questions, one of mirrored answers) and print double-sided. Both take about 15 minutes to set up once, and you can reuse the file as a template.

If what you really want is a deck you can review without printing, cutting and shuffling, FlashDeck turns your notes into cards and tells you which ones to study each day: Build my study plan.

Can you make flashcards on Word? Yes, three ways

You can make flashcards on Word in any recent version, including Word 2016, Word 2019, Word 2021 and Microsoft 365. Pick the method that fits how you study:

Step 1: Set up the page size

Option A: Normal letter paper (easiest)

Leave the page at 8.5 x 11 inches. You will cut the sheet into cards after printing. Go to Layout > Margins > Narrow so you get more room.

Option B: 3x5 index card size in Word

If your printer takes index cards:

1. Go to Layout > Size > More Paper Sizes.
2. Set Width to 5 inches and Height to 3 inches.
3. Set Orientation to Landscape if Word flips it.
4. Set margins to about 0.3 inches.

Now each page is one card. Type the question on page 1, press Ctrl + Enter (Cmd + Enter on Mac) for a new page, type the answer on page 2, and repeat. Print double-sided, flipping on the short edge.

Step 2: Use a two-column table (the best way to make flashcards on Word)

This is the method most people end up liking best, because it is fast and easy to edit.

1. Go to Insert > Table and choose 2 columns and about 5 rows.
2. Select the table, then Table Layout > Properties > Row, and set a fixed height of about 2 inches.
3. Center the text: Table Layout > Align Center.
4. Bump the font to 16 to 20 points so cards are readable.
5. Type the question in the left cell and the answer in the right.

To quiz yourself without cutting, fold the sheet down the middle so only the questions show. To make cards, cut along the row lines and fold each strip in half.

Example rows

• Left: "What is the powerhouse of the cell?" | Right: "Mitochondria"
• Left: "What year was the Declaration of Independence signed?" | Right: "1776"
• Left: "Formula for density?" | Right: "Density = mass / volume"

Step 3: Printing flashcards front and back

For real two-sided printable flashcards made in Word:

1. Page 1: a 2 x 4 table of questions (8 cards).
2. Page 2: a 2 x 4 table of answers, with the columns swapped. The answer to the top-left question goes in the top-right cell.
3. Print page 1, put the sheet back in the printer, and print page 2 on the back. Or use your printer's double-sided setting, flipping on the long edge.
4. Cut along the table lines.

The column swap is the step people miss. When you flip the page over, left becomes right, so your answers must be mirrored.

Tips so your Word flashcards line up

• Print a test on plain paper first. Hold it up to a window to check the front and back match.
• Use fixed row heights. Otherwise a long answer stretches one row and pushes everything off.
• Keep table borders visible. They double as cut lines.
• Use cardstock. Thin paper lets you see the answer through the back.
• Save it as a template. File > Save As > Word Template so next time you just type.

Limits of Word flashcards

Word is great for making printable flashcards. It is not great for studying with them. Here is where it falls short:

• No schedule. Word cannot tell you which cards to review today and which can wait a week. You end up flipping the whole stack every time, or guessing.
• No tracking. You have to remember which cards you keep missing.
• Typing every card. You still write each question and answer yourself.
• Paper gets lost. One missing card and your stack is incomplete.

That first one matters most. Research on spaced practice suggests reviewing with growing gaps helps memory last. Keeping track of which card is due when, across 100 paper cards, is hard to do in your head. We compare paper and apps in detail in Physical Flashcards vs Digital.

How FlashDeck handles the schedule: each day it shows only the cards that are due. Tap Knew it and the card comes back after a day, then three days, then a week, then longer. Tap Missed it and it comes back tomorrow. No stacks to sort, no guessing. Build my study plan

Is there a better way to do flash cards? A faster digital option

If you like Word because you already have your notes there, you do not need to retype them as cards. Copy the text out of your Word document and paste it into FlashDeck. It writes one card per fact, definition or formula from only what you pasted (up to 30,000 characters per upload), and you can delete any card that is not useful. For more on writing the cards yourself, see How to Make Flashcards From Notes.

You can also share a finished deck with a classmate using one link, which is a lot easier than photocopying a stack of index cards.

Skip the cutting and start reviewing tonight

Making flashcards in Word works, and now you know every step. But if you would rather spend the next 15 minutes studying than formatting tables, paste your Word notes into FlashDeck, trim the cards, and do your first 10-minute review right away.

Build my study plan

FAQ

Can I make flashcards on Word for free?

Yes, if you already have Word, there is nothing extra to pay. Use the two-column table method or set the page size to 3 x 5 inches, then print and cut.

How do I make printable flashcards in Word that line up front and back?

Put questions on page 1 and answers on page 2 in the same table layout, but swap the columns on page 2. Print a test sheet on plain paper and hold it to the light before using cardstock.

How do I make digital flashcards in Word?

Word has no flip or quiz mode, so "digital" Word flashcards are really just a table you scroll through with the answers hidden. Fold or cover the right column to quiz yourself, or move the text into a flashcard app that schedules reviews.

Is there a Word flashcard template?

Word has some card and label templates under File > New, and search results change over time. Many students find it quicker to build their own two-column table once and save it as a template.

How do I make flashcards in Google Docs instead?

The same table method works in Google Docs: Insert > Table, two columns, fixed row height. Docs has fewer page-size options, so printing on letter paper and cutting is usually easiest.