How to Make Flashcards on Google Slides (Step by Step)
To make flashcards on Google Slides, set the slide size to a card shape under File → Page setup, put the question on one slide and the answer on the next (or hide the answer under a shape that fades out on click), then study in Present mode. For paper cards, print with the handout layout or one slide per page and cut them out.
If you're actually trying to turn your teacher's lecture slides into flashcards, FlashDeck does that from pasted slide text in seconds: Build my study plan.
Can you make flashcards on Google Slides?
Yes, and it's free with any Google account. It's a solid pick if you're already in Google Classroom, want to share cards with a class, or need a quick digital deck on a school Chromebook. Let's build one.
Set up the slide size
Default slides are widescreen (16:9), which looks more like a TV than a flashcard.
- Open a new presentation at slides.google.com.
- Go to File → Page setup.
- Choose Custom and enter:
- 5 × 3 inches for a classic index card shape.
- 6 × 4 inches if you want more space.
- Click Apply.
For digital-only cards, 4:3 or the default 16:9 is fine. Card sizing matters mainly for printing.
Pick a simple layout
Go to Slide → Apply layout → Title only or Blank. Make one big text box in the middle. Font size 28pt or bigger so you can read it in Present mode from your bed. No judgment.
Make a front and back
The easiest way to make flashcards in Google Slides is two slides per card:
- Slide 1 (front): the question, term or prompt. "What is the powerhouse of the cell?"
- Slide 2 (back): the answer. "Mitochondria: makes ATP through cellular respiration."
Then:
- Style the front with one background color and the back with a slightly different one, so you always know which side you're on.
- Select both slides in the left panel, right-click → Duplicate.
- Edit the text. Repeat.
Tip: keep the master design boring. Fancy themes look cute but slow you down when you're making 50 cards.
The click-to-reveal trick
Want a single slide per card with the answer hidden until you click? Here's how to make digital flashcards with Google Slides that feel like an app:
- Put the question at the top and the answer below it on the same slide.
- Insert a shape (Insert → Shape → rectangle) over the answer. Fill it with a solid color and type "tap to reveal."
- With the shape selected, go to Insert → Animation.
- In the Motion panel, choose Fade out (or Disappear) and set it to On click.
- Duplicate the slide for each card and change the text.
Now in Present mode, the first click removes the cover and shows the answer, and the next click goes to the next card.
Pro move: question on screen, answer in speaker notes
Another option: put the answer in the speaker notes at the bottom. Use Presenter view to see it. Good for running a quiz with your study group.
Study in present mode
Click Slideshow (top right) and go:
- Say the answer out loud before you click. Guessing in your head doesn't count. Your brain lies.
- Keep a sticky note with two columns: Got it and Missed. Write the slide number of every miss.
- After the round, go back to the missed slides only.
That last step is where Google Slides flashcards start to feel clunky. Slides doesn't know which cards you missed, doesn't reshuffle them, and doesn't remind you to review them tomorrow or in three days. You're doing all the tracking on a sticky note.
FlashDeck does the tracking. You tap Knew it or Missed it on each card; a missed card comes back tomorrow, and a known card waits a day, then three days, then longer. Each day you get only the cards you're about to forget, in about ten minutes. Build my study plan
Print or share with your class
How to make printable flashcards on Google Slides
- File → Print preview (or File → Print).
- If you used a 5×3 card size, print one slide per page on card stock and trim.
- Or use the handout layout to fit 2, 4 or 6 slides per page and cut them out.
- For double-sided paper cards, put fronts and backs as alternating slides and print two-sided. Test one sheet first so the answers line up.
Share with your class
Click Share and set access to "Anyone with the link can view," or post it in Google Classroom. If classmates want to edit, have them File → Make a copy so nobody wrecks the original.
How to make cue cards on Google Slides
Doing a speech or a presentation? Same setup: one slide per point, big text, speaker notes for details. Print them at index-card size and you've got cue cards.
Faster options
How to make flashcards on Google Docs or Google Sheets
- Google Docs: make a two-column table, question left, answer right. Cover the right column with your hand to quiz. Fast to make, easy to print.
- Google Sheets: column A for questions, column B for answers. Great if you plan to import into another app, since most flashcard tools accept two-column text.
How to make flashcards from Google Slides your teacher shared
Here's the real time-saver. Instead of retyping your teacher's lecture deck into new slides, copy the text from the slides (or download as PDF), then paste it into a flashcard maker that writes the questions for you. FlashDeck takes up to 30,000 characters or 20 pages at a time.
If you prefer designing printable, aesthetic cards, check out how to make flashcards on Canva. And if long slide-reading sessions leave you half asleep, why do I zone out when studying has fixes.
Turn your slides into a study plan in a minute
Knowing how to make flashcards on Google Slides is handy for class projects and quick decks. When you just need to learn the content, paste your slide text into FlashDeck: it writes one card per fact, definition or formula using only what you gave it, you can delete any card, and each day you'll see just the cards you're about to forget.
FAQ
How do I make Google Slides into flashcards?
Set a card-sized page under File → Page setup, then make a question slide followed by an answer slide for each card. Or put both on one slide and hide the answer under a shape with a fade-out animation set to on click.
Can you make flashcards on Google Slides for free?
Yes. Google Slides is free with a Google account, and everything in this guide, including animations and printing, works without paying.
How do I print flashcards from Google Slides?
Use File → Print with one slide per page at a card size, or the handout layout to fit several per page. For double-sided cards, alternate front and back slides and test one sheet first.
How do I make flashcards on Google Docs instead?
Make a two-column table with questions on the left and answers on the right. Cover the answer column to quiz yourself, or print and cut along the lines.
Is there a faster way to make flashcards from lecture slides?
Copy the slide text or a PDF of the deck and paste it into FlashDeck. It writes one card per fact from what you pasted, so you skip the retyping and go straight to studying.